Hello lovely readers! Emma here, your time-traveling ballerina from the rolling hills of Derbyshire. As the daffodils bloom and the air takes on that crisp springtime feeling, itâs time for another blast from the past â this time, taking us back to April 4th 1860!
Before we jump into the history books, let's talk pink. It's just simply the best colour isn't it? It's bold and joyful, whimsical and delicate â and you simply cannot deny its fabulousness! My mission, darling readers, is to bring a little pink sparkle to the world â one tutu at a time!
And today, in this 16th installment of my Leotard History Time Travels blog, weâre diving headfirst into the 19th century! Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "1860, Emma? Was the leotard even invented then?" But hold your horses, my lovelies! As you'll see, the world of dancewear was already taking exciting leaps!
Today, weâre taking our magical time-traveling journey in my favourite, glitter-laden, shimmering pink leotard (donât even get me started on the sparkle factor, oh itâs truly phenomenal!), and hopping on the time-traveling ballet shoes to the bustling metropolis of⌠London! Iâve chosen this date, April 4th 1860, because the first public performance of âLa Sylphideâ, the most captivating ballet with its graceful sylph-like ethereal characters, is about to kick off at Her Majesty's Theatre. This was the big event on everyone's lips â itâs basically like the Glastonbury Festival of the 19th Century! Fancy dresses and decadent jewellery are all the rage and, of course, tutus were an absolute must-have!
The word "leotard" doesn't even appear in my trusty Victorian era fashion books. Nope, they refer to âbody stockingsâ and âtights,â made of very fine elastic wool (can you even imagine the itch?!) The "leotard", which I, of course, absolutely adore (I just canât imagine performing in anything else!) wouldn't really get its name until about thirty years later in 1891!
But don't worry - those dancing ladies on stage at Her Majesty's are still sporting some gorgeous dancewear. Romantic tulle tutus (the ones that billow like a delicate cloud around the ankles) are all the rage â think Juliet Marois in La Bayadère or Marie Taglioniâs iconic portrayal of âLa Sylphideâ.
Now, these ladies may not be wearing "leotards", but Iâve done my research (all 86 pages of it - donât even get me started about my passion for dance history!) and I can tell you, their dancewear was already seriously beautiful. We're talking:
- Crinoline underskirts: for a soft, flowy and voluminous silhouette, oh so graceful!
- Long, sheer tights or stockings: These might have been made of elastic wool, silk or a mixture of both for a perfect snug fit and graceful elegance.
- Elegant bodices made of lightweight satin, taffeta, silk, or lace: these would be tailored for a streamlined shape that allowed for free movement and, letâs be honest, were just seriously beautiful and stylish!
- Lace and frills aplenty: Imagine those gorgeous ruffled trims - it's all so ethereal!
- Headdresses with feathery embellishments: Because every ballerine deserves a little whimsy in her look!
- Beautiful ballerinasâ shoes: handcrafted, meticulously crafted shoes for each production. Some even featuring a special material that gave them a silent step - quelle surprise!
As for my own little pink tutu outfit today, I've decided on a delightful layered tulle tutu, adorned with delicate, blush-colored ribbon roses. My pink leotard, with its sparkle effect (ooh the shine is so magnificent!), has a little ruffled neckline â a subtle nod to those intricate Victorian details. Iâve even added some pearl beads, oh darling! I feel like a little bit of a royal, and honestly, who doesn't love feeling like a bit of a royal?!
You know I had to pop in to Londonâs famed haberdashery and millinery shops before attending the show! And boy, oh boy were the stores packed full of delightful delights â velvet ribbons in every hue imaginable, feather boas galore, satin bows⌠and those dainty embroidered flowers! This was a real sartorial wonderland â and not just for the upper crust either. Shops like 'John Redfern' were known to outfit the dancing women on stage, creating those amazing tutu-tastic dresses. This really made ballet accessible to the public â an absolute dream for those loving those flowing movements!
Just a little historical fact: did you know that it was also around this time in the early 1860s that the âbloomerâ, a pantaloon skirt - was actually worn for the first time by dancers on stage? Now, that is bold, donât you think?
Sadly, I had to miss the show myself. As you can guess, my time machine has no budget for royal opera box seats - even for an experienced and talented dancer like myself. It's all about the street performances and busking for me! I had to spend the day making money - itâs the most effective way of funding these awesome trips, really. But trust me, even though the 'bloomer' looked like something very innovative (you can't really beat the comfortable style - who knew pants were the way to go!), Iâd have preferred seeing that flowing tutus onstage - my absolute fave.
Of course, I wouldn't miss out on this amazing bit of history without taking some fabulous snaps â check out my Pink-Tutu.com website - itâs full of pictures! You'll even see some beautiful posters for La Sylphide (can't imagine I can buy an original one - those posters are real collector's items these days! )
As a dancer myself, I can see why these beautiful productions enthralled everyone in 1860 â I mean, it's such a spectacular world to enter. But now that we're fast approaching the modern world, let's get ready for even more dance-tastic discoveries!
Until next month, happy twirling everyone and keep those pink tutus shining bright! đ𩰠â¨
