The Incoming Ballet Aesthetic

This fall, coming to trends near you.

By Lizzie Sexton.

First, there was the Clean Girl Aesthetic. Then, there was the Cool Girl Aesthetic. Now, get ready for the latest lifestyle/fashion aesthetic that’ll soon be all TikTok can talk about: Ballet Core. If you haven’t purchased your own pair of knee-high socks and legwarmers, boy, do I have news for you. Let’s dive into the newest trend that’ll soon take the world by storm.

The show is about to begin…

The noticeable rise of this sleek, minimalist trend is no surprise. After the slick-back bun became the most worn hairstyle of 2022, the next logical course of action had to be pairing the updo with tights and ballet flats. The commonality between most trends recently is minimalism. Influencers and trend followers have opted for neutral colors, simple accessories and an overall “put together” look lately. This largely contrasts with the 2021 trends, which featured 80s-inspired loud patterns, chunky jewelry and in-your-face colors. The main protagonist in the Hulu original movie “Not Okay”, played by Zoey Deutch, is an influencer in 2021 who obsessively follows micro trends. The character wears items such as acrylic rings, abstract clothing and Urban Outfitters’ most popular items of 2021. The black-and-white difference between the trends of *only* two years ago versus today is truly astonishing. Thanks, fast fashion!

Zoey Deutch in “Not Okay” (2022)

The new model off-duty

From the icon herself Miranda Priestly, trends are filtered “​​through the department stores, and then trickled down into some tragic casual corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.” Sure enough, every trend comes from high-fashion models or starlets with heavy influence on the fashion industry. I think we all remember the chokehold Ms. Emma Chamberlain had on the fashion industry. When model Bella Hadid started sporting knee-high socks paired with ballet flats in her latest Instagram photo dumps, there was no going back. Ballet core had made its debut to the public, it’s only downhill from there. 

Bell Hadid wearing Ballet Core

The final stage: Acceptance

To each their own; however, I personally don’t mind ballet core. There’s a certain elegance to it that we haven’t seen yet in most trends. Yes, I may be biased, but the slick-back bun is way too easy to throw your hair into and leg warmers are undoubtedly comfortable. There’s something for everyone! And if you prefer the colorful, bright trends of 2021, there is some good news for you: The fast fashion cycle is circulating so quickly now that most trends from the past two years or so will return in about five years. Maybe don’t throw out your acrylic rings and phone charms just yet, soon they’ll be known as “Fashion from the 20s”. Scary right? 

While the internet cycles through micro-trends like there is no tomorrow and yesterday’s clothes are already out of style, wearing what you love is the perfect way to break out of the cycle. If you prefer a messy bun over the slick-back look, you do you. Personal style will always beat micro-trends. And if you don’t love the upcoming Ballet Aesthetic, it’ll be gone soon enough.

Lizzie Sexton

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