by Catherine L. Tully
There are days when you take class in your grungiest clothes and pin your hair up quickly, and there are days you want to look more “put together’. While not every day warrants a fancy outfit and hairstyle, let’s face it–sometimes it’s fun to dress up a little bit!
It is in this spirit that we’ve assembled a few different ideas for adding a touch of fresh style to your look for class. From including a simple flourish on your dance skirt to applying your makeup a little differently, these small things can keep you feeling your best, and add a little inspiration on those days you need a little something to make class a bit more fun…
Try out a new hairstyle
Nothing can change your appearance quite like a new hairstyle, but sometimes it can be hard to figure out what works visually and makes sense for that fast pirouette combination in the middle of class!
The “Re-re Twist”
Created by Hubbard Street dancer Emilie Leriche, the Re-re Twist is a fun, pretty hairstyle we featured previously on the blog a while back. It’s fancy, it’s functional, and it’s different! There is a step-by-step tutorial for you on this page.
After all, braids don’t have to be boring.
If you love the look of a traditional ballet bun but want something fresh, take a peek at Pinterest for over 1,000 options ranging from little variations you can pull off on your own to those that may require a co-pilot. You can also check out this post on the Rockettes site that shares a few video tutorials for creative hairstyles.
Dress up your practice clothes
You don’t always have to buy new leotards or skirts to change up your look for class. With just a little bit of time and a tutorial to follow, creating a new look for old clothes can be a simple task that adds a little bit of interest to an otherwise standard item. It doesn’t have to be expensive!
Add a little sparkle
Popping in a few rhinestones can make a plain skirt or leotard a little prettier. You don’t have to add very many to liven up the look–after all you don’t want to get too flashy–but a well-placed dot of sparkle can look lovely. Here’s a tutorial that walks you through how to add rhinestones to lace:
Go ombre
A great way to extend the life of a plain leotard or skirt is to dye it another color. We love this ombre skirt idea, shown in the video below–it’s very different, and fairly simple to do once you understand the basics of dying fabric. (Get some other outfit ideas from BDancewear’s free DIY download.*)
Change up the makeup
While you may not want to do a full makeup job for class every day, here and there it can feel good to try out a new look, just for kicks. Here are a couple to get you started–
The smokey eye
This is definitely a strong eye makeup look, but it does add quite a bit of drama! Concealer underneath the eye makes it pop, and you can go a little lighter with the coloring if you are looking for something a little less intense.
Simple lip tip
Feel like drawing out your lips a little more without adding a lot of time to your makeup routine? Find out how to emphasize your “cupid’s bow” with this simple lip tip – it takes two seconds!
What do you do to keep your look fresh for class? We’d love to hear any tips you’ve come up with!
*Disclosure – 4dancers accepts compensation from BDancewear as an advertiser on the site.