<p>I agree, bisouu. At Unifieds the acting kids were a lot more casual too. There’s just an MT look for whatever the reason.</p>
<p>@toowonderful - phantom? mask and all??? Oh, dear, I feel terrible for him! I wonder what became of him… I find it interesting that most colleges state that they want to see “who you are”, yet, most kids pick similar looks to audition in. I realize that it is smart to wear solids in bright colors that are flattering and help one stand out but the result is that too many kids end up looking too similar. We have been shopping for something that flatters my D and i must admit to looking for solid colored dresses. However, we are holding out for something that fits her personality as well. When she finds a color she likes, it’s the wrong cut & vice-versa. I think the problem is that she wants to wear her “lucky audition dress” and said dress really needs to be retired…for many reasons. However, I do have admit the dang dress has delivered marvelous results. A friend suggested cutting part of the dress and making a head scarf. My D almost fainted at the thought… </p>
<p>@addicted2MT - keep looking, you will find it!! And hopefully this will create a NEW lucky dress :)</p>
<p>I think the key to dressing for an audition is to feel good in what you are wearing. Pick colors you like and that flatter your skin tone. Pick dress styles that flatter your figure - not too short though. Pick a hairstyle that you will not fidget with. Pick shoes you can move in without looking awkward. Look neat and well groomed.
The reason you see so many solids is that busy prints can distract from your face. You want the auditors focusing on you and your acting and singing, not what you are wearing. Sometimes when people are too “unique” all the attention is drawn to what they are wearing instead of what they do in their audition. You don’t want that. There are ways to show your personality without going overboard - shoes and other accessories are a great way to add some flair. And a solid color A-line dress is certainly not mandatory. We saw all sorts of great outfits including skirts and jackets, slim pants with cute tops, and a wide array of dress styes. The reason you see nude pumps or flats is that they elongate the leg and make one look taller. Boots are great if the weather is right and you feel comfortable. But whatever shoe you choose, make sure its comfortable but not clunky.<br>
As with everything else during auditions, focus on yourself and try not to compare yourself to everyone around you. Nobody can be you better than you. So dress how you feel best. And rock those auditions!</p>
<p>I agree with @vvnstar, find something that you feel good in. And to a degree don’t worry about what others wear. </p>
<p>But on that thought, my D had to adjust a bit on first day of Chicago Unifieds this year. She had a nice blue/black dress that I thought looked really good on her, especially when she wore her nice black boots. But based upon advice we received she had bought a solid green dress (and looked good in that too). Plan was to wear the green dress first day of unifieds. We were walking around in the morning as she was signing up for a couple walk-ins. It looked like about every third girl was wearing a solid green dress! We weren’t sure whether to laugh or cry (chose laughter). So she changed back to the blue/black dress for day 1 (but with black shoes instead of the boots). </p>
<p>So you can plan but you never know. From then on she always had 2 dresses at auditions.</p>
<p>We are 2 years out now (D is a very happy Sophomore - wow!), but as others say, go with what your child feels good in! Coach suggested a solid color, but that is what she gravitates toward anyway & yes, nude pumps but because she’s 5’2"! For great choices for girls (promise I’m not connected with them in any way), try ModCloth. We found both “the dress” and a backup. They have all price ranges, and a huge range of styles with free shipping & returns. We ordered multiple dresses in multiple sizes - had to warn my husband that the giant charge on the credit card would not be permanent (LOL). I called after placing the order to verify shipping dates/times, as we had an audition about 10 days out, and they actually overnighted our order - just to be nice & at no extra charge!!! Break legs to all of your kids - I still get nervous for all of you!!! Was a nerve-wracking year that I now wouldn’t trade for anything. </p>
<p>Back to original post, S’s first “practice” audition was in early November, at “back-up” school. Got acceptance well before winter break. VERY nice to have that in back pocket. After all was said and done (he DID get to audition at his top three choices plus three others), that "back-up"school became favorite audition experience AND top choice program. The “top” schools lost some of their “shine” during the process. Don’t count ANYTHING as a throw-away until all the chickens come home to roost.</p>
