Whenever voice teachers congregate, they often comment on the disparity between what they would like to see their students wearing to lessons, studio classes, masterclasses, and juries and what the students actually wear for these occasions. Teachers tell tales of woe about their latest encounter with shocking or hilariously inappropriate clothing.
The generation gap of what is considered appropriate attire is greater than ever today. In the 1960s and early 1970s, for example, young people had the benefit of knowing that there were (or had been, not many years before) certain rules for appropriate behavior and dress in specific situations. When they chose to make their own individual personality shine out through their choice of attire, they were usually well aware of the unwritten rules they were breaking.
As our culture has become more and more casual through the years, students today have grown up with very little, if any, knowledge about that era of stricter rules for dress. They are often oblivious to traditional ideas about what is appropriate attire for the various singing situations they encounter on campus.
Yes, the rules of propriety are looser than they once were, but adults above a certain age still expect and appreciate young people’s adherence to many of those rules. As a result, students’ fashion choices, unbeknownst to them, frequently offend teachers, competition judges, and other adults.
You might ask, “If these rules are unwritten, how am I supposed to know what they are and how to follow them?”
Obviously, some of the old traditions are no longer in style; others are. For example, the queen of England is probably the only person on earth who still wears a hat and gloves every day. And female singing students no longer need to heed the advice Leontyne Price’s teacher gave her to “always wear a bit of chiffon.” Men no longer wear a suit, tie, and hat to work every day. Fortunately for men, appropriate attire for voice lessons and the like today is very much the same as in the past. Young ladies, though, often have difficulty finding both age- and singer-appropriate clothing in stores.
After years of hearing voice teachers lament in shocked and exasperated tones about what they had seen in the most recent juries or competitions, I communicated with representative voice teachers and students (both male and female) across the country to learn some of their opinions about dressing for lessons, studio classes, auditions, and masterclasses. Most of the male teachers said they were “pretty laid back” about what students wear, except when female students cross the boundaries of modesty, distracting and embarrassing the teachers. Female teachers, on the other hand, had many opinions about the topic.
The basic rule: Avoid wearing any clothing, hairstyle, or accessory that would make an audience member uncomfortable or draw an audience member’s (or in private lessons, your teacher’s) attention away from your face or your singing.
Here are some things to consider in following that basic rule:
1. Most importantly, consider your general hygiene. “Be clean, well-kempt, and smell good,” said one teacher. “By developing simple habits of good grooming, such as styling hair and (for women) wearing makeup, even when wearing casual clothes, you can change the way you think about yourself and what you are doing as a young singer.” Brush your teeth. Come to your lesson or other singing event on campus looking as presentable as possible. Teachers appreciate cleanliness in their students’ appearance. Remember, however, to avoid perfumes and colognes. Many people are allergic to their scents.
2. Avoid floppy hair that falls in your face or that you must constantly push away from your face. Use hairspray, barrettes, or headbands to keep your hair off of your forehead and out of your eyes, or consider getting a different haircut.
3. No hats, caps, or bandanas on your head.
4. Dress up for your lessons and studio classes. Observe what the voice teachers wear at your school, take note, and follow their examples (with age-appropriate clothing, of course). Voice teachers are usually the best-dressed faculty members in a music department. Several teachers I communicated with lamented that they must spend valuable lesson time teaching what students used to “pick up on” effortlessly just from observing their teachers.
“Students used to see how faculty dressed and automatically began to make adjustments toward a more professional image for voice classes and auditions,” said one. Teachers have a pedagogical reason to dress the way they do. All but one of the teachers I interviewed (a male) agreed that they prefer students to dress up, that dressing up helps lend more importance to these occasions. Teachers are aware that today’s students have demanding schedules and long days (often including gym class and part-time work), and they know it may be unrealistic or impractical to expect students to dress up every time for their lessons and studio classes.
Several teachers’ studio classes are literally “dress rehearsals” for performances and auditions—students wear to class what they will wear to perform so they can get used to singing in their performance clothes and shoes. One teacher makes use of studio class to make audio and video recordings for students’ preliminary auditions for opera apprentice programs.
