Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite pink-tutu-clad time traveller, back with another #TutuTuesday post. As you all know, Iām absolutely mad about ballet and everything it stands for. And what better way to express that love than with a fabulous tutu?! Today weāre taking a journey back in time, exploring the history of this iconic piece of dancewear!
Number 8969 on the Pink-Tutu blog
This week Iāve found myself in, well, I'll be honest I haven't got a clue! You see my little travel-by-train, tutu-and-ballet-obsessed journey keeps leading me to all sorts of amazing places, some where tutus are incredibly well-known and others, well, let's say they've never seen a pink tutu before! This week, as ever, my dancewear choices have landed me in an area where my knowledge of dancewear history is really, really useful, though Iām not saying exactly where just yet! It's a real mystery this time...
But back to the tutus themselves, my lovelies! Did you know that tutus werenāt always the billowing, sparkly wonders we know and adore today? Oh no! They started out much moreā¦practical!
Back in the late 18th and early 19th century, ballet dancers wore long, white skirts - imagine, quite a lot like our modern-day wedding dresses! These were pretty and elegant, but can you imagine trying to perform a pirouette in something that long and billowy? Not easy, let me tell you!
Thankfully, Marie Taglioni, one of the first ballerinas to achieve the āfairyā image that is so associated with the art form, came along with a daringly shorter, flowing skirt for her performance in La Sylphide in 1832. Ooh La La! Iād just die to see that in a real-life performance! You can see her tutus on display at the V&A in London! It had such a revolutionary effect on ballet and inspired fashion designers and costume designers across the globe. It showed the world that a shorter length could make ballerinas look ethereal and light. Can you believe that?
But letās not stop there. It took time for tutus to evolve from those knee-length beauties to the stunning creations they are today. Think of all those graceful ballerina films and you get what I mean! We're all just desperate to don the fluffy perfection of a tulle tutus ourselves arenāt we? There's just a whole load of loveliness in the fabric.
Later, in the late 19th century, the romantic era of ballet began. It was then that tutus became wider, longer, and much more elaborate. And these really did inspire lots of designers who brought new ways to the fabric and new materials, I can assure you. The Romantic Period is what really influenced all the fashion around today and you can really see how modern designers are paying homage to this wonderful period and the stunning ladies like Anna Pavlova and Fanny Elssler. They were pioneers, Iām sure of it.
But the story doesn't stop there. The mid-20th century, when the ā tutu revolutionā as I like to call it began, was really interesting as the design and materials just took off! Think of tutus from the big, classical, 19th Century ones to the little fluffy masterpieces of today. Think of ballerinas in Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty, those iconic designs were shaped by the iconic ballerinas like Margot Fonteyn and Alicia Markova - think pink tutus and red, and we have ballet today! And thereās a good chance you can still find beautiful handmade tutus based on these very famous productions in local ballet schools - if you know where to look. I do!
As the decades went on, tutu styles evolved again and again. From the big and fluffy classical tutus of Giselle to the shorter, more modern styles, and even some designs featuring tights under them, that we can see in more modern ballets such as The Nutcracker.
Today, of course, we see tutus in all shapes and sizes. From the traditional, full-skirted styles to more streamlined designs, there's a tutu for every taste and every performance! If you are anything like me you know that you simply canāt imagine a ballet production without them.
Here on my #TutuTuesday I always try to show a wide range of designs and types of tutu, which are on display at the moment and you all love to find out more about whatās new in the world of dancewear - the history, and some of the contemporary, amazing designers of today - especially in the big ballet houses in London, Paris and New York, donāt get me started on their tutu collections! Just stunning! Iām always on the look out for new styles. I try to be adventurous but thereās just no comparison for me, a classic, pink and full tutu is a winner in my eyes, just gorgeous.
Right, time for a little personal message, my darlings. Did I tell you about my recent performance? The most stunning stagewear ā itās all about those tutus and sparkly dresses!
The costumes really made me shine and it was amazing for me. If you've got an event or a dance coming up do try something bright and sparkly, donāt be afraid, embrace your inner ballerina. I have my eye on a gorgeous lilac, almost pink tulle skirt, but maybe in the meantime you might like the one in todayās shop section? I just had to include this stunning vintage pink and black tutu on my blog and shop ā do you love it? It looks so dreamy in my studio. But Iām all out of time, Iām afraid. As ever, I need to catch that train and make my way to my next ballet destination!
But before I go, donāt forget, if you're passionate about ballet and tutus, join my #TutuTuesday adventure on www.pink-tutu.com, subscribe to the blog and maybe you will get the chance to get in touch with me directly. But my top tip for the day - never stop twirling, ladies!
I love a pink tutu!
Much Love and kisses
Emma xx
#PinkTutu #BalletTutuHistory #TutuTuesday #Pink #DerbyshireGirl #EmmaOnTheMove
