The ultra-feminine aesthetic of TikTok’s pirouetting – balletcore

Do not break a sweat. Balletcore isn’t a hard workout that targets your core muscles. It’s a new aesthetic that was discovered on TikTok last year and Pinterest this year. This aesthetic will give you a reason to get a pair Uggs and all things pink.

Balletcore is a symbol of hyperfemininity. This aesthetic was inspired by the costumes worn by dancers at rehearsals, as well as the performances they put on. American stylist Madeleine Jones stated to Vogue that balletcore is the natural evolution of athleisure.

Wrap tops, bodysuits and ballet flats are all in this trend

The trend for ballets flats seems to have abandoned ‘toe cleavage,’ which is something we are grateful for. Most ballet shoes have now adopted a 1960s style worn by icons like Audrey Hepburn or Twiggy.

This aesthetic can be seen on the Instagram feeds of many celebrities. Olivia Rodrigo, who supported the trend last summer in her music video titled ‘Brutal’, did so.

Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria’s star, was dressed in a baby-blue wrap top with her hair down in the latest season. On their Instagrams, Alexa Demise and Hunter Schafer were also seen wearing essences from edgier Balletcore.

Since the 1930s, fashion has been inspired by ballet. Chanel’s 1930s tulle gowns were inspired by Cotillion Ballet’s 1932 production. You can still find designers who are either inspired by the art or creating costumes for ballet. Vienne Westwood did this for Vienna State Ballet 2013! Zara recently collaborated with New York Ballet to create a collection that features ballet-inspired pieces.

Some TikTok users are excited about the Balletcore trend. Others have doubted it.

Balletcore is rooted in the “Sad Girl 2014” aesthetic. Balletcore was popular in the mid-2010s and was inspired by Black Swan (2010). Many online concerns have been raised about Tumblr’s reemergence and past romanticization of mental health.

Many of these trends from mid-2010 were also gatekeeping for certain groups. These hashtags were searched in 2014 and there was little diversity in body sizes, or inclusion of people of color.

These trends are fine to enjoy. These trends can be used, but we need to be careful about what we consume. Ballet dancers have made great strides in sharing their feelings about how their careers and body image affected them. We don’t want to see body positivity fall backwards when such trends resurfaced from 2014.

However, we can see that not all trends have returned if you look at the resurfacing trends like Y2k. Most of us were skeptical when Y2k was predicted to make a comeback. It was painful to see celebrities wearing jeans underneath dresses and three belts. Unfortunately, many of the bad fashion choices of Y2k are now a thing of the past. It doesn’t mean that 2014’s bad fashion habits will return.

Balletcore will look more glamorous and stylish when it is inclusive of all skin types.