Dressing alike - I feel like a Wiggles

[Bow tie]

I play in a fun band - high energy rock. Typical bar cover band (mostly).
However, we have a "Big" gig in NYC at the end of the month and a request has surfaced of "everybody wear a white shirt with a black vest."
I occasionally wear a white shirt with a black vest - but I feel weirdly uncomfortable dressing up in matching outfits. Possibly I just have an personal issue and should seek therapy of some sort.

So the question: is dressing "alike":
a)normal
b)classy
c)lame

(the gig is for an upscale banquet type thing, does that change the answer?)

 

[Ekulati]

Hmmm...with that choice, you'll look like early Beatles...recording "Love Me Do" in the studio, or at the Cavern live after Brian got hold of them...

Ask yourselves: do you want that look?

 

[jmattbassplaya]

The dress should be agreeable with what your bands mates are wearing and appropriate for the gig. Otherwise, dressing the (exact) same seems pretty lame.

 

[Facebook user]

stylistically similar is nice, gives the band a nice visual groove to me but wearing uniforms seems a bit silly unless it's like you said, a banquet type event then it might just be to help you guys fade into the background, similar to how the caterer's wear uniforms. just my opinion from bands I have seen in the past.

 

[lokikallas]

I've seen it pulled off by a death metal band, In Flames. The all wore white suits and ties. It certainly set them apart from the rest of the cargo shorts and slayer shirt wearing bands. Its not lame if you are being paid.

 

[ArtechnikA]

People pay $200 a seat to see Bonamassa's band dressed (mostly) alike by a professional stylist...

 

[GlennRH]

I once suggested to my band that we all dress in similar style when performing. To the approving murmurs of others, the drummer replied, "People can tell we're the band 'cus we're the ones on the stage playing the music." He added, "The audience are so interested in checking out each other, they don't care what we wear."

A short time later, we played a biggish show at a biggish nightclub. Several people came up to us at break and made comments like, "You all look great wearing so much black and dark colours. You all look more like a band than before."

That we'd all dressed in black and dark colours for that show was purely accidental.

After that, there was no discussion about it among us. Even so, the band would all wear black and dark colours onstage as if we'd agreed on it.

Everybody knew that it was better for us not to look like random strangers who happen to play music together.

 

[nutdog]

(the gig is for an upscale banquet type thing, does that change the answer?)

IMO, yes, this is kind of safe, standard attire for that type gig. And I love the Wiggles. Fruit salad, yummie, yummie.

 

[Jughead6]

The Hives wear matching tuxedos. And they are killer.

 

[two fingers]

Here's what I would do. Run the idea of everyone wearing all black and white "upscale" outfits but not matching. I think that's a good compromise. One of you wear a black blazer with open collar white shirt. One of you wear a white shirt and vest. Etc.

Continuity of wardrobe is a plus for those kinds of gigs (and I have played hundreds of them). But absolute matching adds a cheesy aspect to it.

Check out the pic I below. I simply Google searched "party band" and scrolled until I found an example of what I was talking about. They are obviously together as a band but not matching exactly. And they look both classy and slightly "edgy" for lack of a better term. A good compromise.

 

[GKon]

I voted "normal" but, depending on the outfits, could also have voted "classy".
I think wearing similar outfits on stage makes you look more like a group. I personally can't stand it when I see a band that all look like they they came from all over the place - one in cargo shorts and t-shirt, one in jeans and a polo shirt, etc- like they were walking down the street and decided to jump on stage.
Dressing simarly adds cohesion and makes your band look more like a single unit. It doesn't have to be exactly the same, just similar i.e. The Ramones or The Stray Cats although dressing the same also works, like The Hives.

 

[Awesome Sauce]

Unless there's information you left out, I don't see an issue. White shirt/black vest is pretty open ended, and very easy to match as a band, yet reflect personal style. Examples: One guy wears a leather vest, another with a pattern, another in black and dark grey/light black pin stripes, another with a pocket watch or lapel of some kind, etc. White shirt: collared, collarless, black tie, large black button(s), small white buttons, cuff links, no cuff links, etc. No mention of pants, so unless you guys are Donald Ducking it, you have nice blue jeans, black jeans, slacks, skirts, dress casual slacks (Dockers), etc. Then of course there's footwear, headwear, jewelry, accessories. My point is that a band should look like they belong together, a cohesive unit. Remember, band is a synonym of gang, and they all have "colors"; you should, too.

 

[TheCrimsonKing]

Depends on the band I think, A jazz band could get away with wearing all suits, A rock band could wear tuxedos ironically, but the whole 'classy'' thing has been old hat for a few years now, For the banquet kind of venue you could get away with a nice shirt. There's nothing wrong with everyone in the band dressing similarly though, the Butthole Surfers dressed in bright garish clothing, I'm getting together a jungle group at the minute an we'll probably have bodypaint, and a lot of other bands have their own ''look''.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Look professional, look like you're supposed to be on stage. Sure, you can all dress exactly alike. That works sometimes. Or you can dress in a theme, whether it be color, style, to create a mood, etc.

Some gigs we all dress alike, a uniform. Most gigs we dress in a theme.

Here's a huge party for Google at the Disneyland Hotel, the uniform.

Another show at Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Saloon, the uniform.

A corporate event at the Hyatt Huntington Beach, another uniform that's similar but not exactly alike.

New Year's Eve at Carsland in Disney's California Adventure. Costumes provided by Disney.

At our favorite nightclub, a theme (black western).

Our brown shirt look.

Sort of a 'red, white, and blue' look at the county fair.

A really hot summer concert in the desert, wear something comfortable look.

My friends in their 80s band always dress in shirt and tie. They look sharp.

Another Disney show.

Just don't look like you belong in the audience, or you just wandered in off the street. Dress up, show off, be somebody!


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[nutdog]

Kelly looks cute in her little cars outfit.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Don't the Wiggles make a ton of dough? That should answer your query.

 

[40Hz]

Genre appropriate. Venue appropriate. Age appropriate.

If you hit all three, it's ok. Otherwise...you might want to think about it.

That said, at various times I've gone contrarian and done things like wear a gray 3-piece suit for a rock gig and managed to make it work. Attitude and keeping "in character" (as the actors call it) can let you get away with almost anything as long as the audience "gets" what you're saying with your costume.

Matching dress can be cool, it can be funny, or it can be cringe-worthy - depending upon how you package and present yourselves.

 

[Killer Canary]

Dress like you live.
Non presumptive.

 

[Braden Persch]

Fleshgod Apocalypse and Ghost are the only bands that pull off the matching thing, IMO. I agree with dressing similar, but not the exact same. In my band (metal) one dude wears a sleeveless straight jacket, another with a band tee, and me and the singer usually wear plain t shirts and jackets. But it's all black and it looks cohesive. The straight jacket and other "dressy" items usually sets us apart from the crowd who all wear band tees.

 

[petrus61]

People pay $200 a seat to see Bonamassa's band dressed (mostly) alike by a professional stylist...

Are those the same people that believe Bonamassa can hear the tonal difference between a Duracell and Energizer 9v battery?