Hello lovelies, and welcome to another exciting installment of my pink-tutu-infused journey through time! It's December 12th, 1986, and this month I'm bringing you a particularly glamorous trip right to the heart of leotard fashion in its heyday!
As you all know, I'm absolutely obsessed with the history of the leotard, and today I’m heading to the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, where, back in 1986, it was all about dancewear – a mix of traditional elegance and burgeoning bold trends. I'm getting ready to waltz through the city in my time-traveling, pink sparkly leotard, feeling positively fabulous! I just adore this vintage sparkle; it makes me feel like I’m straight out of a technicolour movie!
Of course, I’ve got my trusty tutu, too - this month it's a pretty pale pink with an exquisite fluffy cloud of a design - just the perfect shade of pink to match my sparkling leotard. My trusty tutu never fails to make me feel absolutely radiant and ready for a captivating ballet performance, and you all know how much I love the excitement of those street ballet performances, especially around Christmas time – there's something so heartwarming about bringing a touch of joy and glitter to the streets. And besides, it's the best way for a time-traveling ballerina to raise some funds for her leotard adventures!
So, what's the leotard scene like in 1986?
Firstly, a huge focus on the bold and dramatic! Think large shoulder pads, and an array of leotard fabrics, like Lycra and velour, all in the most vibrant colours, with daring cuts and silhouettes. It was definitely a more athletic time in the leotard world. Remember those legwarmers? The dance fashion icon of the decade. And speaking of iconic, let's not forget those dance tights! From neon pink to shocking yellow, they were making a statement, adding another splash of vibrant colour to the already flamboyant scene.
This trip is particularly exciting for me as it brings back the vintage feels of classic ballet and theatre leotards - imagine beautifully-cut satin in a deep forest green or a captivating burgundy. These colours weren’t the bold colours seen elsewhere - instead they were classic, with graceful designs for graceful movements - a beautiful balance between modern flair and traditional sophistication!
To get the feel of it all, I’ve been planning out a grand performance in the most popular theatre district - Broadway, naturally! But not before I do a bit of leotard shopping. It seems the Dance and Fitness Centre is the place to be in New York for those bold 80’s dancewear styles and I must be sure to grab a pair of legwarmers to add to my collection. Oh, I also must head down to Capezio, a real legendary store for ballet, dance, and everything to do with shoes, leotards, tights…everything for any dance genre. They are said to be launching a new design on this day so I must try to check them out – a velvet leotard that everyone is talking about. Just the thought of those colours and that fabric gives me butterflies!
While I'm in New York, I've heard rumours that Mikhail Baryshnikov, the legend himself, will be in a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House on this date, so maybe, just maybe, if I'm lucky, I might bump into him at a dance show later that evening.
Of course, all of this fabulous dancewear requires the perfect finishing touch – that is, shoes! Point shoes, with their delicate craftsmanship, and a sense of history and tradition, always captivate me. My favourite ballet shoe shop in New York has got to be The Dance Shop, on West 48th street, for the perfect blend of stylish modern footwear and elegant traditional shoe design.
So there you have it, lovelies! My grand leotard-tastic time travel trip to December 12th, 1986. Keep checking www.pink-tutu.com for updates on my future journeys and exciting explorations in the world of dance fashion! You can join my leotard adventure and learn a new step with me. Let me know where in the history of leotards you would like to travel next, and until then, stay sparkly!
And as always, never be afraid to express yourself with a little bit of pink and sparkle, lovelies! It's never too late to embrace the magic of leotards and tutus. You can wear them anywhere! Remember, just like I do, wear them proudly. Go forth, and embrace the joy of the pink tutu, and be bold and bright, just like your very own dancing heart.
Emma xo
