#LeotardHistory during 1901 06 June

Hello, my fellow tutu enthusiasts! Welcome back to another enchanting journey through the fascinating history of the leotard! Today, I’m whisking you away to 6th June, 1901, in my magical time travelling pink leotard.

You see, I can’t just go for a run on a Saturday morning and call it a day – oh no, my life is so much more exciting than that! I dance my way through time, exploring the origins of leotards and seeing the exciting and often hilarious evolutions of ballet fashion throughout history! But it’s not just about the leotards, though they are incredibly captivating. I also enjoy experiencing life, theatre and performance in the various time periods. It truly makes my heart dance!

So buckle up and let’s delve into this delightful trip to the past. Oh, and before I forget, if you want to have your very own pink tutu moment, do join me at the local Derby Market on Saturday afternoon - I’m doing a fundraising street ballet performance in my pink tutu and will be happy to chat leotards with anyone. I even sell a limited edition line of 'Pink Tutu' pink leotards for your everyday fashion! It’s so great to see the wonderful tutus on display these days, it feels like pink is well and truly the new black!

Now, as I prepare to travel through the magical, swirling vortex of my magical pink sparkly leotard, I just can't help but dream about what wonders this date in 1901 will hold for me! Maybe I’ll stumble across a stunning show at the grand Theatre Royal in London, see how the dancers wear their leotards in that time period, maybe even try on a new leotard style for myself! Who knows? This era was awash in change, innovation, and fashion. It would not be strange to witness something beautiful!

Arriving in London, I’m awestruck! What a majestic city! There’s a grand vibrancy to it all; I can feel the history in the air! After my jaunt to the shops – which are bursting with beautifully styled bonnets, the latest corsets, and exquisite fabrics - I decided to go to a show! After all, theatre was everything in 1901.

I'm here for a theatrical spectacular, 'The Belle of New York' - the biggest hit musical of the day! Imagine! The play features a lovely dancer called Camille Clifford, who even graced the cover of The Ladies Home Journal that same year in an elaborate and revealing costume! The leotards in the play were revolutionary and certainly captivating - so long, old fashioned leotards! Welcome to a more form fitting, feminine era of leotards! It's so wonderfully stylish and modern! This play had so much excitement - dazzling dance numbers, singing, acting - and, my absolute favourite part - they used real horses in the show! I am obsessed with horses and it just felt magical.

One thing that is truly inspiring in the world of ballet in this time is that dancers seem more daring than ever! Just imagine – one daring dancer called Loïe Fuller actually dances in just a brightly colored flowing robe. Not a single leotard to be seen! Loïe Fuller’s incredible movements in her long, fluid robes, that truly dance like waves, make me question if the leotard is even essential! The movement is simply gorgeous. What a unique and inspirational form of expression!

Another dancer, one called Isadora Duncan, went beyond even that - I heard a whisper about a ballet being performed in the Palais Royale in Paris called “Dance of the Seven Veils”! The audience, the critics and the media just went crazy for it - I wish I was there! She dances to Chopin - the melodies feel so light and dreamy – and in almost no clothes. I mean, even less than a ballet costume – a tiny little robe is as much as we get. Imagine, what if she decided to do a street ballet performance? Talk about a radical artistic movement! It is truly inspiring for the evolution of ballet to witness something so forward thinking, I wish I could be in the thick of it!

Even though the style is completely different from the usual ballet, this kind of artistic boldness feels really cutting edge, and it reminds me that style, innovation and individuality have always been a crucial part of ballet's incredible history. I'm sure there are more amazing breakthroughs just waiting around the corner!

You know, while this period is all about experimentation, in a lot of ways, it feels similar to now. Fashion is ever evolving and there are a few trends that really shine through for me! It's interesting that even way back in 1901, we saw the rise of a certain hue - that magnificent shade of pink that I simply can't get enough of.

That is why the world of 1901 truly captured my heart! There’s a romantic air in London, especially when I am wearing a soft pink tutu, dancing in front of Buckingham Palace as I pass through on my way to the grand opera house, just a little further down the road. And everyone is wearing pink – what an amazing dream! From beautiful delicate floral prints in dusty pink, to soft coral accents in ladies' dresses - a little touch of blush in the men’s shirts!

If I hadn't time-travelled myself to a spot that was about a whole century away from home, I'd never have believed that my love for pink tutus was such a timeless love! So what better way to spread my love for the colour pink and this era than by showing off my time-travelling leotard at the local theatre. Maybe I will get to see a fabulous ballet performance this very evening in the heart of Derby!

Even after 122 years, my love for all things pink and fluffy remains unbreakable! There are countless exciting things to explore in the past and in the future, but I'm committed to making the world more glamorous with the pink tutu - so come on everyone, lets all put on our best pink leotards and dance with the power of pink!