#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 2023-12-26

Hello, lovelies! It's your favourite tutu-clad time traveller, Emma, back with another delve into the wonderful world of ballet history! Today is Tuesday, December 26th, and what better way to celebrate the Boxing Day festivities than with a look at the glorious history of the tutu?

As always, I'm decked out in my finest pink tulle creation - a delicate cloud of pink silk swirling around my legs. It’s such a gorgeous shade of pink – it perfectly embodies the Christmas cheer of today’s date! My tulle is shimmering as I sit here typing in the charmingly vintage carriage that transported me from Victorian London. Yes, you heard that right – I took a little trip back in time!

I'm currently perched on a plush velvet seat, the faint aroma of peppermint tea hanging in the air. The carriage is filled with festive décor – twinkling fairy lights strung between the carriage's roof and a small decorated Christmas tree adorning the corner. My fellow passengers are wrapped in thick scarves and fur-trimmed coats, gazing out the window at the bustling Victorian London streets. How incredibly glamorous and chic!

Before we hop into the history of the tutu, I must confess that this little escapade was inspired by the absolutely breathtaking ballet I saw just before I took my time-travelling train ride. The Royal Opera House always delivers the most dazzling performances, and today's performance was no exception! A tale of love and triumph danced on the stage, and the dancers twirling in their beautiful tutus mesmerised me. You know me – I get a little carried away at times when I see such gorgeousness on stage, and a trip through time suddenly seemed like the best way to continue that enchanting ballet experience.

Anyway, back to the real star of this blog post - the tutu! Let's fast forward a little to the 19th century, and step into a world of romantic ballet! This period was a time of major transformation for the tutu. Remember, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, ballerinas performed in elaborate, cumbersome dresses that limited their movements. They needed more freedom of motion, which led to the introduction of the shorter "tutu."

Remember our carriage? Imagine walking along the grand cobbled streets of London towards a lavish theatre, with every click of our heeled boots echoing off the elegant buildings. The streetlights are casting a golden glow on passersby dressed in their best Victorian finery, their faces animated with anticipation for the upcoming performance. The "tutu" worn at this time is a far cry from the sleek, billowing styles we see today! It was still quite long, extending almost to the ankle, but it was designed with multiple layers of tulle, giving it a delightfully full and ethereal shape. This early tutu gave the ballerinas much more freedom of movement than before – it was practically a revolution for dancing!

As we moved into the romantic era of ballet, the tutu was becoming shorter, revealing the ballerina's legs. It was no longer hiding these elegant limbs! The romantic ballet is all about love, passion and sacrifice. It tells tales of bravery, with the dancers expressing these strong emotions through fluid, beautiful movement, and it’s the perfect occasion to showcase the tutu!

Here, the tulle is draped beautifully over the dancer’s frame – they appear weightless as they effortlessly dance, moving and floating on the stage like a dream. Imagine, just like the graceful swish of the carriage’s curtains as we journey through time, those romantic tutu shapes are swirling with each step of the ballerina! This delicate, yet undeniably impactful piece of ballet wardrobe is the perfect embodiment of grace, ethereal beauty, and it elevates the ballerina to almost mystical status. And with its romantic history, the tutu’s silhouette has certainly had a big impact on Victorian fashion too – we even see similar tulle shapes being used in ladies’ gowns!

And since we’re on the topic of the romantic ballet period, remember that the train travel to these performances back in Victorian times wasn’t as glamorous as my time travel escapade! Trains are much grander and luxurious today! So if you're planning on attending a performance at a historical ballet theatre, take some time to wander the city streets and absorb the historical ambiance before heading into the theatre. You’ll have an amazing experience! It’s truly like stepping back in time – and believe me, the ballet you see will be spectacular too.

