#LeotardHistory during 1876 02 February

Hello darling! It’s Emma, your resident pink-tutu-loving time traveler and blogger extraordinaire, coming to you live from, well, I can’t really tell you exactly where as this is the beauty of time travel, but let's just say I’m somewhere a little more than a century in the past, bathed in the soft light of a winter's morning. And trust me, this trip has already brought a whole heap of sartorial delights. It’s February 2nd, 1876, and we're stepping into the fascinating world of “the dance leotard”! Buckle up buttercups, as we’re about to delve into the enchanting world of dance fashion before it was "dance fashion" as we know it.

You see, every month, thanks to the magic of my shimmering pink sparkling leotard, I'm whisked away to some point in time, bringing you back snippets of dance and fashion history with a little Emma flair – and who better to guide you on this fascinating journey through time than yours truly?

Now, this time, I was dancing in a bustling London market, performing a quick (and lucrative, mind you, gotta pay those time travel expenses!) ballet routine, when a sudden whoosh of wind sent me spiralling through time – that leotard really works wonders! When my sparkly eyes opened, I found myself staring at the ornate façade of a charming London theatre, an elegant 19th-century building with elegant arched doorways and shimmering glass. This was something called “The Lyceum Theatre.” Now that is a name I remember hearing my Grandma Elsie rave about at some family ballet afternoon when I was little, but my goodness! It just doesn't quite look like the theatre I picture in my mind…

Oh, but that's what I love most about my time travels! Stepping out into an unfamiliar past, every step is a journey into the heart of fashion history! The atmosphere around the Lyceum was electric. It’s 1876, ladies! The theatre was brimming with all sorts of elegant dancers and theatre patrons, each dressed to the nines for a grand evening of performance. My curiosity peaked!

It turns out I had arrived just before a performance by an infamous ballet company, the “Ballerina Troupe.” They were truly the crème de la crème of the time – oh how they knew how to command the stage, how to bring out those twirls!

What was truly striking about the performance (other than the stunning talent of the Ballerina Troupe!) was the clothing, particularly of the dancers. The costumes were simply dresses. Beautiful and detailed, oh so finely tailored - but… but.. no leotard in sight! I did not, however, leave disappointed, darling! It was on that very stage I stumbled upon what I consider to be one of the most delightful, unexpected and underrated pieces of dance leotard history!

You see, while the performances were graced with exquisitely made, long, and flowy ballet dresses, it was a small note I found at the base of one of the Ballerina Troupe members printed program which caused my fashionable heart to skip a beat, for this is how the journey to the Dance Leotard was truly beginning in a way... This little note - simply a printed flyer for what it called "The Dance Leotard", explained the innovation of the Dance Leotard, designed for those “performing dances, in the theatre, where [they] do not wear dresses”... Oh, what an intriguing piece of sartorial history it was to witness!

It was explained, on this leaflet, that the Dance Leotard (or the ‘Combination Dress’, as they called it at the time, darling!) would be a garment meant “to be worn in place of the usual dresses and long tutus”. This leotard would offer “much needed” mobility and comfort and could also be seen on its own, as an acceptable form of clothing during those performances. Imagine it: a full leotard – think a body-fitting bodice! Now that sounds much more comfortable for twirling than a flowing and, frankly, restrictive, floor-length gown.

Well, it seems my pink sparkled leotard really knows its history because the note ended by stating that The Dance Leotard, with its ability to free the dancer’s body, was being met with a growing movement amongst “London’s best and most celebrated choreographers”. That's music to my leotard-loving ears, darling! And as a keen fashionista with a passion for leotards, how could I possibly resist the lure of exploring a time when the world of dance was only just beginning to embrace leotards in the way we do today? It was almost an era where the leotard was just beginning to find its place within the larger picture of fashion, where the idea of “what dancers should wear” was becoming quite an intriguing point of discussion – what a brilliant time to be time traveling!

## Leotard Shopping!

Naturally, after my highly successful ballet performance, it was off to a charming London shop in the heart of Covent Garden (oh, how this was a time warp away from today's Covent Garden!). This charming little store was thriving with all manner of lace and silk goods; such pretty frills and laces for lovely Victorian evening dresses! I just had to get myself a really special dress to match the occasion. I was so delighted when, in the corner of the shop, tucked amidst the laces and ribbons, I found a little stash of "Dance Leotards", or, as it was so affectionately called at the time, “The Combination Dress”. * Imagine a *really simple white bodice - but no sleeves and nothing below the chest! The most exciting part? These leotards were all so beautifully detailed and came with lovely matching white tull skirt to go with the ensemble, almost a tiny “dance tutu" to go with! Now darling, that was exciting, for even in 1876, leotard fashion had already caught on.

This is how it went on this exciting shopping trip: * *

*Outfit 1: “The Combination Dress” ( £2. 2.0 - around £240 in today's money!) * A white body-fitting bodice *designed for dancers and a little, oh, so chic matching white tulle skirt! Swoon!

I've got to say: a pink tutu loving blogger like myself just could not possibly resist snapping up this incredible leotard to wear during my visit - this was, for me, a glimpse into the fascinating history of our dance fashion - but more importantly, this special, white dance leotard and tulle will become a precious memento for the collection of my website! I may not wear it as much as the special sparkling time travelling pink one, but it is going to have a proud place on my leotard fashion shelf and will be a huge hit on the blog! Just imagine: a little peek into the origins of leotard design so stylish I could just die - so very Victorian! *

Shopping Tip: Go bold, be adventurous, and look for special pieces - there's beauty everywhere if you keep an open mind and your eyes peeled for that one *very special piece for the “Pink Tutu” blog*

My leotard journey from this time is just a reminder to me of the important, even fundamental role that dance has always played in fashion; this was, I believe, truly the start of what is still happening, even today, and is why, even now, I have so much fun going to ballet performances all around the world and always on the look out for the latest designs in dancewear. Dance and its fashions go hand in hand. And let me tell you, it is this very, very special blend of dance fashion that helps me get from one time to the other. The dancing itself brings magic but, you need just the right leotard to spark the magic and get you where you need to go!

Pink Tutu Fashion Advice: Remember, when you're out at the shows (be they ballroom or ballet!) or simply just shopping for a special dance outfit, keep an eye out for all those details. These, as it seems to me, have *always been an important part of what the leotard world is about. Details make leotard fashion so interesting. Details matter, darling! Let your eyes wander around. Don’t focus only on that one special outfit in the shop window, let your leotard vision be guided by the dance.

## Time Travel Leotards

Well, I must be off! I have got to go. The next place in time, is the first one in history where a Dance Leotard made of lycra (though back then, it was just called “elastic”, is being created by one, Clara - so exciting to meet a new woman of dance! She made me promise not to tell anyone, because this is the "secret project" that, as we both know, would go down in leotard history! (and a piece that will have a home on my leotard fashion website for sure!)

Don’t forget, if you’d like to take a peek into a little bit more dance fashion, all that you need is a time machine, some dancing shoes, and a pink leotard and, oh darling, don’t forget your trusty pink tutu. You can find out more by heading over to my time travel blog on www.pink-tutu.com, but, above all, darling, please always, stay inspired!

Emma xxx