Examples of 17th-century ballet court costumes.

As ballet expanded beyond the courts of Renaissance Italy into the more opulent circles of the French aristocracy, the emphasis on visual spectacle intensified, ushering in an era where costumes dazzled with gold embroidery and theatrical pageantry, yet remained bound by restrictive silhouettes. The 17th century brought about more silks, satins, and fabrics embroidered with real gold and jewels, attracting the audience to the spectacle of décor on the court performances. Women’s court dress continued to be the standard attire, adhering to the tradition of restrictive costumes. Since women were not the primary focus during court performances, their costumes remained constricting, primarily serving to enhance the overall visual appeal of the scene; these costumes were often adorned with wigs, jewelry, and long trains (Ballet Costume History).

 Male costumes, however, began to offer greater freedom of movement, allowing for more dynamic gestures compared to the restrictive female attire. This allowed male dancers to perform more athletic and varied roles. For instance, male dancers often wore a stiff, wired, knee-length skirt of brocade or similar material, called a tonnelet or à la Romaine/tonneau (The Lewis Foundation). Additionally, male dancers who performed en travesti—a theatrical character played by the opposite sex—would wear costumes designed to mimic contemporary female dress. Both men and women during this time also wore heels to accentuate their steps (Ballet Costume History).

Examples of 18th-century costumes.

While the 17th century celebrated opulence through rich fabrics and ornate embellishments, the 18th century marked a subtle shift. Early in the 18th century, ballet costumes began to become significantly more relaxed and less restrictive, driven by the artistic desire for greater dramatic expression and the increasing technical demands placed on professional dancers. In addition, women's costumes became shorter to display their technical abilities. It was common for dancers to wear leather masks during their performances, and much like the length of the skirts, dancers decided to stop wearing the masks, due to the restrictions they caused to their facial expressions. During the early reign of Louis XVI, court dress, ballet costumes, and fashionable architecture still embraced Rococo motifs—such as floral garlands and ornamental prints—before Neoclassical tastes began to take hold.  "Flowers, flounces, ribbons, and lace emphasized this opulent, feminine style, as soft pastel tones in citron, peach, pink, azure, and pistachio dominated the color range of stage costumes." (Ballet Costume History) By the mid-18th century, dancers had gradually shed the layers that had once defined court performance. Skirts rose above the ankle to highlight swift footwork. The once-customary leather masks fell out of favor, revealing facial expression as a new element of storytelling. Leading voices like Jean-Georges Noverre championed these changes, calling for costuming that supported rather than stifled drama. Draped tunics inspired by ancient Greece became the new ideal, emphasizing flow and freedom over ornament and rigidity (The Lewis Foundation).

At the turn of the 20th century, ballet began to stretch the boundaries of both technique and tradition, ushering in radical changes led by artists who prioritized realism, character, and bold new aesthetics over decorative uniformity. The 20th century continued to build upon the ingenuity of the 19th century, ushering in significant ballet costume reform. Russian choreographer Michel Fokine was a key influence, often challenging the standardized classical tutu (which had become very short and stiff by the late 19th century, similar to the tutu on the right side) to create costumes that were historically accurate, dramatically appropriate, and allowed for greater expressive movement tailored to each specific ballet. The short classical tutu itself, already established, served to display the height of the leg during turns, highlight the lines and musculature of the leg, and emphasize the dancer's athleticism (Ballet Costume History).

 Another pivotal figure in costume reform during this time was Isadora Duncan. She advocated for total freedom from corsets and pointe shoes, offering a revolutionary natural silhouette. Her dancers, who were pioneers of modern dance, were often dressed in loose tunics, harem pants, and turbans, a radical departure from the established tutu and feather headdress of ballet. Instead of discreet pastel colors, Duncan's work utilized vibrant shades such as yellow, orange, or red, often in wild patterns, giving the spectator an unprecedented visual impression of exciting exoticism (Ballet Costume History).

The bold innovations of choreographers like Fokine, who emphasized dramatic and thematic appropriateness over rigid tradition, and radical figures like Isadora Duncan, who completely reimagined dance attire for unparalleled freedom, irrevocably reshaped the landscape of dance costume in the 20th century.

 This legacy of stylistic diversity and functional liberation continues to define present-day ballet costumes. Today's designs prioritize a dancer's unhindered movement and the clear articulation of lines, while simultaneously serving the unique artistic vision of each choreographer and the specific narrative of the ballet. Beyond the enduring presence of the traditional classical tutu and the male tunic-and-tights for canonical works, contemporary and neoclassical ballets embrace a vast array of modern materials, from stretch mesh to innovative synthetic blends. Costumes can range from minimalist and sleek, designed to enhance the body's natural form, to highly conceptual and abstract, or even incorporate everyday wear, truly reflecting the boundless evolution and diverse styles within the art form itself.