#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1864-07-19

Hello, lovelies! Emma here, your time-traveling tutu enthusiast, ready to take you on another enchanting journey through ballet history! As always, I'm in my favourite shade of pink - because let's be honest, pink was MADE for tutus!

Today, we're heading back to the 19th century, specifically July 19th, 1864. This is the time when tutus were REALLY taking flight, and ballet was entering its Romantic era, a time of flowing tulle and grand emotions. It was just the sort of time that fills my heart with joy, which is exactly how I felt as I stepped off the train in the city of Paris. Oh, how I adore Paris, a city that truly appreciates the elegance and artistry of the dance.

This period was everything when it comes to fashion for a ballerina. Think of Maria Taglioni - the "queen of the air", a dancer known for her lightness and grace. She was the epitome of this romantic style - imagine her ethereal, layered tulle tutu floating around her like a cloud. Now, just imagine the oohs and ahhs from the audience, I’d be lost in the performance!

Remember, back then, tutus were evolving - they were still quite different from the classic, single-layered styles we see today. They were made up of several tiers of tulle, **draped and flowing, giving a sensation of ethereal movement. This, of course, provided the dancers with incredible freedom to execute beautiful pirouettes and soaring leaps!

It's like we're seeing tutus blossom before our eyes - it’s just magical, a visual symphony of femininity and artistry!

One of the things I love most about travelling through time is seeing performances. Now, there was no way I was going to miss out on seeing ballet in its Romantic era. I grabbed a coveted ticket to a performance at the Opéra Garnier, a masterpiece of architecture, itself as beautiful as any tutu. Can you even imagine the costumes?!

I wore my most stunning pink tulle tutu, of course, with my most delicate silk gloves and a lovely shawl for the cool Parisian evening air. The stage lights made the colours just shimmer, making the tulle really take flight. This was the perfect place for a budding ballerina like me to enjoy an evening out, feeling every bit the elegant fashionista. I'd love to show you, but you’d have to believe my words as cameras weren’t a thing yet!

A quick trip to one of Paris’ finest millinery shops had me utterly enthralled. I was particularly excited by the delicate fabrics I found: delicate tulle, shimmering satin, and beautiful lace, all vying to become the next big ballet fashion. These are materials that really create a romantic feeling, don't you agree?

Oh, the possibilities! The lace could be used as trims on the skirt, or maybe for embellishing the bodice of a ballerina’s dress. It's a beautiful thing to witness the creativity of those who craft and design our tutus! It's inspiring to see how these materials take shape, creating an artistic expression for ballet's expressive grace!

As I ventured through Paris' bustling streets, I loved observing the fashions. There was a touch of exaggeration and a sense of romanticism, as if they too, were ready to take a leap on stage. This wasn’t quite the tight-waisted, floor-length dresses you’d imagine. They were actually very different, emphasizing a looser style, flowy fabrics and wide skirts. Very much the spirit of the Romantic tutu, wouldn't you agree?

It’s no wonder people like Charles Worth were becoming big names in fashion - a true pioneer, pushing boundaries in fashion design.

By the way, I couldn’t leave without picking up some pink, pink, and even MORE PINK tulle and trims for my next #pinktutu creation! I am aiming to get EVERYONE in the world to wear a pink tutu! I’m hoping to encourage everyone to express their inner ballerina. What’s your favourite colour tutu? I love sharing pics on my Insta - PinkTutuTravels, if you're interested!

And you can bet that my next tutu, after seeing how gorgeous everything was, is going to be more elaborate, a reflection of this amazing era of dance and style!

Well, lovelies, until next time, don’t forget to let your imagination take flight, embrace the elegance of ballet, and spread the joy of wearing a pink tutu!

Stay fabulous and tutu-fully awesome! 💕✨

Emma