Hello darlings! It's Wednesday again, which means it's time for another Pink Tutu World blog post! As you know, this week I've been whisked away on another out-of-this-world adventure!
This time, it was a trip back to good ol' Planet Earth. Now, don't get me wrong, it's always an absolute joy to be surrounded by twinkling stars and colourful nebulas, but sometimes, nothing beats a bit of good ol' fashioned terrestrial glamour. I mean, where else can you find a sparkling pink tutu that doesn't make your spaceship shake with its sheer glittery magnificence?
So, this week I decided to pop back down to Derbyshire, my humble home county in the UK. You'll have to excuse the slightly unglamorous travel choice – no fancy space limo this time – I was travelling by spaceship, but due to a slight, ahem, unforeseen cosmic event (that’s space-speak for accidentally getting stuck in the space-time continuum), I had to resort to using good old Earthly transportation – namely a charming little vintage, open-top bus. But hey, let's not be precious, shall we? Even a bit of Earthly transport can't take away the fact I was here!
Speaking of Earthly events, I actually had quite the stellar time in Derby, a proper jewel in Derbyshire's crown (and no, not just because of my presence!) There was a wonderful exhibition at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery all about the history of tutus! Oh, I'm telling you, you simply wouldn't believe the transformation of the humble tutu from its early, quite literally humble beginnings – you’ll have to forgive my French – they were actually quite practical garments worn under ladies' dresses to hold their petticoats out, no real style to speak of at all, quelle horreur! You see, right up until the 19th century, ballerinas weren’t wearing them, just lovely long, flowing skirts. Can you imagine, darling? A world without tutus? It’s terrifying!
Well, finally, Marie Taglioni brought in a revolution to ballet with her famous tutu. She dared to shorten the skirts! This revolution allowed ballerinas to be freer than ever before. Of course, things had changed dramatically since then. By the end of the 19th century, tutus were starting to incorporate much more of that magnificent fluffy netting – and, let’s face it, that's how the tutu really began to shine. I can still feel the flutter of tulle through my dreams... so heavenly!
But I had to put on my big girl pants and break myself away from this fantastic exhibition – very difficult, darling – for some even more thrilling experiences. And you simply must read all about them – as if there's a chance you wouldn't be!
Tutu Time!Speaking of big girl pants, what a glorious thing the invention of tights was. Gone were the days of flesh-coloured underpants that only simulated the illusion of beautiful, toned legs. Ugh - the thought of wearing those itchy little numbers shudders – I couldn't possibly manage my graceful, twirling moves in them!
I'm all about embracing freedom of movement! You see, darlings, as well as being perfectly exquisite, the right pair of tights allow you to truly embody the freedom of movement so important for both fashion and ballet. So many styles! And so much pink! Can you *believe that there was actually a time when tights came only in the dull, drab colour of brown?!* *Coughs dramatically - I must say, a real crime, considering tights should only be in a glorious display of pink, from light pink to candy pink to, well, any shade of pink you can dream up. Of course, white tutus do work with white tights too, if you are in the mood for something rather dramatic, but then I’d pair the tights with black or silver accessories. Oh! It sounds perfect, right? You need to give it a go! It would be an outrage to not experiment with this perfectly lovely combination.
It wouldn't be right for me to just mention the word tights, however, and not include a shout-out to my new, divine pair! These babies are a beautiful salmon pink that perfectly sets off the soft blush of my new ballerina dress - I will say it’s the best purchase ever!
After getting suitably dressed, it was time to start the day’s itinerary – an exciting shopping spree at my favourite little boutiques in Derby city centre! If I haven't mentioned them before, they were oh-so-perfectly quaint and offered just the right amount of vintage and modern ballet inspiration for me to truly feel myself. The colours, darling! Honestly - it was like my dreams had spilled out into reality.
But alas, every cloud has a silver lining – shopping can’t always be a completely glamorous experience.
