Hello lovelies,
Welcome back to Pink Tutu Time Travel! It's April 2025 and as you know, this month, we're going on a very special adventure to explore the world of leotards as it was in the roaring twenties. This journey is going to be all about dazzling costumes and dance, and it’s got me, your favourite pink-loving ballerina blogger, buzzing!
Now, I've told you before about my magic leotard, the one that takes me on these amazing trips through time. This month, it's a gorgeous fuchsia shimmering number, a real show-stopper with beautiful, delicate beadwork all around. It makes me feel absolutely divine, like I'm floating on a cloud!
But first, let’s talk about the fashion. Oh, how I love fashion, you know this, darlings! Let’s imagine this is a Saturday morning, and I’m preparing for the day in Derbyshire, right before hopping into my time-traveling leotard. You know, I think a good start would be to channel that glorious 1920s glamour!
I’ll slip on a beautiful flowing, bias cut, scarlet, chiffon dress. Just like they wore in the ‘20s, but, oh, of course, my own style, just a little touch of modern chic! The dress will skim the knees and feature a plunging neckline adorned with a cascade of rhinestones. Then, to really go full Gatsby glam, I’ll pop on a chic head band with a large dazzling brooch at the side and my favourite pair of silk stockings and a pair of delicate drop earrings, I can't forget a peacock feather boa. Now, that's what I call an entrance.
Once I’m looking my 1920s finest, it’s time to get those magic sparkles working. I take a deep breath and imagine that gorgeous fuchsia time traveling leotard, the one I’ll be dancing in when I step into the 20s. Then, my lovelies, we’re ready to travel!
Whizzing Back to 1925:
Wow! I’ve never felt a shift in time like this! My magical leotard whirls me through a tunnel of pink and glittery starlight. I can feel the wind whipping through my hair as my senses become flooded with all the energy of a vibrant, swinging new decade! In a flash, I'm transported from Derbyshire in the 21st century to a dazzling city in 1925. What an incredible sight!
As I step out of my time machine – the gorgeous pink, sequinned, sparkly leotard – I'm immediately hit by a rush of energy! Everywhere I look there’s excitement: stylish women with bobbed hair in knee-length dresses and stylish hats dancing to jazz music, couples swinging to the beat in the dance halls, and vibrant cafes teeming with life! This period is simply electrifying.
The world in 1925 is filled with a vibrant energy, and it shows in the world of leotards too! Let’s have a look at what’s hot!
A New Era for Dance and Fashion:
Dance in 1925, darlings, is on fire. The leotard, you see, has evolved from those plain cotton and wool ones worn by ballerinas of the Victorian Era. Today, we see sleek, colourful, body-hugging numbers.
In this new era, there's a surge of interest in what we now know as jazz dance, ballet, and ballroom. In the 1920s, there was a big emphasis on expressive movement and movement with freedom, and this really reflects on the world of leotard designs, they’re made for all kinds of movement.
In fact, leotards were now all about practicality, and being chic! It's incredible, a complete change! For a modern eye, it’s an exciting period. You wouldn't catch ballerinas today wearing corsets for example! (Remember those corsets, my dears?! Tightening your poor stomach up, can’t we all just breathe?) Thankfully, fashion trends were embracing comfort in movement. Leotards were often made from silk, with decorative details to create movement, to catch the light. There’s also, my darling, that exciting new fashion – ‘The Flapper’. That’s the ultimate in cool and confidence, with lots of sequins, shimmering embellishments!
The modern leotard, though, wasn't about just fashion! I was particularly intrigued by how leotards were becoming increasingly important in theatre performances as dance began to feature in the latest plays and musicals, and how this affected design. I saw dancers of both genders showing off beautiful athleticism in stylish, vibrant colours – think navy blue, shimmering turquoise and emerald green. Just stunning!
But, and you all know my fashion tastes, the best look for me, has to be pink, darlings! There’s just a certain elegance and loveliness in the colour, it suits the feminine spirit perfectly, you can’t get anything as romantic as a dance leotard made of soft pink silk or velvet!
Exploring the Leotard of 1925
While 1925 didn’t yet have dedicated leotard shops, fashion was changing in ways that we wouldn’t recognise today! Where in the Victorian era dancers would get costumes custom-made from corsetieres or dressmakers, the changing designs of the 1920s would later contribute to the development of specialized shops and online boutiques for dancers.
Let me take you with me now, darlings, as I walk into the first department store that catches my eye! It’s filled with ladies in shimmering flapper dresses and excited chat, what an atmosphere!
I found the dress shop packed with fabulous fabrics: satin, silk, velvet, and cotton. Every lady has her favourite dress shop, darlings, where she gets the most exciting new look and style for herself, it was like the high-end department stores in the world now, but just on a much smaller scale.
As I step into a dimly lit room filled with rolls and bolts of beautiful silk fabrics, it all feels so decadent and sophisticated, and it’s truly inspiring for me, I just adore the feeling of fashion, being surrounded by possibilities, what can I say, a fashionista is a fashionista through any period. The lady working there explained that the soft velvet fabrics were all the rage! My mind is just brimming with ideas for outfits – imagine a luscious pink velvet dance dress, and all those beautiful patterns for our new era leotards! The velvet and satin could look divine as dance leotards and are perfect for that elegant dance that characterises the new century. It's absolutely a vintage leotard paradise!
Of course, darlings, what would an elegant lady of the 1920s be without her little dance shoe shops, these have always been an integral part of our world of dance, haven’t they? This period saw a shift towards leather and satin dance shoes. A lady needs a matching pair of these little delights when she's heading out to a jazz dance!
One thing I love, though, is that I've already picked up a gorgeous little pair of silk ballerina shoes, which I’m planning to slip into with my little sparkly fuchsia leotard as I explore this wonderful city.
A Taste of Dance Life in 1925:
Later, darlings, I find myself in a gorgeous little jazz dance studio with wooden floors that are echoing with rhythm, just what a ballerina’s soul needs! The dancers, they are really great dancers, have beautiful styles, a great mixture of grace and freedom. It’s not ballet but still with that beautiful flow. Just think how this influences our dance style of the 21st century!
My, what a change in how dance looks! These aren't just pretty dance classes though, they're a space to feel expressive and free, you just have to love the feeling of this movement, it feels like such a step up in style and elegance, you can just feel that there is lots more room for creativity here, compared with Victorian times.
Even in 1925, dance fashion, it’s all about matching what the dance is expressing. We've really come a long way from those plain white cotton leotards worn in Victorian times, the leotards today feel much more expressive!
It’s a thrilling moment, standing here in this buzzing little jazz dance hall with my little sparkly pink leotard in 1925! I am inspired to bring back all of these leotard styles! There are so many great options. Even the jazz dancers' dance clothes here, they look divine! And they even wear headbands! How absolutely fabulous! They're definitely an influence on 1920s flapper style.
And I tell you, the feeling of community amongst dancers is strong, we’re really all part of one beautiful family.
But, of course, no trip through time, especially to the Roaring Twenties, is complete without a touch of show business. I hear there is a play featuring dance, at the Hippodrome! So, I think this is where I need to head now, I want to have a glimpse of theatre from a bygone era. I'll share a little report with you about what I saw, but for now, darlings, it’s time for me to dance on to the Hippodrome! I'm excited to see this theatre’s history unfold!
Stay tuned, and I'll let you know all the exciting news on Pink Tutu Time Travel, next month!
Sending you my best dance steps,
Emma
Xox
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