Oh my darlings, happy #TutuTuesday! It's such a delight to be back in the heart of the tutu universe, sharing with you all the fabulousness that is the ballet tutu. This week I'm back in lovely Paris, darling - the city of lights, and, as we all know, the city of beautiful tutus! I'm so excited about the fashion, the performances, and most importantly, the tutu history I’m going to tell you about! Oh, and did I mention the delicious croissants and pastries that Paris just cannot do without?!
Today is the 22nd of May 2012, and the air is positively buzzing with the excitement of the upcoming Paris Opera Ballet season. I had the most delightful afternoon browsing the shops on the Rue de Rivoli - my favourite place to find the most fabulous tutu-inspired accessories. I'm thinking a stunning pink beret to go with my pale pink tulle tutu… oh, what a dream!
But darling, today's post is all about history - specifically the history of our most beloved ballet costume. And oh, the story is so enchanting! It all begins, believe it or not, in the early 1800s! Can you believe it?! I'd have thought tutus have been around for centuries, they just feel so timeless!
It seems Marie Taglioni, the very first ballerina to make tutus so famous, was just as passionate about them as I am. Marie, my darling, she wanted to dance light as a feather! This, darling, is how the "Romantic" era of ballet was born! You see, Marie longed to move with effortless grace and agility, and to accomplish this, the ballet costume had to change, making room for a new style of dancing that focused on airy jumps, light leaps, and graceful poses!
She took the voluminous, restricting skirts of the earlier, "classical" ballet costumes, the kind of skirts that made the dancers look more like ladies in hoops than delicate creatures, and… drum roll please… shortened them! Yes! And voila! She gave us the Romantic tutu! This costume was light, flowing, and just right to highlight her amazing movement. Talk about revolutionary, eh! We can all be so thankful to her, darling!
Now, if we imagine a 19th century Parisian ball, or even an opera, you wouldn’t think of going out in anything other than the best dress - the latest fashion trends - and this trend spilled over to ballet and the theatre as well. And there you had it! The most beautiful ballet costumes ever!
Now I do admit to having a fondness for those early 19th century tutus. They look quite delicate. They were shorter and flatter than the ones we see in today’s ballerinas - perhaps made of several layers of fine muslin or lace, gathered tightly around the waist. They certainly wouldn't be practical for pirouettes, I’ll grant you that! But the charm! I simply love their delicacy, the light and fluffy aesthetic.
Of course, the ballet tutu didn't stop evolving. Like a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly, it evolved from a light, flowing skirt to the iconic tiered-layers you see on ballerinas today! With every revolution in ballet - be it a new dance style or even a change in fashion trends - the ballet tutu changed too.
In the late 1800s, those tiered tutus that we all adore started appearing in ballet. The invention of the 'tutu' (from the French 'tulle'!) changed things significantly and became associated with the classical ballet we know and love.
Think of all the iconic tutus, darling! Like the stunning white ones in Swan Lake! Just beautiful, aren’t they! But we wouldn't see those stunning tutus - made of beautiful tulle, of course! - until the 20th century, I have to tell you, in those days, the tutu became even more tiered and voluminous, offering an elegant, beautiful canvas for those beautiful ballet dancers to truly shine!
From the 20th century, you really started to see the 'Tutu Revolution'. New designs came out! It was so inspiring for those ballerinas! And as the style and shape of the tutu continued to evolve throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, we saw even more variations in style, length, and volume - just take a look at those beautiful pointe shoes - to see how much a ballerina’s entire look has evolved, darling!
You know I love a good ballet performance! I could talk for hours about the many talented ballerinas who have taken to the stage and danced in these incredible tutus. I am lucky enough to see these stunning creations at the most amazing places across the world! There are no better places than here in Paris to see how ballerinas can transform themselves into mythical creatures using nothing but movement, skill, and their beautiful tutus.
Today, we've moved well beyond the original Romantic tutu, yet it’s fascinating how it still holds a prominent place in classical ballet! And don’t even get me started on how fabulous those tutu designs have become! From those dramatic long tutus, the graceful, graceful short tutus, and of course, those whimsical pastel coloured tutus that truly have a fairytale charm about them… and oh, I love the colours, just picture my most fabulous bright pink tutu on stage - pure joy and happiness, darling!
Now, dear reader, do go on and tell me about your favorite tutu! What colour would you choose? Do tell me about your favourite tutu styles and designs! What colour is your perfect tutu? What style will you go for this weekend?
See you next week, darling, and remember, until then… keep your head up, chin high, and make sure your tutus are perfectly preened! I can’t wait to see you next week.
Until then, Happy tutu-ing,
Your lovely pink tutu wearing blogger
Emma xx
