what to wear to college auditions?

[defyinggravity3]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 8:19pm

i know you must look professional. but skirt? dress pants? conservative looking? artsy? help please!

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 8:52pm

Not flashy or too colorful.

Maybe a pair of dark slacks and a button down shirt.

[Phantom487]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 1:18am

I wore a sweater, nice jeans and dressy shoes... Semi-casual... they dont want you to get all dressed up... But don't go looking like a slob either...

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 10:06am

Women: Wear a skirt if the show is 20th-21st century. The casting people want to see your legs.

A siren with chubby knees does not always work.

Also suspenders on women gives the illusion of a larger bust. I don't know how, but it does.

This sounds sexist and it is, but it is also true.

Men: Chunky works for chunky characters. Hal in Picnic has to have a physique.

Everybody: Accent your strengths like long legs, a good neck, a nice behind (Don't ask. Your friends have probably already told you.). If you have a waist, cinch it with a belt to let people know it.

Audition is part seduction. Dress to be picked up and to do the picking. Just don't let the casting folks know that is what you're doing. Subtlety is your friend.

Confidence helps a whole lot too.

Xx

[jasobres]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:09am

What about if you're auditioning for the music department and you're a guy, like I am on January 21st.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:16am

WOSQ, I think they're probably talking about college 'admissions' auditions, not show auditions.

You should dress nicely but not too dressy. When I auditioned, most people had on a nice pair of pants and a nice top. Keep it comfortable but neat; neutral colors; nothing flashy or too revealing.

For guys, I'd wear a nice pair of pants and a nice buttoned shirt. No tie or jacket, they'll just look out of place.

[children&art]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:18am

wear NOTHING!

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:34am

I disagree strongly with "don't get too dressed up." If you were auditioning for the touring cast of RENT, that would be good advice; however, this is college! Don't wear a ball gown, but wearing a dress is not a bad idea! (For GIRLS, of COURSE) It says "I care enough about this audition to pick out a nice outfit," and "If I care enough to pick out a nice outfit, I'm also going to care enough about this to be a great student - pick me!"

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 2:30pm

costumemistress, have you actually gone through college admissions auditions? If you have, then I'm curious at what schools because of all the auditions I've attended, both my own and several with friends from my h/s, no one was 'dressed up'. Dressing in something comfortable and nice, which fits well, and is not too revealing is the ideal. Girls who dress in fancy 'dressy' dresses or suits are going to look very out of place. Not to mention the fact that I don't know ANYone who is comfortable in those types of clothes, and trust me, you want to be comfortable in an already stress-filled situation like a college admissions audition. Ditto for the guys, no suits. Even a jacket and tie is too much.

It may depend where you're auditioning as well. For the top East Coast schools, wearing a dressy dress is going to make you feel very out of place. Maybe for OCU, where that kind of thing is more accepted, yes, but not for any of the East Coast schools I've been to.

p.s. I actually went to the last auditions for the non-Equity tour of Rent with a couple of friends who were auditioning and people were dressed basically the same as they were at our college auditions. You don't dress in costume for the auditions. One of my friends was cast and another is returning from the previous tour so I'm looking forward to this one! Updated On: 1/13/06 at 02:30 PM

[innocentchoirboy]

Posted: 1/13/06 at 5:27pm

i'm auditioning for a vocal performance major at oberlin in three weeks. my voice teacher wants me to wear a coat and tie, but he's also an 80 year old veteren of the metropolitan opera, so i think his advice might be a tad dated. i'm thinking about wearing nice black pants (NO PLEATS!) and a nice dark casual button down shirt.

Accessories can make or break you. no sneakers. no boots. nothing open toed. no more than one necklace, and one bracelet (bracelet includes watches). match your belt and shoes, and keep your shirt TUCKED IN! I know this is common sense for most of you, but i've seen so many horrible outfits at auditions these past few months.

[actress_06]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 6:42pm

Ok So I have college auditions in Chicago next month, and I was planning on wearing a nice pair of black pants a white button up shirt and a lime green sweater...Is the sweater too much? i want to look nice, but I also want to stand out from others.
Thanks,
Kaija

P.S. I'm about 5'9' and 120 lbs. if that helps at all.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 7:57pm

i'm wearing a mid-length brown herringbone skirt, a green button-down shirt (there are green accents on the skirt), a dark brown sweater over the button-down, and brown heels.

i wore the same kind of thing when i auditioned last year and didn't feel too dressed up at all. i actually felt like i was dressed exactly appropriately.

basically, you want to look professional, but you also want to look like you. take that and interpret it for yourself. there is no surefire way an outfit will make or break your audition.

[catstagestud]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 11:52pm

My advice from the last couple years from my college auditioning experience and watching the auditioners of last year...

