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Ballet Beauty: How To Incorporate Ballet Style into Your Wardrobe Posted: 08 Nov 2011 07:36 PM PST By Madelyn Scarborough of University of Georgia. Follow me @maddierose12 Jan Masny With the release of Black Swan in December last year, the ballet style dominated the spring fashion shows. Rodarte set the standard with their unique tutus showcased in the movie, featuring elaborate feathers and added accessories like a face net and body paint. I saw another side to ballet fashion than the glitz and glam of stage dress, however: the grace and ease of Natalie Portman’s practice uniform. About.com Her leggings and loose cardigan allow for movement and comfort and showcase her body in a body-conscious way. I started thinking how I could copy her uniform style for going-to-class outfits and the elaborate stage outfits for going out. Why? Body-conscious: Leggings, flowy cardigans, backless dresses and short skirts showcase your body’s best assets (legs, back, etc.) and are made in comfortable materials like jersey that are forgiving of flaws and stay comfy all day. Sparkle: Ballerinas wear costume jewelry and glittery-beaded costumes to catch the eye of the audience and draw attention to center stage. The same effect can be achieved with a statement jeweled necklace or a sweater with sequin detail. High buns: So simple. Easy for an early morning class or adorn with a jeweled headband for a night out. Colors: Pastels are very feminine and are not just for spring. Hints of baby pink and heather gray can lighten heavy winter black and bold colors. Nude heels also elongate the leg the same as a pointe shoe (point those toes!). Here’s how you can achieve Prima Ballerina status every day and all night For Class (and Weekends) So that you don’t look like you are auditioning for Swan Lake, layering with non-ballet type pieces are key. Your basic pieces are: Leggings Ballet flats Body-con tanks Your pieces to add to make outfits are: Long cardigans (preferably in jersey) Skinny jeans (I found some made in twill from Old Navy for $20. They feel like leggings. So soft.) Mid-length skirt Casual boots (like Uggs, Hunter, etc.) Mix and match these pieces and you have a comfy yet chic outfit that will feel comfortable all day (ex. tank, cardigan, leggings, Uggs. Or flats, jeans, tank and cardigan). For Night To get an idea of how you can achieve a night look, I drew from the two costumes from Swan Lake: Odette, the Swan Queen, and Odile, the Black Swan. Odette’s costume is white and pure and draws on the very feminine, innocent side of ballet style. Pearls, pastels, white feathers, rhinestones, sheer materials and delicately cut dresses are all pieces you can use to channel Odette. about.com Odile, the Black Swan, is the opposite of Odette. She is dark and sensual and her style is where you can get a little sexy. She is confident, so try something daring like a black leotard with a glittery miniskirt or even a tutu with a leather jacket! Dark jewels, glitter, black feathers, smoky eyes, dark nail polish, black lace, studs and leather embody the edginess and fearlessness of her character. asos.com INSPIRATION BOARD This is an inspiration board I found on a blog called Paisleys & Indian Ink and it outlined perfectly how you can tie ballet style into evening wear. The blog’s options obviously incorporate a lot of feathers, but try keeping an inspiration board of your own by compiling pictures of ballerina costumes or ballet photography that gives you ideas,and then find photos of clothes that resemble these pieces and create your outfits! Thoughts? What is your take on the ballet trend? Too frou frou or pure genius? Comment below, email us at info@college-style.com, tweet us @CollegeStyle12 or me @maddierose12. Send some pics of your own ideas!

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