It feels like since the beginning of time, “ballerina fashion” has been top of mind for brands, magazines, and just about every fashionista on earth. What makes the look of ballerinas so appealing in the fashion industry?
Everything from the soft, signature pink of pointe shoes to the warm-ups that dancers rely on have been translated into a runway trend. Just a few months ago, InStyle published an excerpt from the book “Ballet for Life: Exercises and Inspiration from the World of Ballet Beautiful” by Mary Helen Bowers. Much of the excerpt likens ballerina fashion to an almost otherworldly confidence, aspirational lines and body type, and a stature that competes with demigods. The outfit examples include descriptors like “romantic,” “delicate,” and “dreamy.”
There’s something flattering about knowing that a dancer’s hard work eventually translates to the mainstream. It’s nice to know that there isn’t much separation between dancers themselves, and the quality of what they wear. Since the Italian Renaissance, dancers have been thought of as defying gravity, angels to behold, performing things that the ordinary person could never. Ballet is hard work, made to look easy.
Maybe what makes ballerina fashion so popular is the aspiration it entices. Dancers’ bodies, stature, and style has always been sought after. Maybe, the style is just the easiest thing to attain.
What do you think makes ballerina fashion so timeless? Sound off in the comments!
