Audition Attire in general

<p>Been looking around and sometimes specifics are tough to find; I recall having to really dig around on websites until I found info on different topics. Never hurts to check with rhe coordinator if you have questions.</p>

<p>I think jeffandann’s advice is great. You definitely do not want to wear clothing they specifically counseled you against! But I do hear other peoples’ concerns that their daughter not look like everyone else. I think the best way of that not happening is to wear something clean and tasteful that is in a color and style that flatters you, with your hair as you like it but off your face, that you are comfortable in, and that you can move well in (that doesn’t go against their recommendations). People look like other people when they are putting on an outfit they aren’t quite comfortable in. At least, that’s my theory.</p>

<p>My own D wore a red or purple solid dress with boots and tights because she felt confident in these colors. They also weren’t over the top. However, I’ve seen some girls with really cool, different outfits (one similar to the outfit described above with the military boots!) that somehow work. I don’t know how this is so–maybe it’s because the person is still strongly themselves in the outfit and it feels organic, and you are still focusing on the face and personality? You definitely don’t want the auditors to be staring at your body parts or very distracting outfit instead of you!</p>

<p>But back to Jeffandann’s advise, I think the most important thing is to make sure you’re not contradicting their own preferences posted online and you can still be yourself yet dressed in a relatively unobtrusive, clean but flattering outfit.</p>

<p>I don’t think there is any school suggesting a solid color simple dress and nude pumps. Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe, there is one. Coaches definitely advise this outfit but it’s getting a little silly out there when 8 out of 10 MT girls look like clones. IMHO.</p>

<p>Part of the problem is that parents and students tend to ASK “what to wear.” The more important question is “what not to wear.” Don’t look grubby, seductive, or over-fussy. Don’t wear anything you couldn’t move well in, don’t wear a costume to go with your monologue. That’s five. Anyone have any other “What not to wear” items for the checklist, or is that enough to ensure appropriateness but save all these MT girls from looking like Stepford Wife clones?</p>

<p>The fact that you mention “costume to go with your monologue” leads me to believe somebody has done this LOL.</p>

<p>While were at it here can someone address bangs. Think Zooey Deschanel bangs. Obviously, hair off the face is a repeated refrain but
 and you want to keep the bangs out of your eyes and such but
 this hairstyle is all the rage in our high school, right now. Will a bang trim do? Or do these girls need a complete makeover?</p>

<p>I think audition attire is important, but it sounds like people are seeing very clone-like attire for girls out there these days and I don’t recall it being that way when my daughter auditioned in 2005. I am wondering if it has something to do with coaching which is very in vogue these days too?</p>

<p>I certainly think students should follow any directions if they are given. And I am against sloppy or revealing clothing or very casual street/school clothes like jeans, sneakers, and the like. </p>

<p>I think a student should dress for the occasion, a step up from their every day attire, but not their party clothes.</p>

<p>While I think it is good to stay away from a very “busy” look with lots of jewelry and lots of details, I don’t think one needs to wear the simple knit dress and nude pumps people are describing here. I know my daughter didn’t and she had a successful outcome overall with BFA admissions. At her auditions, she had two basic outfits
didn’t wear the same thing to all of them. One outfit was dressy charcoal grey pants and a really nice top (either sheer burgundy or sheer pale pink) with a matching tank top underneathe and dressy black shoes with a heel. The other outfit was a fairly short (but not skimpy) grey wool flare type skirt with some pinstripes and embroidery and some tulle sticking out the hem and the same tops she wore with the pants and the same dress shoes. Today, I might be more apt to go with the skirt or dress than the pants, but both outfits got her admitted. Both were tasteful, not everyday clothes, but not super duper dressy. They were not busy looks but were nothing clone-like. The outfit people are describing here of the solid knit dress and nude shoes is just not a look my kid tends to wear. I still think a fairly simple look is good, but one can be unique and stylish at the same time. At one audition where my kid was admitted, the only comment from the auditor was: “I like your outfit!”</p>

<p>Flossy, I see nothing wrong with bangs. I would suggest that they are trimmed to not overlap the eyebrows or eyes.</p>

<p>Yay, thanks!</p>

<p>And yes, the Barbie doll trend is growing. I’ve been to LA Unifieds for the past 3 years and each year there are more MT girls in brightly colored dresses and nude pumps. D2 was one of them last year! Luckily, I’m out of kids but if I had another one we would switch it up.</p>

