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.

Homme Plisse Issey Miyake Edge Pants Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake
Edge Pants Blk
$648
WDLT117
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake Straight-leg Pleated Trousers Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake
Straight-leg Pleated Trousers Blk
$521
WDLT117
Undercover Prints Padded Jacket Gray Beige at WDLT117, Toronto
Undercover
Prints Padded Jacket Gray Beige
$2,055Last one
WDLT117
Rick Owens Outershirt Lodenette Wool Fawn at Utopia, Toronto
Rick Owens
Outershirt Lodenette Wool Fawn
$918
Utopia
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake Basic Pleated Straight Leg Pants Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake
Basic Pleated Straight Leg Pants Blk
$478
WDLT117
UJOH Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Black at WDLT117, Toronto
UJOH
Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Blk
$634Last one
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Daisy Worker Jacket Oat at WDLT117, Toronto
Song for the Mute
Daisy Worker Jacket Oat
$1,122
WDLT117
Herno Mens Down Jacket Polar Tech Recycle - Absolute Black at Due West, Toronto
Herno
Mens Down Jacket Polar Tech Recycle - Absolute Black
$1,017
Due West
Undercover Kasuri Pants Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Undercover
Kasuri Pants Black
$775
WDLT117
UJOH Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Chocolate at WDLT117, Toronto
UJOH
Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Chocolate
$738
WDLT117
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake Basic Pleated Jacket Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake
Basic Pleated Jacket Blk
$941Last one
WDLT117
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake Basic Pleated Jacket L. Grey at WDLT117, Toronto
Homme Plisse Issey Miyake
Basic Pleated Jacket L. Grey
$941
WDLT117
UJOH Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Blue Grey at WDLT117, Toronto
UJOH
Tape-Belt 1 Tuck Pants Blue Grey
$594Last one
WDLT117
Undercover Zip Pocket Cargo Trousers Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Undercover
Zip Pocket Cargo Trousers Blk
$688Last one
WDLT117
Coor Pleated Washed Leather Jacket - Brown at Due West, Toronto
COOR
Pleated Washed Leather Jacket - Brown
$844
Due West
Coor Vegetable Swingtop Pleated Leather Jacket - Black at Due West, Toronto
COOR
Vegetable Swingtop Pleated Leather Jacket - Black
$774Last one
Due West
Masnada Tailored Straight-leg Pants Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Masnada
Tailored Straight-leg Pants Blk
$869Last one
WDLT117
Amiri Floral Velvet Slim Thrasher Jeans Indigo at Utopia, Toronto
Amiri
Floral Velvet Slim Thrasher Jeans Indigo
$565
Utopia
UJOH Rib Collar 4 Pockets Blouson Navy at WDLT117, Toronto
UJOH
Rib Collar 4 Pockets Blouson Navy
$923Last one
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Art Jacket Black at WDLT117, Toronto
Song for the Mute
Art Jacket Black
$691
WDLT117
Rick Owens Mastodon Megacargo Pant Heavy Faille Black at Utopia, Toronto
Rick Owens
Mastodon Megacargo Pant Heavy Faille Black
$707
Utopia
Song for the Mute Houndstooth Mirror Pleated Pant Black/White at WDLT117, Toronto
Song for the Mute
Houndstooth Mirror Pleated Pant Black/White
$217$692
WDLT117
PRONOUNCE Adjustable Length Half Button Jacket at WDLT117, Toronto
PRONOUNCE
Adjustable Length Half Button Jacket
$492$1,590
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Pleated Zip-up Jacket Sand at WDLT117, Toronto
Song for the Mute
Pleated Zip-up Jacket Sand
$651$1,198
WDLT117

Looks in this edit

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.