How do you dress?

[Il Friscaletto]

I was wondering what kind of thought people put in to what they wear when they are playing in public, be it sessions, busking, or stage performance.

Also, how do you think the way you are dressed affects how people might perceive you as a musician?

I sometimes cringe when I see a professional performer dressed with no apparent goal in mind. Even a simple black t-shirt and jeans, is a "look" to go for, but I've seen some performers dressed as if they are sitting at home watching the game and eating cheesy poofs..

Anyhoo, just wanted hear people's thoughts...

:)

[Congratulations]

When I'm busking, I try to look as much like a college student, and as little like a bum, as possible. So normally it's a collared shirt and slacks. It just so happens that I wear a collared shirt and slacks almost every day, anyway. Speaking of, I should go busking today. I think I will!

[s1m0n]

When I'm busking, I try to look as much like a college student, and as little like a bum, as possible.

I'll second that. Not so much the college student thing, per se, but the not looking like a bum. Busking isn't begging. People give to beggers out of pity, but they give to buskers because they enjoy the music. So, they want to see confirmation that you're good: salt the hat with denominations that are at the larger end of the range of likely donations, and only empty it if its getting too full or you're worried someone might snatch.

Seeing that other people thought you were good reinforces the audience's impression, and makes them more rather than less likely to give.

The reverse is true of panhandlers, I suspect.

[Gabriel]

When going out, no matter if for a session, a gig, for a concert, or for the pub to have a pint, I normally dress with a black or beige jeans (actually I have only black and beige jeans), a (t)shirt and sometimes a sack coat. That's enough. When playing music, I expect the people to be at the venue for the music, not for looking how I dressed.

[anniemcu]

For actual paying gigs I dress nicely. For half of our paying calendar, it
is Civil War era stuff, so I am really trussed up and decked out. (Half the investment I make in my music is for instrument, the other for period dress! )

For sessions, I figure on 'come as you are'.

Haven't had the opportunity to busk in ages. I would usually dress up for that in something unusual or period, depending on the location.

[Montana]

I wear things that are a little special for performances and sessions. Not much but maybe a special shirt with my jeans.
Even for sessions, I feel like I'm setting a mood for people, especially since we're playing in an "Irish" pub (quotation marks because really the only thing that is even slightly Irish is the name, the decor, and the Guinness). I think a lot of people come to hear our music because they like the culture, not just the reels. So I kind of want to help transport them a bit across the sea.
If I go into a pub and the musicians are wearing ratty jeans and Metallica tshirts, it's just not as nice. Granted, I'd rather have good musicians wearing sloppy clothes than poor musicians complete with costume.
But how much better to have good music and neatly dressed musicians with maybe even a celtic knot here or there?

[SteveShaw]

Winter, me Craghopper zipoffs, tatty blue trainers and a t-shirt. Summer, Marks 'n Sparks cheapie shorts, t-shirt and tatty sandals. That's pub sessions. If it's a gig, and people might see my legs, I upgrade the sandals, or trainers as the case may be, to my poshest pair.

[talasiga]

I normally put my singlet on first.
Then my underdaks which are always of the boxer variety
because I am such a feisty specimen but, mainly, because tight
underdaks are bad for the testicles.
I always button my shirt from the front which means I wear the shirt as it was made to be worn.

If this topic were in the PUB section I would elaborate more.

[SteveShaw]

I didn't know undies were included in the discussion. I am with Talasiga one hundred percent on the boxers, and for the same reason. And no buttons on the boxers, please. I mean, how pretentious is that?

[Jayhawk]

Who knew you were supposed to wear clothes to a session...no wonder the weird looks from my mates.

But seriously, I wear whatever the weather dictates for session. If I were performing for cash, I'd dress up a tad.

Eric

[pancelticpiper]

This topic reminds me of something that happed to an Irish music trio I knew.
They were very good, very traditional, pipes, flute, and fiddle, no accompaniment whatsoever.
They wore ratty jeans, stained t-shirts, etc.
One day they were playing dressed like that at some sort of Irish function, and afterwards an old Irish woman came up to them and said, "You young people are very good. You have put a lot of work and thought and respect into your playing. It's a pity that how you dress doesn't reflect that. You should look like you take pride in what you do."
That changed their attitude, and afterwards they would show up in slacks and dress shirts and sweater-vests.
My trio does a number of weddings and other jobs, and for that we have a uniform of sorts, black slacks and white shirts and matching tweed vests. We look "dressy" enough to satifsy the contracts (which often specify that the musicians be dressed in black and white; most wedding musicians wear tuxes) and look "Irish" enough to satisfy the clients.
Out at a festival we just wear whatever.
At sessions around here, it seems to be common for people to wear "Irish" themed t-shirts, Guinness or whatever. I wear my football strip.

[fearfaoin]

When I'm busking, I try to look as much like a college student, and as little like a bum, as possible. So normally it's a collared shirt and slacks

You clearly go to a fancier college than I did...

[Montana]

If this topic were in the PUB section I would elaborate more.

Oh, elaborate!

I don't wear boxers.

[Denny]

yer a trouble maker, ya are

[Innocent Bystander]

It's the cheesy poofs that worry me. I hope it means something different in Boston.