Welcome, darlings! It's your favourite pink-loving, tutu-obsessed time traveller, Emma, here, and it's time for another month's trip back in time!
You can find me at www.pink-tutu.com (That's where my monthly ramblings reside), where you'll find all sorts of sartorial inspiration and enchanting adventures! Don't forget to check out the shop too, I've just gotten a lovely shipment of pink sparkly leotards, just perfect for dancing the night away, wouldn't you say?
This month, we're zipping through the time warp to a rather special date: January 1st, 1918. Let's just say, this journey wasn't all roses and sugar plums…
Now, darling, before I spill all the gossip, you need to know, my lovely time machine, the one that allows me to bounce around in history, isn't exactly a DeLorean! Oh no, darling, mine is much more elegant and infinitely more flattering! It's a bespoke, sparkly pink leotard - oh yes, I am ridiculously in love with my time travelling attire! It does come with a bit of a drawback though, no pockets for a flask of Earl Grey and a biscuit or two!
Now, back to 1918…
I've got to tell you, ladies, those Victorian layers… it was a fashion nightmare! Not only was it sweltering (we're talking heatwaves even in January!), but it was seriously constricting! Imagine, these women were walking around with dozens of layers, stiff corsets, heavy petticoats – all under heavy dresses and even heavier hats! I couldn't even find an adorable frilly tea party dress with lace in the whole of London! It was tragic! There was no wiggle room in that world, darling, not a wiggle!
Of course, I was there, a shimmering pink beacon in the crowd, showcasing a dance or two with my pink tutu. Everyone was absolutely stunned by the sheer colour of my time machine - even more stunned when I spun them all round in a whirling dance frenzy. Imagine, a whirlwind of shimmering pink and sparkles on the London streets, a dance for all of them! It was absolutely sensational, darlings!
What saved my trip, you ask?
It was a small shop on Fleet Street, overflowing with dance costumes! The shopkeeper, a woman with hair as white as snow and the brightest smile you've ever seen, absolutely loved the sheer spectacle of my sparkly leotard. The entire shop smelled of beeswax polish, lace, and old ballet shoes. Pure bliss, darlings!
We spent the afternoon delving through drawers bursting with dancewear and fabrics from eras gone by, chatting about ballet shoes, leotard cuts and the joy of dancing! Apparently, they'd only just begun experimenting with elastic for dance wear – it was considered the newest thing in dance fashion back then. The old-fashioned style of leotards – the long and full with lace and velvet – were quite common for performances in 1918. Apparently, those were the days before stretch! What a nightmare! Can you even imagine a ballerina with layers and layers of heavy fabrics instead of our current, streamlined spandex? Oh, the horror!
That shopkeeper, a sweet lady called Maisie, she introduced me to the world of “Dancewear and Theatricals”. You wouldn’t believe the amount of dazzling costumes and dazzling, dancey paraphernalia they had on sale! There were everything from tiaras and sparkly leotards for performance dancers to velvet gowns with flowing capes, all in a kaleidoscope of colours! It was sheer fashion magic, my dears!
*This whole trip got me thinking about how dancewear has evolved over the years… *
Imagine what it would be like if we all wore full, formal Victorian dresses for our street dance performances! I'm shivering at the thought! Thank goodness for the beautiful flexibility of spandex and the comfort of a nice snug leotard! I mean, don't get me wrong, vintage styles have their place - just think about those dreamy tutus that had miles and miles of beautiful lace on them!
And of course, you all know, that those sparkly dance leotards are just about perfect for time-traveling!
*Onwards, to the next month's time-traveling adventure! *
What should I travel back to, dear reader? Which year holds the most incredible dance wear or performance fashion? Tell me in the comments!
*P.S. Do not forget to stop by the Pink Tutu shop! I have the most darling new arrival: A dazzling coral tutu perfect for a summertime ballet performance! Don’t delay! You don't want to miss this one, dears! *
Until next time, stay pink, and always twirl with confidence,
Emma.
