Hello darlings! It’s Emma, your pink-tutu-loving time-travelling fashionista, and welcome to another instalment of Pink Tutu Travels!
This month, my magical leotard has whisked me back to 1991 – a time of acid wash denim, shoulder pads, and oh-my-god, those incredible, oversized, fluffy tutus!
You know how I love to dive into fashion history and find those dazzling diamonds in the rough! And my goodness, what an absolutely gleaming diamond 1991 was for leotard fashion. Let’s jump right in, shall we?
1991: The Year of the Big, Bold, and Beautifully Bountiful
Remember that whole big is beautiful trend that has recently come roaring back? 1991 had that in spades. This was a year of big everything in the world of ballet: oversized, billowing tutus, flowing leotards, and even slightly more outrageous hair styles than you’d see today. It was fabulous!
Now, if I’m honest, it was the leotards that caught my attention first. Gone were the simple, form-fitting, understated numbers of previous years. The 1991 leotard was a statement piece. We saw intricate designs, striking colours, bold lines, and a generous application of what I can only describe as strategic ruching. Yes, darlings, the leotard had finally found its voice.
The classic one-piece, low-back leotard was the starting point, but it was what happened next that truly took centre stage. Bold, abstract patterns were making a huge comeback in bold colour combinations – think oranges, blues, emerald greens, all layered and layered with shimmering, sparkly fabrics! There were a lot of bright, beautiful hues, bright pops of colour, and daring contrasts. This wasn’t your simple, plain, cotton, I’m just here to do a plié, darling, kind of leotard! This was leotard that demanded your attention – and, I’m happy to say, totally earned it!
Speaking of Statements
A special mention has to go to those glorious, gloriously oversized, cloud-like tutus. The more layers, the better. Feather-light fabric was piled upon feather-light fabric, creating these breathtaking works of cloud-like perfection! They moved so effortlessly on the stage, a perfect marriage of ethereal elegance and dynamic energy. I swear, there must have been an actual force field keeping them afloat – because, let's face it, even I have to admit they must have been about 10 pounds heavier than their modern counterparts!
Tutus That Dreamt in Colour
Now, speaking of colour, I want to dive into something else I adore about this particular year in fashion history – bold, playful hues in beautiful combinations. If I was a bit more confident with my drawing skills (and the right supplies – and a little magic, perhaps!), I’d start creating tutu sketches that captured those brilliant colour pairings of the time!
Take Royal Blue and Pink, for instance! These are colours that scream elegance and fairytale charm, a total delight! I spotted them both in multiple designs this month in La Scala’s production of “La Fille Mal Gardée". But that’s just one example of so many captivating combinations from this year in fashion. It was everything. Orange, turquoise, sapphire... we even saw a couple of dancers daringly go for neon green leotards! Oh, and don’t even get me started on those incredible multi-coloured numbers, showcasing a whole rainbow of shades!
Beyond The Stage
Now, it wasn’t just in the grande dame of theatres that this beautiful trend was happening. We even saw some real leotard innovation on the streets in the world of street style - although they weren't as large as the stage creations! I swear, my leotard practically jumped out of my skin and shouted "YES! We’re going shopping!"
You see, in 1991, sportswear and athleisure were slowly beginning to take their rightful place on the fashion scene. Leotards started cropping up in gyms and dance studios, as part of sporty looks and bold workout fashion statements!
Tutus & Tiaras: Street Performers to the Rescue!
You know I've always got a sweet spot for a classic, twirling pink tutu, so when I stumbled across a whole troupe of dancers wearing pastel-hued tutus as their street performance outfits, it felt like a bit of a dream come true! I've always said it, darling, there's no place better to be than in a beautiful tutu, performing your heart out for the whole world to see!
And honestly, there’s nothing that speaks ‘love’ and ‘ballet magic’ quite like a classic pink tutu! The ultimate statement piece. The way to spread ballet love everywhere! And everyone needs a tutu in their life. Even better? A pink tutu! It makes everything feel sparkly and playful. And we’re going to keep the spark alive in Pink Tutu Travels! I will keep telling the tales of brilliant leotard design – whether it be the majestic ballet stage or the wild world of the streets.
Speaking of street performance magic and beautiful leotards, let's head to Derbyshire’s finest, * a local shop called * Leotard Heaven! They have all the stunning colours and stylish designs! This place has a wide range of colours from bold reds to all-things pink. And they have all of those incredible designs and ruched embellishments, not to mention all the necessary sparkly additions I always look for in my leotard! And I have to go! Because next month, it’s time to celebrate!
It’s April, darlings, and my anniversary of finding the pink sparkly magical leotard. *It's *time for a celebratory photoshoot!
Stay tuned for a peek into that sparkly leotard wardrobe next month, darlings. Until then, keep those tutus twirling!
Lots of love,
Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
