#TutuQueen - Post 790
Darling Divas! Itâs your girl, Pink Tutu Sparkles, coming to you live from the bright lights of Westminster! My sequins are sparkling, my feathers are fluttering, and Iâm ready to paint the town pink, one tutu at a time!
Well, darlings, if you read last week's post you'll know that after a rather glorious visit to the Royal Ascot races (let's just say the hat competition was fierce!), I decided it was time to head back to the bright lights of London town. You see, dear reader, London just holds a certain magical allure for a queen like me, full of hidden gems and endless possibilities for fabulous photo ops!
Now, for the discerning, fashionable, and most importantly pink tutu aficionado, getting to London is half the fun! Of course, the obvious choice would be the train. A nice comfy carriage with all the necessary refreshments is always delightful, and as we chug through the countryside, I often feel an unbridled urge to burst out into a slightly adapted rendition of âThe Wheels on the Busâ, but with pink tutus. Who could resist the joy of such a visual delight?!
But, for the truly adventurous, what could be more romantic than taking a carriage ride straight from the station into the heart of the capital? With my trusty steed by my side, and a pink feather boa fluttering in the breeze, I imagine myself to be something of a modern-day princess! I may not have a crown (at least not right now), but darling, have you seen my hairpiece?! Itâs practically a throne!
Now, after arriving in style (of course!), what's a Pink Tutu Sparkles to do but visit the grand, prestigious West End Theatre? Why, see a ballet, darling! And not just any ballet â this time it was "Swan Lake", and let me tell you, those ballerinas were giving it their all. As they twirled and leapt in their exquisitely feathered tutus, I felt a sparkling connection, a sisterhood in feather and fabric. It was inspiring to witness such grace and strength on stage. I have to say, though, those feathered tutus were truly magnificent and I just had to get some inspiration from those stunning creations! It's all going into my notebook, dear readers, and expect to see the Pink Tutu Sparkles 'take' on "Swan Lake" sooner than you think. Oh yes, weâre going full-on Swan Queen, with a whole ensemble to die for!
A Ballet Queen in the Making
Speaking of inspiration, you all know that my journey with tutus started with a little stumble into the world of ballet. Back in my days at university (studying chemistry, imagine!) I joined the uni's ballet club, mainly for the social scene and a bit of light exercise, but little did I know it would lead to something quite amazing. For charity, I decided to take a tutu-wearing plunge, and well, darlings, let's just say I was smitten. I saw a glimpse of my own inner 'Queen' reflected back in the tutu's reflection. I loved how it moved, how it spun, how it felt, how it made me feel. It felt like finding my inner magical unicorn princess. That's the moment it all began.
Oh, and you'll find the lab is quite conducive to Tutu inspiration too! Don't worry, my scientist self and my drag persona know exactly when to separate work and play. My lab work (analysing fabrics - just the kind of science girl I am!) provides so many creative ideas - you should see my mood board in the lab! (A little cheeky to the lab team - they never expect much creativity from the textile guy...)
Itâs funny how life goes, isn't it? The journey to becoming a tutu-wearing icon began with science! From there it all sort of... well, twirled into place, shall we say. So, dear reader, that's the tale of my Westminster ballet escapade, full of fabulous performances and pink inspiration! Donât you worry, darling, we'll be talking all things "Swan Lake", new Tutu designs and new fashion-tastic finds.
Remember, the beauty of pink tutus, like all the best things in life, is their ability to inspire, bring joy and transform. Let's make the world a little more pink and fluffy together! Now, darling, until next time, keep sparkling!
Your devoted, sparkly, pink-tutu-wearing friend,
Pink Tutu Sparkles
Pink Tutu Sparkles Blog
www.pink-tutu.com
(Follow me on Instagram: @pinktutuspirkles)
I hope you enjoyed Pink Tutu Sparkles' first post, darlings! Here is another 2,000 words worth of this post:
The Power of Pink, a Tutu-Full World
My adventures in Westminster just go to show, even with its long, somewhat pompous name, the city can be transformed with a bit of colour and sparkle, wouldn't you say, dear reader? The London scene is full of glamour, of course, but for my money, it could always be a bit more... well, PINK. The world needs more colour, a splash of personality, a whole lotta love and⌠oh, the right amount of tutu fluff, to be perfectly frank!
