Costumes and Dress Ups

Why Is A Tutu Called A Tutu And How Did It Develop?   by Ashton Field

To answer the question of why a tutu is called a tutu, a person must go back in history a few hundred years! Ballet outfits were far different from what we know of them today. Many dancers wore their regular clothes, which were dresses that went down to the ankles. This made it hard for the audience to observe the intricate footwork that is so much a part of ballet. The clothing was heavy and restricted the dancer’s movements, which kept the original dance steps very simple. Ballet originally was only performed for nobility and not the everyday commoner. King Louis the XIV founded the first dance school in 1661 and this opened the doors for dancers to become professionals in the field of ballet. When the females began to perform in public places they also began to use more fancy steps and this required the clothing to become a bit made of lighter material and less restricting. Underneath the skirt was often a pair of bloomer type pants so that the twirling of the dancer did not reveal much of her legs since that would be considered vulgar back then.

The first dancer to shorten her skirt was Marie Camargo, which allowed the audience to see the fancy footwork of ballet, her competition, Marie Salle, took it a little farther by dancing in a flimsy muslin dress without using any petticoats beneath it. This was the beginning of the “romantic tutu”. This presented a new problem for the female dancers. The rich sitting in the balconies got quite a different view of ballet than the commoners who sat in the lower seats. Often, the ballerinas wore nothing under their skirts and revealed more than just their legs! So how did the ballet skirt become known as a tutu? The word itself comes from the French baby talk for bottom, which is “cul-cul”.

To end the problem of the crowds seeing the dancers bare bottoms, the designers of the first tutus decided to place a piece of material that joined the front to the back and covered the ballerinas’ bottom. With the invention of tights and leotards, the design of the tutu gave way to what is called the pancake tutu. This design allows the entire leg to be shown and gives the dancer and airy look. This is the type of tutu every little girl dreams of wearing at least once in her lifetime!

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FMM Upper Case Funky Alphabet & Number Tappit Cutters Set $14.99 Tappits cutters used for gumpaste and fondant. Set includes upper case funky letters and numbers….

Aeromax Fancy Tutu, Pink, Size 2/3 $21.02 Every girl’s favorite – a deluxe pink tutuMultiple layers of rufflesHigh qualityMay be used for dance or dress-upSize 2/3New from Aeromax – Fancy Tutus. These wonderful tutus can be used by themselves, or under another dress like a crinoline. Satin waist with nylon ruffles. Multiple layers. Very nice quality. Size 2/3 generally fits girls 3 years old, 25-33 lbs, and are 32″-36″ tall. This tutu is …

Kids Pink Tutu Ballerina Princess Girls Dance Costume M Girls Girls Medium (6) $39.99 Ballerina Princess Dress Ballerina THIS ITEM INCLUDES Dress has knit top with Princess rhinestone embellishment, layered tulle skirt and bow….

Girls Turquoise 4 Pc Flower Fairy Princess Costume. Include Fancy Flower Halo, Tutu, Wand and Wings $15.95 This is the perfect dress up costume for your little Fairy Princess. She will whirl, twirl and have so much fun. The adorable dress up wings are the perfect accessory for your little fairy or pixie! These wings are embellished with sparkling glitter and have a fluff of feather in the center. The matching straps are worn over your shoulders. 15 x 13 inches. The tutu has 3 layers and a comfy stretch…

Fancy Tutu Twirl Like A Ballerina In This Fluffy Fancy Tutu! Lots Of Layers Of Netting And Tulle Attached To A Satin Skirt. Wide Elastic Waistband. Available In 3 Sizes And 3 Colors….

Fancy Fun Tutus $19.99 Swirl through magical, make-believe play with these 4 fluffy 3-layered, tulle tutus. With easy-on, elastic waistbands, they’ll fit most children from 3 to 6 years of age. Length from waist to hem is 121/2;.”…

Woman’s Vampiress Burlesque Tutu $31.99 .x{color:#83C22D;margin:0px;font-size:12px}.y{color:#A56EBA}VAMPIRE BURLESQUE TUTUVampire Costume Accessories(Item #ACC1497) This Vampiress Burlesque Tutu could be added to a corset for a sexy but gothic look!…

Lavender La Bella Classic Ballet Tutu A beautiful lavender shimmery girls classic ballet tutu that is perfect for ballet class or dress up. This tutu skirt is made of layers of tulle and makes an enchanting fairy costume when paired with a set of fairy wings and fairy wand! There is an additional stretch of two inches in the elastic waistband. Please see sizing guidelines for measurements. Waist and Length Measurements: 1T-2T: Waist 1…

Fancy Nancy Tutu with Pom Poms …