Misty Copeland Pirouettes Through Two Outfit Changes for Her Final American Ballet Theatre Performance
She traded in her pointe shoes for pointed stilettos.
Last night, Misty Copeland—the first African American woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre—took her final bow. The dancer attended the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala on Oct. 22 to perform in her retirement show. In addition to her last dance, Copeland churned out not one, but two lovely looks.
Though the last few years have highlighted balletcore trends—with ballet sneakers, leg warmers, and cardigans rising in popularity—Copeland offered her own take. Dressed in the formal version of a ballerina's tutu, she walked the red carpet ahead of the show in a drop-waist gown with a massive tulle skirt. The colorblocked number, courtesy of Carolina Herrera by Wes Gordon, had an ivory bodice, with a structured peplum waist and ruching throughout.
Misty Copeland attended the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala in a corseted gown.
The look had a peplum waist and tule skirt, reminiscent of a ballerina's tutu.
Her black-and-white outfit matched perfectly with her friend Oprah Winfrey, who she walked the carpet with, hand-in-hand. The talk show host wore a white blazer-style gown, wrapped with a black satin belt.
She walked the red carpet with Oprah Winfrey in coordinating outfits.
Later that night, Copeland pivoted her look entirely. She shed the ballgown and put on a sequin-coated blazer dress for the dinner portion of the evening. The kept the same slicked-back hairstyle, but traded in her pointe shoes for pointed stilettos.
Later that evening, she changed into a sequin blazer dress.
Though her American Ballet Theatre tenure is coming to an end, the dancer is excited for the future. In a previous interview with Marie Claire, she said: "It's so much fun to be able to step outside of what's expected of a dancer and what a dancer's career can look like. That it doesn't just have to be on a stage."
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Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë Kravitz, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.
Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, Cosmopolitan,and more. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.