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Chances are, your ballerina days are behind you. But if you were a dance girlie, you probably remember the tight buns, pale pink tights and nude slippers that make this form of dance so aesthetic. And honestly, your nails are the perfect place to indulge in ballet. Hallmarks of the clean girl look that’s ever-popular, balletcore nails have reinvented the coquette. The result is a more mature, tightly-laced look that could easily go from day to en pointe.
What Are Balletcore Nails?
This trend has a whole lot to do with color. Ballet is associated with these light pinks and soft nudes for a reason: they’re basically the uniform. From pale rose tights to nude leotards, balletcore embraces high femme, very girly colors. The difference between this and coquette is that the approach is more mature overall.
While coquette nails are all about hyper-femininity and embracing the girly aesthetic as a whole, balletcore nails are often much simpler. Paring down loud 3D accessories to simple, delicate nail art, these nail looks feature bows, the signature criss-cross tie of a pointe shoe and carefully selected colors.
Not only is ballet a sport, but it’s a hard one. Many of us former dance girlies had tough-as-nails teachers, and the world of ballet is known for its super strict and carefully curated presentation. It makes sense, then, that balletcore nails are about delicate perfection, the perfect balance between girly and elegant.
Balletcore Nail Colors We Love
Balletcore Nails Inspo
1 / 8
Going En Pointe
If there’s one thing every ballerina looks forward to, it’s tying up that first pair of pointe shoes. These tippy-toe shoes are so iconic to ballet and their signature criss-cross wrapping is a huge part of the ballet aesthetic. This manicure channels that signature elegance beautifully.
@bycheznails 2 / 8
Romantic Ballerina
Just like in Swan Lake, there are plenty of moody and romantic ballerina looks that we just adore. While these colors probably wouldn’t fly in dance practice, this look is definitely recital-worthy!
@bycheznails 3 / 8
Think Pink
Super clean and neat, this is the ideal balletcore look for your daily routine. It’s “clean girl” meets “pink girl” for a ballet-inspired finish.
@denvermanic 4 / 8
Glossy Girl
Another gorgeous pink, the shape of these nails helps elongate the fingers and make them look more elegant.
@mjramirez88 5 / 8
Performance Art
The perfect set for an on-stage ballerina moment, these pearl-accented nails are an understated way to make a huge impression.
@overglowedit 6 / 8
Frosted Fairy
The frosted look of these magnetic nails are giving Nutcracker fairy! Delicate and light-catching, these are a ballerina’s dream.
@overglowedit 7 / 8
Put a Bow on it
A romantic take on the balletcore look, this look combines the signature bow with a moodier red for a show-stopping mani.
@samrosenails 8 / 8
Lovely Lace
Using signature balletcore colors, this nail look creates a dimensional and intricate look by incorporating lace patterns.
@samrosenails 
