#LeotardHistory during 2015 12

Hello lovelies! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet! Emma here, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on another whirlwind time-travelling adventure!

As you all know, my life is dedicated to the glorious world of leotards - I adore their versatility, their history, and their potential to transform the way we think about fashion! This month, we’re stepping into my trusty pink sparkly time-travelling leotard and whizzing back to December 2015 - a fabulous time for leotards and everything sparkly! Let’s see what sartorial treasures we can discover!

Now, my time-travel calendar tells me that on this specific date, a whole bunch of exciting things were happening in the world of fashion.

First things first, let’s take a trip back to the iconic Met Gala in New York City! In 2015, the theme was “China: Through the Looking Glass”, a celebration of all things Chinese. Now, I know what you’re thinking - how does this relate to leotards?! Well, you might be surprised! A leotard can be a blank canvas for imagination!

Imagine the stunning, elaborate details, the shimmering sequins, the delicate embroideries – you can practically hear the clinking of Chinese silk and feel the softness of exotic fabrics, even when wrapped in a leotard! There were beautiful interpretations of this theme that year, but even a simple, sleek leotard with a beautifully-placed Chinese symbol could have wowed the crowd! I wonder what I’d have worn? Maybe a pink and white silk leotard, adorned with beautiful floral embroidery, maybe some subtle Chinese dragon imagery! Ooh! Now, I’ve just got to find a way to snag a vintage version…

Moving away from the Gala glamour for a moment, we can also check in on the “ordinary” people, or at least “ordinary” if you are the sort of person who’d be looking at ballet magazines in December. Now, December 2015 saw the release of Dancewear Central’s festive Holiday Gift Guide! It was packed full of beautiful and innovative ideas – just the sort of things to inspire your own festive wardrobe or a totally fabulous gift for that ballet enthusiast in your life. Maybe I’ll get myself one of those glittery Santa hats!

The guide itself was full of things to excite your senses: stunning dancewear designs from major brands like Bloch, Capezio, Freed, and Wear Moi , plus gorgeous pointe shoe collections and those all-important accessories, from the cute ballet bags to the dazzling costume jewellery! Just looking at their offerings really got me going on what I could wear. Now, you know how much I adore sparkly tights! So a pink tulle skirt and some holographic tights could really make an impact! Or a stunning leotard with a dramatic back!

That same year saw the Dancewear Central Holiday Show at the Kensington Olympia exhibition center. Talk about Christmas dreams! This one was chock-full of gorgeous dancewear, the kind that sends a real sparkle of excitement into your soul, all under one roof.

My time-travel leotard actually let me hop back to the 1960s! Wow, the 60s! Such fabulous colours, bold prints and fantastic shapes. I can't even tell you how excited I got!

Do you know, this whole decade was kind of the Golden Age for the leotard! I saw how fashion and design truly took the form of the leotard and pushed it further. They were suddenly a statement! Think of all those iconic dance performances of that era - The Sound of Music, West Side Story – they featured the leotard as a cornerstone of performance and style, paving the way for those incredible outfits to find their place in all our lives.

In the early 1960s, leotards were seen mostly in gyms, ballet classes, and performance, but the trend caught fire quickly, becoming hugely popular. The “fashion leotard” trend was taking over. Suddenly they became incredibly feminine. Some of the most beautiful leotards appeared during this time.

Then there was this leotard…. (And now I'm picturing my dream leotard….)! I saw one called the "T-Shirt" leotard. Imagine a very basic classic cotton t-shirt design with a high neckline… but made as a leotard. It looked so comfortable but sleek, practical and stylish! Such a win. I mean, it must have looked incredible on someone with an hourglass figure in a colour like a rich midnight blue…. But even the black versions would have looked seriously sharp… You know, they could so easily make a comeback, and we have seen things like this creeping in during recent seasons. The more classic leotard designs were taking shape in this time, with lots of variation in cut, sleeve length, and neckline - think the 'round neck', the 'V-neck', 'sleeveless'…. I love it when these trends get reworked – it makes those old school designs feel brand new again, doesn't it?

And remember, we are all fashion pioneers. You know that if I decide to rock the “T-shirt leotard” today in my tutu – it'll be a look! We have the power to bring anything back into the mainstream fashion world if we choose!

Now, to stay on the subject of history for a little bit longer, remember all those fashion moments from 1980s ballet?! I always picture my own time-travel adventures leading back to those glamorous events…. Imagine the stunning, colourful performances from a legendary figure like Mikhail Baryshnikov, a giant of the world of ballet! It must have been magical to see the vibrant colours, the stunning costumes, the amazing techniques… it all seems almost mythological in these days!

So I think what it all comes down to is being bold. Don’t be afraid to express yourself – put on your own tutu and make a statement. Let your own sense of style be your guide.

Anyway, that's me done for today, my little tutu darlings. I'll be back next month with more time travel and pink tutu fun.

Happy dancing, and always remember to “pink” it!

Until next time,

Emma