Why tutus?

To me, it's just the grace and elegance it represents.

Little known fact about me: I love dancing. I took gymrama with my school mates at primary school and ballet classes with my cousins when I was younger. 

I was in gymrama classes with Miss Low at Convent Bukit Nanas when I was 7 years old till about 9 years old. I went to ballet classes with my cousins Min (Putri Yasmin), Cho (Putri Azalea) & Zara (Putri Zaralisa) when I was living in Ipoh and schooling in Main Convent Ipoh for awhile. I was around 10 years old at that time. I loved the experience. I looked forward to every class. It was hard work at the time, but it was enjoyable. Even though I wasn't a girly girl (I liked playing with trucks and cars and the only fun I had with barbie dolls were to tear them apart) I loved dancing. Ballet trains your discipline.

It was short-lived, and I didn't continue on, but it was that exposure that led me to becoming a dancer in school, both traditional and modern dancing. I performed both in school. I remember I also learned  from the well known Indonesian choreographer Tom Ibnur a few traditional dances which he choreographed and I performed a few dances together with some professional dancers during the Ipoh International Arts Festival in 1998 when I was fourteen. I continued to become a cheer leader in high school, and I only stopped dancing publicly after finishing high school.

I love the aura that a tutu skirt gives. So that is why I decided to come up with my own version of a tutu skirt. Inspired by international bloggers donning the tutu skirt such as Ascia AKF and more recently Chiara Ferragni, I'd love to wear my own.

I know if my daughter was here I would definitely wear her a cute mini tutu skirt. :) I would send Jibrael to ballet classes too so that she could experience what it means. This tutu skirt is inspired by her. Princess-y.  Elegant, beautiful and most of all romantic. I think every girl has dreamed of wearing one at some point.

This tutu skirt is from ARNADIA by Gaya Collective at GAYAworld.com and it will come in other colours too. I designed the tutu so that it can be a versatile piece to wear on a few occasions. Wear it casually with a loose shirt, wear it to work with a formal looking blouse or wear it to events with more exclusive looking tops. (Edit : The Black Swan tutu skirt)

The first time I wore the tutu I designed was to work last 1st November 2013 on a Friday which was my birthday too :) I want people to wear it and not look out of place. And I for one did not feel out of place.

I leave you all with a quote from Willa Kim, a costume designer for opera, television, theater and ballets “The tutu is an invention that belongs to ballet and although it has been copied and has influenced designers and ready-to-wear, it is still an invention for the ballet and a remnant of the Romantic age. There are a lot of us who yearn for that kind of romanticism.”

Oh yes, I'm one of them who yearns for that kind of romanticism. :)

Tutus on stage? Not anymore. Tutus on the street, now that is definitely my kind of thing.

Happy New Year! New year, new beginning. )

May God forgive all our sins in the past year. Thank the Almighty for another year. May He grant us peace, contentment, success in this world and the next and bring us all closer to His LOVE. May God strengthen us to change and become better for His sake. May God purify our intentions to do every single thing for His sake. Amin.

PEACE & LOVE!

Willa Kim has designed costumes for opera, television, theater, and more than 125 ballets, including ABT’s new production of Sleeping Beauty. Although Kim’s dance costumes are not usually traditional tutu-wear, she appreciates the garment. “The tutu is an invention that belongs to ballet,” says Kim, “and although it has been copied and has influenced designers and ready-to-wear, it is still an invention for the ballet and a remnant of the Romantic age. There are a lot of us who yearn for that kind of romanticism.” - See more at: http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/October-2007/The-Story-of-the-Tutu#sthash.V7LLhVZy.dpuf

Willa Kim has designed costumes for opera, television, theater, and more than 125 ballets, including ABT’s new production of Sleeping Beauty. Although Kim’s dance costumes are not usually traditional tutu-wear, she appreciates the garment. “The tutu is an invention that belongs to ballet,” says Kim, “and although it has been copied and has influenced designers and ready-to-wear, it is still an invention for the ballet and a remnant of the Romantic age. There are a lot of us who yearn for that kind of romanticism.” - See more at: http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/October-2007/The-Story-of-the-Tutu#sthash.V7LLhVZy.dpuf