Nutcracker Sweets

I have such a soft spot for The Nutcracker—the story is just so magical. Little girl gets doll, doll saves girl (and girl saves doll) from giant murderous mice, doll becomes handsome prince, and they spend a whole act in the most magical of courts, with dancing sweets and exotic cultures and beautiful ballerinas. Why can’t life be like that?! Next best thing—see a version of the show live. The Pennsylvania Ballet has their version, of course, and as a history nerd I have always been intrigued by the Rock Dance Project’s Nutcracker 1776. If you’re going, get in the spirit! Say, of the Chinese tea dance:

These strappy sandals come in either black and red or black and gold—I think the weaving at the toe is really nice. If you agree, they can be yours (whole sizes only!) for $52 from WildFree. Prefer the Russian candy cane dance? So festive! Red glitter, white stripes, a bow at the peep toe, four-inch heels—just be careful on those crazy stairs on the upper balconies of the Academy! These are worth it, though. Sizes 6-10 (whole sizes only) from Just for Costumes for $43. Or perhaps the Sugar Plum Fairy was always your favorite: So many lovely purples in the Sweet Ending by Poetic Licence—the satin laces, the leather upper with black lace overlay, the delicately patterned three-inch heel. These are real beauties. Also available in gray or green; yours for $88 from Zappos. You know who I always liked? The mice! You’d be Mouse Queen in these, baby! The Orpha15 Dark Grey Lady Fur Boots by Miss Me have a 4.25-inch heel, one-inch hidden platform, and a suede-like outer with fur details. Get a pair for $40 from Shoes19.com. If you’re lucky enough to be dancing in a version of The Nutcracker this season, I have it on good authority that these are the shoes you want to be dancing in: The pointe shoes from Gaynor Minden may look like your ordinary pointe shoe, but it’s what on the inside that counts. They are made of modern materials in their shanks and boxes, so they last longer than an ordinary pointe shoe (three to five times longer!). It has honest-to-goodness shock-absorbing material in the toe. (So squishy!) They have a beautiful performance arch. You don’t need to break them in. And they are super quiet—no more banging around on the boards! Yours for $98. The Pennsylvania Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker runs through New Year’s Eve. I’m afraid you’ve missed your chance at Nutcracker 1776 for this year, though, so be sure to put it in your calendar for next year.

Sales this weekend: Sorry ladies, I've been out for work and haven't been able to check. Good luck with your hunting!