What to wear to the ballet

[Sparklesz]

I am going to the ballet in Edinburgh soon and I don't have a clue what to wear. Can any of you lovey people help

I've never been to the ballet before. Dh got me the tickets for my birthday last year.

It depends how dressy your theatre is. Wear layers as theatres are often a little cooler for the ballet. I tend to wear a maxi skirt locally or go slightly dressier for Covent Garden (depending on what seats I have, but not black tie). I hope you enjoy it!

Festival theatre?

I rarely dress up for the theatre so am usually in jeans and a jumper but I'm a bit of a scruff bag. I used to be a fairly regular edinburgh theatre go-er and my attire was not unusual.

My general advice would be whatever you would be comfortable wearing for an evening meal out with friends.

Thank you @Martinisarebetterdirty think I will have a look for a dress. I am 5ft and overweight fingers crossed I can find something flattering.

It's at the playhouse @AdelaideRo

Thank you for your advice. We will be going out for dinner before it.

I dressed smart casual for my first time and when I got there found people dressed from very casual to black tie! It was nice to see the people who had made an effort it made it more of an occasion

@Crispynoodle think I am going to dress up and make an effort. Just had a quick look for a dress but not seeing anything so far.

@Sparklesz I go to the ballet at the Royal Opera House fairly often. Plenty of people rock up in work clothes for weekday evening performances. Even people being collected by cars outside after aren’t looking like they have been anywhere glamorous. I often wear black (dark) trousers and a satin top. Take a shawl. Smallish bag. Put your coat in the cloakroom and arrive in good time to take your seat. A sleeved dress is perfect too. I also know that no one is looking at me and mostly the lights are dimmed! There’s more important events on the stage! Have a great evening.

Whatever you want. There's no dress code.

Some people dress up- not evening dress, dress up, but can be quite quirky dress up. There's a bloke I see there regularly who wears a floral corduroy suit. Others are just in whatever you'd wear to go the pub/ what they were wearing during the day.

I tend towards quirky dresses.

Just seen it's The Playhouse, I was referring to The Festival Theatre, but same applies.

Smart casual is fine even at the ROH. So is evening wear.

Ballet and opera I find people wear anything from jeans to evening dress.

And there are usually a few little girls in ballet outfits and shoes, often carrying a ballet Barbie.

Evening wear is pretty unusual. It’s usually the person who never goes to ballet! I’ve seen a sequin dress - once. Never seen a man in a floral suit. However if you want to be comfortable and you are not a quirky dresser or a “look at me” dresser, wear something pretty standard - smart daywear.

Evening wear is pretty unusual.

No it's not unusual, but it's not the standard wear it would have once been. I've even seen evening wear at ballet cinema screenings!

I go to the ballet several times a year, including Covent Garden and regional theatres. Evening wear is common as are jeans. You'll even see dinner suits and ball gowns at some of the ballet performances which is rather nice.

Can you post a style your looking for?

I usually wear jeans

The man in the floral corduroy suit is a regular at The Festival Theatre, Edinburgh but that's quirky dressing, not formal dressing. The Festival Theatre definitely attracts quirky dressing but that's probably because they are people who are quirky all the time.

Unless it were a specific gala event, evening dress will make you look like someone who has never been to the ballet before (in my case I've no idea how many I've seen, definitely triple figures) It wouldn't be something I'd buy a special outfit for and never worn evening dress.

Actually, you do see evening dress at Covent Garden, more long dresses than evening suits, although I have seen men in evening suits.

Covent Garden has a whole gamut of styles, although I'd say smart , even if not full on evening dress, is more the case than very casual.Evening dress at a regional theatre would be a bit "never been before"

Generally smart casual. I wear something that I would wear to a restaurant.

I think it is polite to the performers and company to make a bit of an effort compared to say the cinema. I also find that the ballet tends to be a slightly smarter crowd than for a play or musical.

So I would generally avoid jeans, trainers, sweatshirts, shorts etc and go for a dress, or trousers and a top. Not full evening wear though.

I would expect men to be in trousers and shoes and a top with a collar (maybe a shirt but possibly a polo) but not necessarily a tie and no need for a suit unless preferred.

Suits and business attire is fine, proper evening dress tends to stand out more than being too casual.

I am sad to hear tiaras are not worn these days...

I always jeans and trainers to the ballet. I'm not sure many people in the theatres I go to got your memo!

I have been to the ballet in Glasgow, the Royal Scottish Ballet a couple of years ago to the Nutcracker performance.

There were people there in jeans and jumpers. Lots of wee girls in sparkly dresses. It certainly wasn't a "posh frock for the ladies and lounge suits for the men" event.

When I go the majority are in stuff that roughly correlates with what I said, which is why I said it. Not just my personal view, what I observe at various theatres. There are always a few in jeans and trainers. There are normally also a few wearing more dressy stuff. Most wear smart casual but it does vary by city and by production

I saw a small tiara at a special ballet event! Though that was just over 10 years ago.

You definitely see more of the evening wear at that sort of ballet event, but even those in jeans are smart and have made an effort of some sort. It's not jeans accompanied by sweatshirt or that sort of thing.

In London, so many people come from work you see men (and women) in suits, or obviously work attire. Slightly older people men might not have a jacket and prefer a pullover. Anything sparkly stands out. Or obviously evening wear. Jeans would stand out but I’ve rarely seen them. Occasionally on women but with a smart top. Most people just blend in and leave the glamour to the performers!

I'd see it as an excuse to wear a nice dress, probably with heeled boots.