Post 9753 - 27th November 2018
Hello darlings! Emma here, your resident pink tutu enthusiast and time-traveling fashionista, ready to whisk you away on another journey through the fascinating world of the ballet tutu! This week, I've been exploring the historical heart of tutu-mania, drumroll Paris!
Oh, Paris, with your cobbled streets, charming cafes, and oh-la-la style, it's no wonder you’ve become the heartland for fashion. The tutus here are simply divine. And speaking of divine, you wouldn't believe what I stumbled upon!
It’s Tuesday morning, and the city is just starting to stir. The air is crisp, and the aroma of freshly baked croissants is wafting from every boulangerie. I'm seated in my favourite cafe, enjoying a cafe au lait and a pain au chocolat, scribbling furiously in my little notebook - this is what it means to be a blogger, even in a historical context!
I'm getting ready to pop down to the Opéra Garnier - my absolute favourite opera house! Did I mention it’s the most magnificent building in all of Paris, and it was opened on 15 January 1875? And guess what else, it was designed by Charles Garnier. Talk about a dream team! Oh, to have seen the opening night!
But back to our story. My mission today? Tracing the history of tutus. A pretty important topic in the history of dance, you know!
So here I am, in 1875 , the year the beautiful Opéra Garnier was opened in Paris! And this is my historical fashion discovery:
The Ballet "La Source" opened just this month (November). This ballet’s costumes are where we really start to see the iconic tutu form take shape! Imagine it, darling, a short, airy skirt with layers of tulle for maximum fluttery movement! And it's even been praised in publications! The Journal des Dames et des Modes, The London Fashion Journal, The Philadelphia Public Ledger… you name it, they are all talking about the Source costumes.
You know what? As an early tutu-er myself, I feel incredibly excited to have travelled back to a pivotal moment for our little garment's history.
Oh, I even spotted a few ballet girls rushing off to rehearse in Le Source. So very excited. And as I'm sitting here, a famous ballerina called Emma Livry passed by, in all her glory, complete with that Source costume. She actually performed in this, she was part of the ballet, what an amazing time capsule of the history of fashion. And imagine what's going to happen to the design of this tutu – a bit like when someone says let's try pink on a fabric. What do we get, pink, what a glorious journey! Imagine the world with a million pink tutus! Now that’s a happy vision!
And it’s not just this little garment. There is so much else about the whole time travel and tutu experience that’s fabulous – fashion changes happen in front of your eyes, a fashion evolution in every era you step in to. There's even something truly poetic and rather wonderful about getting your tutu fashion fix and historical research together in one, and then writing a blog about it! What's more, a hot tip, try a trip on a French railway. Take the train from London to Paris, oh la la. So civilised. The most fantastically fun, chic experience you’ll ever have. Even in my time-traveling pink tutu!
Well, darling, this is the point where I say ‘au revoir,’ I’m going to take the train back home to Derby - time travelling can be exhausting.
You’ll find my pink tutu ready for next Tuesday's Tutu Tuesday. Join me again then!
Until then, darling!
Emma
