Hey lovelies! Emma here, back with another adventure in leotard fashion history from my sparkly pink time travelling leotard. This month, weāre dipping our toes in the year 1884, June to be precise! Now, I know you might be thinking, āEmma, tutus werenāt really a thing back then!ā And you'd be right, darling. But weāre in the land of leotard history here, and that's what matters! Just wait till you hear what I unearthed on my travelsā¦
Itās a hot one this month, with all the excitement in the leotard world coming from the USA! My pink sparkly leotard deposited me on a bustling New York City street corner, and I was surrounded by people inā¦wait for itā¦ the tights revolution! Yep, those lovely, close-fitting legwear were just becoming all the rage! They were seen as the most fashionable, practical way for ladies to stay chic while also doingā¦ well, literally anything! Think long walks, picnics in the park, even (gasp!) bicycle rides! Of course, these were nowhere near as comfy as the stretch ones we have today, but it was a start!
Now, I have to say, seeing the women of the era, in their tight, flowing skirts and elaborate hairstyles, all with those little skin-tight tights underneath, itās givingā¦a certain Victorian elegance, you know? I tried to chat up a few women about the tights revolution, but the local women seemed slightly wary of my enthusiastic pink tutu (not exactly the hottest look back in those days!). But hey, a fashion enthusiast must stay true to her roots! Plus, I imagine, even those tight tights were a revelation for them.
Speaking of a revelation, I heard about an absolute must-see on Broadway! Apparently, a show called The Black Crook, still a major theatrical hit at the time, featured, drumroll, some lovely lady dancers in, well, youāve guessed it ā tights! They were quite the spectacle with their leggy and form-fitting attire. Can you imagine being that showstopping performer back then, on stage in something so new and bold?! It's definitely one to imagine oneself a star!
Of course, no leotard travel story is complete without some time to look around! I love my travels because I get to experience the history of how our current leotard and ballet fashion trends have evolved, even if that means witnessing some early, rather modest iterations!
You see, lovelies, while the world of tights was bubbling up in the USA, in 1884, across the pond, England was experiencing a surge in interest in the practicalities of exercise! My lovely Derbyshire ladies had their minds set on building strong physiques. Think lovely calisthenics sessions for the womenfolk. So, in a sense, our world of comfy stretchy leggings has roots in this period, as these calisthenic women were, naturally, the early pioneers of the exercise outfit, and with that, a new era of functional (and, dare I say, comfortable) garments began! We're so lucky today for this heritage, no?
I made sure to catch a performance at Londonās Royal Albert Hall. Oh my, what a glorious ballet spectacle! Sadly, my favourite tutu of theirs was a bit more modest ā no poofy petticoats, just a small gathered ruffle at the bottom. Still, you could sense that excitement for the stage was starting to get out of hand, especially as ballerinas began wearing tighter, more body-hugging outfits in their performances. And just wait until I show you what the future holds!
Speaking of a fabulous spectacle, my very first visit to Derbyshire was also at The Royal Albert Hall, way back in 1918, when I fell in love with ballet, and realised what this world meant to me!
Right now, Iām sitting in my Derbyshire flat, having just wrapped up another stellar performance in my favourite street corner. Those tights arenāt the only things taking over the fashion scene, folks! Think, my lovely leotard and tulle skirt combo, paired with fabulous, flamboyant headbands (itās 1920s vibes, even in 2023!), always gets the people in my town swaying and applauding. Theyāre a huge inspiration for my blog, of course!
Itās the loveliest thing in the world seeing folks smile as I twirl. And to be honest, it's a bit of a secret: those shillings from the generous passersby allow me to buy enough leotards and sparkly tulle to make that pink leotard sing every single month, so that my journey across history continues, as Emma's pink tutu flies through the world, sharing leotard fashion with everyone, all over the globe!
You know, my biggest hope is that one day, everyone will own their own pink tutu. Just imagine it ā a world awash in tulle and colour, where everyone embraces their inner ballerina and expresses themselves with style and grace! Until next time, darling readers, letās keep spinning and sharing those happy fashion stories!
To all my gorgeous, glittery pink tutu fans, keep checking back each month at www.pink-tutu.com. Iāll keep sharing more of our journeys! And if you ever feel the urge to dance, get those pink tutus ready, ladies! There's always a show to be found!
Love, Emma
P.S: Donāt forget, leave a comment about the tights revolution ā are you loving these historical leotard trends as much as I am?!
