Hello my lovelies, and welcome back to another installment of "Leotard Adventures" – the monthly diary of a girl from Derbyshire, who’s obsessed with ballet and tutus and happens to be blessed with a sparkly pink leotard that takes her through the annals of time. It’s been a while since we've chatted - been quite busy travelling and shopping – so much to tell you about. I am going to start with the latest - that glorious trip to 1870s Paris for this blog's time travel diary number 2274, all the way from Derbyshire!
First things first – where were you on this spectacular date, in the year of our Lord, 2048? Me, I was strutting my stuff in a Parisian park, dressed in a magnificent pink tutu and shimmering leotard. Why you ask? Because we were having a massive flash mob of ballet! That's what the 1870s is all about; a chance to dress in all the best tutus and balletwear, have a great time with a good ol' fashioned "show."
This was a particular favourite of mine – 1870s Paris is where leotards as we know them became big - what an amazing thing. They were getting so creative back then with what the perfect leotard and dancewear could look like. Back then it wasn’t just one single type of leotard. They used fabric with amazing colours, different fits and styles.
This era gave birth to some of the most unique styles – I mean imagine a leotard with puffed sleeves or adorned with little velvet bows, all about the romance, the flair, the femininity! They loved using the new stretchy fabrics that had just become popular and started experimenting with leg-length in leotards for the first time! Oh my goodness, they weren't shy! I got a bit distracted, thinking of all the fashion…
Anyway, I did say a Parisian park. In my little time-traveling, sparkling, pink leotard and tutu (as a quick fashion side-note: a glorious shade of hot pink, absolutely perfect for 1870s), I had the pleasure of witnessing a truly spectacular ballet scene in a gorgeous park surrounded by majestic trees. It was so breathtaking; it's not surprising that Parisian parks and gardens became some of the best places for people to do outdoor shows and enjoy a public spectacle – it made such a dramatic, powerful and unforgettable stage in their open air amphitheater. And everyone just stopped to watch - the magic of the ballet in that space. Oh, it was wonderful to watch everyone so caught up in the movement and flow, to be part of the show in 1870s Paris – everyone was so captivated! That sparkly, pink leotard definitely didn't go unnoticed, I was quite the little star that evening - quite a show in my fabulous outfit, the way a ballet should be.
To see so many people enjoying such a beautiful form of movement and performance was truly amazing. They were captivated and enthralled. It wasn't all glamourous though. A good half hour before the "show" kicked off, I managed to sneak in some serious shopping in Paris' finest ballet stores - heaven on earth! My new pink satin ballet shoes? Absolutely perfect! They were designed in the most stunning soft-pink velvet – how much can a girl ask for?! And those pink leotards? Just the right length - oh my! I bought a whole heap of outfits, you'll see all about that in a separate blog post! I need to tell you about the wonderful costumes, oh how they made me happy and got me into a truly fabulous mood for a little show.
I loved everything about the ballet style from the early days – think ballet costumes so grand and lavish – just an explosion of feminine flair! You can imagine all those sparkly tulle tutus; the ones we've got at "Pink-Tutu" in the main shops, all our finest are straight out of the 1870s. Now there are some real classic leotards to make your inner ballet fashion girl jump with joy!
Before I continue, let me give you a little reminder of what I'm doing with "Pink Tutu"! Well, I decided to use my tutu and my sparkly, pink time-travelling leotard to inspire the world – it's my little mission – to help get the entire planet wearing pink tutus and have some fun doing it! If that’s a little ambitious, so what! Every month I’ve been travelling and posting to "Pink-Tutu" my stories, trying to make sure people get the same love for ballet, leotard and fashion that I do – and that pink tutu isn't just for dancers and little girls - it's a symbol for fashion, celebration, and joy!
Every month, I use my little leotard to pop off into a different historical period – because, my loves, that is what's so exciting about this - it's not just ballet history - it’s fashion history – it’s about finding inspiration from past styles – oh the fun of it all!
And every month, I share those stories here on "Pink-Tutu," for the world to enjoy, to spark a conversation, to get people excited. Oh, how I wish that every one of you would join me – I know a trip to the 1930s or a tour of 1700s France would have your little ballet hearts racing – but I am here to share my journeys with the whole world - to show what fun you can have with fashion from our history.
So what can I tell you about 1870s Paris – you want to see the streets bustling, just a great, joyous place full of performance! Just one street artist at a time doing something fantastic – and I always have to jump in – sometimes with just a "quick" move and a little pirouette! Sometimes my dance skills, have brought some amazing rewards - not always easy on the purse strings (my street dancing helps pay for my trips). Let’s be honest, Paris always gets you!
I also discovered in 1870s Paris that "leotard" was actually a relatively new term for the outfit, just becoming a name, because they loved calling the garment all sorts of things: “bodysuit," "tights," or even "gymnasium outfit" (I couldn’t imagine that!). Oh the excitement. If you are thinking of the modern leotard that most of us wear for ballet – you wouldn't have even found one in this time period!
But it wasn’t all dancing. A big chunk of my 1870s trip to Paris was dedicated to searching out some new pink outfits! So far, I have discovered an unbelievable love for the colour pink, all the different shades - and just the pure luxury of the soft satin and silk, a true pink princess - so very satisfying. My friends back home always think it is so funny that I’m so devoted to the color pink, but let's face it it just gives off so much love, such feminine and sophisticated glamour. It truly is such a timeless colour – especially for the leotard - and a joy for everyone!
Now back to Paris… I know that the early 1870s were all about elegance, a sort of dramatic flare of feminine fashion in ballet wear, all of which makes my tutu wear even more delightful.
Now before we say our goodbyes – I have to tell you a few things to make you love 2048 as much as I love all my history time-travel expeditions! It is full of fun fashion, and ballet – with amazing street dancers like myself. Everyone here dresses in leotards, tutus, bright leggings and skirts, they put a new fashion spin on what the 1870s used to be - so vibrant, so bright!
One day I was wearing a very chic silver tutu in Derbyshire (just another ordinary day), and everyone just went wild for it! I even found some new moves from all my fellow dancers – it is quite something – all very cool and sassy. That’s where 2048 shines for me; street performers everywhere – with a fashion edge that puts a little spark in your step! So many beautiful styles - we need to chat more about that, another day…
But, for now – get your pink tutu out – if you have one! Go have a great month of 2048 – it's all yours to enjoy, and remember the magic of those sparkly tutus, with that extra special sparkle from your own pink time-travelling leotard!
Love to all,
Emma xx