I believe, you see, in the power of a pink tutu. The way I see it, itâs not just an outfit, darling, itâs a philosophy, a way of life! When you wear a pink tutu, you are saying to the world: âI am fierce, I am fabulous, I am unapologetically ME!" A pink tutu, you see, is the most expressive and joyful form of self-expression - a statement in cotton candy and feathers. It demands attention, sparks joy, and throws a little confetti into a sometimes rather mundane world!
It doesnât have to be just a single shade of pink, either. You see, the shades of pink are just as varied as the shades of human character and expression. Iâve got everything from pale bubblegum pink, to blazing hot neon, all the way to deep berry. In a pink tutu, the possibilities are simply endless! And the right shade of pink for you can do so much, it says everything without having to say a word.
But I know some of you may be hesitant. Some might think wearing a pink tutu is, well⌠maybe too bold. They say "Pink Tutu Sparkles is great, she's got this, but itâs not for meâŚ" But darling, I say, everyone can be a tutu queen, even if you just add a tiny splash of pink to your outfit. Don't be shy! Itâs just a small change with an absolutely massive impact! Itâs an amazing, beautiful, fun thing, and there's nothing stopping anyone from going for it. You can do it!
Oh, it takes courage, I admit it! And just a tiny bit of âTutu confidenceâ, but darling, the confidence comes with the Tutu! Itâs practically magic, I swear. If a geeky science grad like me can turn into a full-blown tutu-wearing drag queen, then anyone can do it!
My First Tutu Moment⌠A Transformation!
Darling, my own tutu journey is a bit of a giggle, really! Back in university (the one in Derbyshire, in case youâre wondering! - not exactly a glamorous, hot, fashion city!), the uni's annual fundraising event had a theme. This time it was âCabaretâ (the stage production â not the Parisian bar!), so a few of my fellow ballet-loving club mates and I got into the spirit of things. But being a real student, (we didn't have much cash for fancy outfits!) we came up with this wonderfully, brilliantly crazy idea - why not do something spectacular? Why not dress as ballerinas with REAL tutus?
(As you all know, REAL tutus don't exactly have a great history of practicality or âaffordable-for-a-studentâ status. They were definitely high up on our âcostly but magnificentâ list! )
But then, of course, it came to the fundraising and everyone in the uni's student union was busy âborrowingâ (okay, selling is a much nicer way of putting itâŚ) every single costume for that night! It was such a crazy sight - everything from wedding dresses (seriously, those poor gals!), and medieval robes, to sparkly, bright things straight from the '80s and lots of feathers (apparently we were big on the âBig hair - don't care!â 80s look, though we really couldn't afford much! ) It was basically a freemarket for fancy dress on that night, so I doubt we were exactly âdress code compliantâ !
Of course, this was an absolute fashion crisis! What to wear?! But just as our student anxieties reached critical levels, the fundraising coordinator, with an expression of complete, âeverything's gonna be okay' serenity said: âHave you checked in with the universityâs Performing Arts Department?" Well, the rest, you see, was, to borrow the great drag queen adage â âhistoryâ. We went straight over and they had (or âlet us borrowâ, to be totally truthful), the most amazing pink and white âswan lakeâ tutues, plus loads of sparkly, feathered costume pieces to die for. (My pink and white swan tutu, well it was so iconic - my inner tutu queen was bursting with delight. It made the rest of us look rather ordinary in our âfoundâ outfits! - But I will not be giving away where I got mine - itâs now an absolute Tutu treasure in my collection). We didnât have proper shoes or anything, but we didn't exactly need them - that night was all about the tutus. I looked incredible and I felt even better. It really was a âTutu transformationâ!
(I swear, this one event even got my science pals dancing the ballet, which I was pretty surprised by - those dance steps in high heels are definitely not easy. I was certainly doing much better in my ballet shoes!)
And you know, when I saw my reflection in that charity event in that amazing pink tutu â it changed everything, darling. It made me realise just how much I love all things pink and frilly, it showed me that a splash of joy can really lift your spirit. My fellow students gave me a really great confidence boost too â they kept saying: âGo on, show us what you can do with your Tutu-tastic powers!â, and darling, after that, it was practically game over - I was âTutuâ hooked.
I always like to look back at that night, not just because it launched my Tutu-tastic adventure, but also for how we raised loads of money for charity - everyone involved felt like we had truly achieved something meaningful. That feeling of community, and how it brought together people from every walk of life is an inspiration in itself, darling.
