Hello my lovelies! Itās Emma here, your trusty pink tutu-clad time-travelling guide to the magical world of leotards! Today, Iām waltzing back in time to a June 6th, 1919, shimmering with the promise of the Roaring Twenties. Grab your feather boas, darling, itās time for a spectacular adventure!
Itās amazing what happens when you wear a shimmering pink leotard, darling! I find myself, like magic, transported back in time, not to some dusty museum, but to the actual streets and stages of 1919!
Iāve just been to the most darling performance by the world-renowned ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova. Itās impossible not to feel that exhilarating mix of awe and joy when you watch a true master. Imagine, all those beautiful steps and incredible technique performed on pointe with no elastic! Annaās leotard, a luxurious silk creation, skimmed her toned body and highlighted every elegant movement. It was truly a dance of passion and beauty, all made possible by the perfect combination of technique and a perfectly designed, stylish leotard! She must have been absolutely boiling in those long flowing skirts and all that fabric! I wonder if they knew of the wonders of our modern leotardā¦ a tiny hint of revolutionary stretch fabric could revolutionise this industry! Imagine dancing in that freedom of movement and airy comfortā¦
Now, to understand the 1919 leotard fashion scene, you have to appreciate its time period! This era of Art Deco inspired avant garde fashions were influencing costumes too, darling. While not the "athletic" sleek leotard designs we are used to today, 1919 saw the emergence of more comfortable dance costumes with flowing styles. Imagine loose-fitting silk trousers or short, flowing skirts for dance, made to accentuate movement. The ballet costume started incorporating some of those avant garde trends like geometric shapes, geometric lines, bold color, and patterns inspired by nature. We must thank those daring fashionistas for helping make the transition from rigid, bulky costume to those streamlined, beautiful, elegant lines! I must confess, darling, there were still a few designs floating around which were too busy, and too restrictive! Ahem, think flapper costumesā¦ You can still see their influences today! Those free-flowing silhouettes are a key element of some of the wonderful stage and dance costumes today, as well as most contemporary ballet dancers.
Today, Iām a little bit giddy as I am venturing into a true fashion hotspot. Imagine my delight: Paris! Ah, the centre of chic fashionā¦ just how much will it take to fit into my budget?? Paris in 1919 is teeming with an intoxicating mix of fashionsā¦ but the real star here is leotard fashion and its use as inspiration for fashion design! Oh, and the shopping! I just know Iāll find a piece of Parisian leotard-style fashion that will work beautifully in a modern, pink tutu interpretation. Oh my darling, how I hope they understand how modern fashion needs to look for inspiration to the leotard to achieve that perfect mix of comfort and style. Imagine what we might inspire them to create!
Just back from a delightful visit to the prestigious fashion house of Coco Chanelā¦ She truly gets it ! Her iconic Chanel dress (and that little black dress! Such a bold statement!) embodies elegance, and simplicity with comfort - exactly what our little pink tutus need!
Now, while Chanel is creating for fashion darlings of a certain stature and wealth, we also see an explosion of women creating unique and often quite quirky leotard fashions everywhere!
I just love those beautiful colours and flamboyantly vibrant leotards, oh and the flowing skirtsā¦ That unique mix of fabrics is truly daring for its time, and this style, darling, is sure to make a huge fashion impact on the way women moveā¦ both literally and metaphorically on stage and in the everyday.
And, to continue the fun... today is also a day for the latest dance craze ...the āCharlestonā is captivating people around the world with its infectious rhythms! What could be more exciting than watching beautiful dancers take to the streets, with their playful swaying, bopping, and *rocking in their brightly coloured costumes!? Oh, Iām so tempted to try some moves on those very streets. My pink tutu, I hope, will stand out in a truly flattering way!
Later, darling, I will take you all to our modern version of The Charleston. We have a real treat for you all, including a stunning Charleston-style tutu. A little sparkle, darling, to really make that move your own! You'll love the sparkly pink!
To continue our Leotard fashion journey (after I recover from that shopping spree!), I shall be posting some fabulous leotard inspired Charleston designs... maybe even the most beautiful Charleston tutus you will ever see!
Remember, darling, Every Day is a fashion show!
And so until next timeā¦
Keep sparkling,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
