An Ode to a Tutu - A Love Song to Inner Whimsy

A few years ago I started noticing this trend in fashion blogging—tutus.

Blame it on SJP and Sex and the City if you will, but tutus were suddenly everywhere. Petite girls, plus

size girls, women of all shapes and colors were donning fluffy skirts and posing for pictures on rooftops, desert roads, beaches and urban city streets.

Oh look,

another tutu pic…

Cut to the present. I was deep in the throes of a stream of crappy dates—feeling blue and lackluster. I’d sought solace at the bottom two containers of Haagen Dazs Limited Edition Peanut Butter Pie. I had exasperated all my Back Up Guys via text and watched

Sleepless in Seattle

for the third time when I came to the conclusion of the cold, hard truth--- if I wanted to get My Magic back, I was going to have to get it myself. And that’s when the idea pinged over my head like a cartoon lightbulb:I wanted a tutu.What would I do with one? Where would I wear it? How on earth did buying one make sense?

I threw away each of these practical questions and turned to Etsy. A quick search revealed dozens of vendors offering tutus. I flipped through page after page till I found the perfect match and squealed in delight when I saw a HUGE color card to pick from. Did I want bright pink? Vivid aqua? Shocking yellow? And then I saw My Color. Electric Coral. It spoke it me. It Dolly Parton-sang to me. Before my Super Ego could take over, I placed an order for my very own, custom-made tutu.It arrived on a Thursday. Packed into a small, lightweight box. And when I took it out and released its glory unto the world--- the heavens sang.

My tutu in all its glory, bathing in the Los Angeles sunlight.

Carrie Bradshaw. The style icon that launched a thousand tutus.

The first plus blogger I saw looking radiant in a tutu- Chastity of Garner Style!

Girl With Curves's feminine, dramatic yet minimally-chic tutu look was another style star for me!

It had magical powers. As if it was sewn from threads whimsy and delight.

The tutu sat on the floor of my friend’s apartment and gathered spectators. All coming to pay homage to it, having heard about it through the grapevine. Selfies were snapped. And every woman, no matter how old, how serious, or how jaded and “oh so, LA” became an enchanted little girl in its presence. Skinny girls. Big girls. 20’something girls and 40’something executives. All melted into pools of giggling pleasure as they wrapped it around his waist. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Tutu.Have you ever wondered what it feels like to wear a tutu? I’ll tell youOnce you get over the silly feeling—which lasts all of seven minutes—you feel simply glorious.You are transported back to your parent’s living room, swirling around in oversized dress up clothes with sticky, jelly-covered fingers. Before college or period cramps or micromanaging bosses. Before agonizing over each text He sent, stressing about debt, wondering when those wrinkles got there? When desire, not obligation, was your daily fuel.You feel emotions you haven’t dare been in touch with, since gravity hit your breasts and grey hair started creeping in at your crown. Whimsy. Glee. Enchantment. Freedom.You know, the things "grown- ups" just don't allow themselves to feel.

Photo by Nichole Alex. Tutu by Pia Mia Boutique.

For just those few minutes, we are The Little Princess, Sara Crewe, reunited with her father. Mary Lennox in her Secret Garden, blooming with flowers. Eloise running free through The Plaza. Alice gazing upon Wonderland for the first time.For that period of time, striped socks, leg warmers, glitter Mary Janes and a polka dot skirt is a totally legit fashion choice. Spoonful’s of Nutella are a perfectly suitable dinner. Making a blanket fort with your BFF is the most awesomeness of Saturday night activities. She who had the most Lisa Frank stationary winsat life. And nobody, and we mean nobody, could tell you that that plastic lanyard friendship bracelet made safety pinned to a sock while sitting crossed legged on the bed wouldn't last forever and ever and ever.

You are Madonna. And Tiffany. And the sky isn't just blue, it’s

Electric Blue

(thank you, Debbie Gibson) and you can paint the world any color you like with your brand new set of scented markers and glitter lip gloss and hair sprayed with Sun In…But then the Galaxy beeps on the table next to you.And the spell is broken.Crestfallen you take your tutu off. Pack it (somewhat) neatly back into the box. And return to life. Your boss emails. And the phone clangs and dings in your hands. The internet goes out (again) and you unplug the router for the eighth time. Your jeans are tighter than they were last week (whaat?) and you look forward to your most awesomeness of Saturday night activities, eating Chipotle and catching up on Scandal.But as you stuff that box away under your bed, you touch it lovingly. You’ll always have that box. Stuffed with your tutu. That fluffy, frothy, magical tutu. Sitting at rest and waiting. It’s yours to cherish. To take for a whirl when you need it the most. When you need to remind yourself its ok to be young at heart, to make friends with that little girl inside you with the jelly-covered fingers. To never entirely let her go. And nobody, we mean nobody, can tell you that joy wont last forever and ever and ever.And so I urge you, from one woman to another. Find your tutu. If you're feeling frisky, get your own tutu! But if tulle and ribbon isn't in your future, find

something

. Something that belongs only to you. A dress in your favorite color. The faded New Kids on the Block tee you've had since the 7th grade. Or something made of lace. Something,

anything

, that when you slip it over your head makes you utterly impervious. To stress and to obligation. To big, scary decisions with lots of consequences. To transport you to a more simple time when you lived in the moment, time was on your side, and

anything

was possible.xoSarah

Photo by Nichole Alex. Tutu by Pia Mia Boutique.

Enter to win your own tutu!

Want one of these amazing tutus for yourself? Tami, the owner of

Pia Mia Boutique (who custom made my tutu)

has agreed to do a giveaway. It's fluffy. It's fabulous... And it could be yours!Enter to win one custom,

made to order tutu

in your size and color of choice. SarahPlusLife and Pia Mia Boutique are offering one lucky winner the chance to own their very own tutu. Flirty, fun and ready for wherever your fashion imagination can take you!

Details:

- Handmade and made to order- Materials: Tulle, Ribbon- Open to residents of the continental United States- One winner will be chosen at random-

Enter through April 28, 2015