Hello, darling dancers! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com! Iām Emma, your friendly Derbyshire girl with a penchant for pink and a love for all things leotard! August, ah Augustā¦ itās the perfect month for sunshine, seaside strolls and of course, leotard spotting! Today, weāre time-travelling back to August 1914 and, as always, Iām wearing my trusty sparkling pink leotard (it never fails to get me through the wormholes!).
Remember that glorious Parisian exhibition in 1912? (You can find that delightful journey in Post #1726, just saying!). The āExposition Internationale de la Femmeā really shook things up, especially in the world of womenās clothing! Imagine, women in the early 1900s finally getting a bit of leeway in their attireā¦ long sleeves gone, and poofy gowns turned into more practical (and dare I say, more comfortable?) styles. And then, just like thatā¦ the First World War kicks in. It's amazing how world events always seem to change the face of fashion in a blink! I was wondering why the streets of 1914 were suddenly awash in khaki and beige. Turns out, the warās impact on fashion was immediate and unavoidable. Even women's styles saw a drastic change ā dresses got shorter (think ankle length), skirts went less frilly, and colour was minimal. Imagine all that beautiful fabric and designā¦ relegated to drab shades! Luckily for me, those colours don't seem to have crept into my time-travelling wardrobe... just yet.
What did 1914ās leotard scene look like? Imagine, my dears, the era before āleotardā was even a recognised word! Think more gymnastic suits, ātunic-likeā tops, and blouses with fitted skirts as the dancewear of choice. You can picture Isadora Duncan in her flowing silk garments, or perhaps a ballerina in her full-length cotton body stocking, adorned with intricate, colourful lace! Those lace-adorned cotton stockings? Those were a marvel of the times, let me tell you! Imagine, ladies! Such craftsmanship for the sake of looking divine whilst dancing. And guess what? You still can! You'll find a whole range of exquisite leotard styles, blouses and skirts with that 1914 charm at vintage shops and online!
Now, for my street-ballet routine. Back in Derbyshire, August 1914ā¦ Iām just beginning to make my mark! I set up my portable stereo, put on some charming little jazz numbers (even if they are a bit too ahead of their time), and I just start to twirl and pirouette. The crowd is stunnedā¦ Some slightly confused, some deeply impressed. But by the end, they're all smiling. Now that, my loves, is what itās all about: spreading the love of dance and fashion, one pink tutu at a time.
Before I say goodbye, I do have to share a fun anecdote from 1914! Did you know the Royal Opera House in London underwent a major renovation in that year? This meant two new, magnificent theatres were added and a new performance style called āthe Promenadeā made its debut ā imagine, standing in the theatre, enjoying the performance, free to move and socialise! So much for the rigid theatre seats, ha! Now, it wouldnāt be a Pink-Tutu.com post without a leotard-related anecdote, wouldnāt it? Turns out, even with those two newly constructed stages and the rise of the Promenade, the iconic Opera House had NO dedicated dancers! You can see, leotards, tights and ballerinas just hadnāt come into fashion at this time. They really didn't have their moment in the limelight. The era of the beautiful dance outfits wasnāt here just yet.
Remember to come back next month for more time-travelling fun with your girl Emma, wearing my pink tutu and rocking the world of dance fashion! Stay sparkly!
Love,
Emma xoxo
P.S. If you happen to visit the Royal Opera House in August this year, think about the incredible renovations happening 100 years ago. Letās see how they compared to todayās dance outfits! Maybe the year 1914 is a little too early for ballet fashion, but who knows, maybe one day, I'll convince a whole crowd of people to put on their pink tutus!
P.P.S. Do send your questions and requests for my time-travelling journeys. You can also post a photo of your favorite leotards ā and why you love them.
