Hey everyone! Emma here, your Derbyshire-born, pink tutu-loving time-traveling ballerina, back from another adventure in the past! This month, we're going to 2058 - not a particularly dramatic time period, I'll be honest. It's certainly not as glamorous as the 1800s, or as wonderfully wacky as the 1980s, but it was a chance to revisit some themes from that particular century. Yep, the 20th Century, a decade packed full of leotard styles and trends! You know how much I love a trip down memory lane… and a trip into the future!
Time Travelling In StyleIt's been a bit hectic lately, but this is what we fashionistas are all about. This trip started with my sparkly pink time travelling leotard, you know the one, the one with all the diamante on the shoulders. It's super glitzy and super practical. You'd be amazed how easily a leotard can fit in with any century!
As for my costume, this time it was a hot pink, swirling tutu, with a touch of turquoise chiffon here and there to break up the sweetness. Because sometimes you want to have a little fun. My outfit wasn’t just for showing off – the turquoise fabric came in handy. I realised this time it was going to be super important – think futuristic fabric for a future century!
A Century of Leotard Style: 2058Firstly, a few thoughts about 2058. It’s very 'high-tech' of course. I mean, everyone's moving around with holograms of outfits, and some fashion trends had a distinctly '20th century feel’ - but with a whole lot more technology and flair! Think 1970s glamour and fashion gone bonkers. A kaleidoscope of colors, mixed with futuristic fabric and some fantastic design. Some outfits featured what could only be described as holograms projected on fabric - and let's face it - a lot of sparkle! There was even an entire range made with shimmery iridescent fabrics… not a bad place for a pink tutu lover like me!
I headed straight to the main 'leotard’ shop - it was called ‘Sparkle’ – you'd be shocked how many different leotard styles they sold – all the way from sporty classics, right through to the ‘High tech' leotards that lit up at every move. It’s like if you combined 20th century neon, 80s glam, and some out-there designs from the 1920s and shoved them all into a sparkly holographic spaceship.
I’d say the modern look has definitely moved on, though! The sleek lines are perfect for those acrobatic moves, and everyone I saw had great flexibility, the leotard just flowed on them, with such grace.
20th Century Trends in 2058They had this fabulous collection of designs and a super fun section of 20th century designs, with outfits labelled 'Vintage Style’. They told me that people loved going back to the simple elegance of the past. They loved to wear their classic leotard shapes from the century. It seems like everyone still loves the leotard! I tried on a selection. There were classic gym leotards, some stunning ballet ones in lilac and peach – all the perfect pastel shades. They really haven't gone out of style, have they? The thing about the 20th Century is they knew their stuff – they weren't afraid to go bold, they played with colours, they knew that a classic leotard just needs the right accessories - think sparkly belts, little glitzy tights – even those simple, tiny, ballet shoes that we all still wear today.
For the 2058 performance, I opted for a pink ballet leotard with a black and pink pattern. There was a black waistband on the outfit which matched my shoes and the stylish ‘ballerina’ pink sparkly hair tie, it really helped create that classic look, but with a modern twist!
The 'Sparkle' shop had amazing selection of costumes and dresses - there were sparkly catsuits – very '80s – which seemed to be pretty popular in 2058, I loved the glitter. Of course, there were tonnes of skirts, tops, and pants made out of iridescent and transparent fabrics – again - the '20th Century’ inspiration was really obvious. It's great to see these styles are still going strong. It goes to show, great designs and shapes never go out of style, they just change and evolve.
### 2058 Shows: Fashion on the Cutting Edge
As a keen street performer, I needed to check out the dance scene and see if I could grab an audience. And I had a good hunch about what the modern dancers would be wearing in this era.
This century - 2058, - everything about fashion felt really light and flexible, super airy, with this beautiful play of colours – and lots and lots of sparkle! I managed to get myself a gig at a "Time Travelling Fashion Showcase." It's crazy how much the fashion industry in 2058 mixes everything - you could go to a street performance with some very '20th Century' influences alongside completely wild, futuristic, clothes and accessories. Everyone’s super into leotard design, it seems, and with every show it seems that some new look, some new colour, emerges. I was completely mesmerized.
Future Fashion Tips From a Pink Tutu-Wearing BallerinaWhat have I learned about fashion in 2058, well?
It’s definitely got this 'anything goes’ attitude! They have so many new fabrics, crazy colours – it’s quite amazing.
You can find all the styles from all of our past, blended with something new. Think classic leotard shapes and patterns – then add an iridescent fabric or holographic glitter. I’m sure that in time those will become 'vintage' too.
Embrace your imagination! I saw amazing costumes that wouldn't have existed a century before – designs so bold! I would have worn every one! It shows that a little bit of whimsy is still important – we need to have fun!
Well, everyone, it's been another great trip! The magic of my pink sparkly leotard took me on a fabulous journey through time. Time to start planning my next adventure in pink tutus and time-travelling leotards! Catch you all soon on www.pink-tutu.com.
Love, Emma, x