Wear something that is professional looking but remember to be yourself, too. I wore a pair of light khaki pants, a red dress shirt that did have buttons but came down into V about as low as a Polo would be un-buttoned and brown dress shoes (well, Docs, not real dress shoes). A lot of girls had on a knee length skirt w/ a nice tank top or short-sleeved shirt((blouse, etc.)it is Arizona and even though our auditions are held in Feb. I remember almost dying in my outfit).

Cheers,

C.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 1:03am

Erin, I'm not saying prom dress. But I would advise against a girl showing up in khakis. Yes, be comfortable. But this is like a job interview. You want to look like you made an effort.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:19pm

Not to belabor the point, but I didn't suggest that girls wear khakis. My advice was to dress nicely but not to get too dressed up. Nice pants, nice top, etc. Reread my posts. You're the one who 'disagreed strongly' and thought that my advice was good if you were 'auditioning for the national tour of Rent'.

I disagree that this is like a job interview. The main purpose of the audition is the audition itself, what you can show to the auditors, highlighting the training you've had, putting the spotlight on your acting abilities. Although an interview is included at some schools' auditions, the interview (as it is in a job interview) is to glean information and exchange ideas, answer questions, etc. Presenting your best at a job interview is one thing. Presenting your best in an audition is clearly another. There are slight similarities but not enough to equate the two.

Dressing nicely but not too dressed up, is surely going to look like you made an effort, which is what I said in the first place! I'm curious what college auditions you've been to, care to share?

[withoutlove78]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 12:45pm

so for musical theatre auditions, do they give you time to change out of your dance clothes? like in a separate room? or do you have to wear them underneath your actual outfit?

[singtopher]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 7:16pm

As someone who has seen many Muscial Theatre Major hopefuls auditon, my advice is DON'T WEAR ANYTHING TOO REVEALING? I saw a girl last year wear a mini skirt and haulter(sp?) top and she wasn't exactly a model. Look sharp. Pants or a skirt/dress doesn't matter for girls. For guys, I personaly don't suggest ties, but that doesn't matter either. Nothing to busy. Stick with solid colors, or prints that don't distract from you. My director personally HATES character shoes on girls (I tend to agree) but that opinion varies. The bottom line is, don't worry too much about what you wear. Don't go max out your mother's credit card buying a brand new outfit for audtion either. They're looking at you, and what you wear will only count if you are wearing something grossly inapropriate. They're not going to not accept you based on what you wear, so chill out, and focus on the material you are presenting in front of whoever.

In regards to the question about changing for the dance audition, generally there is time to change. Hopefully the school has sent you materials specifying weather or not there will be time. If you're still not sure, call the school, and ask.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 1/15/06 at 8:07pm

withoutlove - YES they do give you time to change. don't worry, you will definitely have time :)

good luck, folks!

[dramatothemax]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 1:58am

I say black character shoes, black skirt and colorful nicely fitted shirt. for guys i say black slacks, black dress shoes, and a colorful shirt.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 9:14am

dramatothemax -

there isn't a SET formula for what to wear to college auditions in order to get in. i think if everyone wore what you stated, everyone would look too alike for the adjudicators to be able to have a good enough memory to tell them apart when it came to be decision time!!

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 9:58am

Anything.
But look NICE.
And make it about the audition, not about the wardrobe.

And don't let it show your stomach or chest.
It's just classless.

[Sporti2005]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 11:21am

FF has a really really valid point:

NO BARE MIDRIFFS!

i can't count how many navel rings i saw when i was auditioning last year, and it's just unprofessional. you want to show the adjudicators that you will be marketable when you leave their program, and professionalism is a good way to start off.

show off the shape your body in the dance portion of the audition - you'll be wearing skin-tight clothes then anyway.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 11:30am

It's tempting, but don't wear all black. It shows absolutely no personality and there might be a lot of other people who are dressed all in black as well.

[cathyhyatt]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 2:31pm

I would just wear something casual. I wore these eggplant colored khaki-type pants with a black shirt and this short sweater that buttoned up half-way and had beading on it...and black boots. It was casual with a little touch of me. hahah

The one big thing I wouldn't do is wear jeans OR a short skirt. It's just not professional. I had my audition at Marymount Manhattan this past Saturday and people were not only wearing jeans...they were wearing RIPPED jeans. I don't know if it's just me but that seems like a big NO in my book! I mean if you want them to take you seriously you should dress like YOU take it seriously.

[dramatothemax]

Posted: 1/16/06 at 3:13pm

sporti- yeah i completely get that, but thats just what i usually wear for auditions. i didnt mean it like YOU MUST WEAR THIS I AM AUDITION GOD. hahah, just a suggestion