As an adult dancer, you are not expected to be perfect, but you need to look presentable and neat during class. Wearing your dance clothes properly is the first step towards looking well put together and feeling like a dancer.

But how do you go about it? If you cannot wait for the exclusive dance clothes arrivals, here are some tips to help you look your best:

Wash Your Shoes

Your ballet shoes will get dirty quickly, especially if you own just a single pair. Your sweaty feet set up a cozy environment for bacteria while the outside of your shoes sweep up dust from the floor. Do not be afraid to wash your shoes occasionally (you won’t ruin them if you follow the instructions) and they will look clean and keep the bad odors at bay.

Tuck in Drawstrings

An untucked drawstring just screams out beginner. Elastic drawstrings found on ballet shoes are made for tightening the shoes around the top of your feet. When you tighten it, tuck it away so it is not visible. Usually only children let their drawstrings hang around as they dance.

Pull out Your Shank

If you are training for pointe and want your shoes to fit better, deconstruct your pointe shoes to remove the shank. The reason you need you do this is to soften the arch of your shoe. However, if you have high arches, do not remove the inner sole of your shoe – a high arch needs a harder, full shank.

If you are new at removing the shank, experiment on older shoes instead of trying to remove the shank from the new ones.

Recycle Tights

Do not throw out your old tights. Use an old pair of scissors to cut out the crotch and wear the tights as a makeshift shrug. The legs will go over your arms and the waistband will be around your ribs. Instead of wasting money, recycle your old tights with this nifty trick.

Use Bobby Pins

If you want to look like a real ballerina, pull your hair into a ponytail and wrap it into a bun at the top of your head or at the nape of your neck. However, be aware that this look would not last unless you secured it with bobby pins.

Open each pin and slip it through the bun at the base to prevent it from turning into a ponytail during your dance routine.

Wear Sweater Skirts

Although ballet skirts are feminine and flowy, they are quite pricey. Instead, you could consider wrapping a sweater around your waist if you are not ready to spend your money on a skirt. This will provide you with plenty of coverage while giving the impression you are wearing a skirt. This is a great alternative to shorts and you can change your look every day.

Make Your Own Leg Warmers

Whenever it is cold in the studio, you need to wear leg warmers to prevent your muscles from turning stiff. To give your legs this much-needed insulation, think about creating your own leg warmers. Just find a cheap or an old sweater that is too small for you and cut out its arms then pull them over your calves.

Ideally, you should opt for any material with spandex to ensure it stretches once you put them on. Hem the edges you ripped off of the sweater to avoid fraying.

Use a Sharpie

If you are training en pointe and need colored shoes, you can use a sharpie to color your white or pink shoes. This easy technique requires no clean up and it’s quite fun to do.