Why Ballet Aesthetic Is Taking Over Fashion
Updated: Jul 30
Ballet aesthetic — or balletcore as it's been called since it went viral on TikTok in 2022 — is one of the most sustained fashion trends of recent years. But to call it just a trend is to miss the point. Ballet has been influencing fashion for over a century. What's happening now is a revival, not an invention.
Where It Started
The relationship between ballet and fashion goes back to the early 20th century. Coco Chanel herself designed costumes for the Ballet Russes in the 1920s — the loose, fluid silhouettes of the company's dancers became a defining influence on her own collections. The move away from corsets toward garments that allowed movement was, in part, a ballet idea.
That thread continued through the decades. Christian Dior's New Look had a ballet-inspired softness. The beatnik women of the 1950s wore ballet flats and wrap cardigans as a uniform. Carrie Bradshaw appeared in a tutu in the opening credits of Sex and the City and made an entire generation want one.
What Triggered the Current Wave
The modern revival has a specific starting point. Miu Miu's Fall/Winter 2022 show marked the triumphant return of the house's iconic logo-strap ballet flats — and from that moment, the aesthetic spread rapidly. On TikTok, the balletcore hashtag has accumulated over one billion views, with creators styling ballet flats and leg warmers into everyday outfits.
What makes this wave different from previous ones is its subversive edge. This isn't just softness and pink tulle. Designers like Simone Rocha and Givenchy have pushed ballet references into darker, more complex territory — pairing tulle with leather, ribbons with structured tailoring. The aesthetic has become a site of tension between femininity and rebellion.
Why Vintage Is the Most Interesting Way In
The balletcore moment has created real demand for the pieces that defined its earlier iterations — and that's where vintage becomes relevant.
Chanel ballet flats from the 1990s and early 2000s carry a different weight than the current versions. The leather, the proportions, the understated logo — these are pieces that predate the trend and therefore exist outside of it. Wearing a vintage pair is not dressing in a trend. It's owning a piece of the history that the trend is drawing from.
The balletcore trend's continued appeal is perhaps due to its accessibility — with such strong visual cues, this aesthetic can easily be achieved through vintage and second-hand shopping.
What to Look For
If you're approaching ballet aesthetic through vintage, the pieces worth finding are the ones that defined the look before it had a name: Chanel ballet flats from the Karl Lagerfeld era, early Miu Miu logo-strap styles, satin evening bags with delicate hardware. These are not trend pieces. They are archive pieces that happen to be exactly what the moment is asking for.
WHY YOU VINTAGE sources rare vintage and preloved pieces from this era globally — including Chanel ballet flats and early Miu Miu. DM us or visit whyyouvintage.com
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