Ballet began in Italy and France during the Renaissance. The costumes were created specifically for this form of dance in the 15th century. Most of the dancers wore special costumes and masks for ballet, and the average costume was luxurious.

Made of silk or cotton, ballet tutus had linen mixed together to make a flowy material that was partially transparent. Men usually wore a tight-fitting brocade cuirass and women wore fringed silk robes that were elegant and rich. During the second half of the 15th century, costumes were similar to exaggerated and detailed street clothes.

In the 17th century, the tutu became much more elegant and decorative. Gold, satins, silks, precious stones, and other expensive materials decorated the ballet costumes. Elements were added to the men’s suits to denote their craft, while the women’s suits remained unchanged. Early Russian ballet companies dressed in European styles, with men dressed in liberating clothing while women wore heavy dresses that restricted their movements. Men who danced like women used to wear knee-length skirts.

When the 18th century arrived, Paris was the center of ballet in Europe. Stage costumes were similar to court costumes with elaborate and decorative trim. The basket became popular in the 18th century, and flowers, ribbons, and ruffles soon became popular adornments for popular soft, pastel-colored garments. Women began to dance more in men’s roles during this period, but large headdresses and wigs were still in fashion at the time.

Romanticism was popular during the 19th century, and ballet dancers wore costumes that reflected this ideal. Their costumes were tight-fitting and they wore flower crowns. Men’s suits remained patterned in neoclassical styles. Around 1832, the suits became tighter and showed the legs. All the ballet dancers wore pointe shoes. Fantasy costumes were popular during this period, thanks to Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and other fairy-tale ballet pieces.

Ballet costumes were modified at the beginning of this century, with tutus only reaching to the knees to show the graceful footwork and footwork. The dancers were freed from the corsets by Isadora Duncan, and the natural silhouette was also introduced by this famous dancer.

The pre-war robe shape became very popular around the 1920s, with many additions from Eastern cultures such as turbans, harem pants, and brightly colored veils. Most of the restrictions on ballet costumes were lifted after Serge Diaghilev’s death in 1929. There are currently no limits on the costumes that can be worn, but many of the costumes that are worn today, such as the tutu, were heavily influenced by Diaghilev’s designs.