Help needed with clothing ideas for my band

[two fingers]

Please don't go with the flamed bowling shirt/fedora motif. It's worse than cargo shorts and crocs.

You must have been to a bar in NC.... every weekend night for the past thirty years.

(Seriously, this is good advice. The only one worse than the flame bowling shirt is the bowling shirt with a bunch of different beers or liquor bottles on it. Throw in the backwards Kangol hat and you are a walking cliche'. Only one guy can pull off that hat and you ain't him.)

 

[two fingers]

If you absolutely MUST, then please at least get the hat right.....

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A trilby is not a fedora.....And vice versa....

For the purposes of this conversation it really doesn't matter. NEITHER should make it on to a stage on the head of a bass player..... or any other musician..... except maybe a harmonica player. Harmonica players can pull off a hat. Nobody else can.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Sorry that is what I wear and the sunglasses are because we use laser lights during the show I have been taken out by one one time couldn't see the neck at all just a dot so the sunglasses are a must not to mention our instruments have Led lights that can change the color of your skin so another reason the sunglasses are a big help
look at the bass reflecting off my sunglasses ha ha ha
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Boy that is a really long run on sentence with no punctuation that changes subjects four times I don't recall seeing one like that for quite a while now so I must be really impressed.

 

[rtslinger]

Boy that is a really long run on sentence with no punctuation that changes subjects four times I don't recall seeing one like that for quite a while now so I must be really impressed.

I was in a hurry and just spoke into the phone, unless you say the punctuations it doesn't throw it in there automatically.

 

[guy n. cognito]

I would say this - dress for your age AND your body type. if you are 50 and trying to dress like a 20 year old, you'll look stupid. if you're frankly kinda fat, a tight black t-shirt is going to look bad. I think that's the hardest thing - dress for the body you have, not the body you want, while still looking rock and roll. Fat, balding guys dressed in tight Affliction shirts doesn't look good.

however I would say this - don't want to look like a "dad band" ? Don't dress in like Hawaiian shirts or something. cargo shorts. it's awful. a nice pair of modern jeans, perhaps a rock t-shirt, or a nice fitting black, collared shirt. always a winner.

you know when way to get ideas? Find current pictures of your favorite bands from when you were younger. see what they are wearing. it could work for you

continuing thought from above. Now assuming you're not rotund, here's an example of a 56 year old rocker - Jon Bon Jovi. Recent live shots. his method of dress definitely works for him. he's not dressing like he did in 1987. He's dressing rocker chic but for the older guy who isn't wildly out of shape

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These guys get it! Here's my contribution: Rob Thomas. Mid 40s, and keeps it simple on stage.

 

[JRA]

there's nothing wrong with black black black black if done/worn properly. the wedding corporate band i play with: black is the uniform (although we wear ties --- and maybe black jackets/suits in that one = $$$).

what's with all the fashion nazi stuff?

 

[guy n. cognito]

there's nothing wrong with black black black black if done/worn properly. the wedding corporate band i play with: black is the uniform (although we wear ties --- and maybe black jackets/suits in that one = $$$).

what's with all the fashion nazi stuff?

According to some:

When I see a band in black on black I don't think entertainers, I think pit players

According to the Foo Fighters:

Well....the drummer isn't in black? Their only salvation.....

 

[Paulabass]

Don't ever wear your own tour/band T-shirts. If the audience doesn't know who you are, a T-shirt ain't gonna help much. I love seeing my t-shirt on audience members, specially really old ones.
Sell merch, don't wear it.

 

[Paulabass]

According to some:



According to the Foo Fighters:

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Well....the drummer isn't in black? Their only salvation.....

The best drummer in that band is playing guitar.

 

[QORC]

These guys get it! Here's my contribution: Rob Thomas. Mid 40s, and keeps it simple on stage.

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i agree. Rob dresses appropriately. although I don't think I've EVER seen someone sweat on stage as he does. I mean, it's amazing. his clothes are soaked at the end of a show. I'm sure that plays into his choices, especially that he starts with -- or soon ends up in -- t-shirts. although he does have a lot of collared shirts too.

 

[electracoyote]

or

According to some:



According to the Foo Fighters:

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Yep, they look like they belong in an orchestra pit to me.

Obviously, their success is independent of their chosen mono-chromed black on black uniforms. Not the case for all bands, nor is it even remotely creative or unique. I thought OP was looking for something outside the most dead common look known to local cover bands.

 

[Jimmy4string]

My lead Guitar man that guy can dress bad. Friday he had a few beers and put on fishing hat with dollar bills on it. We were at practice so i let it slide. Hopefully i never see that thing again! If so it may disappear like a scooby doo character

 

[guy n. cognito]

or

Yep, they look like they belong in an orchestra pit to me.

