Ballet is a beautiful dance form. A performance can be the highlight of a night out and an unforgettable theatrical experience for anyone, whether you’re watching as your first ballet or returning to see your favorite performance from the past few decades. Ballet is a formal art form, but that doesn’t mean you have to dress formally when heading out for the evening. The audience members are part of the theater experience, and dressing appropriately will add to your enjoyment of the performance.
For men: blazer and dress pants with a collared shirt, tie optional.
The blazer and dress pants combo is the perfect choice for any man hoping to dress well for a ballet performance. This outfit is both formal and comfortable, making it an easy way to look great while avoiding discomfort (which is particularly important in the case of men’s dancewear, as a loose fit can often lead to injury). In order to achieve this balance, be sure that your blazer and dress pants are tailored so that they fit well without being too tight. It’s recommended to wear a long-sleeved collared shirt underneath with a tie or bowtie, but you’re not obligated—as long as your top has a collar and long sleeves, you’ll be fine.
Before heading out the door, double check that your shoes are polished leather loafers or oxfords (which will give you more support than ballet flats) and make sure that their color coordinates with your belt. If all else fails, bring along a nice pair of boots with no visible laces—you’ll be chic whatever you decide!
For women: a cocktail or evening skirt or dress.
Fashion is an important part of ballet, and choosing the right outfit can make seeing this classic dance form a memorable experience. If you’re planning to attend a performance of The Nutcracker or Swan Lake, here’s what to wear so that you stand out as a classy audience member.
As for accessories for women, we recommend leaving largely at home statement pieces that would distract from the performance on stage. Instead, opt for tasteful additions like small earrings and tasteful necklaces that will draw attention to your face without becoming too flashy or distracting. This is also where it’s appropriate to add more sparkle—consider incorporating sequins into your ensemble if you want a little more shine!
A darker ensemble is appropriate for the ballet performance. Pastels and bright colors are best left for performances during the afternoon or the summer months.
One of the trickiest things about dressing for the ballet is that it’s a fine line between formal and casual. When you’re attending a daytime performance, you’ll probably be able to get away with more casual attire, but when night falls and everyone is wearing their best evening wear, blending in without looking too formal is key.
The best way to make sure your ensemble meshes with everyone else’s is to keep colors in mind. Pastels, especially those in shades of pink, are great for daytime performances or any other event that happens earlier in the day. If you’re unsure of just how formal an event will be, pastels are a great way to keep your look on point while still remaining versatile. On the other hand, darker colors like navy blue and black are ideal for night events and are better suited for what people typically consider “formal wear”.
Men should not wear shorts, tennis shoes, or jeans to the ballet.
You should not wear shorts or tennis shoes to the ballet. You might think it’s okay because you’re a man, but it’s not. The only way men can ever get away with wearing shorts and tennis shoes is if they are playing sports or are on vacation, and even then, shorts are still a risky choice.
You might also be tempted to wear jeans to the ballet. While it’s true that jeans have become more acceptable as formalwear in recent years, they’re still not right for the ballet. Even if you wear nice jeans with a blazer and dress shoes, you’ll feel like you’re overdressed at a barbecue with your friends’ dads when they come out of their offices on casual Fridays wearing “business-casual” outfits that look almost exactly like what you have on.
Women should avoid wearing jeans, turquoise, shorts, flip flops and sneakers to a night time performance of the ballet.
When your next trip to the ballet is coming up, you can use these tips to help decide what to wear.
When it comes to clothing, you will want to be mindful of the dress code of the venue you are attending. If you are going to a performance of the ballet or a Broadway production, it is best to be dressed as nicely as possible. This means that jeans are a definite no-no and so are turquoise and shorts. Flip flops and sneakers should also never be worn at this type of event. For women who want something more formal in dress attire, they can opt for black cocktail dresses or long gowns with casual hair and make up.
Day time events or afternoon performances will be more casual then a night time performance. For example, dresses with light colors will be acceptable at an afternoon performance whereas they would not be appropriate at night.
You may be wondering how to dress for the ballet. When attending a ballet during the day, there are fewer expectations of what to wear than if you were attending at night. This is because evening performances tend to be more formal, whereas daytime events will be more casual. If you do attend an afternoon or morning performance, you can certainly still dress up and it would not be considered inappropriate; however, dressing in business casual attire will also likely be fine and accepted by all audience members.
If you are attending a ballet at night, however, you should keep in mind that the event is a formal one and should be treated as such. Women should wear dresses (preferably long ones) and tasteful jewelry; men should wear collared shirts and dress pants with suits being optional but not necessary. If you are unsure about whether or not your outfit is appropriate for such an occasion, simply err on the side of caution by wearing something more formal rather than less as it will always look better to have dressed nicely rather than too casually when compared with those around you.
Jeans are usually discouraged at any time except possibly for more casual venues such as outdoor performances of the ballet or Broadway productions that engage in more contemporary dance forms such as tap dance.
Jeans are usually discouraged at any time except possibly for more casual venues such as outdoor performances of the ballet or Broadway productions that engage in more contemporary dance forms such as tap dance.
Even if the event is casual, jeans should always be neat and clean. Jeans with holes or worn-out areas may not be appropriate for a ballet performance under any circumstances.
If you are attending a festival where performances by different companies may be given on the same day, you may need to dress differently depending on each company’s culture and expectations. For example, when I attended a ballet festival given by American Ballet Theater I noticed that most people dressed up; however when I attended performances given during Jacob’s Pillow’s festival everything was much more casual with some people even wearing shorts or jeans to see performances in the afternoon (though these were contemporary dance forms rather than strictly classical ballet).
Whether you’re attending a performance given by the New York City Ballet or the San Francisco Ballet, make sure that you’re dressing for the occasion. While it’s true that the main event is what’s happening onstage, your attire should still reflect your respect for dancers as artists and for their work. And there are other reasons to dress appropriately:
- Dressing in a way that’s appropriate for ballet (and other art forms) is part of maintaining traditions and honoring those who came before us.
- Wearing casual clothing to an art form like ballet may make you feel out of place.
- If you wear something too formal, such as a ball gown or tuxedo, you may find yourself physically uncomfortable at some point during the performance (especially if your seat is not ideal).
- You don’t want to miss anything because you’re sweating in a heavy suit coat or shivering because you didn’t wear an overcoat!
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. You can now dress your best for a night at the ballet knowing that whatever you pick to wear is most likely appropriate. A suit, black tie, dress or skirt, blouse, and tuxedo are all acceptable options. If you want to make sure that you’re dressing to impress on your next night out at the ballet, stick with one of these suggestions and you’ll be good to go!
As you prepare for your night out at the ballet, you may be wondering what to wear. What clothes can you put on that will let you blend in with the other audience members – and make sure nobody’s eyes are drawn to the fact that your outfit is a little different?
The answer is simple: there’s no dress code for ballet performances. Whether it’s an afternoon or evening show, casual or formal, or classical ballet or modern dance, as long as your clothing is clean and modest, anything goes. As a result, some audience members choose to wear cocktail dresses and tuxedoes while others go in jeans and sneakers. It all depends on what best fits the occasion.
So whether you prefer something sporty or business-casual, there’s nothing stopping you from wearing whatever feels comfortable!