<p>^^I laughed out loud at “I’m out of kids”!! That’s hilarious!</p>

<p>What Not to Wear? </p>

<p>Shoes you have difficulty walking easily in. Everything you wear should help you feel confident. Wobbly ankles or walking like a chimpanzee is not appropriate for auditions. While my D would never wear character shoes to a professional audition, it seems to be acceptable in the college circuit. The 2" heel is perfect. </p>

<p>Revealing underwear under a dress. In an audition at Unifieds, at a school without a dance call, the reps asked my D to do a few dance moves in her audition dress! She was wearing her tan character shoes, and luckily had on dance shorts under her dress. Otherwise, it would have been quite a show during the double pirouette!</p>

<p>I was frankly surprised at Elon auditions on Friday by the number of girls who had on a bright, sleeveless dress, nude shimmery tights, 5-6 inch patent-leather shiny nude heels, and a TON of makeup. I don’t know if this is a southern thing, but many of these girls looked like they were entering a pageant.</p>

<p>Being from the South, I can say that yes it is definitely a southern thing. That being said, there will be the solid colored dress and nude pump thing going on at auditions everywhere. We southerners just tend to take it too the next level! I have to hope that at all the southern schools there is an appreciation for individuality 
tastefully done of course!</p>

<p>I found it interesting that there were a couple girls at BW yesterday in leggings. They didn’t look as dressed up as I would have expected. Don’t know how I feel about it. I think it may have been too casual for an audition - but I have no idea how the auditors might feel.</p>

<p>You definitely see a difference between Acting and MT candidates, especially with the girls.</p>

<p>I don’t know why it never dawned on me to ask, “What did you wear?” to current students who’ve obviously applied, auditioned, and been accepted.</p>

<p>One of the leggings girls was definitely MT - because I ended up speaking to her mother later.</p>

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<p>While just a sample of one (!), my post #27 does tell what one girl wore (my daughter)
auditioned at 8 BFA in MT programs, accepted to 5, priority waitlisted at 1, deferred/rejected at 1, full rejection at 1, and is a graduate of NYU/Tisch. </p>

<p>Frankly, while I think one should put care into choosing the audition outfit, the outcome will still be based on talent and not what you wear. </p>

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<p>Interesting! My D has never worn nude tights (let alone shimmery ones) or nude heels (let along 5 to 6 inch heels), nor a ton of makeup. I don’t know if this was a southern thing, or not, but believe me, I know lots of girls who got into BFA programs who wore nothing of the sort!</p>

<p>Your story brings back a memory for me (a bit off topic)
My D grew up in rural VT. When she was 13, she wanted me to take her to NYC to audition for Star Search (for youth). I remember she sang Gimme Gimme from Millie before it became overdone (she had the sheet music before it was published). I don’t recall her exact outfit any longer, but I’m sure it was a regular dress and some nice shoes. She looked her age. I could not believe what many of the girls were wearing. They were done up with a lot of makeup and outfits looking way older than their years. The other moms were talking amongst themselves as if they had met one another at other events and I got the feeling they were from the south and were pageant moms. They did not converse with me. The audition kept narrowing down the candidates that day. At the end, they narrowed it to two finalists, and one was my daughter and one was a girl who looked her age and sang opera. I could tell that the pageant moms looked stunned. They had their ears to the door when my D and the other finalist went in to be taped (oh, and my daughter was also in braces, which was likely not going to land her on the show, and she did not end up on the show). The girls who were all done up in lots of make up and “out there” outfits and sang the latest pop hit were eliminated over two rather plain looking girls, one from MT and one from opera. I thought it was rather interesting!</p>

<p>I think leggings are too casual. Your attire needs to show you care what the audition panel thinks and that you respect the time they are taking to consider you for their program. To me leggings say you either arent taking the audition seriously or you just dont care. I do think simple and comfortable is best - but it still needs to be appropriate for the occasion. My daughter wore a simple cotton knit dress that was easy to move in with dance shorts underneath. She did wear nude pumps (not patent) , not too tall, and also had a nude pair of flats. Wearing this color shoe tends to visually elongate the body as compared to wearing darker colored or clunkier style shoes or boots. If you’re tall this is not a concern,. If you are short, it’s something to consider. But ultimately just be clean, neatly pressed and comfortable in whatever you wear. You don’t want to wear anything that is going to be distracting be it clothes, make up, shoes or hair styles. . You want them paying attention to the audition, not the outfit.</p>

<p>At 6’ tall are there any shoes that will make my D look shorter? :)</p>