If you have discovered belly dancing as a hobby you might be excited to go and buy some new accessories. Before you head off to the store you might want to consider what is right for your belly dancing costume.

Usually all you need for your costume is a pair of flowing harem pants or a layered flowing skirt. A bra for a top and you are ready to dance. There are many accessories to choose from to set off your belly dancing costume. Belts are one great way to show off your hips and accessorize your costume.

It was during this process that I learned a great deal about the construction and traditions surrounding ballet shoes, and this information is so fascinating to me that I feel compelled now to convey it to you. Did you know that men wear white ballet shoes, and women wear pink ballet shoes? It’s true, and it is a custom that dates back to the earliest days of ballet, perhaps even to the time in which that young ballerina performed in front of the king and queen to become a princess, and so inspired my young niece to attempt to become a dancer herself. Yes, women wear pink ballet shoes and men wear white, except sometimes they both wear tan shoes, which makes it look like they’re wearing no ballet shoes at all. But they are, so it remains art.

This is not the only interesting fact about ballet shoes that I am excited to be sharing with you now. In addition to the color, the material with which the ballet shoes are constructed can vary, but not according to gender - rather, ballet shoes vary in material based on how expensive the shoes are. Some are made of leather and some are made of canvas, but the most important thing about a good pair of ballet shoes is that the sole remains thin and flexible, because people have to dance in them, and it’s really hard to dance properly in shoes that don’t have a thin and flexible sole. This is why the soles of ballet shoes are thin and flexible.