How to rock balletcore fashion like Blackpink’s Jennie: her Born Pink stage outfits turbocharged the ultra-feminine style for 2023, and Red Velvet’s Joy and Yeri have been dressing like dancers too

Mar 16 , 2023

Blackpink’s Jennie has been delighting fashion fans with her elegant balletcore looks on stage in recent months. Photos: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Korean fashion in 2022 was all about hip-hop and retro influences, with Y2K looks in particular dominating people’s wardrobes. We saw everything from visible thongs and cargo pants to even mini-braids making a reappearance. But for girlie girls, 2023 might just be your year: ultra-feminine looks are making a serious comeback in the form of balletcore – with Blackpink’s Jennie leading the pack.

But just what is balletcore, and how do you sport the style for yourself?

What is balletcore?

To perfect the balletcore look like Blackpink’s Jennie, think “off-duty ballerina”. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Think along the lines of what a ballerina would wear during studio practice, but watered down for daily wear. And the trend works too with a pastel or neutral colour palette that sticks – it does not always have to scream pink.

Tutus, tulle, ribbon and satin in any combination are central to the balletcore look, as Blackpink’s Jennie shows. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

Staple pieces that can easily turn any outfit balletcore include wrap cardigans and leg warmers. Wrap skirts are sometimes layered over exercise shorts if not worn on their own. If you think that your look is leaning more towards “yoga mum”, you can easily jazz up your leggings with pastel leg warmers and a matching wrap cardigan.

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Doing balletcore like Blackpink’s Jennie

Blackpink’s Jennie is credited with pioneering the ultra girlie fashion look. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

While balletcore isn’t a new concept, it’s Blackpink’s Jennie who has given the look a boost in Asia. Even when it comes to brands she hasn’t actually been seen in, copies on Chinese shipping platform Taobao all bear her name in the searches.

Jennie perfected the style during the group’s most recent world tour, Born Pink. She wore outfits centred around the balletcore style for her solo song, with a different coloured tutu at every stop. Each tutu was paired with matching leg warmers worn over Mary Janes or ballet flats – another balletcore staple.

She’s not the only one …

The beauty of balletcore? Wear it for your workout, then keep the look for the rest of the day à la Red Velvet’s Joy. Photo: @_imyour_joy/Instagram

Jennie isn’t the only star to try out the look. Red Velvet’s Joy was recently spotted in a pink wrap top and a small duffel on the way to Pilates.

Red Velvet’s Yeri wears Lululemon and poses in pigtails on her Instagram. Photo: @yerimiese/Instagram

Fellow member Yeri has also adopted the leg warmers-over-leggings look, pairing them with ballet braids.

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The new “It girl” style

Jennie shows off the blue balletcore look she wore for Blackpink’s Denmark show. Photo: @jennierubyjane/Instagram

As balletcore gains popularity, a number of brands have incorporated the look into their latest collections. Popular brand Not Your Rose is better known for its floral prints, with actresses such as Park Min-young rocking their pieces. But this season it has cranked up the dial on the balletcore component with the Kate Wrap Skirt and matching corset-inspired top.

This ethereal look from Not Your Rose ticks all the balletcore boxes. Photo: Not Your Rose

The brand has also put a spin on the usual delicate wrap cardigans by turning them into one-shouldered crop tops. The ties are also extra-long, so fans of an edgier style can still execute the criss-crossed straps over the abs look we saw so much of in 2022.

Newcomer South Korean brand Pehrt is a ballet clothing brand in all but name. Photo: Pehrt

Others have simply launched as a balletcore aesthetic brand, straight up. Newcomer Pehrt has dedicated its entire collection to the look. Track pants are made out of pastel-coloured satin, while short flared skirts are made functional with built-in shorts underneath. Having sold like hot cakes since its first collection launched, the Korean brand is definitely carving out a niche for itself. It has even found popularity overseas, with seven online stockists in China.

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Blackpink

Seeing Blackpink’s Jennie wear different coloured tutus and leg warmers every night on her Born Pink tour turbocharged the trend for 2023, and Red Velvet’s Joy and Yeri have joined in too
Korean brands such as Not Your Rose appear to have jumped on the balletcore bandwagon, while newcomer Pehrt’s whole aesthetic screams ‘off-duty ballerina’