An edit

What to Wear to the Ballet

Tailored blazers, silk shirts, pleated trousers, dresses, and leather shoes from independent boutiques for a night at the ballet or theatre.

Deciding what to wear to the ballet calls for tailored jackets, pleated trousers, dresses and leather shoes that feel considered without becoming stiff evening wear. The National Ballet of Canada in Toronto says there is no dress code at the ballet and that all looks are welcome. Dark shades of blue and black make a quiet base for sculptural folds and rich textures.

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake pleats its pieces after they are sewn, so they resist wrinkles through a long performance. Pleats Please Issey Miyake grew out of pleated costumes Issey Miyake made for Ballett Frankfurt in the early nineties. Sulvam, the Japanese label Teppei Fujita started in the mid twenty tens, reworks classic tailoring. Pair a suit or blazer with a crisp shirt, and add a fine wool coat for the walk between the theatre and the street.

WDLT117 in Toronto brings sculptural jackets, coats and pleated pieces. Due West in Toronto adds Mackage coats and jackets, and Utopia in Toronto adds Rick Owens, Louis Vuitton and Dior.

Pleats Please Issey Miyake Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal at WDLT117, Toronto

Pleats Please Issey Miyake

Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal

Pleats Please Issey Miyake Classic Pleated Midi-dress Greige at WDLT117, Toronto

Pleats Please Issey Miyake

Classic Pleated Midi-dress Greige

Undercover Wool Languid Jacket Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Wool Languid Jacket Blk

Ottolinger Liberated Double Jacket Green at WDLT117, Toronto

Liberated Double Jacket Green

MM6 Maison Margiela Pinstripe Wool Wide-leg Trousers Black at WDLT117, Toronto

MM6 Maison Margiela

Pinstripe Wool Wide-leg Trousers Blk

MM6 Maison Margiela Buttoned Patterned Straight Trousers Anthracite at WDLT117, Toronto

MM6 Maison Margiela

Buttoned Patterned Straight Trousers Anthracite

Pleats Please Issey Miyake Pleated Midi-Dress Cool Gray at WDLT117, Toronto

Pleats Please Issey Miyake

Pleated Midi-Dress Cool Gray

Pleats Please Issey Miyake Playground Dress Purple at WDLT117, Toronto

Pleats Please Issey Miyake

Playground Dress Purple

Undercover Asymmetric Skirt Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Asymmetric Skirt Blk

Undercover Maxi Flared Skirt Beige at WDLT117, Toronto

Maxi Flared Skirt Beige

MM6 Maison Margiela Folded Wool Dress Dk Grey at WDLT117, Toronto

MM6 Maison Margiela

Folded Wool Dress Dk Grey

RUOHAN Bouvet Dress Bark at WDLT117, Toronto

Bouvet Dress Bark

Litkovska Ruffled Midi Skirt Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Ruffled Midi Skirt Blk

UJOH Work Flare Skirt Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Work Flare Skirt Blk

Mackage Womens Down Jacket Madalyn-Glo - Black at Due West, Toronto

Womens Down Jacket Madalyn-Glo - Black

Mackage Womens Down Jacket Madalyn-Glo - Light Camel at Due West, Toronto

Womens Down Jacket Madalyn-Glo - Light Camel

MM6 Maison Margiela Two-tone Mini Skirt Beige at WDLT117, Toronto

MM6 Maison Margiela

Two-tone Mini Skirt Beige

UJOH Random Hem Flare Skirt Navy at WDLT117, Toronto

Random Hem Flare Skirt Navy

Nina Ricci Bow-detail Flared Trousers Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Bow-detail Flared Trousers Blk

RUOHAN Chromite Isen Pants at WDLT117, Toronto

Chromite Isen Pants

UJOH Slit 6BW Jacket Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Slit 6BW Jacket Blk

Undercover Shawl-lapel Bomber jacket Black at WDLT117, Toronto

Shawl-lapel Bomber jacket Blk

$796~~$1,127~~Last one

UJOH Random Hem Flare Skirt Olive Grey at WDLT117, Toronto

Random Hem Flare Skirt Olive Grey

Y/Project Banana Slim Pants L.Blue at WDLT117, Toronto

Banana Slim Pants L.Blue

$289~~$774~~Last one

Looks in this edit

First snow in Yorkville. Flat lay of a dark chocolate RUOHAN coat, a grey Nina Ricci sweater and dark anthracite MM6 trousers.

First snow in Yorkville

Blue fold lines in Kiyosumi. An adult woman wears cream and blue Pleats Please layers, black cocoon trousers and pale blue Guidi shoes in a Tokyo courtyard.

Blue fold lines in Kiyosumi

Blue hour on the Corniche. Flat lay of a dark navy Undercover shirt, a camel skirt, dark brown Guidi boots and a white Louis Vuitton bag.

Blue hour on the Corniche

Golden hour at Diriyah. Flat lay of an umber RUOHAN coat, an ivory RUOHAN dress, beige Guidi loafers and a black Goyard bag.

Golden hour at Diriyah

A flight to Paris. Flat lay of a grey Issey Miyake dress, a black cardigan, black MM6 ballet flats and a yellow Louis Vuitton bag.

A flight to Paris

A gallery dinner. Flat lay of an olive MM6 Maison Margiela dress, an olive Coperni bag, yellow mules and a silver Tom Wood ring.

A gallery dinner

Common questions

What is the dress code for attending an evening ballet performance?

The National Ballet of Canada says there is no dress code at the ballet and that all looks are welcome. For an evening show, a tailored jacket with pressed trousers or a midi skirt is a simple choice.

Which fabrics work best for sitting through a long performance?

Permanent pleats and fine wool resist wrinkles through a long sitting. Stiff cottons and heavy brocades can bind while seated, so soft knits are a practical choice. The National Ballet of Canada notes that most ballets have at least one intermission.

Which designers specialize in comfortable tailoring for evening arts events?

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake makes pleated separates that are light, quick to dry and easy to wear. Sulvam, a Japanese label started by Teppei Fujita, reworks classic tailoring in a modern way.