Stage Attire

[guitarguy19]

There has been lots of mention of the "don'ts" as what to wear on stage...shorts, sandals, etc. If there are any other (less obvious) "don'ts" that haven't been talked about...they'd be worth mentioning.

 

But...what are some of the "do's" as to what to wear on stage? Clothes, accessories, shoes, etc. Obviously this will depend on your individual band's style and the type of gig and what not...but I still think it's worth discussing. What do you do differently in a higher end club vs a rock type bar vs a private gig and so on.

 

As a band we're mostly jeans and t-shirts unless there's a dress code, but (the front people in the band at least) still try to wear something distinctive to stand apart from the crowd. What are some of the things you guys do to stand out?

[wardjames]

 

There has been lots of mention of the "don'ts" as what to wear on stage...shorts, sandals, etc. If there are any other (less obvious) "don'ts" that haven't been talked about...they'd be worth mentioning. But...what are some of the "do's" as to what to wear on stage? Clothes, accessories, shoes, etc. Obviously this will depend on your individual band's style and what not...but I still think it's worth discussing. As a band we're mostly jeans and t-shirts unless there's a dress code, but (the front people in the band at least) still try to wear something distinctive to stand apart from the crowd. What are some of the things you guys do to stand out?

 

 

I think "clean" is the most important part. Not just clean as in washed, but as in unwrinkled, unfrayed, unfaded (unless you're going for that look, a la faded jeans), etc. Also, be careful of printed words on t-shirts. You're faded 1989 Lake Havasu Spring Break T-Shirt might be totally cool...but not on stage. Our guitar player sometimes wears a Jack Daniel's western shirt. It looks totally 1990's, and dates him seriously.

 

You'll get a lot more milage out of a brand new $10 plain colored t-shirt from target and a nice pair of Levi's that you will a ratty, ill-fitting suit.

 

Also, be aware of your band's genre image. We're a country band, so pearl snap western shirts are a great addition (as are obviously cowboy hats).

[troyguitar]

Depends on the band for specifics, but my general rule is: it should be obvious to people that you are "in the band" even if you haven't yet taken the stage.

[Lee Knight]

I was watching a English rock festival on Paladia. Some mediocre modern rock band singing their hit was on. They looked hip. Jeans, t-shirts, untucked shirts on top. Dirty Chuck Taylors. The hair cross the forehead.

 

They also looked 100% fake.

 

Then Muse came out and the guitarist wore a sparkly red suit. They looked awesome.

 

The thing is, the ragged look is fine, but it's really easy to come off either like you don't care or that you're faking it. You know? The irony is trying to look like you don't care is fake. Cause you're trying and we know it. So now you're lying.

 

So step up. Have some style. Be unique. Be original. Rob Zombie used to come out in what looked like mud caked boots and motocross leathers. It was freaky cool. A statement. He cared. Eat me ROCKERS! He cares, it's a show.

 

Step up and own it. Whatever "it" is. And if you are going to fake it, fake it like you care.

[FitchFY]

Hopefully this thread won't get out of control.

 

I'll give this piece of advice and make it quick: whatever you wear, own it. If you look like you're trying to look good, it fails. You just need to own that image and not question it. You are the show - be the show.

[FitchFY]

 

Step up and own it. Whatever "it" is. And if you are going to fake it, fake it like you care.

 

 

Sooooooo, you beat my post by four minutes. But we're totally on the same page. High five!

[wheresgrant3]

Hopefully this thread won't get out of control. I'll give this piece of advice and make it quick: whatever you wear, own it . If you look like you're trying to look good, it fails. You just need to own that image and not question it. You are the show - be the show.

 

This is key... even if your 'look' is not having a 'look'.

 

Honestly... we've worn jeans, shorts, hats, headbands, tuxedos, tranny pumps... and none of it ever affected our image as a 'party band'. We could probably show up in adult diapers and still rock a crowd.

 

 

(JC Penny's Summer 1979 Catalog)

 

 

(And yes... we did wear this for an Xmas show we did.)

[cherri]

Never wear a short skirt to an outdoor gig on a windy day.

[guitarguy19]

Never wear a short skirt to an outdoor gig on a windy day.

 

EDIT: Unless you're a hottie...then it's just doing everyone a solid.

[JailTime]

I'd like to find a good cape to wear on stage. My friend has been telling me to wear one for years, but they all make me look fat.

[3shiftgtr]

Ive sat in imaging meetings, worn period clothing, been told what to wear and what kind of gear to play and what to say to the press. Made money, played notes...all good.

 

But today?

 

I absolutely OWN being a fat, middle aged, guitar mother {censored}er, who can stand on a stage WITH ANYBODY ON THE PLANET and get respect. So {censored} you if you don't like my white new balance shoes.

 

Just kidding. I suck. If I take the gig, I'll wear what the guy paying me tells me to.