<p>On clothing note, Girls make sure you can move in your shoes. It’s not a modeling runway. If you are short, then BE short. Have also heard from more than one auditor, “keep it covered”. Many of them are old enough to be your parents, you don’t need to “sell” your chest or rear end. And there’s nothing worse IMHO, than watching a girl trying to sing with her shoulders hunched forward or is constantly tugging at her bra straps, who doesn’t appear to be comfortable with the body she has been given and chose the dress b/c some “rule” says this is what a female performer should wear. Be comfortable. Let your voice/acting show who YOU are.</p>
<p>S chose to wear the jewel tone button-up and black skinny pants, b/c that’s who he really is - and that’s what he wore to high school on most days. Very first audition at SETC as HS junior, he wore a florescent yellow shirt w/vest. A few auditors comments that they loved the look, while one said he looked like a bumblebee. Not sure if that was good or bad, but S chose to play it “safer” w/bright turquoise or purple after that LOL. There were guys who looked great in t-shirts and jeans, S’s current alternate “signature” look.</p>
<p>Be comfortable. Be comfortable. Be. . . </p>
<p>This did not happen at an audition for college admittance but D just had a workshop with casting agents at her university just the other weekend. She wore a solid dress because that is who she is-when she is not in her casual attire but they actually told her for her pieces that she did -which were fairly contemporary that the dress didn’t work. They told her to wear skinny jeans and a nice top. It is interesting how there are so many different opinions out there. Looking back - D is a sophomore in her program-I feel like the solid dress and nude pumps seem to lump everyone together. Even though that was very much who my daughter was and is - with so many wearing the same thing it is hard to stand out. My D did tend to wear the same color leotard as her dress for the dance calls and that did actually tie it together for a couple of the schools because they made a comment how she was the one with the pretty red dress at auditions but who knows. When it comes down to it. Look nice, make sure they can see your face, be comfortable with what you are wearing and be yourself and it will shine through. </p>
<p>I find this all interesting. My daughter, now 26, who graduated from a BFA in MT school, has never owned a dress like the “uniform” style people are describing here and has never owned nude shoes or pumps. She wore nothing like that for her college auditions or for professional auditions since graduating college. I know of an audition my D has at the highest level it can get and I don’t know what she is wearing, but I am sure it is not like the outfits being described here as being the norm at the BFA auditions. And that was not really the norm when my D auditioned for a BFA 10 years ago either. I do think it is important to dress appropriately, but I don’t think that uniform look is necessary at all, and it particularly doesn’t fit with some contemporary MT shows that are out there these days.</p>
<p>My D wore a flowy tank, green skinny jeans and a long, open sweater over it, with ankle boots. This is her style on any given day. She was accepted to five of her seven auditioned programs. </p>
<p>I am guessing that ultimately, even though we stress over what-to-wear, our kids want to stand out for their singing/acting/dancing regardless of what they are wearing! I am not an auditor, but there are people I would recognize anywhere, or in anything because of their personality or even their smile.</p>
<p>I don’t think nude pumps came into vogue so much because someone said you should wear them to musical theate auditions as it was Kate Middleton - she made them quite the craze. It just so happens they are flattering on many people. And they go with just about any color which also makes them very practical. They also are a good alternative to wearing character shoes. Since you’re not dancing when wearing your audition dress, there really is no need to wear character shoes at an audition. Save them for the dance call! </p>
<p>My D did wear dress shoes, not character shoes, at her audition. They were black. She, nor I for that matter, have never owned nude ones but I can see why they would look nice with the sort of dresses being discussed here. She did not wear the kind of outfit that would look right with nude heels anyway.</p>
<p>I couldn’t get The D out of the uniform! She said she wouldn’t feel right or comfortable in something casual. (shrugs shoulders)</p>
<p>As I have said- NOTHING wrong with that ;
