Hello lovelies! It's your favourite pink tutu-wearing time-travelling ballerina, Emma, here! 🩰💖 Welcome back to another edition of #TutuTuesday, where we delve into the fabulous history of the ballet tutu. Today's date is 28th March 2017, and trust me, you won't want to miss this exciting glimpse into the world of ballet fashion!
This week, I've taken a little trip to the magical city of Paris. The air is thick with the scent of croissants and perfume, the streets are bustling with fashionistas and the Eiffel Tower twinkles like a giant, metallic ballet slipper. Oh, Paris, you are truly the most fabulous city in the world for any tutu-lover!
Speaking of fabulous, we can thank Paris for the development of the tutu we know and love today. It all started back in the 1800s, with the Romantic era in ballet. Remember how I said the dancers of the Romantic era wanted to appear weightless and ethereal? Well, that's where the tutu really started to take shape. Instead of the floor-length, restrictive skirts of the past, ballerinas started wearing shorter skirts - the very first tutus! This shift gave the dancers more freedom to move and jump, which perfectly embodied the new focus on lightness and fluidity in ballet.
Fast forward to the late 19th century, and we meet the legendary Marie Taglioni. Marie was known for her incredible grace and poise, and she helped shape the image of the Romantic ballet dancer. But it was her infamous role in La Sylphide, where she appeared in a billowing, white tutu, that truly brought the tutu to fame!
And the evolution of the tutu doesn't stop there! Over the years, it continued to become more fitted, showing off the lines of the dancer’s legs.
In the early 20th century, the tutu transformed into the classic tutu romantique. This style was a bit shorter than the Romantic tutu, showcasing more of the dancer's legs. This helped show off the intricate footwork of the ballets of the period.
Nowadays, there are tons of different types of tutus used in different styles of ballet. But you've got to love the timeless appeal of the tutu romantique, right?
After my afternoon in Paris, I went to see the incredible ballet company, "The Paris Opera Ballet," performing a classic piece by Marius Petipa, "La Bayadere," at the Palais Garnier opera house. It was incredible to see all those beautiful tutus onstage, swirling and pirouetting!
The tutus worn by the dancers were perfect, and every detail was beautiful. The dancers of Paris are really top-notch - they all wore the classic, fitted tutu romantique made with layers of tulle, which made them look utterly dreamy, but they really were so strong! I was quite excited to see all the variations they had included in this ballet too, as they seemed so very strong! They had done variations on all the different lengths, colours, materials - and even how many layers there were in their tutus. It made me wonder what I would wear!
You might wonder, how can I possibly get my hands on one of those spectacular tutus? Don’t worry, darling, because, of course, I have you covered.
After the ballet, I found the most charming little vintage clothing store, called "Le Tutu à Paris" tucked away on a quiet, cobblestone street. You wouldn't believe what treasures they had hidden away! There were rows upon rows of delicate lace and silk, vintage tutus of every color and style imaginable! They were truly breathtaking. It was like a dream come true for any tutu enthusiast like me.
I left the shop with a gorgeous pink tutu romantique that I will definitely be wearing for my next dance class! After all, pink is definitely my favourite colour. I’ve bought enough pink clothes for a whole village to wear a tutu, and you should try it too, ladies. There is no outfit as truly delightful as wearing a pink tutu!
Today is 28th March, and if you are looking for some fabulous ballet-related entertainment this evening, the "Birmingham Royal Ballet" will be presenting The Sleeping Beauty at the Birmingham Hippodrome! They’re always great - especially when they do classic ballets! What I wouldn't give to time travel there right now and catch the show, but for today, I think I will wear my new tutu, grab a yummy chocolate eclair, and take a train to London to shop!
I hope you all had a wonderful #TutuTuesday! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and what tutu styles you love.
Remember, don’t forget to share your ballet memories and tutu love! Let’s celebrate the magical world of ballet together! And most importantly:
Never be afraid to twirl in a pink tutu!
Your eternally-tutu-loving blogger,
Emma 💖
Don’t forget to check back in next week for another exciting episode of #TutuTuesday!
P.S. Did you know there are tons of resources for ballet enthusiasts out there? You can find out more about ballet and history, fashion, or buy all the fancy tutu-wear your heart desires on sites like "Dancewear Central," "Ballet Blog," and of course, right here at "pink-tutu.com"! Just search the internet for what you need, my lovely pink tutu-loving friends. I'll be here next Tuesday with more fun facts and fashion for you all to enjoy!
