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Stage Apparel - What's On Your "No" List?

I usually dress like this:

DSC02264.jpg


or this:

IMG_0098.jpg
 
Thats what I was going for. This look works for now, but after my wedding later this month I'll have a nice clean white button up shirt and a super cool black vest to thrown in. Im thinking about buying some suspenders and rocking the 1920s paperboy look. EXTRA EXTRA!

Props my man, you are rockin a MUCH better look now.

Bet you'll be getting more attention from the females in the crowd now too... assuming that's important to you :D
 
It's usually carhart pants, the casual style without the extra pockets in dark gray or dark green, with a plain dark t shirt, my merril laceup gulag shoes, and a ball cap. I'm thinking about trying some of the high zoot angler pants with zip off legs made from some kind of space program fabric which is supposed to keep you cool in the heat while also keeping harmful UV rays off your skin, but they are pretty spendy and I have an almost pathological aversion to spending money on myself unless it's something I absolutly can't do without, so we'll see how hot it gets this summer before I make that decision.

It's a house band country thing in a very casual setting (campground/swimming hole/water park) and I get paid pretty decent money by several fishing rod, rod component, and tackle makers to rep their stuff, so I'm always rotating their logo caps both on and off stage. About the only one I won't sport on the wood is long billed (really really long billed) with neck flaps and a disproportionably large Penn International logo on it.
 
Being a high schooler, living in middle Georgia, and having nice beefy legs, I rock cargo shorts to about 90% of our shows. As far as a shirt, I usually wear a tee or a nicer flannel. ALWAYS ALWAYS wear a hat or a ponytail to keep the hair out of my face. I wore one of those chullo beanie hats with a poofy thing on top in 99 degree weather outside last Friday. it was pretty great :D

The only big personal no-nos are a shirt that matches the color of my bass and baggy jeans without a hoodie or something equally baggy on my torso.
 
Pretty much any shirt that can be bought from Bass Pro Shops.
That's BASS as in the FISH.

Also, any shirt that has guitars all over it (or basses) or a wolf howing at the moon.

Shorts?
I played Saturday afternoon outside here in the D.
90+ with high humidity.
Yeah, I wore shorts!

Or most stuff you would see at a Jimmy Buffet concert. (It's OK if you are PLAYING with Jimmy Buffet).
 
I used to wear "cargo shorts and backwards cap" in my old original metal band.
Then I joined a pop/rock coverband (reletively successful) and I learned (1 week before a show) that there was a "dress code."
No shorts.
No "sneakers".
No Hats (Unless for fasion)

That was basically the no no list.

Now they refer to it as the "[myname] makeover" whenever someone discusses changing their look.;)
 
I do not like playing in shorts. But two weeks ago when playing with two old buds (we get together about twice a year), not my regular bands, the others decided it was too hot for long pants, so sure 'nuff we all wore shorts. One guy wore no socks. Thing is, we were at a VERY high-style place where VERY affluent folks dine (movie stars, presidents, etc.). But we were on the boat dock, away from the outside dining area, although they could still hear us. I dunno, I just felt like a kid out there in my white socks and tennis shoes below my shorts. Great gig, though.
 
A couple of years ago I went to see Boston, one of my favorite bands.

They just didn't look they were in the same band! Check the picture out:
web.jpg


In this picture, some of the no-no's I have noticed on this thread:
- Drummer wore a baseball cap backwards
- Tom Scholz wore cargo shorts and high socks
- Singer looked like he came straight from work (T-Shirt)
- Lady bassist with a grandma dress (well, maybe shorter)
- Michael Sweet in his hard rock dressed-up outfit, vest and long sleeve shirt, didn't look bad at all, but doesn't belong
The other guitar player, not in the picture, didn't look bad either.

All this to say I don't really care about how a musician looks. Especially given that fashion is an acquired taste and frankly, not all of us have it. I know a lot of great musicians that don't have a clue about getting dressed. And vice-versa: lots of hip-looking bands that do not make music that I care about.

I am surprised that there is a "dress code" for those things. I mean, one of the good things about being a musician is not having to dress up to go to work. I just found out that many people think it is not cool to wear t-shirts on a stage. That's a bummer.

I believe that in the end this is all very personal, therefore I should know what works for me, that is what I feel comfortable wearing. Here's my controversial no-no item: short-sleeve button-down shirts, especially the plaid ones. I know a lot of people wear them on stage, but to me it just doesn't look good. Oh, and I won't wear polo shirts on stage either.

Cheers!
 
I mean, one of the good things about being a musician is not having to dress up to go to work.
I suppose you don't always "have to" dress up to go to work as a musician (unless the gig requires a tux or something), but when your work involves large numbers of people paying attention to you and looking at you, it's just a good idea.

I have nothing against wearing T-shirts on stage, but they must look obviously better than the T-shirts the audience is wearing.
 

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