Beginner ballerinas' style guide

It is September. It is the start of a new school year and a new theatre season, which is always a good time to start something new.

I hope more people start ballet or thinking of starting it. So here is the beginner ballerinas' style guide. Click here for the collection.

You can take ballet classes wearing yoga wear or other sport wear. But, a friend of mine, who worked for Japanese dancewear brand Chacott, used to say, "Dance wear and costumes are an integral part of a dance discipline. So wearing a specific outfit puts you in the mindset of the specific dance and makes you dance better and look better."

So, let's sort out your ballet wear.

Start simple, which, however, does not mean boring. With Prima Materia, you can customise leotards with colours, prints and other details. Here are some picks.

• Virginia - Camisole style. It shows your neckline and shoulders

• Isabelle - Tank style with an open décolleté neckline. You can customise with sleeves if you want to cover your shoulder and arms.

• Yukaria - Tank style similar to Isabelle but with a higher neckline if you want a little more coverage. The back opening is a little lower than Isabelle for an easy put-on and take-off.

• Nicola - Racer back style. It features slight halter neck and shoulder lines. It especially looks good if you have athletic shoulder and arms (like myself. I did gymnastics, school athletics. handball and a bit of tennis on top of ballet).

• Miyako - Raglan sleeve style. Miyako comes with cap sleeves or longer sleeves. It features an open flat U neckline and good coverages on shoulder and back. If you have a narrow or wide shoulder and struggle to find a good fitting shoulder-armhole seams, Miyako is a good choice because it does not have those seams. The leotard's raglan sleeves stretch and fit nicely on your shoulders.

"I don't mind wearing a leotard but want a layer over."

• Try Custom cowl neck T shirt. It is made of stretch cotton and feels very comfortable. It is easy to put on and take off during the class and the wide cowl neck is very unlikely to catch or pull your hear do-s or earrings.

"I am not comfortable with the bikini line."

• First of all, wear ballet tights of a colour of your choice under or over the leotard. Then a wrap skirt and a SAB (School of American Ballet) skirt are the good starting point. As you continue on, you can start trying more designed styles, such as the High-low style and mesh pull-on skirts.

"I do not want to wear a skirt."

• Try Custom ballet and dance shorts. They are made of same Lycra fabric as leotards. The waist is elastic and come with the useful side pockets.

"I do not have a ballerina physique."

• No one does! The good news is with Prima Materia, you can customise any size.

I hope this helps you to decide how stylistically you want to start ballet. Contact me if you have any questions. Please subscribe to the newsletter from the sign up form below and receive a 10% off on your first order.

Happy dancing!