Hey lovelies! Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina, back again for another #TutuTuesday! This week we’re taking a trip to 19th century Paris – ooh la la! Think cobbled streets, Parisian cafes, and of course – the Ballet! ?
I just travelled back from a fabulous show at the Palais Garnier. The dancers were incredible, and the costumes! Oh my! They were all about bows, bunches, and billowing fabrics, a truly romantic style that I absolutely adored. ?
It wasn't all frills and lace back then, you know! The tutus of the 19th century were quite a bit different from the ones we see today. For a start, they weren't quite so short – dancers favoured long, flowing skirts, creating an ethereal and graceful look.
Imagine a tutu so long that it trails on the floor as you dance! It must have been quite the spectacle! ? It’s said the dancers wore a sort of “corset-like” garment under the skirts for extra support and shaping.
Another difference was the fabric: the most common material back then was tulle, but they also experimented with silk and cotton for their airy tutus. The use of fabric was pretty spectacular! I swear I saw a whole cloud of ruffles and tulle swirling around the stage at the Palais Garnier – they had an enormous amount of material! ☁️
These earlier tutus, unlike their later, more minimalist counterparts, had a lot of detail –think bows, bunches, lace, ribbons, and ruffles. All these additions definitely added to the visual drama of the ballet. Remember those big bows I told you about? Think bow shapes like rosettes– what a beautiful design feature! Imagine yourself on the stage with such lovely bows! ?
The 19th century, when ballet truly blossomed into its classical form, is such a rich period for tutu history! We’ll continue exploring the timeline next week! Stay tuned for more adventures through time! ⏰
As a little treat before you go, here’s something a bit special about today’s date – February 19th, 2002! It was National Tortilla Chip Day! Who would have thought that day would fall on my journey into the romantic Parisian 19th Century?! ?
Remember, keep dancing and dreaming, darlings! ?
And, of course, don’t forget your pink tutus! ?
Until next time!
Love,
Emma x
P.S. This post is part of my weekly series about ballet tutu history, published every Tuesday. You can find them all at www.pink-tutu.com – be sure to subscribe so you don't miss any! ?
P.P.S I also want to mention that I absolutely love travelling by train! I recently rode the Orient Express from London to Paris. It was absolutely charming, a truly romantic way to travel in the spirit of the time. ? Would you believe the conductor had a pink tutu* on?! ? **
P.P.P.S. To fund my time-travel adventures I sometimes perform ballet in various places throughout history. ? It's quite amazing! Just recently I danced at a court ballet for King Louis XIV! He loved it! ** ?
This is a little taste of what you can find on Emma's blog, pink-tutu.com. As you can see, Emma uses a very personal and enthusiastic tone, peppering her posts with pink hearts and emojis for extra flair. Her passion for all things tutu is evident in her detail-oriented descriptions and excitement for travelling through time.
Her blog is an engaging read for any aspiring ballerina, history enthusiast, or simply anyone who appreciates a sprinkle of fashion and fun. ?
