The tutu is one of the unique trademarks of ballet, hence deserves it’s own Tools of the Trade-post. It is in fact a skirt, or more correctly, several skirts, and has followed the development of ballet since it’s early days. And guys, do I really need to say that, like the pointe-shoe, it’s worn by women?! Come on, skirts? What do people think of us men in ballet?
The Pas de Quatre, an iconic piece made for the four leading ballerinas at the time, all wearing romantic tutu's. The biggest star of them all, Marie Taglioni (Center) is acclaimed to have, if not invented the romantic tutu, at least credited for it's popularity. London, 1845.
The tutu-s you see today are really quite different from those of the early days of ballet, but some romantically ballets (like in the second act of Giselle) still uses the old-fashioned ones, called Romantic Tutu’s. It’s also fairly regular to see the corps de ballet dressed up in romantic tutu’s. It’s made to be flowing and light, and give the impression that the ballerina is elevated us regular people, she is almost ethereal. This illusion was also the reason why they started using pointe-shoes (and some really stupid flying-machines) in the first place, read more about that in my post about the history of the pointe-shoe.
Edgar Degas' ballerinas were all wearing the bell-tutus
After a while, the ballerina’s technique started getting better, especially their jumps and batteries – beating with their legs while jumping. The romantic tutu was simply too long and heavy for this, something needed to be done. The bell-shaped tutu was born. This skirt was similar to the romantic one, except it was shorter and stiffer, allowing the ballerina to move faster, and showing her intricate footwork. It was still long enough to cover her knees, though, to keep the skirt appropriate.
The great ballerina Ulyana Lopatkina is wearing what we'd call a "modern" classical tutu, performing the role of Odette from Swan Lake
The tutu we see on stage today is a very stiff skirt sticking straight out from the waist of the ballerina, popularly called the pancake-tutu. It is built up by several layers of net and a wire hoop, with tulle tacked around them, to keep the layers of the skirt still while the ballerina is dancing. Some dancers say the skirt helps them while performing pirouettes, claiming that the stiff skirts adds a balance-leverage around the body. I wouldn’t know if this is true, as I am a guy, and have never worn a tutu (well, there was this one time, but let’s not talk about that..)
William Forsythe made a ballet called The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, with some pretty distinct tutus in it
In more modern times, we have seen a million variations of the classical tutu’s I have mentioned , but the ones above remain the basic versions. Maybe some day, the futuristic take on the tutu we see in ballets like William Forsythe’s ‘The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude will make yet another chapter in some blokes ballet-website…
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And if you happen to think the Tutu is a pretty bizarre thing to wear, I totally agree – no idea whatsoever as to who thought of this ufo-like skirt to wear, but it looks kinda cool. In a strange way.. Share your thoughts on the tutu in the comments section below 
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I find it interesting how in many ballets a dancers transition in status (i.e. single village girl to bride of royalty) also brings a transition in her fashion style from the romantic tutu (long skirt) to the classic tutu.
“After a while, the ballerina’s technique started getting better”. I have often wondered how long it took for ballet masters to add the full set of ballet movements that we practice in class and see in classical ballets. How many years did it take the masters to say, “Add this one because it looks wonderful” vs “No. No. No. That looks hideous. Ditch it.”
Over at http://portfolio.kristinsloan.com/ Kristen Sloan created a New York City Ballet video called Recreating a Tutu’s Splendor. It is enjoyable and relaxing to watch.
nice video!
The ballet technique is constantly developing, and the different steps performed today have their origin from several periods, some of them newer than other. But most of the “basics” are from way back in the 18th and 19th century.
I can imagine the old guys discussing steps like the way you described it
I studied costuming in university and I think my favourite thing to do was dancewear, tutus are ridiculously fun to make (and then put on and do a silly, celebratory “i’m done sewing this thing” dance). I’m probably biased, I loved ballet lessons when I was a kid
cool! It’s a lot of work making them skirts, right? Some of the tutu’s around are so incredibly detailed!!!
Could you share some thoughts on partnering people wearing the different tutus? Which ones do you prefer? Any interesting bits that people wouldn’t otherwise know?
Sure, not a bad idea
I am working on a post on partnering, I’Ll mention it there. BUT, of course: for your eyes (only? no way, for all the readers! 