[TrickyBoy]

Yeah, there are no set in stone do's and don't's.

 

I totally agree with the "own it" crowd. I'd also add that a band as a whole should look cohesive as a unit and go for a consistent style, gig after gig.

 

For us, the guys "look", 90% of the time is pretty damn simple. Black/dark colored shirt (I generally go button down, our bassist and drummer go t-shirt), a pair of jeans and some black Chuck Taylor's. Meagan dressed differently. Generally a skirt/top or a dress, but then she keeps it a little "edgy" with her shoes and accessories (like black boots or Chucks with a skirt, etc). It's definitely not a "uniform", but it provides a cohesive band image (I call it "hip to be square" - you know kinda cool in a completely dorky way) and honestly, though I'm not in the "band uniform" camp, I have noticed a difference since we payed more attention to that in terms of crowd engagement. YMMV.

[guitarguy19]

For us, the guys "look", 90% of the time is pretty damn simple. Black/dark colored shirt (I generally go button down, our bassist and drummer go t-shirt), a pair of jeans and some black Chuck Taylor's. Meagan dressed differently. Generally a skirt/top or a dress, but then she keeps it a little "edgy" with her shoes and accessories (like black boots or Chucks with a skirt, etc). It's definitely not a "uniform", but it provides a cohesive band image (I call it "hip to be square" - you know kinda cool in a completely dorky way) and honestly, though I'm not in the "band uniform" camp, I have noticed a difference since we payed more attention to that in terms of crowd engagement. YMMV.

 

Good points Jason.

 

I didn't mention it before...but this cohesive thing is pretty big too. With the exception of our drummer who wears pretty much whatever...the front 3 in the band pretty much have a similar look. We usually wear pretty stylish jeans, our singer will wear button ups or something sometimes, other times a t-shirt. I usually wear a funny t shirt and many times it's a bright rather than a dark color...the others usually wear dark colors. Our singer will wear like those Croc moccasin type shoes

 

We have our own style type of thing going...which is nothing drastic but we wear it well. I was just wondering what you guys do to stand out from the crowd and such.

[SeniorBlues]

jumpsuits . . .

 

black double knit w/ purple shirts

red and white panel w/black shorts

green corduroy w/ . . . I don't remember.

 

They actually looked good . . . in east coast supper clubs in 1971 when I weighed 135.

 

Wore the black one to my first PacNW bar gig and looked, um.... out of place. The wives/GFs said I looked like a rock star, but no I never wore it again.

[SeniorBlues]

But seriously . . .

 

solids beats patterns

dark beats light

collar beats T-shirt

. . and no graphics!

 

Chicks are pretty much exempt from the above.

[sventvkg]

Whatever I want as long as it's not sloppy. If it's an outdoor gig on the beach, shorts and sandles are fine. IF it's inside, Dress decently.

[jeff42]

we don't have a look... Which maybe a look.

 

Some of us have tried in the last year or so to dress more "for the stage" but others have not followed "the memo." We don't bitch about it cuz it aint worth it in our case. Plus we sometimes end up wearing various silly hats and afros and an elvis suit and a blues brothers suits at various points at our gigs so...

[Lee Knight]

I said before but...

 

Tube sock and a Zorro mask

[Zon5string]

My "standard band wear" is usually this (notice a theme?):

 

[TIMKEYS]

cargo shorts , sandals , and a rayon trop shirt

 

If its cold ,like in the 50s ,, I will wear a pair of jeans

 

 

The only thing different between me an the tourists is I bought my trop shirt for 6 bucks after they went on sale in the off season.

[Pine Apple Slim]

Something like:

 

or

or

[TIMKEYS]

Something like: or or

 

I was with you till you picked out a pair of brown shoes with a black pair of pants

[Pine Apple Slim]

 

I was with you till you picked out a pair of brown shoes with a black pair of pants

 

 

I got tired of cutting & pasting. Wouldprob put on blue jeans with those, and another color of dark shirt besides black. But they would do, they are brown and black actually.

[daddymack]

When we 'restarted' our band, one of the things I was adamant about was that aside from the picnic gigs, there were no 'blue jean gigs, no t-shirts' (unless under a sports coat, and no logos...we generally dress 'up'. jackets, vests, slacks, fedoras...well, we're a blues band...it works...for us. I fined our old bassist more than once for forgetting to bring his change of clothes (ultimately, it was part of the reason we fired him).

We were actually asked recently by one of our picnic customers to dress 'more tropical'...so you never know.

[TIMKEYS]

 

I got tired of cutting & pasting. Wouldprob put on blue jeans with those, and another color of dark shirt besides black. But they would do, they are brown and black actually.

 

 

yea i would save those for jeans. Nothing is funnier than a single guy in a band who is color blind. NO one to tell them ,, holy crap talk about clashing lol. its all good