Hello my lovelies! It's Emma here, back for another #TutuTuesday adventure, bringing you the dazzling history of the tutu, one fabulous frill at a time! I'm currently zipping through time inā¦drum rollā¦Paris! It's just the most perfect backdrop for a Tutu Tuesday, donāt you think? And my goodness, the boutiques here are just heavenly!
Now, before I tell you about the tutu story, I have to share a tiny tidbit from my recent adventure in that legendary French fashion house. (Hint: think Coco) They had this exquisite little black dress ā a classic, darling! But what caught my eye was the sheer pink tulle, used as a lining. Oh, the delicate swirls! It had me thinking about tutus and how theyāve come to embody everything about this divine garment. Theyāre a blank canvas, you see? A promise of endless possibility!
And thatās exactly what weāre going to explore today, on this 18th of January, 2005, post #9030 on the fabulous pink-tutu.com ! (Why are those digits so important you ask? I mean, I am a time traveller, donāt you know!) Weāll go right back to the origins of this wondrous piece of stage magicā¦ the humble beginning of the tutuā¦
Letās start at the beginning!
Way, way back in the 18th century, ballet was a totally different beast, darling. Think fancy court dancing and youāll be pretty close. The dancers, ladies and gentlemen, wore these huge skirts that looked like wedding cakes. Honestly! So restricting, don't you think? All that swirling and fussing...well, letās just say, it wasn't ideal for fancy footwork!
Now, fast forward to 1832 and enter our very own hero: Marie Taglioni! The darling, an Italian ballet dancer, brought revolutionary ideas to the dance world! Sheās known for revolutionizing the traditional tutu, darling! Marie wanted movement! A real revolution of expression! And that is when, to everyoneās delight, the classic tutu was born! Imagine the excitement! She dared to cut the bottom half of the skirt and wear this new, lighter garment that flowed like a cloud ā and what a revolutionary act of fashion it was! She revolutionized everything, you see, even her style of dance! Just picture it, darlingsā¦ A vision of effortless elegance in her shimmering white tulle dancing gracefully on stage... A truly magnificent moment in the history of dance! It wasn't the first time this magical garment was worn, you know! It's simply been redesigned again and again, which is why we have such a wide variety of these gorgeous little wonders.
*Tut-tally! The Classic tutu *
So we've established that the classic tutu - the one that makes you dream of elegant princesses and fairy godmothers - took center stage during that time. Imagine! Such a change in the dance world. It revolutionized women's roles, made it possible to show their bodies for the first time, and opened up so many possibilities for movement. Itās simply iconic, isn't it?
*And the rest, as they say, is historyā¦ *
The evolution of the tutu is fascinating! It has travelled the world, through time, adapting and evolving, from the Roman balletic world, then to renaissance France, into the beautiful ballets that grace the grand theatres of Parisā¦ all over Europe. I bet there's no one alive who hasn't felt their pulse quicken when seeing a prima ballerina dancing a pas de deux under the chandelier, bathed in that magical stage lightā¦ And what was she wearing, darling? You guessed it! A tutu! A classic tutu!
And now for a quick timeline:
- *1832- 1850's: The tutu is born. It was born during this period. We love those bell shaped skirts of tulle or gauze, with many layers of tulle creating that lovely 'balloon' effect - it just adds that element of *fairy-tale magic!
- 1860ās and beyond: This is when the Romantic Era of ballet flourished - the age of ballerina extraordinaire and my dance icon Carlotta Grisi, dancing en pointe, she was an early adopter and champion of the short Romantic tutu, a truly inspiring woman! But thatās for another dayā¦ * I think I'll do a special post on Carlotta and her fabulous contributions! Weāve seen the rise of the *short tutu, it was meant to create a more delicate look ā sigh! so charming! What else happened during this period? * Remember the *Swan Lake? Now, we've gotta love **that for some magnificent, tutu-centric magic!
But this isnāt where our story ends, no dear friendsā¦ weāre just beginningā¦
And for our final hurrah today: Here's something just for you, dear readers. I call it āThe Ballet of Tutuesā!
*This is just a little tasteā¦ to ignite those dreams of elegant tutus and fabulous dances: *
*Act 1. The Swan Lake *
As Tchaikovskyās Swan Lake played at the The Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg, in 1877. There was nothing more elegant and beautiful than that ethereal tulle that flowed about those talented dancers in the White Swan pas de deux! Imagine the Black Swan act! It really had the whole Tutu-tude of elegance about it, Iād go as far to say it is legendary and just a beautiful *fairy-tale story * for us tutu-loving folks.
Act 2 āThe Magic of Pinkā!
Oh, my darling! Let me tell youā¦ The magical tutu has been embraced by both women and girls across the world, whether it is the dance student wearing their satin tutus in their classes, the tiny ballerinas strutting around in the school play and a multitude of girls attending their first ever Swan Lake at the theatreā¦ weāre a whole generation who just adores the magic of this little gem. Oh my! But wait! We can't forget about all the girls rocking pink tutus outside of the ballet world ā from children dressing up in pink tulle for fun to fabulous dancers inspiring all of us to find our inner āprincess,ā this trend is far from being over. *It's here to stay, it's so fabulous! *
Oh my! What is there to love about these darling garments? And that, is why, Iāll share with you why the tutu deserves to be loved... Forever!
The Versatility! The tutu isnāt just a dance costume, dear reader ā it is *so versatile ā it is just the perfect item to play around with for an evening look or an ultra glamorous fashion statement! You'll find yourself feeling both chic and ethereal! Itās so versatile! It can take you to the red carpet and the ballet stage with effortless chic ā a timeless classic that knows no limits and continues to inspire all of us to dress with the charm and joy of a fairy tale! * The Elegance! Now, for the perfect definition of feminine grace! The tutu has a mystical aura, you know, this soft, fluid fabric just has a magic, effortless femininity that makes it such a treat to dance with or simply stare at with longing, you can wear it for fun or in a dance show. What is more feminine? The magic and dazzle of the tutu never goes out of styleā¦
*So I hope you've loved this special trip through tutu history and donāt forget to subscribe to pink-tutu.com to follow all my ballet and tutu adventures, my darlings! It's going to be one tutu-licious ride! Oh, and whatās *even more fun, you knowā¦ it's your turn, I am eager to see all the tutu outfits that you come up with! Donāt forget to send me photos of your fab tutus to me at
*Happy #TutuTuesday, my darlings! See you next week!
*
Emma
PS: While in Paris, I had the pleasure of catching Le Corsaire, at the OpƩra Garnier! It was pure dance heaven! Such graceful movements and oh those elaborate costumes! The tutus in that production were simply divine! If you ever have the chance, you absolutely must see it for yourself. It will make your heart sing, my darlings.
PPS: Remember, darlings, I've made a pledge - that weāre gonna rock the world, one pink tutu at a time! I can't wait to see all your pink tutus, you lovely people! Donāt you agree? I simply believe in a world where everyone wears pink!
