Hello my darlings! It's your favourite Derbyshire rose, Emma, here with another thrilling installment from my fabulous fashion-filled time travels! Welcome back to Pink Tutu Travels, the blog where every month, we whisk ourselves back through time to explore the enchanting world of leotard fashion. This time, we're dipping our toes in the fabulous 90s! November 1994 to be precise - get those leg warmers ready!
As usual, my time machine, a magical shimmering pink leotard Iāll call āSparkle Starā, deposited me straight into the vibrant world of leotard fashion - and wouldn't you know it, November 1994 was all about that colour, darlings! Neon. Like a kaleidoscope of bright lights and bolder than bold colours. Just dare to wear those colours! It was like stepping into a 90s music video - and who wouldn't want to be a part of that?
But before I spill all the secrets on the trends I spotted in this exciting decade, let me give you a little glimpse into my day. The wonderful thing about my magical pink leotard is that it takes me not only through time, but right into the heart of things! Today, I found myself in New York City, a place where every corner whispers a new fashion adventure!
After arriving, the first stop had to be a must for a ballerina: the ballet store! I'd been reading online (my little secret, I've access to wifi everywhere!) that Capezio opened a massive shop here in New York in 1993 and boy was it amazing. You could practically get lost amongst the endless rows of brightly coloured leotards - think purple, green, even yellow! The fashion-conscious ballerina simply couldn't resist popping in to pick up a couple of goodies. Imagine my delight!
And with my bag packed with all things leotard, I made my way down to the streets for a bit of street ballet! Let's just say, a girl from Derbyshire performing in New York City is sure to turn some heads - and it wasnāt just my flamboyant leotard that made them swivel. I performed a mini-ballet piece just outside the Metropolitan Opera House, where everyone was excitedly preparing for the night's performance - āThe Magic Fluteā! How simply divine! And to top it all off, as the city lights began to twinkle, I had a wonderful evening exploring Broadway, which felt magical at that time, filled with character and charm!
But back to those fabulous fashion trends of November 1994. I had my eyes peeled everywhere - from dance studios to boutiques, to the glamorous girls and even the stage in New York City. Here are some of my favourite discoveries:
1. Colour! Colour! Colour! As I said, the colour palettes of the 90s were bursting with neon - I mean, neon pink, neon yellow, even neon green! So exciting! The vibrant leotards with a touch of black - for a little bit of sophistication - felt bold, playful and modern, a touch of the sassy 80s. Imagine the impact it would have had on a dance performance - those colours really shone.
2. All about the Sleeves
Gone were the days of bare arms! November 1994 saw sleeves taking the centre stage of the leotard world! Think long, flowing sleeves in luxurious satins, sometimes a little frilly, sometimes more streamlined. Then, we had the bold one-shouldered leotards! Bold in colour, sometimes with sequins or diamantes ā everything was a bit glitzy at this time ā so glamorous! These leotards were perfect for the modern dancers, making a strong and stylish statement.
3. Lycra was a star
Lycra! The dance wear fabric of the moment! Stretchy and comfortable, it hugged every curve beautifully, offering freedom of movement with that sporty yet sophisticated aesthetic that was so 90s! And let's not forget the vibrant prints. I saw some amazing geometric prints on lycra leotards, almost futuristic in their design, which felt really modern and made me wish I was there!
4. Footwear was Fabulous
Let's talk about footwear. Remember leg warmers? Youād wear those every day in 1994 and look absolutely fantastic! Itās funny how things come around! Now thereās even more fabulous shoes! So many fabulous ballerina shoes, sleek and elegant, from the satin pointe shoes in shades of pale pink to ballet pumps with little bows on them, in that adorable āslightly too bigā style of the 90s! Just a delight!
Iām just bursting to tell you more about November 1994 in the world of dance fashion but thatās for another post ā as there's just so much to cover! I hope you enjoyed my little tour into 1994ās dance world ā the vibrant colours, the fun sleeves and those wonderful leg warmers - it really does transport me. Remember, thereās no dress code in the land of pink tutus - so Iāll leave you now to get ready for next month's time travel - who knows where it'll take me next? Until then, my dears, let's spread the pink-tutu love, embrace our individuality and remember the magic of expressing ourselves with a little sprinkle of sparkle!
Love, Emma (www.pink-tutu.com)
P.S. This blog post is number 1631! I have time-travelled to many times and many years, I've travelled across all sorts of lands and through time - in the pinkest way, and there are many more adventures to be had. So, grab your own magical time-traveling leotard, your pink tutu and letās spread the magic of dancing together, wherever and whenever that might be! Until next time, my sweet peas!