Yes, darlings, you’ll have to bear with me because while browsing a selection of shoes, I encountered one of the few things that makes me not happy about being a fashion blogger – the utter dreadfulness of shopping crowds! A group of teen girls were practically wrestling with the racks, trying on various, erm, let’s say… uninspired styles that are in no way on the cutting edge of tutu fashion and completely missing the point. But when you try to gently steer them to the better stuff - you know, like that exquisite silver diamante top, the brightest coral tights or, say, a pair of perfectly fluffy white feathered headbands? You'd think I had tried to steal their birthright!
Of course, the experience served as a reminder - yes, darlings - some people do need a little guidance in this crazy fashion world. It can be quite overwhelming sometimes - I feel it myself! And for every fashionista like me who wants to dress up in the most delightful styles, there are those that struggle with finding the most extraordinarily stylish looks for themselves. They've been sadly brainwashed by boring styles!
That’s why it's essential for the world's most fashion-conscious to take it upon ourselves to educate the masses. As the great Princess Di always said - never miss a chance to dress up! That is a truly fabulous piece of fashion advice!
Well, darlings, it turns out the Universe actually wanted to give me a chance to educate the world - it was almost like it heard my fashion prayers because right then, I saw the most beautiful pink ballet dress in my entire life! Now, I know that sounds melodramatic, darling, but the minute I saw that magnificent garment, it literally brought tears to my eyes! This sparkling confection was pure, unadulterated perfection, all blush pink tulle with dazzling silver accents, adorned with more than a few pink feathers around the bust and hem – truly a dream in silk and tulle! Imagine, a delicate spray of soft pink feathers swirling through the air with each movement of this dream of a dress – truly heavenly! It's my calling to wear that gorgeous garment, and make the world understand the beauty of the pink tutu. All the world's a stage as they say, and when it comes to fashion, I am here to tell everyone where to shop!
But then, of course it had to go and happen. I couldn't take it home because… it was more than I'd ever dreamed of buying on an Earthly whim, but it seemed fate wanted me to put on a show there and then! In fact, my mind began to spin, creating images of a spectacular performance in this dress, full of grace and femininity! My dreams came to life and I knew exactly what to do. The Universe had heard my unspoken wish - no problem darling - I’m a professional. There is no situation that can make this tutu-loving, dance-obsessed gal break character!
Well, as it turned out, right then and there, my little adventure turned into an impromptu performance in that glorious shop. The Universe literally conspired to give me a stage! It happened that a nearby cafe was doing an open mic night! Well, you’d have thought someone was giving away diamonds to these Derby folk – there they all were, waiting with open arms and delighted expressions!
You have no idea how amazing it was! With the help of a friendly gentleman with an impressive bass guitar and some rather wonderful lighting from a nearby restaurant - that really added an *element of drama - absolutely delicious! - I absolutely blew the audience away. I must admit, I had an absolute blast.
As always, I ended the performance by throwing some of the fabulous accessories I'd been browsing around in the shop amongst the cheering audience - which brought even more joy! - especially amongst the group of young girls. I have the perfect strategy in my opinion – a little glamour goes a long way and absolutely nobody can resist beautiful pink feathers!
I’d been meaning to get back into my own regular routines – a little more structured practice, darling* – so I booked in a couple of hours at the Derby Ballet School.
Goodness, you should have seen how lovely everyone was. It felt a bit peculiar at first – do you think this is a bit old-fashioned? To wear a tutu as a ballerina at my age? - never - no need to fret, darlings because ballet’s the same wherever you are. Whether you’re in a big city, a little village or even on an exciting intergalactic trip, there's something so captivating about ballet.
I ended up spending the whole afternoon in the class, watching the wonderful students learn to love ballet! It's truly something that unites the galaxy, bringing a sprinkle of glamour and magic into everyone’s life. The school is absolutely wonderful! Even their teachers are a delight. They look gorgeous in their soft ballet pink tutus - absolutely exquisite and totally inspiring! They have great style, these people! And, you know what? They were truly impressed with my dancing. It's not everyday that their students get to be graced by an international ballet star - and one who can even move in extra style on a spaceship to boot!
