Audition attire??

bhmomma · 11-04-2009, 09:10 AM

My senior daughter has been working diligently on songs, monologues and applications. Now that the applications are in and the audition schedule mapped out, she has turned her attention to "what to wear?" Of course she will bring dance attire for the dance portions, but she has rec'd advise to wear a dress and heels for the song, monologue portions. We have not gone through this process before, and while I want her to appear "put together", I also want her comfortable during the process.
Any "dos or don'ts" from those that have been through the process before?

xatty · 11-04-2009, 10:33 AM

Feel comfortable, but look professional. My D wore a blouse, skirt, and heels for her song/monologue.

MTMama · 11-04-2009, 10:55 AM

There are past threads about this topic - with lots of good advice! - so I will bump one for you titled "Audition Wear." It will now show up as a recent thread.

NotMamaRose · 11-04-2009, 12:36 PM

In MT, very few girls wear pants or slacks to an audition, and the auditors (most of them, anyway) like to see them in heels. One piece of advice: don't let your daughter stress unduly over what she wears. The goal is for her to look good and to feel that she is her "best self." During my daughter's audition season (she is now a sophomore at NYU Tisch) we heard of parents who had their daughter's dresses custom made and such, and that seemed over the top and unnecessary.

mamalu · 11-04-2009, 01:28 PM

Good advise abounds already...
Girls wore nice pants and nice tops with low heels, or nice and comfy dresses that flatter.

The most important suggestion is find a dress that is easy on and easy off.. Too many buttons or hard to reach zippers will be stressful for changes in and out of dance wear. Most schools schedule the dance portion first with time to change into dress wear following. But it's not always the case.

Make sure to pack wipes to clean up with after sweaty dancing and back into dress clothes. Be organized and comfortable and it's all good.

Skwidjymom · 11-04-2009, 03:23 PM

My D wore a pretty but simple dress that was easy to change into and out of...you never know what facility will be provided for these changes! The only fussy thing my D wore was pearls, and I insisted because I felt they enhanced her monologue. Bring Febreeze and Static Guard!

onstage · 11-04-2009, 05:37 PM

Heels are flattering to the leg, but make sure they aren't too high and that you are comfortable walking in them. A student of mine wore 4 inch heels to her first audition, and was asked to remove them so she could move more naturally and gracefully.

nydancemom · 11-04-2009, 05:43 PM

Daughter wore dress pants and a nice blouse. She felt more comfortable in pants than a dress and heels. She had several acceptances, so I don't think a dress or skirt is necessary, and we saw many girls in dress pants in 2006-2007 when she was auditioning. Just try to look polished, is the main point I think. We saw girls wearing jeans and t-shirts. Wow, not sure how successful they were, but I can't imagine that leaves a good impression with the audition panel.

AngieA · 11-04-2009, 07:57 PM

Most we saw including my D wore dresses with heels. Character shoes are a good choice with the heels giving enough support and not too high.
I think Mamalu's suggestion about clothing that is easy to change and uncomplicated is a great suggestion. I remember the changing usually happening in a crowded bathroom in a 5-10 minute period out of dance clothes and into the dress. An easy hairstyle is a must because you won't have much time to deal with it.

perischack · 11-05-2009, 10:44 AM

I have a boy, so obviously, his attire was different, but many of the girls we saw wore outfits (cute dresses or skirts and tops) with leotards underneath to make for easier changing. If you sing/act first, it's easy to remove the dress and be ready for the dance audition. Make sure to bring a change of undergarments in case you dance first, so you don't have to put clean clothes over anything sweaty! BTW, this works for boys, too. My son had his dance shorts and a white t-shirt underneath his audition outfit. For any moms of boys reading, he wore a pair of khaki dress slacks with a button-down shirt, and received several compliments about the way he looked. As with your audition material, the outfit should fit your child and be something he or she feels comfortable in!

bhmomma · 11-05-2009, 11:27 AM

Thanks for all the feedback! Sorry I forgot to do a search first. I have been a long time lurker, gaining lots of invaluable advice. I did read the bumped thread and have gained lots of advice from that as well.
Sound like the dress she had picked out is appropriate, and glad to hear that character shoes were ok. I hated to have too high a heel, or new shoes that weren't broken in. I am adding febreeze, static guards and wipes to our list!
You guys are great. It is wonderful to have those that have gone before us to guide us on this unknown journey. I can't wait to hear all the outcomes as we forge ahead!

CoachC · 11-05-2009, 12:43 PM

Character shoes are ok but are largely passe now - most girls will follow the trends on NYC auditioning and wear either "normal" heels or cute flats, if they can't walk comfortably in heels - although I agree that heels are generally preferred IF the girl can really walk gracefully in them.

chrissyblu · 11-07-2009, 03:34 AM

We just did this last year, and oh my. My D was so glad she was not in MT.
For CMU, the girls went to town. When it came time to do their vocal, they were dressed to the nines in beatiful dresses, fixed their hair, high heel shoes. We felt very bad for a girl who didn't know this would happen and she was still in her leotard and tights from dancing. You could see her discomfort. The guys were in nice slacks, and many of them had on ties.

When it came time for the acting, they changed yet again into more comfortable attire to move in.

My D always wore nice black (but stretchy) slacks, ballet flats, and a nice long sleeve but thin sleeve (not hot) sweater, usually in a pretty blue or teal. (She wants a long, lean look with no breaks from short sleeves or short skirts when acting.) She wore some, but minimal jewelry because in her headshot she wore some. (My D is a bit ethnic.)

Again, comfort is the name of the game. You don't want to be fighting blisters.

Bring water, and towels and I agree with the wipies. Don't forget your makeup for refreshers. Don't try to do anything that will take too long. Very little time between changes, from what I could see.