Hiya lovelies! Welcome back to another #TutuTuesday blog post! It's a bright, beautiful Tuesday morning here in Paris, and I'm just about to head out to a fabulous ballet show! It's always exciting to see new ballet talent – so exciting, in fact, that it gives me enough energy to whisk back in time for a bit of history hunting, my favourite Tuesday hobby! Because of my time traveling tutu-clad escapades, this is blog post number 9949 – that's practically as many tutus as I have in my collection, and we're certainly going to add to that number, my lovely readers, because tutus have such an amazing and vibrant history!
As usual, I’m sporting a bright pink tutu this morning - can’t imagine wearing anything else really! The way it twirls around and catches the light is simply magical. Did you know, you lovely lot, that today, 30 August, is National Cherry Popsicle Day?! To celebrate I thought I’d delve into the history of a favourite, the romantic ballet, Giselle!
Oh, Giselle! The story of a beautiful peasant girl who falls for a nobleman disguised as a commoner, has captivated hearts since its debut. But do you know what was considered controversial about this production in 1841? Not the tragic storyline, or the dramatic portrayal of love and heartbreak… no! It was Giselle's final act – the one where she succumbs to madness, joins the vengeful Wilis (ghosts of betrayed brides), and dances to her death… What caused the outrage? The ballet tutu.
It wasn’t always this way – a dramatic story of ballet dress history, indeed! Back in the 1800s, ballet dancers wore much longer skirts. Imagine - layers upon layers of heavy material that would’ve definitely gotten in the way! This style, a real drag, my loves! And they needed to showcase their moves with greater agility and flexibility. In came the ballet tutu, making its first appearance in the mid 1800s, the real fashion revolution, eh! The design was actually inspired by an outfit in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream - can you imagine!? Just picture a mischievous fairy wearing a cute tutu! But ballet fashion wasn't a flash in the pan – this dramatic innovation in ballet costuming led to a dance style more elegant and expressive. That is why Giselle’s outfit caused such a stir! With her elegant, lighter movements and swirling tutu, Giselle became an icon of romantic ballet, the very definition of an iconic tutu!
Speaking of iconic, my absolute fave ballerina must be the glorious Margot Fonteyn! Now this is someone who really revolutionized the way tutus looked! And guess what? She loved a good pink tutu as much as me! This woman was a style queen! I’m not sure I would have become a ballet fan if I hadn’t seen her! She’s the perfect combination of incredible ballet skill with fashion flare! In her prime, Margot performed at Covent Garden and at La Scala Opera house in Milan, but her performances travelled the world. Did I mention I love to travel? And, believe me, tutus don’t stay still either, my friends.
Travelling on the railways has long been one of the easiest ways to get about for ballerinas. It makes travelling in your dance wear so much easier. And not to mention there is something incredibly chic about pulling up in a crisp white blouse, a fluffy black cashmere shawl, with a ballet bag (of course filled with the latest ballet accessories, the perfect pointe shoes and even maybe an extra tulle)!
In Victorian England, traveling ballet dancers relied on train journeys. Just imagine, taking the train to London and being whisked off to one of those grand London theatres for a stunning ballet production - and what a thrill to watch all of these wonderful ladies dance! It just makes me wish I’d been there. It really makes you see that dance transcends time. But did you know, this lovely mode of transportation was only brought about through innovative engineering by great minds like Brunel? Not to be outdone, the ballerinas kept raising the bar too! What is there to say about these creative, bold women, they’re true trend setters, these fabulous tutu-wearers!
Speaking of fashion-forward, in the early twentieth century, tutus embraced an art deco style. Think bold colours, sleek lines and maybe a touch of glamour. I really love the look of modern ballets as the designers have really explored the history of tutu design – we see classic looks paired with the latest modern designs - even more chic. You just cannot go wrong with a beautiful tutu, a fabulous fashion statement to pair with ballet – even ballet on the street! My little tutu dream comes to life! Tutus really give ballet its unique style – and I simply love the fact that modern ballets now pair classic, beautifully designed traditional tutus with amazing costumes to match their artistic dance and theatrical performances! So fabulous, isn’t it?!
And when we are talking about fabulous, you have to look at the wonderful ballerinas in contemporary and modern ballets. The new design concepts and themes in ballets such as contemporary ballets and ballet street shows – so vibrant! This is not about being fancy or grand but really capturing emotion through innovative dance routines. It really inspires me! This new approach also lends itself well to the exciting and daring use of ballet tutus. From bold colours to unconventional textures they help dancers express themselves in even more expressive ways! So clever and full of life – what an inspirational era of fashion and art this is!
Well, lovely ladies, this is the end of this week’s #TutuTuesday post. Don’t forget to keep a look out for #TutuTuesday every week! I can’t wait to get dressed and head to that ballet. I really am passionate about ballet, fashion, tutus… you can always see me with one! What’s your favorite? Tell me in the comments, and don't forget to follow me on instagram: @Emma_Tutu
Now, excuse me, I have a show to catch – to see my new favourite fashion-ballet-tutu combo, my loves, don't forget: life is better with a tutu, especially a pink one. See you next Tuesday! 💖
XOXO - Emma
