What I like about this picture:
(Violetta Elvin as Odette in Lé Lac Des Cygnes)
(from Ballet Portraits, by Maurice Seymore, copyright 1952 Pelligrini and Cudahy)
Those hips! Can I get an amen?
Strong legs
Fishnet stockings. See, they’re not trashy, dancers wear them.
The way those hips nip in to that waist. Can I get a hallelujah!
Guessing there is some real cleavage behind those lovely strong arms. None of that painted-on-cleavage for Ms. Elvin.
Laws have mercy! Testify!
That photograph is beautiful.
Preach it sister!
She’s so beautiful! Sturdy girls Rock!
Make me wanna slap my momma!
Amen! I adore those old ballet pictures…the hairstyles, the great vintage costumes, the cat-eye makeup, and the different bodies. But then I started life as an athlete and am biased towards “sturdy”, as you put it, because it is so functional as well as decorative (with the acknowledgement that all body types can be both or neither).
I have to put a plug in for fishnet tights too. They have a bad rap due to the stock imagery of black fishnets on a sexy woman, but nude- or subdued-colored fishnets? Magical concealer of all flaws, real and imagined…they screen out spider veins, cellulite, mild bruises, whatever and make your legs appear sleek and shapely with a matte finish vs. the sort of shiny finish that the old pantyhose or many tights give. Science note: surfaces that absorb light appear to be receding or smaller, while those that reflect light appear to be coming out at you or larger (which is the logical reason behind why we say that black is slimming and white is embiggening, but I digress). There is a reason showgirls and stage dancers wear them other than fashion
And if you get a smaller weave, they appear smoother (the streetwalker black ones usually come in large weave).
The Adult Beginner is a big fan of fishnets, be they slutty or ladylike.
Here’s a little something some showgirls taught me: Nude fishnets over nude stockings. You get the contour and shading of the fishnet, while the stocking eliminates all jiggles.
OMG…that sounds brilliant, if a bit sweaty
I kind of like the breezy-ness of fishnets but if I were onstage, I’d totally double-layer!
Fascinating… I’ve layered black fishnets over nude, but never nude fishnets. The regular tights also help to keep the fishnets from digging in, which can be particularly uncomfortable, especially when trying to dance in the things.
Yeah, and layering equals less funny cross-hatching pattern imprinted on your knees.
Heh. The one time I complained to my husband about having “waffle butt” from my fishnets, he replied with “Hey, you like waffles!”
Ha! Wafflebutt.
Amen, amen!
Any ballroom dancer over 30 will tell you that dark tan (almost rust-colored in the package) professional fishnets are a must on the competition floor for faking an even, tanned skin tone and containing anything that might even think about jiggling or sticking out. I have a few fairly large lipomas (argh) on my pasty white (double argh) legs but the fishnets smooth everything over. And they last forever thanks to high Lycra content. God bless a former teacher of mine for giving about 5 unopened pairs that I’m still wearing two years later.
Re: that photo, as you said, the defined waist is marvelous. I love that the tutu starts lower on the hips. More recent tutus seem to start higher up and I think they’re less flattering. I think a tutu can look silly if it flaps up to the level of your ribcage every time you do so much as a changement.
Yes, those pro fishnets are amazing, and they have the solid toe, so nice.
Umm, actually? I think the tights are old-school mesh nylon with seams. I have a couple pairs and that’s the texture they have. No spandex at-all but a godsend in hot weather.