Since the beginning of 2022, the social platform Pinterest has recorded a 1,566 percent increase in searches for the term – balletcore, and this hashtag has achieved 23 million views on TikTok. Fashion inspired by ballet clothing is undoubtedly one of the leading fashion trends that has not only penetrated the wardrobes of feminine ladies but also into the activewear segment and into men’s wardrobes. This new ballet style includes tulle skirts and ballet slippers, leotards, bodysuits, leggings, leg warmers, shirts, and tie tops, as well as men’s ballet footwear.
Balletcore 2022 is more inclusive than any ballet style has ever been – it is adopted by everyone, regardless of gender (and identity) or body type. As noted by Highsnobiety, balletcore draws inspiration from the classical ballet style that emerged two hundred years ago when dancer Marie Taglioni created the first ballet slippers, thus helping to create the typical archetypal image of a ballerina.
In the early 20th century, the Russian company Ballet Russes introduced the West to this form of art with its brilliant, artistic projects, captivating audiences and successfully introducing ballet aesthetics into the fashion world for the first time. This style became mainstream when Harper’s Bazaar editor Diana Vreeland showed in 1941 how ballet slippers could be worn outside the theater, and designer Claire McCardell hired shoemaker Salvatore Capezio, who designed ‘outdoor’ slippers. Since then, major fashion houses like Dior and Chanel have been selling ballet aesthetics to their customers, and the fascination with this dance art continues today.
Redefining fashion
In the early 2010s, fashion experts noted a stronger return of the balletcore trend, triggered at that time by the film Black Swan starring Natalie Portman. This year, however, it has returned, spurred by the pandemic that dressed consumers in more comfortable clothing. The ballet aesthetic has given pandemic athleisure a touch of glamour without compromising comfort. Concurrently, TikTok users have gone crazy for ‘balletok’, videos of dance routines and exercises by ballet professionals and amateurs alike. In addition to ‘copying’ their dance moves, users have gained insight into the lives of dancers as they post videos that follow their daily lives and backstage events.
One of the most popular musicians of Generation Z, Harry Styles, has taken the ballet aesthetic to a whole new level, posing in men’s ballet slippers for the cover of his latest album. Designer houses Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, Jil Sander, Bode, Wales Bonner, and E. Tautz have also offered men’s versions of ballet slippers, making them more similar to classic loafers than to women’s ballet flats.
