Be Beaux Arts: Dancers of Degas

BBA is a series in which I use a piece of artwork as fashion inspiration. This time I have chosen Edgar Degas' 1878 Dancers, a beautiful, lyrical work that showcases one of his inspirations: ballet. I am feeling drawn to soft shades of pink and grey, as you can probably tell! The hazy quality of the Degas pastel is so evocative of smooth silk, rustling tulle, and the lithe bodies of the dancers. It's such a calming world.

Pink and grey are classic ballet colors. They are simple and quiet, but when combined with interesting shapes and a dancer's attitude, these two unassuming colors become electrifying! Of course you must get the shades right: light pink and dove grey or slate grey with a touch of blue are ideal. Wrap sweaters, like the ruffled grey one from Anthropologie, immediately nod to ballet. Lush layers of fabric like the ruffled pink sweater from Anthropologie and the white empire dress from Max Studio are like tulle skirts, but much more wearable for everyday. And you don't need to wear ballet flats to get the ballet look. Pink and grey on any round toed shoe will suffice. Both shown are from UO.