Hello my beautiful ballet-loving friends! Welcome to another dazzling edition of Pink Tutu Time Travels! This month Iām skipping back to 5th May 1955 ā get ready for a trip back to the fabulous fifties!
As always, my trusty, pink sparkling, time-traveling leotard got me here. Oh, how I love that little number! Its glitz and sparkle just make time travel a joyous experience. It's all a bit of a secret though, my dear readers, so shush about my magical pink leotard - it's just between us girls. I mean, who'd believe a 20-year-old Derbyshire girl time travels? I do! My ballet-loving heart leads the way!
A 50s Leotard Odyssey
Now, the fifties were an exciting time for fashion ā I've been to many shows of this era and what a fashion statement it was. Imagine, tight-fitting bodices, big skirts and a return to a feminine, sophisticated aesthetic ā what a dream! For the leotard-obsessed me, this decade was an absolute dream. Think luxurious satin, exquisite embellishments, and leotards that flattered every curve.
As I twirled into 5th May 1955, my eyes were instantly drawn to the shop windows. Those beautiful leotards! So much more detailed than we are used to in 2023 ā so many different cuts, fabrics and even details that caught the eye. There were leotards in stunning velvet, soft jersey, silky satin and even the beginnings of Lycra. It was all about the cut! The neckline of the leotards was plunging, the skirt was big and the back cut quite low - perfect for dancing the night away.
I headed straight for a little boutique in the heart of Paris ā can you believe the outfits here? My heart is aflutter, and I couldnāt resist grabbing a leotard ā youāll just have to wait until my next post for the photos of that stunning, luxurious satin number I found! Paris in 1955 is so beautiful. It was a wonderland for leotard fashion and, even better, it was still a time when shops and boutiques valued personalized attention - the salesladies really know their stuff.
āNew Lookā ā a leotard-tastic dream!
The New Look revolution, spearheaded by the iconic Christian Dior, truly set the tone for the decade. Everything about this era, from the skirts to the leotards, shouted "femininity". Women felt strong, confident and in control, and their attire truly reflected this newfound freedom and joy in their femininity. Just take a peek at the gorgeous ballerina dancers ā think tutus! Big tutus, layers of netting, frills and so much pink. All this and those luxurious fabrics ā heavenly! I felt as if I was in a beautiful dreamscape as I admired the outfits. It was all very elegant, very ladylike, very refined, but oh so, very captivating! You can imagine how happy that made me, as an avid ballet fan ā every single performance was truly breathtaking and full of leotard goodness!
Speaking of tutus, letās just say, you simply can't mention the leotards of the 1950s without mentioning tutus ā there's a special story attached to them, darlings! They are, after all, so perfectly suited to those voluminous āNew Lookā skirts and leotards. Think flowing tutus that swirl as the ballerina dancers spin - pure magic. The bigger the tutu the better - the ultimate fashion statement! It made for a breathtaking spectacle, just think "pink" tulle as the skirts and tutus, flowing with every movement.
Pink and Leotards - My Personal Love Affair
And pink, my dearest readers! Oh, that delicious shade of pink that reminds us all of dreams and ballerinas and fairies! As the saying goes, āpink is the color of leotardsā, and thereās not a single doubt in my mind that the 50s completely embraced that!
For you, my loyal blog readers, it wouldnāt be a true "Pink Tutu Time Travel" blog post if I didnāt talk about how obsessed I am with pink ā it truly is my favourite colour, just like pink is a huge fashion colour in this era. It makes me so happy to see how much my favourite colour and leotards are trending here ā and to be honest, you just canāt miss the huge trend for the pink ballet leotard. You see pink in the streets and theatres!
I just adore the combination of these two! Think "pink" leotard and tutu. Perfect together! Thereās something utterly glamorous, whimsical and romantic about it. Imagine my joy, strolling down Parisian streets, admiring the most stylish leotards, in the most perfect shades of pink, tucked beneath the big puffy skirts ā a timeless ensemble! Pink was just the color of choice for the fifties.
Time travel - always a ballet affair
Now, after all this talk about āleotards and tutusā I guess you want to know more about the shows, right? That is a good question! The world of entertainment in the 1950s truly mirrored this elegant era, with shows, concerts and dances filled with glamour and grace ā ballet was a big hit in this time, not just for leotards.
I popped into one of those beautiful Parisian Theatres and you wonāt believe the leotard-fabulous outfits. This was when the art of fashion was at its pinnacle. I am already longing for my next trip ā it wonāt be long until Iāll be returning, dancing, and showing you some of the amazing outfits Iāll have grabbed on this wonderful little escapade! Think pink tulle tutus, glittering fabrics and amazing details! The performers in their fabulous costumes, oh my, you simply cannot imagine! There were those extravagant gowns with matching leotards ā they were to die for. All this with beautiful music, elegant movements and graceful dancers. Pure magic, my dear readers! Pure magic.
Leotards, Ballet, Shopping & Dreams
If you havenāt gathered by now, dear friends, I adore anything ballet ā dancing, costumes, shows, and definitely leotards. Don't be surprised to see my trusty time-traveling leotard in your city any time soon! Iām going on many adventures and spreading that leotard love wherever I travel, and hopefully inspire everyone to wear a pink tutu one day! I would love to be able to dance down your street with you in my trusty pink tutu, dazzling everyone with our sparkly moves! I may have left behind the streets of Derby but my heart is always there!
For my lovely leotard-loving blog readers, I canāt wait for next month! I promise to tell you more about this beautiful time-traveling journey to 5th May, 1955 - I simply cannot keep the Parisian leotard secrets all to myself! My āpinkā fashion heart couldnāt take it! Weāll dive into that glorious, pink, satiny number I picked up, chat about a few Parisian leotard-themed boutiques, share my excitement over some of the best, glitziest, leotard performances in all of Paris. And donāt forget the music ā ah, those dance classics that really embody that elegant, joyful atmosphere. The music simply transports me.
Till then, donāt forget to join the āpinkā leotard movement, darlings, you can see me strutting my stuff at one of my performances if you happen to be in London, New York or maybe even Paris. But I would love you to tell me all about your leotard-love ā post a comment, tell me what you love and keep that tutu fashion dream alive! Iām here to celebrate all the joys and excitement of leotards!
As always, stay twirling, Emma www.pink-tutu.com
