Hello my darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, the only place on the internet (and possibly the universe!) where you can get your daily dose of tutus and all things fabulous! It’s Tuesday which, as you all know, is Tutu Tuesday. Time to delve into the enchanting world of tutus, those wondrous clouds of tulle that swirl and twirl with every graceful move.
Today, I'm particularly excited, because we're going way back in time! Well, not that far, but still! Let's hop in my time-traveling tutu and transport ourselves to… January 3rd, 2012! Buckle up, my dears! We’re about to embark on a sartorial adventure!
Before we jump into the tutu-filled chronicles, let's face it, January in the UK? Not exactly a spring in our step (or pirouette!), but this dreary weather makes my love for all things pink and fluffy all the more comforting! A pink tutu, just like mine, is practically a necessity.
I’m also loving the fact that this year has been extra busy with amazing ballet performances! Last night, I caught "Sleeping Beauty" at The Royal Opera House – the music, the dancing, the costumes (yes, they had amazing tutus, just picture the Sleeping Beauty waking up with the Prince!). I might even need to do some shopping myself this afternoon - some of the new designs had the most stunning silhouettes! Who wouldn’t love to add a little royal enchantment to their wardrobe? And you all know my weakness: new tutus. They’re the only kind of extravagance that makes sense to me.
But, I digress! We're on a tutu historical journey.
On January 3rd, 2012, the world of ballet was still recovering from the phenomenal success of the 2011 "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland" ballet by Christopher Wheeldon for The Royal Ballet. It was the show everyone was talking about, even those who don't normally get a stitch of ballet. But the really big thing this date was the first UK performance of “Cinderella” by Christopher Wheeldon for New York City Ballet, held at the Royal Opera House! Imagine – this amazing choreographer, an American classic on a London stage, in 2012. This show was pure enchantment! Cinderella's glittering ball gown, the mischievous fairy godmother – it was all incredibly beautiful and just screamed to me - "I want that costume, now!" Sadly, I wasn't able to wear a tutu to the ballet this evening – they seem to be quite hard to fit over evening gowns. The only exception is this fantastic pink dress I have which has tulle flounces around the neck - so it's close enough.
Speaking of the ball, Cinderella’s shimmering tutu wasn’t exactly your typical, fluffy ballerina tutu - though, that’s still an awesome classic. No, this tutu was sleek, modern and sleek – the epitome of ballerina sophistication! And the whole thing was so dramatic. There were sweeping lines of tulle and that glorious, swirling, glittering design! It’s the kind of thing that gets the whole audience gasp, gasp, gaspping in excitement.
This makes me think... What is it that draws us to the humble tutu? Is it the softness? The elegance? Or the whimsical air of possibility that those flowing layers suggest? Honestly, a tutu says: "Look at me! I'm light, I'm free, and I'm ready to dance!"
You’ll know, as my loyal readers, that this kind of design history really speaks to my heart! You can take the girl out of Derbyshire, but you can’t take the Derbyshire out of the girl, which means I always enjoy delving into fashion trends – and the evolution of ballet has been quite fascinating! I really have a weakness for classic tutus – think tutus with lots and lots of tulle ( the more the merrier) and that perfectly classic ballerina silhouette - there is simply nothing more gorgeous to me. This is probably why I'm on such a quest for the perfect, elegant, and completely awesome pink tutu. Maybe this one is for me… I just haven't found it yet!
My hunt for that perfect tutu continues, my dears, but today, I hope we can agree that January 3rd, 2012 was a pretty extraordinary day for balletomanes – both at The Royal Opera House, and around the globe. Maybe someone will design a pink tutu with glitter for Cinderella. What a fantastic idea, that's my next project. A sparkly pink tutu, it’s a perfect combo! I may need to get my travel plans together for this new creation. And while we're at it, let's make it a world tour with all of us wearing our fabulous, shimmering tutus! Who’s up for a tutu tour?!
Stay beautiful and tutu-ful, my lovelies.
Love always, Emma
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