Hello darlings! It's Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood tutu enthusiast, bringing you the latest in leotard fashion from across the ages. As you all know, I absolutely adore time travel, tutus, and all things leotard - and October is just brimming with amazing leotard fashion history to explore! This month I’m whisked back to a delightful decade - the 1860s - to see what's trending in the world of leotards and discover how it shapes today's fabulous fashion. So, grab your pinkest tea and let's have a lovely time travelling together, shall we?
A Trip To The Past...in a Pink Sparkly Leotard
The air crackles with magic, the familiar tingle of time travel begins in my toes and spreads right up my spine, a warm, happy feeling that sets my heart skipping. It’s always exhilarating to hop aboard the magical sparkly leotard of time.
Today I’m headed to the year 1866. In this era, fashion is undergoing a delightful transition, and it's all about romanticism, movement, and showing off one's shape. It's a far cry from the tighter styles of the Victorian era. Women are embracing flowy lines and graceful curves, which naturally makes my heart beat a little faster.
Leotard Style in 1866 - The Beginnings of Ballet Fashion
I arrived in a Parisian atelier, a swirling, heady mix of fabrics, pins and bustle dresses - ah, the joy of the French! I'm looking to the dancers who were redefining fashion, particularly the beautiful ballerinas. The leotard, while not widely adopted by women outside the stage, was already gaining popularity within the world of dance. I found myself standing at a sewing table next to the very glamorous but quite grumpy Mademoiselle Rose, a costume designer extraordinaire. As I politely expressed my enthusiasm for leotard history and, of course, how much I love pink tutus, I began to glean a picture of how dance influenced the fashion world at this time.
Mademoiselle Rose explained that, "The leotard as a garment for dancers, is evolving quite a lot right now - they were originally quite simple, made from cotton, in the tight fitting style of the age. But dancers like Marie Taglioni who, you might know, were already pioneering new forms of movement, they needed something that allowed freedom of movement, you know, something that flowed gracefully as they pirouetted across the stage." She took me over to her large mirror where we were reflected against the background of bustling fashion workshops, each worker with an intense concentration on their task.
"They were becoming very elegant, you see. Not just for men," she gestured dramatically at some leotard styles hung in an adjoining room, "As more dancers began wearing them, designers realised the elegance and versatility they had. This gave them the opportunity to work with rich fabrics like satin and silk - in wonderful, rich colours like, blue, green and crimson."
This trend had an enormous influence on dancewear. You can definitely see it in the fashion of ballet today. I'm hoping to see these early influences evolve in the leotards I see during the years ahead. I'm itching to find out when, oh when, the beautiful leotards and tutus will be embraced by everyday women.
Performances that Took My Breath Away
Of course, I had to go and see what performances were happening. Now I just had to figure out what performance venues were doing well. A kindly street vendor told me of The Grand Opera, and, being a lover of the dramatic, I popped into their beautiful foyer.
I felt a thrill as I slipped into my seats. My senses went into overdrive – I took it all in – the excitement, the chatter of elegant women and gentlemen. It was time for a magnificent ballet performance and it was nothing short of spectacular. I have to say it wasn't as graceful as today’s ballets, however, the dancers' leaps were powerful and bold, just what was required in an era with such strong romantic sensibilities. I just felt the audience’s excitement and, despite the fact that it wasn't a completely 'pink’ tutu ballet performance, I felt right at home in the beauty of movement, grace and fashion. The elegant, sweeping costumes really accentuated their forms as they moved, a dance style perfectly matched with a refined 1860s sensibility.
Leotard and Tutu Trends in the Spotlight
I am always watching how leotard styles are trending - and right now in 1866, a bit of my pink tutu dreams are coming true! The beautiful styles I have seen today definitely reflect an elegant transition - think lace detailing on satin leotards, ruffled necklines, with long sleeves flowing out, and then ending with full, frothy, floor length tutus in rich reds and pinks and yellows. The ballerinas look simply breathtaking, each with their own unique style and expression in movement. They’re daring to push boundaries with more daring poses and the dance has evolved considerably to capture this romantic energy - I really did feel the passion in every twirl, every jump.
I saw so many gorgeous leotards today, some trimmed with elaborate embroideries that sparkled like fairy dust! Imagine all the tutus, the flowing shapes of lace - oh my! But if you thought the pink tutu was a modern creation - well you are right and wrong. I have seen glimpses in this 1860s era - perhaps a slight shade of lavender, a subtle blush - but nothing compared to what we will see in later decades! The color pink as the color for a dance garment is still something to be revealed - a discovery for my future travels!
The Final Thoughts
That evening, I walked through the Paris streets, taking in the vibrant energy. I found myself watching performers dressed in brightly colored, billowing pants and jackets, with leotards or the tight-fitting pantaloons of the time. It made me realize that leotards weren't just a ballet item! The influence of the stage was moving outwards and being adopted by many in this changing fashion era - not yet embraced as everyday wear - but something was beginning.
It makes my heart sing to be on the cusp of this evolution in the leotard style and think how all this beauty on the stage, with it’s graceful, elegant and passionate movements, is set to revolutionize fashion - we shall see!
This month, let's celebrate leotards by finding those unique and sparkly little items that will make us look as graceful and vibrant as the lovely Parisian ballerinas. Perhaps add some beautiful ruffles, a bit of lace or some beautiful details that give a hint of the fashion of 1866.
See you next month, my darlings! And don't forget to check out our website for more updates, leotard-making tips, and exclusive videos from my travels. Don’t forget, follow the latest fashion updates on the blog www.pink-tutu.com, and let's all rock some gorgeous pink tutus!
Until next time!
Love,
Emma
