If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, you’ll have realized that there’s no slowing down the ballet core trend. The dancer-off-duty look which picked up last spring continues to gain momentum, with over 400 million views (and counting) on the platform, giving eight-year-old me—who spent her weekends rewinding Save The Last Dance to learn Julia Stiles’ Juilliard choreography—the nudge she needed for starting a new sartorial chapter over two decades on.
Growing up with two brothers who were big into hip-hop, my personal style could be described as singularly tomboy-ish. My appreciation—and desire to experiment with trends—expanded once I started a career in fashion in my early 20s. At my core, I still gravitated towards street-style wear—think cargo pants, sneakers, graphic tees, and stacks of colorful, beaded jewelry. I leaned even more into this look during the pandemic, comforting myself in oversized T-shirts, hoodies, and sweats as I worked from home.
Although I’ve long defined my look as casual, ballet core speaks to me on a deeper level. The aesthetic draws from traditional dancer attire (leotards, leg warmers, ballet flats, bows, wrap-tops, and tulle skirts) and brings with it a softness lacking in my everyday wardrobe.
Ballet core may not be for everyone—the uniform, as well as the profession, has long been critiqued for excluding people of color, body image, and class. But as I try to tap into my softer side, it’s pieces like these that allow me to connect with a part of myself I never thought I would.
The historical influence of dance on fashion has been well-documented, but even more interesting and important to me is seeing how brands are making ballet-inspired clothes that are more size-inclusive, along with influencers like Mina Le, @thenikkirossi, and @moeblackx who show that there are real-life ways to wear these clothes no matter how you’re used to dressing.
Celebrities have also embraced the trend. Just look at Nicola Coughlan who stepped out in a pink confection of a dress in 2021 well before the trend went viral. Or Paloma Elsesser who wore sheer white and tulle embroidery. Even Sydney Sweeney was an emblem of the look in pink tights and a matching tutu on the red carpet.
Blame it on TikTok, Gen Z, or those ubiquitous satin Miu Miu flats (I see you, Bella Hadid), but ballet core has clung to me like a leotard, along with a newfound appreciation for dressing soft and feminine. What was once a closet full of baggy jeans and cozy bottoms and sneakers is now a growing collection of ballet flats, lush wraps, leg warmers, and tights that envelop—not hide—my body. I even signed up to take my first adult ballet class this month—my plié will definitely need work, but hey, at least my look will be on-point.
