Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your resident tutu enthusiast, and it's #TutuTuesday! Iâm back from a whirlwind trip to⌠wait for it⌠Paris! The City of Lights! (And also, of course, the City of Ballet.) Youâd never believe what I discovered about tutus in the Parisian archives⌠But first, letâs talk about my trip!
Paris was simply magical, a true Parisian experience with croissants and coffee on every corner! I went shopping in the Marais, which was like a fairytale come to life with shops bursting with the most beautiful vintage clothes. I had to try on at least twenty little black dresses, each more fabulous than the last. Then, I indulged in the ultimate Parisian pastime: a delightful performance of the "Swan Lake" at the Palais Garnier. Just picture this: the elegant opera house, the hushed excitement of the audience, and, of course, ballerinas floating like swans, all in the most exquisite tutus. Pure ballet bliss!
The Tutus of the Swan!Speaking of "Swan Lake", we all know the famous white tutu worn by the lead ballerina is a must-have for any ballerina's wardrobe. Itâs both elegant and dramatic, isnât it? But, did you know the white tutuâs history is linked to the iconic Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova?
Well, it all started way back in 1909, when Anna was looking for a tutu that would let her be as light as a swan on stage, so, she designed it herself with help from a French costume designer! Can you imagine! A legendary ballerina just whipping up her own perfect outfit for her part. How incredibly cool and inspiring is that?! She opted for white and a super-layered soft fabric, creating a tutu so beautiful that it instantly became iconic and influenced countless ballets for decades after that. You can find those same airy white tutu designs gracing ballet stages worldwide even today!
Now, I couldnât leave Paris without some chic additions to my wardrobe, right? So I purchased a beautiful blush-pink ballet-style top for myself and⌠I know youâre wondering⌠a dreamy new pink tutu! I even got a cute miniature version for my niece who, of course, is completely tutu-obsessed like her Auntie Emma! We all need our pink tutus!
Now for a bit of history, the iconic âSwan Lakeâ is an actual swan! Real Swan! You can spot them on the Serpentine at Hyde Park in London! This graceful bird is symbolic of grace, elegance, and transformation. The majestic swan makes a lovely subject for art and is deeply rooted in history. Itâs the embodiment of the romanticism and classical themes found within ballet! It also perfectly fits in with the colour of the tutu which is associated with the swan. What do you think about that, ballet lovers?
But my favourite find in the Paris archives? I stumbled upon a journal from the 1880s from a young dancer named Celeste! It mentioned how ballerinas of that time wore âdancing shoesâ with tiny slippers and satin ribbons that were fastened to their calves. Isn't that fascinating! Back then, ballet was all about elegance and showing off the dancerâs artistry. No frills.
It's these details, these fascinating stories of the past that makes ballet so magical and captivating. You can actually connect with something so far back in time and learn how ballet grew and changed to reach the state of excellence it is in today!
Time Traveling Tutu Fan!Speaking of connecting, don't forget you can find me on all the social media sites, and do please follow along with me and my exciting time-traveling ballet adventures!
This is Emma here, wishing you a fabulous #TutuTuesday and I canât wait to meet you all at the next #TutuTuesday ballet! Don't forget, it's always fun and fashionable to embrace a bit of the history of the ballet world in our own little way. After all, anything looks better with a tutu!
So, put on your favourite tutu (especially the pink one!) and head out to a ballet performance! Youâll be delighted with what you find! I'm always on the lookout for the latest fashion, but fashion and style is not limited to only the new, it is also in those fabulous vintage looks.
Keep your tutu-fied mind sharp,
Emma www.pink-tutu.com
P.S. Do you have any favourite ballet history facts? Tell me all about them! I'd love to hear! I will always be searching for the most intriguing little details from history to inspire you with new styles for you all!
