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.
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.
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.
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."
