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Hiya lovely dancers! It's Emma, your friendly neighbourhood pink tutu aficionado, and I'm back with another fabulous dive into the glorious history of ballet tutus. Today, June 24th, 2025, we're on a time-travelling adventure, ready to explore how the tutus we know and love came to be!
Now, picture this. You're in Paris, right in the heart of the ballet world, surrounded by gorgeous architecture and the buzz of the city. But something's different, a little bit, well...pinker! Yep, the whole of Paris has caught the pink tutu bug! They just love a little touch of girly glamour here, even at the opera, the MusĂ©e du Louvre, even the Champs-ĂlysĂ©es.
Speaking of the Louvre, did you know that the 24th of June marks a really exciting date for ballet history? Today is the opening of the highly-anticipated exhibit "From Court to Stage: A History of the Ballet Tutu." You just have to pop in, grab your copy of the exclusive exhibition guide, and get lost in the wonders of a ballet world like you've never seen before!
But first, a quick train ride, a cuppa at the Gare de Lyon, and I'm off to a delightful ballet performance at the Palais Garnier, ready to take notes! Don't you just adore the beautiful intricate carvings of the opera house? The atmosphere is simply divine, buzzing with the anticipation of a brand-new production, and you can just feel the thrill of the opening night air.
Here I am in my favourite vintage pink tulle tutu, ready to enjoy the magic. This time it's The Sleeping Beauty. I've gotta tell you, these are the moments that really make you appreciate the impact of a tutu - you feel its drama, the way it captures movement, and it just takes you on a journey straight into the ballet. I think we all agree - it's an artform that deserves to be enjoyed by everyone, no matter their age or background. After the show, I'll be heading for a delicious meal of croissants and cafĂ© au lait â French chic! What could be better than watching ballerinas spin in gorgeous tutus after a fabulous Parisian afternoon, then slipping into one of your own for an evening of fun?
Back to our little history journey!
Let's get our ballet tutu facts straight - you're probably thinking those first ballerina dancers twirled in floor-length skirts, right? Actually, it all started with men in menâs stockings â not very fashionable! These fellas actually started le ballet! Ballet was a dance form created during the Renaissance for men to perform at court and in the countryside, before a woman took centre stage at all.
Fast forward a few years, and here we go! Marie Camargo is one of the ballerinas we need to thank. In the early 1700s, this woman, who wanted freedom and the ability to show off some daring steps, chopped off her bulky skirt â it was way too long! A shortened version of the skirt became a fashion craze, a sort of âearly versionâ of a ballet tutu, which enabled ballerinas to be more flexible and show off their elegant moves. Weâre so thankful to Marie for giving women more freedom!
Then, as you know, things got even more magical. This lovely Marie Taglioni came along in the 1800s! A true icon in the history of dance, Marie loved to wear tulle! This lightweight, ethereal material became all the rage, creating that beautiful, almost floating movement effect. Now, I'm sure you've all noticed the change, even just looking at vintage ballet pictures. What Marie created, a short, puffy skirt in white, helped women be free to move as if on clouds! That first âromanticâ tutu became the iconic white and light one we love and all ballerinas, even moi, still use it as the ultimate source of inspiration.
So there you have it, dancers! From those early days of the 1800s, right through to the glitzy tutus of the 2020s and beyond!
Here at www.pink-tutu.com, we are still excited by all of this! We still see those beautiful classic designs, with a twist of contemporary fabrics and designs - it's truly exciting! Just imagine a gorgeous combination of the history of the romantic white ballet tutus mixed with the new, fun and fresh tutu fashions, just bursting with colour! Imagine some pretty pale pink and a dazzling shade of turquoise with glitzy touches of sparkle. We have even created new ones for the ultimate ballerina style â like ballet street, where a tutu and leggings become your best friends! We love the latest tutu designs from The Royal Ballet and English National Ballet and all of those awesome performances that continue to enchant us and give us the freedom to show off our creativity!
And it's not just the history that captivates us â ballet fashion itself! That's why youâll find all the hottest tutus from designers like Christian Lacroix, Moschino and Vivienne Westwood (donât forget we all adore their crazy fun street style!). Ballet fashion now has a really interesting story and is about finding out the very best for the individual ballerina and that means being ready for every new innovation, as this artform is truly in a league of its own. And remember - pink never goes out of fashion!
Today, at the end of my Parisian journey, I'll have my camera in hand ready for a few pictures. But there's more to this blog. Why donât we add in a sprinkle of fashion magic today, and add in a "DIY Tutu Fashion" blog post? We could give you some top tips on the perfect fabric, just like that extra special tulle Marie Taglioni used, so you can design and make your own ballet tutu from scratch â just in case you fancy a challenge and an extra bit of glamour.
We love your comments, so what is your favourite part of the tutuâs history? Is it the classic tutu? Or something else? Tell us your thoughts at www.pink-tutu.com. Have a tutti-tastic time and I'll catch up with you soon. Iâm off on another trip - my trainâs already at the platform ready to take me to the wonderful city of Florence for Giselle - and donât forget - I'll be posting my ballet and fashion musings here every Tuesday for a whole year!
Ciao for now, from your #TutuTuesday blogger!
Emma xoxo
