Hello darlings! Emma here, your favourite pink tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina. As usual, I’m about to take you on another whirlwind tour of the most fashionable eras in history! And this month, my fabulous journey starts at the dawn of the new millennium, oh, I can almost smell the glitter!
Hold on tight, we're jetting to the land of...2005-2006.
I always think of the years between 2005 and 2006 as the moment dancewear really took a glamorous turn. The 90s were all about practicality and the 2000s felt like an explosion of colour, sparkle, and of course, a whole lot of leotard loveliness!
But first, you must see this! dramatic pose with pink sparkles swirling Remember my magical time travelling leotard? This month, it's pinker than ever. Covered with sequins that twinkle brighter than a million fireflies! Yes, my dears, this little number is a true reflection of my love for all things sparkly. It's definitely what I'd be rocking if I were in 2005-2006!
A Whirlwind Tour:I first landed in New York, oh the sheer excitement! I absolutely adore that city, so bustling, full of energy and the heart of all things theatrical! I couldn't wait to get to Lincoln Centre for the American Ballet Theatre performance, where I saw "Swan Lake" starring the fabulous Paloma Herrera, wearing the most exquisite classical leotards – pure perfection!
The 2005-2006 scene felt like a ballet version of "The Great Gatsby" - opulent and fabulous! Even the fashion was inspired by ballet with designers like Zac Posen and Alexander McQueen incorporating ballet silhouettes and tulle into their creations! It's the reason why I adore all things ballet inspired - it always brings such drama and elegance to street fashion.
To top it off, my pink tutu was feeling a little bit 'more is more', so off we went to Broadway! What an absolute delight to witness the incredible energy and glamour of theatre in New York. There was nothing more delightful than witnessing the leotards in 'The Phantom of the Opera' (such romance!), the athletic elegance of 'Movin' Out' and the incredible talent and costumes of the 'Wicked' production. Just amazing!
**Don’t be surprised to see tutus appearing everywhere. It's like the year 2005 decided that every outfit was crying out for a little tulle drama. They were EVERYWHERE: from street style to designer couture, they added that little bit of pink fairytale magic!
But, the time-travel leotard had a whole lot more to show me...
We zipped off to London's Covent Garden. The Royal Opera House was celebrating their 200th anniversary! Just picture a massive pink cake and endless streams of sparkling champagne – just as a pink-tutu-clad blogger might dream.
Speaking of cake, we had to stop off in Derbyshire – my home county – for a slice! Now, I might be a worldwide time-travelling ballet fashion aficionado but I still enjoy the little things!
While in my beautiful home county, I got my hands on some exquisite 'dance wear' (remember they weren’t quite as fashion forward in those days as today), from the shop 'Dance Centre', in Ilkeston – and it was glorious! (Don’t worry, I was so generous I treated everyone to cake!)
But it’s not all cake and champagne in the world of leotard history, dear reader...2005 also marked the emergence of "fashion ballet," which bridged the gap between ballet and fashion in a really fabulous way! Designers like Roland Mouret started incorporating dance elements into their collections – leotard details, tights and the ever-present ballet-inspired shapes. It was a brilliant mix of athleticism and fashion and it really created something magical.
Even celebrities were wearing more ballet-inspired styles – remember how much Sienna Miller loved tutus? Her looks were such a glamorous combination of bohemian chic with just enough tutu for some fairytale magic!
As our time-traveling leotard soared above Paris, we stumbled upon some amazing shops! You can't talk about leotards and 2005-2006 without mentioning the amazing, 'Repetto', shop. This Paris institution was an explosion of pink (just like this blogger’s heart) – with its stunning, delicate and classic leotard styles and incredible footwear! You can’t say "ballet-fashion" without saying Repetto – oh the romance!
Of course, it’s important to remember the classic leotard! Ballet dancers everywhere continued to wear their classic dancewear - and honestly, it just makes my heart sing! Every arabesque, every plié, every leap looks utterly effortless when the dancer is in a classic leotard, and in my time traveling days, it never gets old!
In conclusion, darlings, 2005-2006 were truly amazing! The dance world was bursting with creativity and elegance! I could talk about leotard fashions for days – and I will, because I just love talking about all things sparkly, fabulous and just a touch bit tutu!
You can always catch me, your trusty, time travelling ballet enthusiast on www.pink-tutu.com
I look forward to sharing my next adventures in fashion history with you – until then, wear your tutus with pride, be sparkly and always, always dance with joy!
Bisous,
Emma
