A few months ago, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw one of my favourite influencers, Matilda Djerf, wearing a white corset-style top, blue jeans and a pair of shiny leather black Chanel ballet flats. Comments exploded because if Matilda wears it, we know that next week everyone everywhere will be wearing it too! Thus, the re-introduction of the Balletcore aesthetic began.
As of 2022, the Balletcore craze has been on the rise with more and more celebs seen casually paying homage to the trend. Even luxury designers feature elements of the ballerina aesthetic in their runway collections. This past Fall/Winter fashion week drop, Miu Miu released a variety of slip-on ballerina flats, chunky leg warmers and layered chiffon. However, they aren’t the only ones. American brand Rodarte has continuously been posting their IT-ballerina girls–which include sisters Maude and Iris Apatow, actress Lili Reinhart and singer Charli XCX, to name a few–in their new couture line. But I still can’t figure out why it is so popular. Can this new expanding concept of “everyday” attire be something we could consider long-lasting or just another micro-trend?
A pushback surrounding the ballerina aesthetic comes from individuals involved in the industry who claim that brands devalue the serious profession by turning it into a “look” for the masses. New York-based stylist Madeline Jones says to Vogue, “I see the ballet-all-day movement as the natural evolution from athleisure.” She continues by saying that comfort is in.
“Now with the ballet movement, there’s a way to give purpose and elevate from athleisure to something almost theatrical. So even when you’re putting on leggings, a wrap cardigan, or a corset, it still feels like you’re dressing up—but not overdressed.”
There are things on the market today I didn’t realize fit into the category of this core craze. Garments like bodysuits, cropped sweaters, and even UGG boots are all things considered the “ballerina off-duty” look. Garments associated with the trend in the dance world are seen as earned accomplishments. However, using their clothing for personal aesthetics creates some level of appropriation. With that being said, I think there are other lifestyle factors of Balletcore that we need to focus on. What we may have overlooked outside of the clothing choice, are characteristics that can be quite damaging to our generation’s progression in size inclusivity, wellness and diversity.
Hannah Jackson writes for Vogue, “The American Council on Exercise credits its [referring to ballet aesthetic] 2010s renaissance to Black Swan’s popularity. Soon enough, a subset of pro-anorexia Tumblr blogs posting photos of ballerinas and glamorizing disordered eating began proliferating online. Today as Balletcore returns to the zeitgeist, so do mounting concerns that the trend will once again inspire unhealthy habits and discriminate against those who don’t already fit the prescribed mold.”
While looking at the ballet-inspired portraits released by Rodarte, I see little to no body types outside the lean stature of a “traditional” looking ballerina. Jackson continues, “Brands need to reckon with their own internal biases about what a ballerina looks like.” Another article that recently went viral (for negative reasons, I might add), was from the New York Post. The piece was titled, “Bye-bye booty: Heroin chic is back,” in which it discussed other celebs at the forefront of the ballerina trend, like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and retro Kate Moss. Seeing media like this released in 2022 is when the word style takes a new level. Where fashion no longer represents clothing and accessories, but now pins body types against each other. Critiques such as this one revoke the ability of ballet, and this aesthetic may have had in creating a more evolved and positive change.
One of my favourite Youtubers, Mina Le, made a fantastic video explaining Balletcore. From her perspective, she states how the ballerina-inspired wear is a great way to incorporate subversive basics into something more elevated and be more aesthetically suited. However, she explains how the hyper-femininity competent to the trend is a debated consideration to its longevity. Many allude that the promotion of ballet through poofy skirts, skin-tight leotards and simply the colour pink undermines the distinguished art form as a meritless “girl” hobby.
There are disputes and accordances to this argument. In a Nylon interview, dancer and fashionista Chazlyn Yvonne says she loves the idea of the ballet aesthetic coming back. She responds, “Some people may argue that the aesthetic isn’t 100% authentic to the clothing of an actual full-time dancer. However, the goal of Balletcore is simply to have fun with the version of the ballet that we see from an outside perspective.” In the same article, influencer Monique Black comments, “For me, BalletCore means a chance to embrace femininity and softness, because so often these characteristics are gatekept from plus-size women, as we’re not allowed to be delicate and soft because the world won’t perceive us that way.” This is where the beauty of the trend emerges when people can curate the specific look into their own. I can’t help but question if Balletcore is promoting a phenomenon that’s not entirely inclusive. While a few male models were walking down the Miu Miu runway in wool leg warmers and their iconic pointe-esk shoes, throughout TikTok and platforms alike, I haven’t seen a lot of non-female representation or interpretations of the aesthetic, especially as brands expand themselves to become more gender-neutral.
I, myself, have given in and purchased a couple of pairs of bowed ballet flats. Like ballet, there is a romanization and elegance to the visuals that come with viewing it, their costumes and classic attire included. Because we can categorize ballet as this timeless entity, it is fitting how we can expect its style to develop into staples that can remain in our closets for long periods. And I can also say I love how sophisticated and flattering it is without the unwanted feelings of discomfort some other aesthetics cause. This trend provides an inspiring way to refute stereotypes from the past and allow individuals that were once excluded, to reinvent fashion narratives to their definition.