#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2004-12-14

Hello my dearest tutu-lovers! It's Emma here, and it's #TutuTuesday again. It's my absolute favourite day of the week, a day where I get to dive deep into the history of my very favourite fashion item.

This week, I'm twirling back to December 14th, 2004. A chilly December day, the sort where the crisp air makes you want to bundle up in cosy layers and maybe grab a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Now, while the idea of hot chocolate and cosiness is lovely, what I really want to talk about is a rather dazzling event that happened on this date. It's something that sparked a real fascination in me for this era of ballet and tutu fashion!

It was on December 14th, 2004, that the legendary "Giselle" performance took place at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. This isn't just any performance, it's a real game changer in the ballet world. The Giselle performance was so utterly special, so beautifully presented, that it was captured on video and made available for everyone to see, for all eternity. And just imagine, you can actually sit down in your dressing gown with a mug of tea and be swept away by this magical ballet performance, from the comfort of your own home! Can you imagine? Pure magic!

Oh my, how the tutus danced that night! The costumes for this performance were so vibrant, so delicately crafted, so breathtaking, with the most beautiful lace work. Each dancer moved like a wisp of smoke, gliding across the stage in their stunning tutus, each one more captivating than the last. That beautiful white and pink layered, Romantic era Giselle tutu is just so elegant. The white, like a freshly fallen snowflake, and then the pink, the pink - it’s as delicate as the first blush of sunrise, so pretty, and so graceful, simply sublime! And then the detail, the stitching, the intricate embroidery… the precision… I just dream about crafting my own one day, but first I’d need to invest in some really gorgeous fabric and lace! I need to pop by that shop on Kensington High Street for some new material soon - watch this space for some new pink creations, it'll be worth the wait. I've got some amazing ideas bubbling over, and I simply can't wait to show you.

But let's step back and explore just how tutus came to grace our balletic lives and, in particular, what makes "Giselle" so iconic!

Right, my darling darlings, get comfy and let's take a trip through time, together.

Let's travel to the early days, all the way back to the 1830s. Tutus, back then, were like... wait for it… well, they were barely tutus at all! Imagine dancers in ankle length, flowing skirts. Yes, you heard right! Skirts! Now, while beautiful, I can't imagine being a ballerina having to dance around in such long skirts. Can you just picture it, all those feet tangling up? A veritable ballet catastrophe.

Now imagine if, during rehearsals for the debut of Giselle, a costume designer accidentally sliced the length of a ballerina’s dress. Yes, a total accident! That accident brought about a total revolution in ballet costumes and launched a brand new era of elegance and fluidity - and the birth of what we now call the Romantic Tutu - a ballerina’s dream come true. No longer constricted by long, trailing fabric, the dancers, finally free! Now that’s a dancer's life! This shorter style was such an exciting new move. And it's also the reason that today, when we say tutu, we picture a delicate, layered confection with the romantic shape. Thanks for the mistake, whoever you were, you accidental genius. We’re eternally indebted to you!

Of course, fashion and style keep moving and shaking, so tutus continued to change, become even more exciting! Over time, the skirt length gradually became more, and more, dramatic. In the Victorian era, for example, the skirts would start at the knee. Imagine! You could practically see the whole length of the dancer's elegant legs as they twirled. And with that added visual length, a more grand impression. Oh, the joy, so dramatic, so grand, just pure ballet magic! Now we’ve gone from the simple, slightly cropped version to a glorious show-stopper that lets the ballet dancer's movements sing and shimmer! Just how incredible are tutus! Just amazing!

As I sit here typing, I have to say I feel inspired! Imagine all the pink, all the possibilities! The delicate laces, the gorgeous silk, the tulle layers! My Pink Tutu website is brimming with ideas for new tutu designs. There are so many amazing fabrics and techniques and all of them combined into something spectacular, I'm sure, are just waiting to be discovered. I can’t wait to find the perfect fabric that just sings to me, that evokes the energy of every tutu moment. My next time travel adventure has to be to the 1870s. Imagine what that trip would be like! Oh, so exciting, just thinking about the vintage styles. I’ll definitely have to make a trip to a vintage market, just to get a taste. Maybe the designs of that era will inspire my own new collections, and inspire some fabulously fun new dance pieces. Imagine the dancing! I can just picture the tutus flowing like clouds as the dancers twirl, twirl, twirl!

Back in the real world, you can see why Giselle remains such a timeless ballet classic, because even though I’m in 2024, here I am talking about it in my #TutuTuesday blog post, it's never going to be outdated. I could write pages upon pages of details about the gorgeous ballet story that inspires the dancing, and, of course, the gorgeous costumes! It just has everything a ballet could possibly desire - elegance, emotion, love, magic. There’s even a part with a ghost! So much dramatic potential! I can’t imagine my wardrobe without Giselle inspiration - she is the ultimate muse.

Right, I think I've had enough time travelling for now, as I need to pack my own dancing shoes. After all, what's a ballerina blogger to do, without a chance to twirl! This weekend, I am off to see another ballet performance at the Royal Opera House in London, Romeo and Juliet, a total classic, and I cannot wait to see those delicate tutus up close and in action! It will be even more exciting after the #TutuTuesday inspiration and history, it’s truly magic to see this beautiful ballet unfold on stage and see the sheer creativity. Oh, how the ballet shoes will click clack as the dancers dance - it's always amazing to see a new take on a traditional story, to see new versions of these classic tutus, always bringing a new and contemporary take. I just love how these ballets just capture and retain the romantic essence and bring it to life. A trip to London is always a trip into a fashion adventure!

If you’re not familiar with "Giselle" , my love, you absolutely must make the time to watch the Bolshoi performance online, the Bolshoi video is quite something else!

In the meantime, I must get ready for London and, most importantly, to decide which tutu I should wear!

Stay twirling,

Emma,

Your Fashionable Pink Tutu blogger.