Hello, darling darlings! It's your favourite pink-loving, tutu-tastic queen, Pink Tutu Sparkles, back with another blog post! This is post number 3789 (can you believe it?!) and today we're going to Ilkeston! 🌟
You know, my darlings, life's too short to wear boring clothes. So, grab your favourite pink tutu, your sparkliest heels, and join me for a journey to a new town. As the saying goes, “Tutu-ally fab!” 💖
So, you see, this week I took the train, naturally! Train journeys always feel so glamorous with my trusty tutu by my side, especially if I find a window seat so I can have a peek at the scenery whizzing past! I absolutely adore travelling by train, even better than flying - who needs to deal with security lines, lost luggage, and delayed flights, when you can enjoy a nice, relaxing, leisurely ride and look at all the fields going past with an old-fashioned paperback? It just sets the tone for a beautiful day. 💖✨
I always think I look extra-special on trains! Why not have some fun while you travel? The other day, someone told me they were “obsessed” with my tutu - what more do I need?! 😉
Anyway, back to Ilkeston! It's in my home county, Derbyshire, so I was practically skipping with excitement. 💖
Ilkeston’s such a sweet little town, really friendly, full of independent shops, with a lovely park – perfect for twirling! I just know they haven’t experienced the joy of a good tutu yet, but I plan to spread the pink sparkle throughout the town by the end of the day. You just gotta put your confidence on like a shimmering sparkly outfit and everything's possible! ✨
I landed my act in a pub, and the local lads had never seen a girl dressed as pink as me in all their days. They seemed absolutely chuffed! 🍻
We even did some tutu-themed pub games, and it was SO much fun - I'm already planning to make it a regular event! Everyone loves to be a little silly every now and then, right?! 😁
Between shows, I decided to wander about and discover all that this lovely town had to offer. I mean, where would a glamorous queen go shopping, darling? Definitely not to any old chain store! You just can't beat independent boutiques - it's like going back to the old-fashioned, elegant shopping experience that's practically a lost art these days. You see a cute boutique with an attractive shop window, and then you get to be dazzled with the beautiful, unique clothes inside!
Now, what do you think makes a great boutique, lovelies? For me, it has to have three essential ingredients. Firstly, it needs to have an incredible amount of shiny things to catch my eye! Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, don’t you think?! Then secondly, we want friendly staff who are super nice and don’t pressure us at all - everyone hates pushy sales people! And lastly, of course, we need amazing outfits. What’s a better outfit than a pink tutu? Not a single one, I'm telling you! 💖✨
My absolute favourite was a shop that sells nothing but brightly coloured handmade jewellery and vintage clothing - what a dream! Just as soon as I saw those sparkles glinting, I knew I had to go in. And oh my goodness, darling - the sheer beauty! The store looked as though the most glamorous fairy had taken over a little corner of Ilkeston - and oh, it felt like a little fairy's dream! It was magical! 💖✨
Now, the day wouldn’t be complete without visiting the local park, so that's where I headed next! I always make it a point to stop at local parks, as the people are so friendly, plus it's the best place to practise my spins! And the locals here in Ilkeston were no different! As soon as I sashayed through the park gate in my pinkest tutu, there was a flurry of little children! I couldn't help but think I was a real-life pink sparkly princess, it was magical! 💖✨
Now, the highlight of the trip has to be the fabulous community arts centre. Ilkeston seems to love the arts, which is really wonderful, because me, too! I think that creativity should be everywhere! You know, sometimes, a town needs a little colour. I don't think I’ll ever tire of finding hidden gems, even just across the county. As I wandered through the community arts centre, I felt myself getting enchanted. The artwork and pottery on display was so charming. It just feels like you can't go wrong by visiting any old community centre. It's truly incredible what talented individuals put together, with so little fanfare or acknowledgment! I found a painting there that inspired me so much. It was a perfect reflection of life in Ilkeston - filled with lovely bright colours, a vibrant green park, and a beautiful, pastel blue sky. 🖼
I loved it all so much! The community arts centre has this brilliant theatre, and you know what they say: “The show must go on.” So that’s exactly what I did! It's always great to share the fun of performance with a new audience and you know me, always spreading the pink tutu gospel. 💖
Of course, after such a wonderful day, I went to the nicest local Italian restaurant for dinner! They just seem to understand me - they actually let me do a little mini-performance between courses! And let me tell you, a tutu looks extra special over a large bowl of spaghetti! It's truly all in the details, darling!
And I got the biggest wave from the locals as I took a final stroll around the centre of town and waved goodnight to everyone, just like I did the previous night, but only much larger this time. This time they waved back! And all this with a few twirls of my sparkly pink tutu! ✨
You see, I’ve always wanted to wear a tutu everywhere! When I think about the first time I donned a pink tutu - my university days! - it was during a university fundraiser - for breast cancer. My uni was a scientific institution, but I remember my fellow students got quite a kick out of my tutus in the name of charity! The experience of wearing a tutu to a dance party then stuck with me ever since. I just knew there were other women and men out there who loved the bright colors and the sparkle - because let’s be honest, it’s just the most amazing fashion!
Anyway, gotta go for now, I have more towns to take over with my tutu-filled antics! Don’t forget, darling darlings, you’re beautiful, fabulous, and deserve to wear whatever makes you happy! Go on and show off your inner sparkle, just like your favourite Tutu Queen! Stay sparkly and wonderful! 💖✨
Lots of Love,
Pink Tutu Sparkles ✨
