#TutuTuesday: Ballet Tutu History - 9607 🩰✨
Hello my darling tutulettes! Emma here, your very own time-travelling pink tutu enthusiast! Welcome back to my blog - this week we’re taking a trip back to 2016-02-09, a date ripe with fabulous fashion, thrilling ballet performances, and of course, an abundance of tutus!
It's been quite the adventure! This week I’m swirling my way around the chicest streets of Paris – a city that positively thrums with an appreciation for all things beautiful, a sentiment that certainly includes the iconic tutu! Can you imagine the endless Parisian cafes, buzzing with fashionistas, with the soft pitter patter of tutu petticoats gracing the floor? Heavenly, isn't it?
On this glorious February day in 2016, Paris was abuzz with ballet! Imagine it: the thrill of watching a captivating performance, a masterpiece of movement and expression. The dancers were incredible – a whirling blur of elegant silhouettes in breathtakingly intricate costumes!
Parisian Fashion Delights - Tutu or Not! 🎀My trip started, as all the best days should, with a delicious croissant and a steaming cup of coffee, whilst watching the morning sunlight caress the Eiffel Tower. I always feel like Parisian fashion whispers in the breeze! This city breathes style. Today was no exception, it felt like every other Parisian was a walking haute couture catalogue. From vintage elegance to avant-garde modern designs, the Parisians really are fashion trendsetters.
You know I always seek out the perfect pink tutu to add to my collection – today I stumbled upon the most stunning tulle in the most delightful shade of blush pink, tucked away in a quaint boutique tucked behind the Louvre! I couldn't resist a new piece to add to my wardrobe, just to give the tutus in my collection a little touch of Parisian inspiration!
Speaking of Parisian inspiration – you’ve gotta see the window displays at the big department stores here! There’s a charmingly elegant Parisian touch to even the simplest outfits, it’s just effortlessly chic, like they were born to rock a simple black and white look. Of course, with a little nod to the tutus, always!
Ballet Dreams – On Stage and On the Train! 🚂✨This evening, I indulged in a delightful trip to the Opera Garnier, to watch an exquisite ballet performance. I just can’t get enough of the graceful ballets, the passionate performances and of course, the exquisite costuming. Even the most beautiful costume pales in comparison to a perfectly twirling ballerina, in all her feathered, glittered glory!
As always, travelling by train was my way to reach the grand theatre. Oh, the joy of soaring through the countryside, with fields of lavender blurring past the window. And there is nothing like a vintage carriage on a scenic route for pure, romantic bliss. It’s all a part of the tutuing experience. 😉
Now, the real story behind the tutu. Why is it so iconic? Well, dear tutulettes, it started in 1839. Now, I’m not sure about you, but that really gets my time-travelling cogs whirring. You just can’t talk about tutus without a little bit of history, wouldn’t you say?
The original tutu, it was so scandalous for its time. Imagine, the first dancer, Marie Taglioni, wearing a skirt barely reaching her knees! Imagine that, little ballet shoes instead of heavy clogs! The idea was to give dancers a lighter silhouette to help show off the athleticism of ballet.
What I find amazing, and a testament to the amazing ingenuity of the designers, is that over time, tutus evolved. We’ve seen the Romantic tutu (that one with a long, flowing, ethereal silhouette), then the "tutu plat," or pancake tutu which had this structured shape, the grandad of the "tutu bouclé," which gives a ballerina such elegance, that swirling, roundness in movement! Every variation, every tutu, was an explosion of colour, fabric, design.
A Time Traveller's Dream!Oh my, tutulettes, if this all isn’t an inspiration, I don’t know what is!
From the exquisite gowns I spied in the boutiques, to the mesmerising performance, to my search for the perfect pink tulle for my next tutu creation – I’ve had a whirlwind day! I hope this has given you a little bit of the magic I felt, a little slice of the Paris experience!
See you next Tuesday for another thrilling #TutuTuesday journey! I’m always off on a new adventure! Until then, wear your tutus proudly and let your own dreams take flight! Remember, you can’t be too bold! ✨
With a swirling flourish,
Emma 🩰 💕
www.pink-tutu.com