Dressing up not only changes your feelings about yourself in a positive way, it can also change the way faculty and peers regard you.
“Learning to ‘dress for success’ as a student, even on a very ‘unprofessional’ day, begins to set a habit for later professional life that is priceless,” said Karen Peeler, head of the voice area at Ohio State University’s School of Music. “If a singer looks so different on stage and when they perform than when they operate on a daily basis, then ‘singer-ness’ does not so easily become a part of their ‘self,’ and ‘singer-ness’ goes with the profession. However, no amount of ‘singer-ness’ will compensate for bad technique, sloppy singing, lack of sensitivity, or musical mistakes.”
4. Avoid denim in any form. Some teachers do not allow students to wear jeans in their studios or in class.
5. No shorts.
6. No flip-flops, very high heels, or clunky platform shoes or boots (Doc Martens, for example). Closed-toe shoes are the best choice, especially on stage. (Any movement of your toes in open-toe shoes can be distracting to the audience.) Teachers agreed on their dislike of students wearing flip-flops, but opinions varied about what heel height is most beneficial for singing. Some teachers do not allow students to wear flat shoes, feeling that a slight heel helps with body alignment, and is therefore more beneficial for breathing as well as more appealing visually. One teacher allows students to leave character shoes in her studio to wear during their lessons. Another teacher, who has studied yoga and anatomy, believes heels should be no more than an inch high. “The closer to the ground, the better,” she said, adding that “any elevation of the heel interferes with the natural curvature of the spine, exaggerating any tendency toward standing with a ‘sway back,’ making breathing more difficult for singing.”
7. Always press or steam your clothes to remove wrinkles.
8. Females, wear a dress or a skirt. Hemlines should be below the knee. Male teachers remarked about the “added note of discomfort for those watching” performers wearing above-the-knee skirts, especially on elevated stages. All the teachers agreed that skirts should cover the knees. Most agreed that mid-calf to ankle length is best for an elevated stage. “Knees are not pretty, even on Miss America,” commented one teacher. In addition, teachers and judges will appreciate your wearing a nice woven (i.e. not polo or golf) shirt with a collar.
9. Wear clothes that fit appropriately. One teacher summed up the feelings of all the teachers I interviewed, saying they are “tired of seeing bare abdomens, too much cleavage, and clingy clothes that show every roll—and yes, even the thinnest young ladies have them—not attractive!”
Ladies, no matter what you may have seen on television programs such as How Do I Look? and What Not to Wear, unless you are expecting a baby, avoid wearing the empire-waist blouses and dresses currently in fashion. Several teachers called these smock-like tops “the pregnancy look.” Who knows, you might jeopardize a job or admittance to graduate school because an adjudicator thinks you’re going to be busy with a baby soon. Women should also avoid tube tops, halters, tank tops, backless tops, and high slits in skirts. Both males and females should avoid shirttails hanging out and low-cut trousers. Wear clothing that allows freedom of movement to breathe yet provides coverage when squatting, bending over, or raising your arms over your head.
10. Wear appropriate undergarments. This is especially important on stage. Stage lighting can make clothing see-through, so women should wear a slip or half-slip for safety, even if their skirt is lined. Women should wear a brassiere that is “invisible” (no bright colors, no dark colors under light-colored tops, and no straps showing). Men should wear an undershirt.
11. Women should wear pantyhose, either flesh-colored or sheer black, with dresses. Several teachers require students to wear pantyhose to their lessons. (Your teacher will appreciate it, even if he or she doesn’t require it.) Avoid the current fad of a short dress with black leggings. Men should wear dark socks.
12. Wear season-appropriate clothing (no spaghetti straps, bare legs, or sandals in winter, and no velvet in summer).
13. Other than ears, cover any tattoos or body piercings. Be aware that many adults do not like to see men wearing earrings.
When you’re doing your back-to-school shopping, keep these tips in mind. Remember that it’s always “about the music.” Your “look” needs to enhance your performance by remaining in the background, so that your audience’s attention (and your attention) stays with the music you are sharing with them. Enjoy dressing up, knowing how much it adds to your sense of the importance of your singing—whether in your weekly lesson, studio class, or jury—as well as how much your teachers appreciate it.