): I like partnering with a normal, classical tutu (The pancake one), it gives the girl a good pose, and doesn’t bother me. Romantic tutu’s are more of a mess, with tulle everywhere, specially in your face when you are lifting.
A thing people maybe don’t know? OK: In school, when I started learning pas de deux, we were wearing normal ballet attire, meaning that the girls wore leotards, no tutu’s. When doing this for a year, our ballet-master told the girls to wear rehearsal tutu’s to pas de deux class. It was like being set back to the first lesson again. Turns out, I had been looking at my partners legs to find her balance, rather than “feeling” where she should be. Took a while to get used to the tutu, but it’s worth the extra work.
Great post, H.
Like so many girls, I love tutus! They’re just so pretty and princess-like
For some inexplicable reason, I got inspired to try to make one. I’ve gotten the tutu itself together, now I’m going to start the details! I’ll post pictures on Twitter soon.
Wow, what a project!! I’m looking forward to the pictures – that’s a lot of work, right?!
One would think that it wouldn’t be all that difficult to just put together the tutu itself, but it was really very tricky. I went through a lot of tulle! I’m looking for inspiration for the beadwork now. Not sure if I should try to do a “costume” look that corresponds to an actual ballet or just something pretty?
huh, good question.. Do you have any plans for using it?
No. I did it… well, because I’m slightly crazy (or more crazy than I’m willing to admit to). I just wanted to try it, so it doesn’t have a purpose really. I got instructions off the internet from a couple of costume-making sites. I’ve never actually examined a real one. But I plan on hand-sewing on the detail so that it would actually be functional – in theory. Right now it’s just plain white.
Haha, that’s funny! I like slightly crazy people – they do slightly crazy stuff that’s way more interesting than the others
I always liked the simple tutu’s, those with subtle details maybe in silver or gold.. But then, that’s just me..
What size is it?
It’s a medium because I can get into it. But I made it somewhat adjustable so it can tighten up around the waist.
I’m still looking for inspiration, nothing has quite got my attention yet.
Hi Henrik!! Of course, you know I LOOOVE tutus!!! (since I make them!) The tutus I make are not at professional level, although I would eventually love to get there, but they are so beautiful and so much fun to wear (even for everyday wear!) !! I love seeing the girls/ ladies in the dance studio when they are wearing a tutu I’ve designed and made just for them… Something about it just makes you feel like a princess!!! The smiles, the attention they get… it’s priceless! I LOVE making them, being creative and finally seeing the end result!
Hi Bobbi!
Thank you for the support of Tights and Tiaras! 
I’m glad you find pleasure in making them, I’m sure they make many girls very happy
H
What makes any type of skirt “female?” Only females have a waist and legs? Rome threw out men in pants in AD 393 and modern Greek soldiers wear a skirt often compared to a tutu. Pants are arctic and equestrian in origin and did not come into being because “male chromosomes determine it.” Social forces are the main determinant of clothing behavior, when to the contrary, reason should be the driver! I have a huge mass of research when time allows it will appear historically with strong suggestions that tutus developed from what male dancers (The Sun King and others) originally wore in France, based on exaggerations of Roman military skirts. It takes a difference of physiology (bras and athletic supporters) to make a sex difference. Style differences do not qualify (unless you style inhibited “men” think women are hermaphrodites that they can wear either skirts or pants without “cross-dressing.”) Women in pants were suffering from “permanent mental hallucination” according to the New York Times editorial “A Curious Disease,” May 27, 1876, page 6. Yes, men in skirts (not female impersonators) have always been, are at this moment, and will forever remain, superior to the trousered male in a manly way, because skirts allow breeziness and absence of crotch restriction exactly where our anatomy benefits most from it. Most women have renounced skirts as daily wear. They do not need a monopoly strangle hold on something they’ve just about abandoned. To come out of your thought coma, realize the effects of mass hypnosis also took place in Rome that “pants are barbarian.” Men should dress as undertakers, women as tropical fish—I do not accept this male repressive philosophy. Choice is human—not exclusive to females. Look at the fantastic skirts worn by male Tanoura (skirt) dancers in Egypt today! Inhibition as to expression is not masculinity.
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