Dress for Audition Success

Knowing what dress is acceptable relaxes you for if you feel confident and comfortable in your audition attire, you will give a more assured and expressive performance. Here is what is considered “best practices” today for looking appropriate and your best:

 Musical Theatre
Audition attire standards have loosened up in the musical theatre world. Gone are the days of the jersey dress and character shoes for women. For men, wearing a suit and tie is now considered too stiff and formal. Denim and gym shoes used to be forbidden, but now nice jeans and clean, fashionable sneakers can be perfectly acceptable for both men and women.

Leggings as pants or athleisure are still not a good idea, but otherwise, fashionable streetwear can work well at an audition. Women can still wear dresses and skirts, but it’s not mandatory. As a general rule, you just want to look “first date cute.” You can express your personality in your choice of clothes, but make sure we notice you more than the clothes. Keep your outfit daytime friendly and avoid clubwear.

Classical
Classical auditions still lean towards the dressier side, but the rules have eased up a bit. Men should still wear a suit, but they don’t necessarily need a tie, and they may be able to ditch the jacket if the weather or occasion calls for it.

Women can wear dresses or well-fitting pants or pantsuits. Women used to be cautioned against sleeveless dresses, open-toed shoes, and forgoing pantyhose, but these rules have loosened up in recent years. True formal wear is generally reserved for final round and evening competitions. For masterclasses, you want to look daytime professional, but not necessarily formal.  Weather can be a factor, too. If you are singing in a masterclass at a summer program in Florida, you need to pack singing attire that suits the occasion but is still cool and breathable in a hotter climate.

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General Rules for All Singers

• • Hair should be neat, clean and off the face enough so that we can see your eyes.
  • If you wear makeup, keep it simple. Let the makeup enhance your features but not distract the eye. This is not the occasion for trendy club makeup (glitter, greige lipstick, unicorn highlighter, etc…). A pop of color on the lips or eyes is fine. You want your face to remain open and expressive as you sing.
  • Clothes should always be clean, wrinkle-free, and fit you well. Nothing you wear should be skintight or baggy. Clothing that skim the body tend to work the best.
  • Be careful not to show too much skin. Avoid spaghetti straps and cutouts. You want to be able to breathe and sing comfortably in your outfit without worrying about fashion mishaps if you move. If you are wearing a short skirt, be mindful of the rear view if you bend over to speak to the pianist. When in doubt, pair a short skirt with opaque tights or leggings.
  • Shoes should be clean and comfortable. Be sure to practice your song in your audition shoes! This is particularly important if you wear heels. Any heel higher than 2.5 inches can upset your center of gravity and interfere with your breathing. Also, make sure that you wear a block heel versus a stiletto; you want to feel grounded as you sing. Practice walking in your audition shoes, too. If you wear sneakers in everyday life, it can take practice to be comfortable walking in dress shoes or heels.
  • Jewelry can enhance an outfit but avoid more than one bold or large piece at a time.
  • If you are wearing a suit, jacket, or dress pants, make sure everything fits you properly at the shoulder, arm, and leg. Button-down shirts should fit properly at the neck and shoulder.
  • Jumpsuits and rompers have become very popular at auditions (especially in musical theatre), and they can be very flattering, but you must get the fit right. The jumpsuit needs to fit your torso well, be the proper length for you, and look good when you move. Check the rearview, too. Avoid jumpsuits that are too tight or too baggy. If you are choosing a romper, keep the short skirt guidelines above in mind. Consider tights underneath if the romper is short in the back.
  • Whatever you wear, make sure that you can breathe in it! Your outfit needs to allow for expansion through the torso. Consider this when choosing belts, pants, etc…
  • A simple outfit in a flattering color always makes a good impression. Colors that make your eyes pop, flatter your hair color, or complement your skin tone always draw the eye to the face.

REMEMBER: if you feel confident and comfortable in your audition attire, you will give a more assured and expressive performance.