Hiya lovelies! It's Emma here, your resident pink tutu-loving ballerina, back again for another #TutuTuesday. Today, we're taking a whirl through history to explore the evolution of the most fabulous dance garment of all time - the tutu!
Did you know that the tutu has actually been around for centuries, with its roots buried deep in the colourful history of dance?
You may not be able to imagine a world without the tutu. But before its arrival, ballet was a very different affair. We are taking a journey into the world of ballerinas long gone. Imagine it... dancers weren't flitting across the stage in frilly tulle, but moving with elegant restraint in gowns reaching down to their ankles. How boring! Thankfully, our friends, the designers of the early 20th century, had an absolutely brilliant idea. Why not bring a little flair to dance? Let's rethink the length!
Now, let's get to the heart of the tutu tale, starting with the grand dame herself, La Sylphide, the very first ballet to feature a short tutu.
**(Tutu Warning: This journey is gonna be long, get a cuppa, relax, put on a bit of Tchaikovsky and join me. If it's one of the faster numbers, be sure you can get a pirouette or two in! After this week, we'll continue on Tuesday next week with another slice of tutu history.)
I love wearing a tutu, it feels very special to be a dancer and I've decided this week we're starting on 1832 with "La Sylphide".
It's almost as though we are at the theatre ourselves - but no, I’m actually here in London, on my way to the Royal Opera House. Today is Tuesday, 30 June 2026 and you'll never believe what is happening… there's a performance of La Sylphide!
I can't believe I am here! I'm not actually on my journey through time - that's booked in for August, and I'm here to have a great night at the opera, and let's not forget a little tutu shopping for this new ballet season - the very best excuse to splash out on a new tulle outfit for a new ballet! I will of course keep you updated on all the shops that catch my fancy. My bag will be quite large!
Now back to 1832, and our "Sylphide". This ballet is all about, well, a sylph. That's a mystical, air-born fairy creature. What makes this sylph different? She's utterly light, airy, and almost transparent. What better way to express her spirit than with a new style of dance outfit, designed by Eugène Lami, to give her wings.
A short white tutu.
That's right, the La Sylphide ballerina danced in a short skirt which, unlike any other ballerina, would actually let her legs be seen! No long billowing gowns! It had a short skirt of tulle. What was that all about, I hear you ask? The costume represented her ethereal spirit - that very special, light-as-air creature that dances on clouds, she needed to move, freely. And the new length allowed a new way of movement.
But the La Sylphide tutu isn’t our everyday tutu just yet, folks. This little masterpiece wasn't what the designers expected! They’d designed a *short skirt for one night, with no tulle. * *(How on earth is that meant to flow?) *
**(Remember I told you this journey into history will be fascinating… the things they came up with… )
A bit more time-traveling magic now…
I need to fast forward, now to 1841. In this new time of ballet, it's about the most beautiful dancer to have ever graced the stage, a woman called Marie Taglioni.
Marie’s new tutus are taking shape and her look becomes one that is mimicked everywhere. It's even said that when the Queen of England went to watch La Sylphide, she was mesmerised and insisted that the La Sylphide dress should become the royal dress - in royal colours - but in a shortened design!
I can't imagine a tutu with only a short skirt - no tulle, what’s the fun in that?! Not much of a dance, if you ask me. The way that the dancers in our times can move... Tutu’s are a crucial element in that beauty of ballet - the flowing shape, the wispy elegance that makes us stand in awe of the ballerinas on stage, not forgetting the amazing colours of modern costumes.
Now, there’s more of the magic tutu in 1865. It’s time to bring in our first actual tutus.
But what about those early tutus you might be asking me? Where’s the flamboyance you are known for? It’s coming. We are going to make this short dress into the fluffy-cloud of a costume you know today… *but it starts slow. *
The La Sylphide tutus still had short skirts, and, still, no tulle! This time, designers changed the fabric – they used cambric. What’s that, I hear you asking? Imagine thin cotton, very thin and it flows easily… it’s the fabric of our times, as light as air! What an elegant touch this was.
But we're going to need some tulle!
So far, in our journey to today, this is what has made up a tutu… a short skirt that can flow - to move easily! I’ve also seen designs with small pleats. In this time the pleats aren’t even stitched. It's the fabric and shape that really does the magic and creates the movement, making the ballerina look graceful and weightless.
(Do you think I should get a new pink tutu in a cambric, I think I could wear it really well!)
Let’s take it further… what’s next? Well, more exciting designs come up when our amazing Marie Taglioni returns in a ballet, a real spectacle and something quite different! A costume designed by Jules Perrot. Remember, she's famous for the look of her early tutus…
Here's a quick time travel… *(A fast trip, I wouldn’t mind getting a new travel tutu though! ) *
I have seen what our designers came up with next! How exciting!
Jules Perrot decided on the very first * *tulle ** tutu - a ballet skirt with frills that is held in place with tulle !
Marie Taglioni returns to the stage as “The Queen of the Fairies"
and her look, with her frilled dress, was revolutionary - It changed the face of the ballet skirt forever! (Maybe it was that very first time in time where tutus were officially born. ** I need a bit more research to see where I can add “the official day”! I can imagine how spectacular that must have looked on stage - what an enchanting picture it would have been to watch. The light reflecting on the frills must have made it almost heavenly to behold - with the perfect blend of grace and strength (something the ballet and its dancers have a knack for!)
From this moment onwards “The Tutu" has been around in its short, skirt, but full of movement shape!
(That’s not all, our time traveling ballerina has a lot more tutu history for you… and it’s amazing.. so next week we’re continuing to bring the world of tutus alive in our next exciting edition of the *TutuTuesday blog)*
You're probably itching to know about what happened next, what became of the tutus, what they were designed in and what that magical world was like. All in good time! But don't go without telling me all about what kind of tutu you fancy.
I can't wait to see your tutu fashion pictures next week and I can’t wait to bring you part 2 * of the *history of tutus - from 1841, Marie Taglioni's tutu - to what we love and wear today!
And until then, let's all raise a glass of pink champagne (or whatever is non-alcoholic!) to the amazing, frilly tutu, the only kind of skirt that ever matters, let’s dance…
pinktutu #tutues #ballet #balletlover #dancerI'm always delighted to hear your thoughts, let me know about what tutu’s you wear and why you like them - be sure to leave a comment below.
Bye for now…
Emma- (The blog is hosted on www.pink-tutu.com website)*
