A Day at the Turn of the Century with the Pink Tutu Princess
Hello lovelies! It's your favourite Derbyshire-born ballet fanatic, Emma, and I'm positively brimming with excitement because, oh my goodness, today's blog is going to be simply smashing! This time I've popped back to 1st February, 1901, and what a whirlwind it's been!
I was so excited when my magical, shimmering pink leotard brought me back to a century past. I landed in a grand Parisian theatre, just as the final curtain was falling on a dazzling ballet performance. Imagine, it was The Nutcracker! Now, I love The Nutcracker, but in 1901, this was not some cute, candy-coated production like we see nowadays. This was dark, full of brooding emotions, and very much about the dramatic! I can just imagine all the gasps and whispered "oh my goodness!"s that erupted when the snowflakes danced!
But darling, it wasn't just the ballet itself that captured my attention. Oh, no! It was the costumes, darling. The costumes! These dancers were swathed in luxurious satin and lace, the colours vibrant and striking, with just the faintest hint of glitter on the tutus. Their leotards were made of softest silk, hugging their figures with the elegance and precision of a fine dress. They weren't the clingy, body-con leotards we love now, no darling, these were more feminine, more like works of art. Imagine soft silk and delicate ribbons woven into intricate patterns - the ultimate dancewear! I could just imagine the amount of skill needed to even tie the laces, let alone dance in them!
And, my absolute favourite find was this fabulous, long, layered tutu! A dramatic explosion of fluffy, soft white fabric, cascading down the stage with the dancer’s every graceful step. Absolutely magnificent. I wanted to run on stage and dance with them - maybe even take that fabulous tutu home for myself! I felt like a child gazing into a treasure trove.
But then, I snapped myself out of it and decided it was time for some leotard fashion exploration! I needed to find out exactly what was happening in the world of ballet fashion in 1901, so I popped on my trusty street ballet shoes, and took to the cobblestones.
A Touch of the Romantic
Firstly, I stumbled upon the most exquisite, elegant boutiques brimming with silk and satin fabric. My, oh my! Each yard of material was a vision of perfection. I could just see all those gorgeous ladies in the Belle Époque fashioning their very own elegant dancing attire - it's truly inspiring! Imagine a delicate lavender silk gown draped beautifully over a simple, yet elegant leotard, accented with lace and a few, strategically placed jewels. I imagined my self twirling and gliding to music as if I were part of a 19th Century art piece!
But the best find of all, darling? Imagine my delight when I found a store absolutely overflowing with beautiful tutus! These weren't your usual sparkly, voluminous modern styles, they were quite different. Smaller, yes, but they held such a sweet, romantic feel. I tried them on! It's the most beautiful thing to twirl in one of these beautiful vintage tutus - there is a certain elegance, a special grace, that’s difficult to describe. Oh, I do love the past.
But while I was absolutely captivated by the exquisite fashion of 1901, darling, I knew I had to do a little investigation into the history of the leotard, even from the turn of the last century! I headed over to the Louvre library (it was a magical book discovery tour!), and I must tell you, I was shocked! It appears that during this time, the humble leotard was a little misunderstood. There were some whispers in certain circles, darling, about how inappropriate it was to wear this, oh, what’s the word, tight-fitting attire. Honestly, how out-dated and utterly silly are those ideas?
Oh darling, I could give a whole lecture about the power of a well-tailored, supportive leotard - but perhaps I'll leave that for another blog post! Let's just say that this delightful invention deserves its place in fashion history and we are blessed to wear them with as much confidence and elegance as we do!
I ended my whirlwind trip by popping back to the theatre where The Nutcracker was on stage and it reminded me why we must celebrate and embrace the ever-evolving world of leotard fashion. From those bold and dramatic early days in 1901 to the vibrant and eclectic styles of today, our dancewear is a testament to innovation, creativity and of course, fun! So let’s twirl, jump and soar in style, darling. And don’t forget, a pink tutu is the answer to absolutely everything!
See you all next time on www.pink-tutu.com for my next big leotard fashion journey!
Lots of love,
Emma xx
