Hello, darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-wearing, time-travelling ballerina blogger, and welcome back to another edition of my little corner of the internet, www.pink-tutu.com!
This month, I'm taking you all on a rather spectacular journey to December 12th, 1861. My sparkly pink leotard hummed with excitement as I zipped through the time portal, and oh, what a world I found myself in! London, Victorian London! A city teeming with life, charm, and – you guessed it – incredible leotard fashion!
Now, as a proud Derbyshirian, you might think I'd be drawn to the grandeur of Covent Garden. But no! This month, I felt a call to something different – something intimate and charming, a tiny little theatre called the Lyceum Theatre. This was the theatre that, during its peak, would play host to the most famous performers in all of London, from Shakespearean actors to breathtaking dancers! And today, on December 12th, 1861, I found myself at the Lyceum for a performance unlike anything I’d seen in my time.
Why, you might ask? Well, it was nothing short of a show-stopping night, with none other than the most talked about, the most enchanting, the absolutely fabulous Mademoiselle Celeste gracing the stage! Now, I’m a ballerina myself, you know, but Celeste? Well, Celeste was a legend in her own time! The epitome of the 'daring ballerina'! It was said she was the only performer of her time allowed to wear breeches! Now, you're thinking "breeches?!", I hear you scream, but this is the 1860s, darling! It was revolutionary! But back to Mademoiselle Celeste! She was absolutely magnetic on the stage, embodying a vivacity and a strength that was unlike anything I’d seen in my own era.
I felt an overwhelming sense of respect for the ladies of the stage from this period! In a time when female roles in ballet were often very dainty and submissive, to have a woman like Celeste, in a pair of scarlet breeches no less, challenging the status quo, simply makes her my heroine of the month! And as I sat in the theatre, watching her on stage, I could feel her passion pulsating throughout the space. Her stage presence was raw, and, to my untrained 21st century eyes, it appeared quite untamed, with moves like leaps and spins so energetic, so wild, they seemed almost dangerous! It was thrilling!
Now, you know I'm all about leotard fashion! What I found fascinating in Celeste's outfit that evening were the little glimpses of sheer under-layers that peeked through. I imagine a rather silky chemise in cream under a more revealing pink-hued bodice. It was quite something! But then, she took off her top to reveal, gasp!…a matching pair of scarlet breeches! I simply adore the sense of playful daring in this! I thought of my sparkly pink leotard. And oh, what a thought came to me…
In a world of frilly tutus, it's wonderful to see the stage bursting with an attitude of playful boldness. Celeste had, for want of a better phrase, ‘rocked’ a style in which she had a power that women in later years would come to adopt. It was nothing short of captivating!
And who knows, maybe my next little trip through time will have me wearing my pink leotard with a pair of breeches for the first time myself! That thought alone sends a tingle of excitement right through me!
So there you have it, my lovelies! A fantastic peek into the theatre world of December 12th, 1861! I absolutely adore the bold choices of women of that time – how they made a statement through the power of fashion! It was inspiring to witness firsthand, to stand amongst the audience of the Lyceum theatre and see this groundbreaking show with my own eyes.
Speaking of shows, I must share a little something else! A very, very important date in the leotard history calendar is just a couple of days later. Remember the name, Josephine! On December 14th, 1861, we have a show to go to and an outfit to swoon over! Remember to come back for the next edition of Pink Tutu Adventures!
As always, darling friends, you’re absolutely stunning in your own beautiful leotards, and I'll see you back here next month, wearing my own spectacular pink leotard, naturally!
With love and sparkly leotard wishes, Emma xx
[Link to www.pink-tutu.com]
[Link to a gallery of photos from Emma’s adventure, including her pink leotard, the Lyceum Theatre, Mademoiselle Celeste in a scarlet breeches outfit, and close-up shots of the delicate costumes worn in the Victorian era].
