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#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2021-12-28

Tutu Tuesday: A Twirl Through Time! đŸ©°đŸ’–

Hello darlings! It’s your favourite pink-tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, Emma, and it's Tuesday, so you know what that means – it’s #TutuTuesday! Today’s post is extra special – we’re talking Ballet Tutu History, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s post number 9914 on my little corner of the internet, www.pink-tutu.com. Get ready to shimmy back in time with me, because today, we're celebrating the garment that’s spun fashion, artistry, and elegance together for centuries.

I just travelled from the glorious city of Paris, oh my, the fashion! Such style. Of course, you wouldn’t believe the incredible show I just saw at the Palais Garnier. And did you know, December the 28th is a big day in ballet history. Well, more on that in a minute...

I just knew that December the 28th, 2021, was the perfect day to chat about our favourite twirly garment. Now, darling, you can imagine how I love a bit of history. But today, we're not talking about some old dusty tomes in a library, no, no, no! Today, we’re celebrating a fashion statement, a piece of art, a symbol of beauty, grace, and oh, let’s be honest, an absolute delight to wear! I’m talking about the ballet tutu of course!

And trust me, when you consider that it took hundreds of years for this little skirt to evolve into the gorgeous, iconic form we all adore, you’ll find it's more than just fabric and fluff.

A Tutu Tale Begins

Now, dear readers, you might think tutus are as old as ballet itself. That’s understandable – it feels like they’ve always been a part of the ballerina's look. But they haven't! Believe it or not, they started appearing in ballet performances only a little over two hundred years ago. That’s still quite some time ago, but not as ancient as you’d imagine.

Right at the beginning, dancers wore long, loose skirts that really wouldn’t pass for a tutu today! Back then, in the early 16th century, the skirt served practical purposes. Think about it: dancing was new! Women needed something flowing enough to allow for their movements but not restrictive enough to inhibit them. Think billowing skirts – nothing like what we see today.

From Big to Petite

It took time to evolve from those full, sweeping skirts. It wasn’t until the 1800s that we see a shift towards more refined shapes. Think shorter, tighter, and with some serious attention paid to showcasing the dancer's lines and movement. Imagine Marie Taglioni in 1832 as the sylph, wearing the first recognisable tutu.

And then, the little skirt exploded in popularity, especially when the great Marie Taglioni floated across the stage as the ethereal Sylph in La Sylphide, and the shape just soared! This was when ballet really embraced a new level of athleticism. With less material to get in their way, dancers could show off those perfectly honed muscles and those stunning leaps. Now that's what I call fashion with function, darlings!

The mid-19th century, think Paris 1841, we had a new variation: The Romantic Tutu. These skirts were even shorter, ending just at the hip, and made from layers upon layers of fine tulle. We're talking a real vision of airy grace, like the delicate wings of a butterfly!

Changing Tutus

The mid to late 1800s were like a ballet fashion explosion! Designers were playing with tulle, they were innovating, pushing boundaries, and, my dear readers, the result was gorgeous. By this point, tutus had gone from utilitarian to the centrepiece of ballet aesthetics. They are not just the clothing worn on stage. They have become symbolic, as vital to ballet as the choreography itself. That’s not an easy feat, darling!

The “traditional” tutu, that full, layered look we often picture, was designed by Charles Worth in 1862, but was designed with so many layers that, by 1864, they were making tutus for a dancer called Rosita Mauri, but, as we love our pink and the stage looked brighter in pink, this was then used as a stage pink. That was the beginning of tutus as we know them today.

They became less of a practicality and more about beauty, creating a dreamy vision onstage. That's when tutus started being crafted from multiple layers of tulle, giving them that breathtakingly full, delicate appearance. But think of all the hours it takes to hand-stitch a single one of those tutus, it’s a masterpiece!

Of course, as the ballet world embraced modern styles and dance forms, the tutu continued to adapt and evolve. That iconic traditional shape stayed with us, but it began appearing in other styles of dance and performing, often as part of costume design. You'll even see those amazing feathered, beaded tutus in cabaret or even burlesque, creating an almost surreal look. The tutu became a statement, a beautiful piece that dancers of all genres wear as a statement piece.

I still remember my own dance teacher back in my hometown, the pretty village of Buxton in Derbyshire. She taught us about tutus while I was training – and boy did we try to make them too. Let's be honest, my first homemade tutu involved a whole lot of fabric scraps and my mother’s elastic - not very graceful! That was before my little time travelling adventures started. As a little girl I really wished I could step into that big traditional tulle tutu.

But here’s the amazing thing. Even with all the innovations and adaptions, the beauty and elegance of the tutu never went away.

That’s why to this day, my heart still goes pitter patter when I see a tutu gracefully spinning on stage! And I adore the new styles I find every day. There's the "contemporary" tutu, the "pastel" tutu, "feathered" tutuses, even a few "leather" tutuses for my rock and roll ballets!

The tutu really has it all, you know:

  • It’s a timeless silhouette

  • It's feminine

  • It has an ethereal grace

  • And of course, let’s not forget: it looks simply fabulous.

This piece of clothing, so full of beauty, is a symbol of grace, creativity, and just a touch of magic!

So, darling, grab your favourite tutu, put on some ballet shoes (it doesn’t matter if you haven’t got on your dancing shoes just yet, but we all want you dancing around in a pink tutu!) – and join me in a joyful twirl as we celebrate the beautiful ballet tutu. đŸ©°đŸ’–

See you all next week!

Emma.

xxx

**P.S. And just as a little reminder, dear readers, you can keep your pink tutu and dance-loving heart alive by catching some amazing performances:

  • Head over to the Royal Opera House website. Oh, they have some incredible shows coming up!

  • Find your local theatre and search out what shows are playing, you might be surprised to find some great ballet events and perhaps you could find an amazing vintage style tutu as a souvenir for your costume box?

  • Take up dance class, whether that’s ballet or something a bit more freestyle - because you just can’t beat moving your body! You might find a hidden tutu passion tucked away in your heart, darling.

I'll see you again soon on this site! Have a lovely week, and if you are interested in finding more on fashion and the tutu, or any type of clothing for that matter, try the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Ciao! xx.

#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2021-12-28