As long as she looks like she is put together - and much more importantly feels good, everything is wonderful</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but I have a feeling any of the people actually involved with college admissions for MT programs that read this thread are shaking their heads right about now. I doubt they care at all what the kids show up in as long as it isn’t so distracting that it takes away from their ability to see the student’s potential. They are pros.</p>
<p>Avoid the phantom cape (that’s such a good story and I really hope it had a happy ending for the lad. He is my hero.) Avoid the skirts that are just so short, (remember you might be on stage and the auditors are below you - hello…) After that this topic seriously just needs an ounce of common sense. </p>
<p>I think the uniform concept may have come as a result of the coaching engines that arrive in force with matching tote bags. Wear it, don’t wear it, I doubt it’s a deal breaker. I give the auditors more credit than that which means they won’t be bummed nor impressed if you are in it, nor give you bonus points or mark you down if you are not. Probably the people that really think it’s a must put their own uniform on every day. Me, I prefer leather and denim. :-)</p>
<p>As I was catching up on the last several posts I was thinking the same thing that @halflokum wrote. I think general advice for how to not look bad or tacky has taken on a life of its own. I see this happen in other areas too (thinking of some work situations unrelated to theatre) - good advice starts to be packaged by people, often doing it as a commercial venture. All of the sudden it becomes gospel that “must” be done. Not complaining about coaches, used one with our D. But stuff like this gets taken to the extreme when it never was intended to be that rigid. </p>
<p>I agree with you, halflokum. I do think attention should be put into one’s appearance for auditions and looking appropriate, but that can take a wide assortment of looks. I don’t think it is quite like GSOmtmom says as a choice between the uniform look or something casual. One could look dressed beyond casual, but just not in that uniform look that has been described here. For example, my D definitely dressed nicer than in her casual school clothes. I don’t recommend jeans, for example. But she did not wear a solid color dress with nude shoes either. I recall her having two different audition outfits basically. I’m not saying what she wore is the RIGHT thing but just saying that she dressed appropriately (above casual), but not following any formula. She just wore clothes a step up from casual. One outfit was a kicky fashionable (not conservative/traditional) grey flannel skirt that had some etching in it and a little tulle hanging out the hem (fairly short but not super short) and a sheer boat neck style top in burgundy with a matching tank top under it and tights and black contemporary style mary jane heeled shoes. Another outfit was gray wool pants, same shoes, and either that same top or I recall a pale pink sheer shirt (no buttons on these shirts) with a tank under it. I think looking presentable and put together and like you care matters, and yes, not too distracting (your outfit should not call attention to your clothing), but just be yourself. It doesn’t have to be your Sunday best or follow some formula. I also agree with halflokum that I think this trend in this uniform look is the outcome of certain coaching engines, because back when my D auditioned, this was NOT the norm (nor were these coaches out there at the time). I say, just dress nicely for the occasion, not super dressy, but not your hang in’ out clothes either. It’s like an interview. In many jobs, a suit is not required, but one would dress up to look presentable and not sloppy and as if they gave the proper respect for the occasion. After that, there is great leeway in interpretation. </p>
<p>PS, and for the talk about the shoes, I have to chuckle because at the NYU audition, there was first a presentation and they were happy if you auditioned even barefoot and so before my D went into her audition turn, she took off her dress shoes and did it barefoot! (got in)</p>
<p>The “uniform” described is what one might wear in the chorus: ladies in the same dress in a variety of colors and guys paired up with the ladies wearing ties that match the girls’ dresses. Sameness allows the group to be perceived as a single entity with minor identifying tags (the red one, the pink one, the blue one etc) A young woman who has her own style needn’t leap to match up with the others at an audition any more than she does in the rest of her life unless she really wants to be a member of the chorus. The nude shoe goes back at least to Donna McKechnie. It’s a good look. But if your girl is more ModCloth or Etsy than that I say she should fly her freak flag! Any auditor in any professional context wants to see you. Not what you think they want to see. Just you. </p>
<p>I dance barefoot but that’s just me.</p>