The tutu started as a regular costume of the age, very heavy and ornate, covering most of the legs. As ballet choreography changed over time, so, too, were changes in the costuming necessary. Ballet became more athletic, the shoes lost their heels and became soft, pliable ballet slippers; the larger, cumbersome headpieces became lighter and more streamlined or disappeared altogether. The skirt also adapted to these new choreographic demands and became lighter, sometimes transparent, made of muslin or tulle to allow for more movement and give an aura of weightlessness. The corset of the tutu became less stiff to facilitate more exact movements. Back bends and circular movements from the torso were now possible. This new, more dance-friendly tutu is referred to as a "romantic tutu."
With the invention of the pointe shoe, which allowed the dancer to balance on the tips of her toes and appear weightless and ethereal, the aesthetics of an elongated leg became the focal point of the dancer. High kicks, jumps, turns and more intricate footwork meant that for an audience to see the new choreographic elements, the tutu needed to be shortened even more. Today the principal, or lead, ballerinas often wear such tutus, which consist of a skirt that sticks straight out from the waist or hip, revealing the whole leg. This type is referred to as the "classical tutu."
Some examples of the different tutus as seen in ballet performances are are Odette/Odile in "Swan Lake," Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and the Sugarplum Fairy in "The Nutcracker," whose energetic footwork and complicated turns are displayed with the aid of a short, classical tutu. The romantic tutu is still often worn by dancers in certain ballets, such as "Giselle," "La Sylphide" and "Pas de Quatre," in order to visually recreate the period in which the ballet was created.
Barbara Karinska, costume designer extraordinaire for the New York City Ballet in the 20th century, designed and revolutionized the tutu to provide maximum ability for artistic expression on the part of the dancer. She designed using as little material as possible in order to let the dancer's body and the choreography do the speaking. The costume was meant to enhance the choreography and describe the character while not distracting from the dance. Her costume for the Dewdrop Fairy in "The Nutcracker" is a prime example of her ability to blend the classical design of a tutu with streamlined minimalism.
Today many contemporary and neoclassical ballet pieces forgo the tutu altogether, and performances are done in leotards and tights or unitards, providing a different aesthetic and line.