Obviously, their success is independent of their chosen mono-chromed black on black uniforms. Not the case for all bands, nor is it even remotely creative or unique. I thought OP was looking for something outside the most dead common look known to local cover bands.

That must be one relaxed pit.....

 

[catcauphonic]

People always assumed I was a musician upon meeting me... way before I was (that's still arguable .)

Here I am trying things on in my fave section of my fave store... the Goodwill ladies aisles has some fun stuff >

(Edit> the price tag on those jeans says $5.99!)

Just turned 49 a week ago, & I think you should rock what the good lord gave ya (so to speak.) Fit is key. I wish some of my bandmates dressed a bit 'above the crowd', but i guess that's why I'm usually put front and center with our stylish singerbabe when we're on stage

 

[electracoyote]

That must be one relaxed pit.....

Exactly--like that laundry commercial where the guy is on a first date and his stretched out wrinkly dark tee shirt makes him look just a little too relaxed.

Also not a fair comparison; I'd wager that Dave and the boys couldn't care less about "fashion sense" or "style" (the topic of this thread), and black on black is commonly the default for those performers. Again, the Foos didn't make their mark and attract a following via grooming and aesthetics. I thought OP was after suggestions outside the most common default. If "wear whatever" and "blend into the backdrop" were the standards for his band, I doubt he'd be here soliciting ideas.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Exactly--like that laundry commercial where the guy is on a first date and his stretched out wrinkly dark tee shirt makes him look just a little too relaxed.

Also not a fair comparison; I'd wager that Dave and the boys couldn't care less about "fashion sense" or "style" (the topic of this thread), and black on black is commonly the default for those performers. Again, the Foos didn't make their mark and attract a following via grooming and aesthetics. I thought OP was after suggestions outside the most common default. If "wear whatever" and "blend into the backdrop" were the standards for his band, I doubt he'd be here soliciting ideas.

I'm sorry, I'll try to be clearer in the future when I employ sarcasm.

For a bar cover band, the attire doesn't need to be the defining attribute of the band. Which is why, of course, the examples given above are relevant. It's a common rookie mistake to assume that "we need to stand out and dress like musicians". It's exactly why silly hats and sunglasses at night exist...along with neon vests and bow ties for some of the clueless corporate groups.

 

[electracoyote]

For a bar cover band, the attire doesn't need to be the defining attribute of the band.

It's perfectly reasonable, and hardly a "rookie mistake," to make the visuals and aesthetics one of the defining attributes of a local cover band, especially one that has the smarts to shoot for an image and direction that sets it apart from the others. Especially in a market saturated with a lot of good bands competing for the same clients. Smart marketing, potentially increased entertainment value.

Accepting the most common default is the exact opposite mentality. It literally says, "We know we look like the majority of cover bands in town, and we don't care."

 

[dreamadream99]

Here I am trying things on in... the Goodwill ladies aisles...Just turned 49 a week ago.

Awesome outfits. You are my new fashion guru.

 

[guy n. cognito]

It's perfectly reasonable, and hardly a "rookie mistake," to make the visuals and aesthetics one of the defining attributes of a local cover band, especially one that has the smarts to shoot for an image and direction that sets it apart from the others. Smart marketing, potentially increased entertainment value.

Accepting the most common default is the exact opposite mentality.

Unfortunately, for those that don't know better, the "common default" is actually the cliche of "dressing like a musician". Oh, they define themselves alright, with gimmicks and other silliness that does nothing more than perpetuate the stereotype of the aging musician.

There's a middle ground...and that's what some are trying to point out. Before you whip out the fedora, glasses, and silky vest, try fitted jeans, a stylish t, and maybe an accessory jacket. Leave your GNR t-shirt at home with your white sneakers. You can be stylish without wearing a costume, and sometimes being stylish is all one needs to stand out.

 

[electracoyote]

Unfortunately, for those that don't know better, the "common default" is actually the cliche of "dressing like a musician". Oh, they define themselves alright, with gimmicks and other silliness that does nothing more than perpetuate the stereotype of the aging musician.

There's a middle ground...and that's what some are trying to point out. Before you whip out the fedora, glasses, and silky vest, try fitted jeans, a stylish t, and maybe an accessory jacket. Leave your GNR t-shirt at home with your white sneakers. You can be stylish without wearing a costume, and sometimes being stylish is all one needs to stand out.

I like the sentiment, but it's a mistake to say that going outside the black/black/black box automatically qualifies as "silly" or a "costume." Like you said, it a depends on the amount of good taste and class you put into it.

And it is completely age independent.