#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2008-02-26

Hello, darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things tutu, and a particularly fabulous stop on this fine Tuesday. As always, it’s me, Emma, your Derbyshire-born tutu-obsessed blogger, coming at you live from (drumroll please) … well, you know me, I can't give away the time travel secrets, but let's just say, this time it’s somewhere fabulous! I’ll drop a hint, this week's post has everything to do with a special day you might find rather charming - a very romantic one!

You know, I absolutely love travelling by train. Just imagine, sitting on a luxurious plush seat with the rhythm of the wheels against the tracks, gazing out the window at rolling green hills. So incredibly romantic! It’s how I travelled to get to my fabulously sparkly spot today - a real travel tip from this tutu-wearing time-traveler. Anyway, before I digress completely, back to the point! This week we are delving into the dazzling history of the tutu!

The word "tutu" itself has a pretty romantic history, believe it or not! It derives from the French term "tutu", meaning something along the lines of “flutter” or “whirl.” I guess they can’t get more accurate, can they? You can just picture those fluffy skirts whirring around our ballerina feet! It’s so dramatic!

As with all fashion, tutus, in their iconic form, evolved over time. Did you know that initially ballerinas danced in skirts of a much different length? A lot less show-stopping. Imagine! Long, trailing skirts – the ultimate in practical fashion disaster! (Just picture it… and imagine it in pale pink, which just makes it worse, don't you think?) But hey, this just makes it all the more dramatic how tutus have evolved and taken on a life of their own. The ballerina, and the tutu, have become so synonymous with each other. We practically can't be apart! They both just exude grace and beauty, right?

Back to our history lesson! Those early skirts slowly shortened throughout the 1800s. Marie Taglioni, you'll want to remember this name, darlings! She’s like a legendary icon of the ballet world - the queen of light and elegance. In 1832 she donned a skirt with multiple layers of tulle, much shorter than what dancers wore before. That was the beginning of our much-loved tutu's evolution!

Can you imagine the absolute scandal at the time?! But who cares about a bit of a scandal when you’ve got such fabulous fashion? Don’t you agree?

The romantic era of the early 20th century, ah the decadence of it all, really favoured a long skirt, making the tutus almost look like a full skirt. Can you see yourself whirling and twirling around a grand ballroom in one of these magnificent creations, dear readers? I so can, and it’s heavenly! Then, fast forward to the mid-1900s! The tutu became even shorter, and lighter and almost invisible!

You must love tutus like I do, my dears, to be still reading my rambling on. Let's take a short trip to the world of modern day ballet today - all tutus, no scandal, all grace and a huge amount of talent! Have you heard of Misty Copeland, or Diana Vishneva? These beauties absolutely steal the show! Each step is magic! If you love all things beautiful, tutus are always an absolute must!

So where am I today, you might ask? Don't be silly, darling! How could it be anywhere but Paris on the day that Paris celebrated its iconic Eiffel Tower? We can’t forget all those sparkling lights and the romance of it all, don’t you agree? It just wouldn’t be fair to the history of this majestic Parisian beauty! I even spotted a show last night – we must all love live shows and be a part of such magic and culture. It’s one of my biggest indulgences! I've never actually been to Paris before (it’s a bit of a long walk from my time, darlings!), but a visit to its stunning opera house is always worth the travel! A good time travel excuse, if you ask me! It's always the perfect place to go for inspiration, as well! My time travel fashion wardrobe is expanding by the second, thank heavens! (and my handbag is practically exploding from the number of scarves!)

Remember, darlings, that life is far too short to only wear boring clothes. Take it from this tutu-clad adventurer: when in doubt, wear a tutu, in pink of course, or another amazing colour. Maybe even two! It's practically guaranteed to make everyone smile! Remember to check back next Tuesday for my next TutuTuesday! And follow me on Twitter: @EmmaPinkTutu

Until next time, stay fashionable! And remember… let's get everyone wearing pink tutus!