Bonjour, mes chers tutu lovers! It's your favourite pink-clad ballerina, Emma, here, back with another delightful journey through the history of the glorious tutu! Today, we're hopping onto the time-travelling carriage and heading back to the 1860s, to November 8th, 1864, to be precise! Buckle up, darlings, it's a ride through history with a touch of pink, a dash of sparkle, and a sprinkle of tutu magic!
For today's journey, I've slipped into my very own Victorian-inspired, powder pink tulle tutu – I couldn't resist! This delicate confection of silk and lace, trimmed with blush-coloured velvet, perfectly evokes the elegance of the era.
So, where do we begin?
Now, you'd think with tutus so popular these days, they'd be a permanent fixture in ballet history. Not quite! Today we're looking at how those early dancers weren't necessarily swanning about in fluffy, tiered beauties. Sure, a lot of dancing happened back then, but tutus in the shape we know and love - they weren't quite there yet. Instead, the ladies would be in, dare I say, what were essentially really lovely gowns. You see, those early days of ballet were all about elegance and grace. Imagine flowing gowns with beautiful fabric, often with a lovely bit of embroidery. But picture them a bit shorter than a floor-length ball gown and you’re on the right track! These were not the streamlined tutus we adore today.
Of course, our favourite dance forms evolved, so the clothing went along for the ride. Over time, these gowns got lighter and airier. Imagine fabrics moving, shimmering as the dancers twirled. Then, the aha! moment – the length of the skirts began to be reduced! The change happened so gradually though. It was the culmination of centuries of artistic evolution. This brought us a bit closer to the kind of tutu we have today.
Today we have two basic tutu designs – the romantic tutu (short and layered) and the classical tutu (long and straight). You know those gorgeous, tiered, full-blown numbers with the layers? The romantics are our girl. Think of your classical ballets, The Nutcracker or Swan Lake and imagine the tutus. That's a long, single-layered tutu – beautiful, but simple and with a definite form, without a fluff. You're right with the long one, but they were still on the floor, you could even have fabric with an embellishment like a bead border! We have so much ground to cover before getting to where those lovely tutus are right. So don't expect a world full of fluff right away.
What’s happening on this lovely day? The 8th of November in 1864 was a special day in the Victorian era, but perhaps not for tutus! Imagine you're in Victorian London. We have plenty going on. It’s probably rather grey and foggy outside – perfect weather for an indoor ballet show though! For today, I’ve pulled together a fabulous ensemble for exploring the London scene. Imagine a gorgeous midnight blue, wool frock with little details like embroidered floral accents. It's finished with a stunning shawl made of paisley silk. My trusty boots will see me right through the cobblestone streets. Of course, I'm never without my ever-so-feminine, pale pink parasol. What would a pink-tutu enthusiast do without it?
And now, my lovely Tutu Tuesday readers, I must say au revoir for now. Next week, we're hopping back onto our time-travelling carriage, and we're venturing further into the tutu's past. Stay tuned, darlings, as we delve into the era of the “Romantic Ballet.” I have a lovely vision of us having a little picnic amongst the wildflowers of a summer field with the most beautiful pink romantic tutus we can find! I promise, it’s all coming together! Don’t forget to wear your own favourite pink tutu this week!
With much love and a twirl of delight,
Emma
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