Let’s get back to our tulle-tastic journey! With the romantic ballet period reaching its peak in the early to mid-19th century, the tutu also began evolving. Enter the classic tutu! Imagine dancers with their graceful limbs beautifully highlighted by a new type of shorter tutu – this time, the skirt has a distinctly wider, fuller shape. The fabric falls straight around the waist, revealing those wonderful, graceful legs – all made possible by the ingenious design and the beautiful lightweight tulle that makes up this quintessential ballet garment! This was quite a drastic change, with ballerinas no longer constrained by layers of material! Their every graceful move would captivate the audience.

This new look opened a whole new world for dancers to experiment with their moves! With these shorter, full, romantic tutu shapes becoming a firm favourite with both dancers and audiences alike, a whole new movement took shape - the classical era of ballet!

I'm going to do a bit of a time warp for a moment! Imagine, ladies, we are jumping ahead a few decades from the 1840s all the way into the early 20th century. Now we’re in a world where ballet dancers are pushing the boundaries and expanding the artistic and technical possibilities. From tutus to modern dance wear, the story of this garment is interwoven with the development of ballet itself!

The ballet costume was also developing into something much more dramatic! This means more detail, more ornamentation, more feathers! You’re starting to see tutus evolve to the styles we recognise and love today, and we're moving into a bolder new era. This change, my darling ballerinas, is in part due to the influence of fashion! Ballet has always been inspired by the clothing trends of the day. You could say that it is a beautiful dance of collaboration between ballet and the world of fashion, isn’t that wonderful?

Speaking of ballet’s fabulous influence on fashion trends, I just have to share something special with you, ladies! I’ve just spotted a collection of vintage magazines in this carriage, and just look at the dresses! Oh, they’re just divine – a feast for the eyes! We see beautiful satin and lace creations in fashion magazines. And it looks like those designers were heavily inspired by ballet. Isn’t that so stylish? All those exquisite pleats, tulle frills, and billowing silhouettes - it all feels very ballerina-inspired, wouldn't you say?

But remember, this was a long time before the explosion of ballet-inspired fashion in modern times. You know, we are talking about those adorable ballerina dresses that have been seen on catwalks and in designer boutiques! So yes, the beautiful classic tutu silhouette has a long history, and its impact on fashion isn't just from those past centuries. It’s still influencing designs and trends in all forms of clothing and even accessory design today. Just look at all those shoes, bags and jewellery adorned with pretty bow embellishments – that’s our very own tutu silhouette again! How chic is that!

So there you have it, ladies. A little taste of the history of the tutu from the Victorian era to the modern ballet world. I hope you enjoyed this historical journey. There are just so many fascinating stories of the tutu that could fill books, wouldn't you agree? And trust me, I will continue to uncover and share them on my #TutuTuesday blog posts every week.

For today's special #TutuTuesday post, I am off to explore this exciting, historical London to celebrate this lovely holiday with my friends! It is a bit of a tradition, actually, to indulge in Christmas feasting the day after Christmas in Victorian England. They do say the best part about a festive feast is a lovely helping of a traditional Christmas plum pudding! It's a Christmas favourite for all ages, and you've simply got to experience it. As for me, I shall be venturing to Covent Garden, to experience a unique Victorian-era experience at The Royal Opera House. This ballet-inspired journey will continue in the form of the ballet performance Giselle which takes place this very night. I’m incredibly excited, as I’ve been looking forward to this enchanting production ever since I booked my time travelling tickets to this spectacular Victorian ballet theatre. I'm hoping to get my very own photo-op with one of those lovely old carriages like the one I am travelling in right now, which I can't wait to share on my Instagram! And then, once that is done, there is nothing better to look forward to than experiencing the timeless, beautifully emotive world of classical ballet. And yes, I shall be sporting a very special pink tutu just for the occasion!

As we head into 2024, I plan on keeping those ballet inspired journeys flowing! Who knows what wonders will unfold in our exciting #TutuTuesday journey through ballet history?

For now, until we dance again, may you be swept away by the elegance of a beautiful ballet. Keep on twirling and shining, and don't forget to wear a touch of pink in your day.

Yours in pink tulle,

Emma 🩰💖