I love ballet. Fact.

I've danced since the age of four and though I often claim I'm not the world's biggest girly girl, ballet is one of my main artistic outlets. And now my little outlet is finding its way to the high street and I for one couldn't be happier. Now granted, leotards are - in my opinion - one of the most unflattering items of clothing to wear. They're tight, they usually cut up higher than a tiny pair of bikini bottoms and more often than not, the ones with the pretty, delicate straps make it incredibly difficult to wear a bra. But stay with me, because ballet really is brilliant.

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1) Ignore everything I just said about leotards. Fashion leotards, whilst posing a few of the same problems, can actually be used to create a beautifully sculpted outfit. For instance, wearing one under a skirt eradicates the problem of tucking in a top and leaving you with a mound of material around your waist. For example this collection of leotards by American Apparel via Asos would be perfect to be used under a skirt or pair of shorts. I personally own a lace and a plain black leotard, the latter of which I use for ballet practice and nights out (not on the same day though!) Two for the price of one!

 

2) Tights. Every ballet dancer needs a few trusty pairs of tights to wear under their leos (and that goes for the boys too!) Now if any of you have done ballet before, you'll be aware of the annoying seam that often travels up the back of your leg.  Luckily for fashion, this part need not be copied. Typically ballet tights are pink or pale peach in colour but whether you prefer plain or patterned, with autumn just round the corner tights can act as a perfect balletic barrier.

 

3) Dresses. Now ask anyone to draw a ballerina and nine times out of ten, they'll draw a young girl in a frilly tutu. As fun as tutus are, they're not the most practical item of clothing to wear out for lunch or in a busy night club. So instead, dresses with chiffon sections or skater-type skirts are brilliant copies. A few notable ones to try are this pleated dress from Rare, this zip chiffon dress from New Look or even this textured lace dress from Forever 21.

 

 

4) Ballet pumps are a perfect way to finish off a ballet-inspired outfits and there are plenty of pairs to be found. Asos in particular have a large number to choose between and in a variety of style, design and colour. Also, shoes with ribbon are ballet-inspired and I remember seeing a great pair on Miss Selfridge a few months back.

 

5) And finally, a ballet bun to - quite literally - top it all off. No longer are bun rings only for ballerinas. Now because I had to wear my hair in a bun for ballet examinations in the past, I was a little hesitant to try wearing a bun ring outside of dance but now I can't get enough of it. It's perfect for windy days when you want something pretty yet practical and really helps to make an outfit look completely different. With big buns being so on trend, you can find bun rings almost anywhere - I've been buying mine from Primark but I've seen them in Boots, Superdrug and online in places like Asos too.

 

So there we have it - balletic beauty! The best thing about using ballet as inspiration for fashion is that it breaks all the stereotypes. No longer do you need to be tall, slim and flexible to be as beautiful as a ballerina. And that goes for actual ballet too. I'm far from the typical ballet dancer - I'm average height and my flexibility needs a lot of work -  but I won't let that stop me from doing something I enjoy. So to finish, I thought I'd post a little picture from my past.





Yep, that's really me.



I think I was about 6 or 7 in this and it is not the best ballet photo ever! The tutu I'm wearing is far too small for me and my supposedly "pointed" foot is actually terribly sickled. But I thought I would share it all the same.

Do any of you dance? Or find your hobbies making a foray into fashion?