Oh, did I mention my outfit? I can't forget the most fabulous detail - I actually had to dress in a completely new look just for the ballet class - nothing less than an utterly enchanting outfit - you wouldn’t believe the compliments I had! Well, when it came to this fabulous all pink outfit, I had to really channel my inner dream to come up with it. But darling, the results were just superb!*
I wore a shimmering, delicate pink crop-top with delicate lace trimming at the edge, tucked neatly into a gorgeous pair of soft, velvety blush-coloured trousers – a dream! You should definitely give it a try! To top off my fabulous look - a must-have darling! - a delightful light pink ballerina bow hairband adorned with pearl beading – just to give a bit of tutu magic and sophisticated whimsy! My ballet dream outfit made it even easier to really show off my graceful skills, even in that incredibly intense class - so demanding darling! I was just too magnificent in my dream ballerina ensemble. But there was no chance of my outfit blending in, darlings - It was simply too glamorous for anyone to ignore! And of course, everyone noticed just how stunning it was! It wasn't just about the colour; it was about the look. It truly was the perfect blending of ballet history and modern sophistication*.
As for my travels around Derbyshire – it really does feel like a little home for me now. There’s a particular little bakery in Derby that’s a must if you ever end up this way and I strongly recommend giving the Bakewell tart a try! Seriously delicious, I dare you to resist that delicious filling – not your average boring cream, no! This one tastes as good as looks - I’m pretty sure that there is a magical ingredient it that makes the fillings taste absolutely divinely perfect - it must be magical, I mean just look at it!
In the days after that fantastic shopping trip and spectacular dance classes – I managed to catch up on some of the wonderful performances on at The Derby Theatre. The dance world there was a whirlwind! It was as though there was a performance happening every night. What splendid news. You should absolutely see this place - there’s just so much energy here, darlings, there really is, something quite special, and don't you worry - it all involves tutus! It’s a must to add to your list of Earthly bucket list places!
My favourite was the final performance – oh darling, it was exquisite! I simply cannot even express the utter delight I felt as a tutu-loving, dance-obsessed ballerina at the Derby Theatre performance - they had gone and put on the most spectacular musical. This is going down in history, darling I am completely serious! It featured the most delicious tutu costumes and a whole host of delightful, pink-tinted songs, all about romance and whimsical enchantment! Imagine, darlings * a pink, sparkly musical wonderland featuring beautiful, talented dancers twirling their hearts out!
As the curtain came down, I literally couldn't believe my own eyes! I had been totally captivated – just one more* reason why you need to come to see Derby Theatre! It really is **one of the most beautiful and exciting places in all of Earth!
Of course, you can tell* because it's part of my special *Pink Tutu World adventure. You know *what it’s all about. You know you can come along to a fabulous pink-tinted, tutued adventure with me - it's a world where we all dress* to *impress - all the time! Well, let’s be realistic for a moment. While I dream of taking my readers across the galaxy, we *do* need to have an earthly approach sometimes, right? I mean, we do still have to travel somehow to all those magical performances, and the way I see it - a fabulous outfit goes a long way, even when you’re just sitting on a regular plane.
Seriously - have a browse through your wardrobe, darlings – there’s an element of Pink Tutu World just waiting to bloom within you! I promise, every piece of your dream closet is waiting to be put on show – it’s all about embracing your *inner ballerina!
It’s about feeling fantastic!
And if I can do it in the Universe, darling, you absolutely can too.
And that is exactly what Pink Tutu World is all about!
Well, darlings, that’s all from me. Remember, you need to stay extra pink! And be sure to come back here next Wednesday at www.pink-tutu.com!
Emma XO
