Tutu Tuesday in Floirac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France: #tututuesday
G'day lovelies! So I'm currently touring France with the Australian Ballet, and this week we're in the charming little town of Floirac in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It's a beautiful place, with cobblestone streets and cute little cafes. The locals here are super friendly too – they're all keen to know about the ballet life – even asking if I can demonstrate some of our pirouettes! (I’m not sure they were impressed with my balance though! 😜 )
I had a little wander through the streets on my day off, just enjoying the atmosphere and snapping some pics. That’s where this #tututuesday post was born, lovelies – in my opinion, every day is #tututuesday – but let’s be real – when in France… And while I've got a wardrobe of tutus in the back of my bus (it looks like I might be moving into it!), I wanted to showcase some of the different styles for you guys because there are actually so many – from classical to contemporary – and I mean, they’re all so bloody gorgeous.
There’s nothing quite like a ballerina's tutu – it's just so beautiful and elegant. They’ve evolved over the years – which is why the ballet is so popular I guess – it's always reinventing itself – like a classic design but with a bit of tweak. But just like the ballet, they can vary a lot! Let's dive in.
Here's a run-down of the tutu styles you might see on the stage – even at a small studio in Floirac! – along with the #tututuesday outfit I put together for today's shoot.
- The Classical Tutu: This one's the traditional style that everyone pictures when they think of ballet – like in Sleeping Beauty! With a super short skirt – that can literally just be a few layers of tulle – they make you think, "I wouldn't even know how to get through one day in this". I can’t believe dancers make it look easy! The layered design creates the classic "bell-shaped" silhouette.
- The Romantic Tutu: I LOVE this one – and you probably wouldn’t have heard of it unless you've been into the ballet world, but let's break down this tutu! More lightweight than the classical one – usually made from a more layered and gauzy fabric, and has a much longer, flowing skirt! It's what you'll find in the Romantic era ballets (like Swan Lake!).
- The Demi-Tutu: Now, we’ve gone to something more functional! I get why so many ballet studios go with these. The “demi” – a fancy word for “half” – really is about its skirt. It's not as long or as big as a classical tutu.
- The Contemporary Tutu: This one’s more for expressing a story. It can look anything and everything, depending on the choreography. They're not always made from tulle, sometimes they're made from things like silk – but it's not a “full on” tutu and is used for contemporary ballet – which we also love at the Australian Ballet, though my style isn't contemporary.
Now, to today’s #tututuesday outfit...
I found a fabulous vintage tutu at a cute little antique shop in Floirac. I knew immediately that it would be perfect for my #tututuesday post! The bodice of this one's quite simple and modern – kind of like a cross-body vest top, but you know – made out of sparkly, glittery stuff! (Because – ballerinas.) It has layers and layers of tulle and silk ribbons flowing out.
For my #tututuesday shoot, I'm pairing it with some distressed black jeans. Because even though I wear lots of tutus – that doesn't mean we're giving up on the classic jeans – and a black leather jacket! I went for a casual look. Because why be all formal? I think it makes it fun to give it a contemporary feel!
I’m accessorizing the look with some simple gold earrings – these were a gift from a close ballet friend when she moved from France to Australia – I can never bring myself to part with them. And because I like to be a little more adventurous – I added a pop of colour to the outfit with a vibrant green tote bag. You wouldn’t catch me without one.
So there you have it #tututuesday, guys, a rundown of the tutu styles and how I've been styling mine on the French streets of Floirac in Nouvelle-Aquitaine – so I hope you liked the tutu styling! The ballets are incredible here in France too – I love to explore different dance companies when we travel, the style of the dancers here is super relaxed! I always try to grab tickets to a ballet while we’re on tour – ballet dancers never stop learning – and there are so many unique choreographers! I’m so excited to see what the next week brings in France for the Aussie Ballet and what other amazing tutus we’re going to see – maybe even one on the stage. Let me know if you have any tutu-themed questions down in the comments below, lovelies – and tell me – are you doing your #tututuesday today?