Hello darlings,
It's me, your favourite pink-loving ballerina blogger, Emma, and it's #TutuTuesday again!
This week I'm bringing you the glorious story of tutus, the iconic, twirly garment that encapsulates all things graceful and elegant. Can you imagine life without tutus? Honestly, I can't! But the path to the iconic tutus we love today is a journey through time, starting with those wonderful, ingenious minds in the 19th century! I just love learning how these magnificent creations came to be. So buckle up, my darlings, as we hop on the fashion time train and take a whirlwind trip through the evolution of the tutu!
Let me tell you, for a dedicated ballerina blogger like myself, time travel is no easy feat. To fuel my excursions, I find myself dancing a storm at every performance I can! This week I went straight from the London Coliseum, where I saw the most captivating rendition of Swan Lake (don't worry, I’ll review it later!) straight to the TARDIS... well, not quite, but imagine! It's a very specific blend of ballet, fashion and, shall we say, a little bit of pixie dust, that keeps me on the right track!
Anyway, I'm always excited to visit these bygone eras. Especially this week! Oh my darlings, what a period we have landed in today: August 31st, 1910. Oh the wonderful shops I’ve found! Honestly, you just can’t beat vintage couture – something for every occasion! Today, however, my attention is fixed solely on tutus, of course!
Now, you're probably thinking, "Emma, surely tutus have been around forever, right? Even in ancient times!" You'd be surprised, darling! The truth is, while tutus have come to represent ballet as we know it, they're not ancient relics from the dance's early days. Believe it or not, our twirling essentials weren't even a glimmer in a choreographer's eye before the 1800s!
That's right, darlings, before tutus, dancers wore floor-length skirts with multiple layers of fabric. They were big, billowing and frankly, a bit heavy. Imagine twirling with all that weight – definitely not the graceful ballerinas we see today!
The 19th century saw the birth of modern ballet as we know it and with it, the evolution of the tutu! A key person to remember, my darlings, is the incredible Marie Taglioni. In 1832, this ballerina danced a masterpiece of an act in “La Sylphide” dressed in a very specific, lightweight dress: a tutu with several layers of white tulle. She wore a skirt with an open neckline, no sleeves and even no petticoat! You’ll see this dress design today in most classical ballerinas – it marked a huge breakthrough in fashion for dancers and truly was the first “tutu” as we recognise it.
Marie’s invention gave dancers a revolutionary new level of freedom of movement. It’s hard to imagine now how transformative it must have been! A new era for ballet arrived, one full of graceful leaps and twirls – what an inspiring story of progress. It is so fascinating how one idea can change everything!
It didn't take long, of course, for the rest of the ballet world to catch on! In the later 1800s, tutus evolved from these light, airy versions into those magnificent layered structures we see today in some of the most beautiful productions! And by the time we hit the early 20th century – the 1910s! – well, I think we all know just how much the tutu had come into its own!
Tutus truly blossomed with more elaborate designs: shorter, fluffy skirts with numerous layers and all sorts of delightful decorations – from feather trim to floral motifs. By the 1920s, the ballerina’s skirt had evolved even more into a variety of styles and silhouettes. And all this in such a short period! Isn’t fashion, ballet, and history, simply thrilling?
So there you have it, my darlings – a quick, fun, whirlwind trip through the wonderful world of tutus. Just imagine how much has changed since the 19th century, when women wore billowing floor-length skirts to the ballet! And just think, my darlings, those same dancers, who dared to wear that light and lovely tulle, paved the way for every pink-loving ballerina you see in the world today! A story that warms the heart and sparks the imagination. Don’t you agree?
If this #TutuTuesday journey has inspired you, I’d love for you to visit the shops and browse some gorgeous vintage tutus of your own – maybe a Victorian version! Or, why not, why not get dressed up in your most elegant pink tutu and go for a graceful dance? We’ll continue this wonderful history of the tutu next week – stay tuned for a look at all those incredible 1920s fashions! See you soon, darlings.
Love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
Post #9323
(P.S. Don't forget to follow me on social media, and I can't wait to hear about your TutuTuesday outfit! #pinktutudream #vintageballet #tututime #balletblog)