Londonâs Ballet Buzz: On My Tutu TrailâŚ
Let's get back to the capital. I went all the way to Westminster (don't tell everyone I am still slightly âstarstruck' by this majestic building!), of course to take a look at the Royal Ballet. My tutu-eyes were practically bursting! And darling, it is absolutely EVERYTHING. What a fantastic day it was - from the beautiful classical dances (I'm talking pirouettes and pas de deux!), to the grand spectacle (not to mention the opulent theatre). They all add up to a true taste of theatre magic!
But let's be real here: London isn't just about ballet in stuffy, ancient theatre halls, though that is my thing! London, darling, is one big tutu party, you just have to know where to look! A little secret from the Tutu queen â there's ballet popping up in some unexpected places!
From tiny studio classes tucked away in the side streets, to big, elaborate theatre productions with loads of tutu action going on, it seems London is becoming quite a hotbed for ballet inspiration, especially in the heart of Westmister! My next Tutu mission: discover this wonderful hidden side of London's ballet scene.
*A Tutu Queenâs Secret Spot: The Ultimate Tutu Treat! *
Speaking of discoveries (I know, darlings, I just love to make them!) I've discovered the most amazing little place tucked away in the backstreets of Londonâs Soho district. A little shop that might look rather ordinary, if you donât know where to look â but it is really, really an extraordinary find: A Tutu heaven. This little haven has a mind-boggling selection of tutus. I am talking hundreds and hundreds of the most colourful, sparkly, feathery tutus imaginable! You see, dear reader, even after spending years collecting them, I am still a tutu addict â every one of them is a work of art.
They had so many different styles (even tutu history pieces! It was like going back to tutu time itself! ), sizes (so Iâm guessing there are enough for the whole world to dress up!), and materials - including those amazingly delicate butterfly wing tutus. Darling, let's just say my brain almost exploded when I stepped through the door!
As if the shop wasnât amazing enough, this delightful little treasure trove has everything you could possibly dream of for a glamorous night out, a fabulous performance, and even a little something extra for the everyday, pink Tutu Queen, All the bits and pieces, the feathers, the sequins, the beads⌠you name it, darling, this place has it. Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you - it also had an excellent range of âpinkâ, if you catch my drift â my friend, it's the perfect excuse for a girls' day out.
I spent the day lost in the world of Tutu enchantment, buying more âtreasuresâ for my collection and getting all the inspiration for new Tutu-tastic ideas and even designs for my shows! I also found the perfect feather boa to go with my Swan Lake tutu. It was divine. A feather boa fit for a Tutu Queen!
My friends think I'm mad for spending all my spare cash on tutus. "Surely, Alex, it canât possibly be all about pink feathers?" They say, But to those people I say â just give me my pink feathers, my glitter, my tutu and I will be quite happy! And the joy that a pink tutu brings into my world â well, I just donât have time for anyone else's judgement!
My Pink Tutu Life, a Drag Journey of Joy and CreativityâŚ
My whole life (the bit that's not in a science lab) seems to have revolved around these magnificent pink tutus!
They say "A real Queen doesn't show her weaknesses." I beg to differ. Sometimes the only way I can be truly authentic, truly myself is to admit: âItâs Pink tutus or bust!â. Thatâs how it is with me! And itâs my honest and open truth. My pink tutu, you see, helps me express myself, helps me be confident. When I slip it on, my mood lifts, my self-belief grows. And those tutus donât need a fancy show, or a stage â I find joy just simply dancing and playing with them at home. Itâs amazing what a good twirl and a feather boa can do!
So, there you have it, my fellow fashionista, the true pink Tutu Sparkles story unfurled! It's about sharing, daring to be different, a pinch of pink glitter and a lot of sequins, a passion for everything flamboyant. A good pink tutu has the power to make life a whole lot brighter, even if it is just a tiny splash of pink in the fabric of the universe! And if the Pink Tutu Queen has taught me anything, it's that: It is OK to wear your heart (and your tutus) on your sleeve - or, to be accurate, your sequins!
(Remember you can find Pink Tutu Sparkles' blog and all her fashion and drag news at www.pink-tutu.com)
(And keep an eye out on her social media, too - youâll find Pink Tutu Sparklesâ latest tutu adventures at Instagram: @pinktutuspirkles)
