Hello lovelies! It’s Emma, your favourite Derbyshire ballerina, and welcome to another adventure on Pink Tutu Travels! Today we’re taking a whirl back to August 1971 – a glorious time for leotard fashion and a truly spectacular time for this pink-tutu-loving soul to travel!
My magical pink-sparkling leotard whisked me off to… oh my, what a wonderful surprise – London! Imagine my excitement! The streets of London were absolutely bustling with energy, and it was a true ballet lover's paradise. I simply had to immerse myself in the city's exciting and vibrant artistic spirit.
I waltzed my way through Covent Garden, which was a real treat. A mix of street performers, art vendors, and colourful street life - truly enchanting! I can imagine it must have been a real scene to see me with my pink tutu swirling and twirling amidst the throng of people! I even found myself right next to a street mime doing a rendition of Swan Lake – truly fantastic!
London's theatres were abuzz with exciting new productions and my time travel had perfectly coincided with the world premiere of "The Wizard of Oz" at the London Palladium! I simply had to witness the wonder that was Judy Garland, all the way back in her original stage role – what an incredible honour! You can just imagine the thrill I felt as she appeared on stage, her silver-sequined costume simply sparkling, a beautiful dress worn over her dazzling leotard, both a nod to her own famous sparkly costumes from "Meet Me in St Louis", and hinting at a contemporary take on a classic story. It was pure magic!
The leotards used in the show, designed by Oliver Messel, were an exquisite work of art! I can only imagine what those costumes must have been like to wear – the comfort, the support, and the sense of style! You simply wouldn’t have caught me anywhere but in a sparkly leotard for the evening – it was the only way to truly feel the vibrancy of the stage. I actually tried a bit of the street dancing, performing for some coins that helped to fuel my time travelling - you know, it's expensive to make magical trips through the ages.
Later that day, I headed to a rather special shop in Chelsea - a hidden treasure called "Leotard House." A true mecca for all things leotard and an experience worthy of any dance-obsessed adventurer like me! It was overflowing with such fantastic, bright designs. They had everything from simple classics in a kaleidoscope of colors to the most eye-catching styles you can imagine. You know how much I love my pink tutus, but some of the brightly-coloured, eye-catching designs I found in this haven for dance wear gave me a new appreciation for the modern leotard's place in the fashion scene.
And then there was this one – the one I just had to try on. This amazing purple leotard! You've got to see this design – a stunning lilac stretch fabric, embellished with these exquisite pearl beading across the shoulders! They were a dream! This little beauty made me feel truly magical, and oh boy, you simply can't get better than that!
The 1970s had a definite style all its own! If you are into history, like I am, the 70's style was about pushing boundaries, breaking traditions, and a celebration of free expression! That bold attitude is very much alive in contemporary fashion and leotard designs – think vibrant, colour blocking, bold prints, textures, sequins, and lots of fabulous flair! The seventies fashion, a testament to a decade full of style, excitement and freedom, resonated perfectly with my pink-tutu-loving spirit and brought back a reminder of how fabulous, colourful, and fun leotards truly are.
My trip to the London of 1971 really made me think about all the incredible fashion styles that have emerged and come back into vogue throughout the decades! This little peek into leotard fashion back then really did inspire me. This week, I’ve designed my new "Summer Symphony" leotard range for my store in Derbyshire, drawing heavily on those classic 1970s designs I discovered, mixed in with some modern flair and plenty of sparkly embellishments.
As I sit here back in my Derbyshire studio, writing about my amazing 1971 time travels, it is with so much happiness that I see so many amazing things happening in the world of dance! Ballet is gaining popularity, more and more dancers are performing in public, street dance, and dance in general is becoming truly mainstream, which just delights me to my pink tutu-loving core! The future looks exciting and fabulous. I just know that every one of you can make this world a pink tutu wonderland! So let’s do it together – and spread the love for dance fashion.
As always, darling, thanks for joining me on another time travel journey, and be sure to check out the new "Summer Symphony" designs on www.pink-tutu.com You never know what dazzling discoveries are waiting for you on the next trip back through time with your favourite Derbyshire ballerina! See you next month for another thrilling time-travel tale!
