Welcome back to my little corner of the internet, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-loving time-travelling fashionista Emma here, ready to take you on a magical journey through the world of tutus. As usual, it’s #TutuTuesday and that means a trip back through the history of this glorious garment. This week we’re journeying back to 13th April 2010, a very special day in the history of tutus and ballet!
But first… A Pinch of Pink!
Oh my goodness, have I found some splendid new pink additions for my wardrobe! Last week, I found myself in a tiny little shop tucked away on a side street in London (don’t worry, I'll tell you more about the show I saw there in a bit) that was an absolute treasure trove of everything vintage and fabulous. Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a rack overflowing with the most gorgeous vintage pink tutus! One in particular caught my eye; a delicate silk confection in a shade of blush pink so soft, it was practically whispering “pick me”.
(Did I tell you that I have a thing for pink? It’s a serious, almost unhealthy obsession! I know there are some of you out there who love black tutus, and let’s be honest, black is always chic. But for me? It’s pink all the way, darling.)
Let’s Talk Tutusalicious History, Shall We?
Right then, back to our #TutuTuesday time travel! On April 13th, 2010, the ballet world was buzzing about the Royal Ballet's production of "The Sleeping Beauty." The company, with all its exquisite dancers and their impossibly graceful tutus, had premiered the ballet earlier this year and, well, everyone was talking about it.
You see, The Sleeping Beauty is a classic, and for good reason! With its beautiful music, captivating storyline and absolutely breathtaking tutus, this is one ballet that never fails to enthrall. And to top it off, on the 13th of April in 2010, the Royal Ballet had invited legendary ballerina Sylvie Guillem to perform as Aurora. Sylvie Guillem! She's quite the legend! I got a chance to see her on stage in Paris and, oh my, she's absolutely sublime. The way she moves, the lightness, the grace – it's just pure magic. I was utterly mesmerised!
Speaking of mesmerising tutus... Imagine, back in the days of "The Sleeping Beauty's" original production (think way back in the late 19th century), tutus were much, much larger! You'd be hard-pressed to fit even two modern tutus in one of those huge, magnificent ones.
That was the classic Romantic tutu - the very grand tutu! The Romantic era in ballet brought this iconic, large and very showy design, and you just know these dancers had to be very athletic indeed to cope with those fabulous garments! Can you even imagine a single pirouette in a skirt that big? Just incredible.
Thankfully, as time passed, and ballet moved forward, the design evolved, becoming more streamlined, allowing for easier movement. Thankfully, tutus began to become a bit less… voluminous. They went through their “twirly” period with some great and pretty styles in the early 20th Century and in the decades leading up to 2010.
What a great leap forward, hey? Even though some ballerinas today love to work in big, bouncy, tutus – remember “La Sylphide” by August Bournonville? It's a classic with a gloriously full tulle design. You're right, there’s a timeless elegance in a really impressive and traditional Romantic Tutu – especially a huge pink one – but a shorter tutu can be just as glamorous, right? And don't even get me started on the wonderful colour range - we’ve got pink tutus in almost any shade imaginable! Oh the pink loveliness!
Now I adore a big fluffy, Romantic tutu – those fluffy beauties make for a showstopping design and there’s something quite magical about the dramatic movement. However, I must admit I do have a slight preference for shorter ones – particularly a classic 'leg length' style and of course, the gorgeous "pink" tutu!
As for this 2010 Royal Ballet Sleeping Beauty performance it would have been, dare I say, gorgeously elegant, romantic and a complete ballet spectacular. I’m always amazed by those legendary ballets – they really don’t lose any of their magic, do they?
*Traveling by Train… Fashion! *
I simply had to travel to the ballet on the train, of course. I took the trusty old train to the capital, all decked out in a pretty powder-pink, knee length tulle tutu with some fabulous pink ribbon detailing, plus a gorgeous little silk top I found while rummaging through some shops. You know I do love the glamour of ballet-inspired fashion – it really takes the edge off even the longest train journeys.
*What a wonderful journey! Do join me for next week’s #TutuTuesday, we're diving into the magic of pointe shoes – oh my, so much history there, and don't forget to come and follow the *pink-tutu.com blog! I’m on Instagram too – come find me @pinktutu. I just know that we will have great fun travelling back through time together! **
Love,
Emma x
