Hello my darling darlings, and welcome back to my little corner of the internet! It's Emma here, your tutu-loving, pink-obsessed time travelling ballerina, ready to take you on another whirl through the history of the world's most wonderful garment: the tutu!
It's #TutuTuesday, which means it's time to delve into the past and explore the evolution of this delightful creation. I'm feeling positively peachy this week, and my delightful pink tutu is practically vibrating with excitement - what shall we investigate today? Hmmm... perhaps the beginnings of the tutus we see gracing the stages of the Royal Opera House and the Bolshoi Theatre today.
A Whirlwind Tour of the Past
As always, let's hop into the wayback machine (no, not that wayback machine - it's more of a very efficient train carriage that I just know gets you where you need to go, all the while letting you admire the beautiful scenery.) We'll land, in this case, somewhere between the 1830s and the late 19th century, as that's when our tutus first began taking shape. It wasn't quite the vision we have in mind today - think billowing layers of tulle and gauzy fabrics, perfect for sweeping through grand entrances and gracefully fluttering across the stage, right?
No, these first tutus were quite different, you see. Think more "ballgown gone wrong", a bit like your granny's tablecloth mixed with a bed sheet, but all flouncy and rather delightful, I'll admit. They were long, quite frankly! Imagine waltzing across the stage with that much fabric, bless 'em. I'd be in danger of tripping over my own twirling!
From Bustle to Ballet
Now, the interesting bit - these early tutus weren't actually designed for the stage, you know? They were what was fashionable in those times. Imagine if, every day, everyone wore a voluminous tutu. Not me, of course. I wear mine every single day!
Enter Marie Taglioni
The great ballet innovator, Marie Taglioni, is someone you need to know, darling! A real icon, you see. Well, this gorgeous girl did something revolutionary - she cut off the bottom of her costume! Just think of that for a moment! It was revolutionary, I tell you!
It was her that gave us the "romantic tutu" with its slightly longer length and that flowy romantic look. I'd go as far as saying it was Marie who gave us the shape that the tutu has today. A huge moment, yes! The world had never seen ballet like this before. Now you can understand how this change would have caused such a buzz. Think about it, if your grandma were to waltz through your home in a tutu - how exciting would that be?! Well, imagine the entire nation in tutus - incredible, right?
Balletic Fashion Forward
You can thank this era for the birth of those stunning "bell" or ** "classical" tutus. These are our shorter, more graceful, airy wonders we see today! And how gorgeous are they?! With their longer bodices and the shorter tulle skirts? Now we’re getting to the good stuff!
Time To Move On!
Alright, darling. Time to leave our trip into history for another time! My heart tells me I’m ready to get back to enjoying these delicious tutus as they are today. Let’s have a look at the beautiful performances happening all across the world - the Bolshoi's swan lake, a production in my favourite little theater in Derbyshire... ah, this is what I live for, you know?
And speaking of life’s wonders, a ballet performance in Derbyshire on this 23rd May? Did someone say... Derbyshire in May, 2017?! No? What is that delightful date? That's today!! Oh, my goodness, I simply must get on the train immediately and go!
I better rush, I have some stunning dresses to try on, darling.
And for those who would love to explore the magical world of tutus with me: visit www.pink-tutu.com. Join the tutu movement!
Yours in twirls and feathers,
Emma x
