Mysterious factors may contribute to any “aesthetic” trending on TikTok. “Balletcore” is one of the latest trending fashion aesthetics on TikTok and social media. It may have originated from aspects such as the preexisting popularity of hyper-feminine moodboards, get-ready-with-me’s set to unreleased Lana del Rey songs, or the resurgence in popularity of the movie Black Swan.
Countless fashion creators have made videos showcasing their ballet-inspired outfits, including tulle, wrap skirts, leg warmers, ballet flats, hair bows and knit bolero sweaters, all with a soft pink, gray and white color palette. The fashion industry has contributed to and followed this trend, from Urban Outfitters’ new balletcore line to the ballet flat-inspired Maison Margiela Tabi shoes to Zara’s collaboration with the New York City Ballet. As a former pre-professional ballet dancer myself, it’s interesting to see people enamored by the aesthetic of ballet, especially since these glamorous and hyper-feminine mood boards and aesthetics seem far off from the daily reality and fashion of ballet dancers.
However, the balletcore look is more of a fun fashion aesthetic rather than an accurate reflection of a ballet dancer’s lifestyle. This is especially true when you consider that the experience of being a ballet dancer, pre-professional or professional, is denied to so many people because of the high financial commitment, hyper-specific body type demanded, and many other problems in the ballet world. Fashion influencer Chazlyn Yvonne said in an interview for Nylon, “The goal of balletcore is simply to have fun with the version of ballet that we see from an outside perspective.”
While TikTok mood boards and fashion videos accompanied by audios of Mila Kunis taunting, “I’ll dance the Black Swan for you,” are new, the ballet’s symbiotic relationship with the fashion industry isn’t new. Fashion designers have been inspired by ballet style throughout history and up to the present, and numerous famous designers have created costumes for contemporary ballets. For example, Christian Dior was inspired by ballet costumes to create his “New Look” in 1947, a dress silhouette with a cinched waistline and a full, calf-length skirt that became the staple silhouette for dresses in the ’50s. More recently, Vivienne Westwood designed costumes for the Vienna State Ballet in 2013 in her signature eclectic punk style.
Ballet dancers themselves reflect the relationship between ballet influencing fashion and fashion influencing ballet. The sleek and elegant conception of what a ballet dancer wears is more closely adjacent to what a ballet student wears, with most ballet schools having dress codes of solid color leotards and sometimes a matching wrap skirt or simple warm-ups.
Professional ballet dancers have much more freedom to express themselves in the studio. Especially given that dancers are artists, fashion is a way for ballet dancers to express themselves, and be functional and comfortable throughout long rehearsal days. There are endless combinations of styles and patterns of leotards, hairstyles, types of tights, leg warmers, and accessories to create a personalized look in the studio. With that being said, here are five staples in ballet fashion I’d noticed from my brief time as a pre-professional ballet dancer. These staples can range from peers I saw in the studio, dancewear stores, famous ballerinas’ Instagrams, and professional ballet company livestreams.
1. Ombré tutus
These beautiful tutus with colorful inside and white ends offer an expressive alternative to the standard all-white or black rehearsal tutu. Demonstrating that ombré wasn’t just an artifact of 2014 fashion, these flower-like tulle skirts add a touch of color and a creative edge to the classic rehearsal tutu.
2. Puffer booties
If, for whatever reason, you go backstage during a ballet performance, you will see nearly all the dancers wearing these booties. These are like puffer jackets for your feet, keeping ballet dancers’ feet warm to minimize foot pain and swelling. These booties can be worn over pointe shoes and are also super comfortable. Personally, these bring to mind the moon-boot trend or even the Ugg boot resurgence.
3. Getting creative with tights
Ballet schools typically require students to wear pink or skin-colored tights like most people immediately think of – under the leotard and pointe shoes – for a sleek and uniform look amongst students. But with a dress code absent, many dancers prefer to wear their tights in different ways – over their leotard, not tucked into pointe shoes, cut into shorts, or into a cropped shirt. These different ways of manipulating tights can serve as inspiration on how to repurpose basics in your wardrobe. Popular fashion creator @aliyahsinterlude repurposes tights as tops or undershirts in a similarly creative way as a part of her iconic Aliyahcore style.
4. Trash bag pants
A common theme in ballet rehearsal wear is warm but lightweight clothing. A staple in nearly every ballet dancer’s closet is some form of colloquially called “trash bag pants,” which look exactly as they sound. These pants are loose and lightweight but still help dancers keep themselves warm, and they come in many different colors and in pants, shorts, or even jumpsuits.
5. Leg warmers
Leg warmers are a huge part of the balletcore trend, and rightly so! Legwarmers were created for dancers in the 1970s, based on leg warmers dancers made for themselves by cutting sleeves off of sweaters. Many balletcore outfits are only complete with a pair of slouchy ankle-length pastel legwarmers. Yet as such a simple piece, leg warmers come in many more styles, from knee high to full length, having varying tightness and just about every color and pattern.
Have fun searching for balletcore inspiration for your Pinterest boards or future outfits.
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