Image via Flickr by Darwin Bell
Wardrobe is one of those things no one thinks about until an audition comes in... And then we obsess over it. We stand in our underwear in front of our closets and stress. We judge other actors' wardrobe in the waiting room. We worry that we look too much or too little like everyone else. We wonder, if we'd worn something different, if we would have booked it.
Here's the thing about wardrobe; it can't get you the part, but it can lose you the part. Put another way, wardrobe doesn't matter -- except when it does. Allow me to explain.
One of my favorite casting directors has a stock answer for when an actor asks, "What should I wear to an audition?" He responds, "We have an excellent Wardrobe Department. You worry about the acting." Decision-makers don't care if you're good at selecting wardrobe, because that's the Costume Designer's job, not yours. (The exception is on projects, usually non-union or low budget, that specify that the actor must provide his or her own wardrobe, like "the actor playing the cop must provide her own cop uniform.")
The primary function of wardrobe in an audition -- about 80% -- is to help you feel as much like the character as possible. The other 20% is about demonstrating to the decision-makers that you have a basic understanding of the character and the project. So if you're reading to play a strung-out drug addict on "The Bridge", you want to choose wardrobe that helps you feel messy and out of control, and you want it to feel appropriate for a hot climate. If you go in wearing crisp business attire or a bulky sweater, the decision-makers will assume you lack an understanding of the role, the show, or both.
Once you get those basics right -- wardrobe that helps get you into character and fits the role and project, the particulars don't matter much. UNLESS...
There are a few ways in which wardrobe can hurt your audition:
- By being too specific - Some actors take wardrobe too far, wearing, say, a lab coat and stethoscope to an audition to play a doctor. The problem is that the decision-makers probably have a picture in their minds of what the character looks like, and too much specificity can leave them thinking, "that's not how I see it." Instead of trying to nail it on the head, go for a suggestion of the role and let them fill in the missing pieces.
- By not being specific enough - I've mentioned that one of my first jobs was playing a waitress on "ER." Because it was a one-word role, there was no information in the sides about where the scene took place -- so I asked my agent to find out. Turns out the character was a waitress at a rave (which would have been hard to guess, since raves don't generally have waitresses.) So while my ripped jeans and Converse didn't get me the role, the actors who assumed the scene took place at a fancy restaurant and dressed and acted accordingly probably shot themselves in the foot. Make sure you have enough information to make informed choices.
- By distracting the decision-makers - I once read to play a pregnant woman. None of the actors called were pregnant, so casting obviously wasn't concerned with hiring an actually-pregnant actor. But one woman shoved her jacket under her shirt in order to look pregnant. In actuality it looked lumpy and ridiculous and made it impossible to focus on anything she was saying, and she didn't get the role. Same goes for crazy patterns, super loud colors, etc. Make sure your wardrobe isn't more interesting than your acting.
- By distracting YOU - Those shoes may be perfect for the role, but if you they hurt your feet, you're not going to be able to focus on your prep and performance. It is FAR more important for your wardrobe to feel right than to look right. We often walk into the waiting room and discover that we've gone in a completely different direction wardrobe-wise than our fellow actors, and that can be alarming. But if your wardrobe supports your choices about the character and scene(s), there's no cause for doubt.
Finally, you don't always have time to put together the right wardrobe. Last minute auditions happen all the time, and you can only fit so many clothing options in your car, so you may have to read for the role of 'Gala Attendee' in what you wore to the gym (or vice versa.) When that happens, you or your agent should explain to casting that you didn't have time to get into appropriate wardrobe, so you appreciate their looking past what you're wearing and focusing on the work. (This is also a situation in which a reel can come in handy; if you have a clip that shows you in more appropriate wardrobe and hair/makeup, let casting know.) And don't let it stress you out. You have every chance in the world of booking the role. Because you know what's even more impressive than someone who can nail an audition in the right wardrobe? Someone who can nail an audition in the wrong wardrobe.
Have you ever had a wardrobe mishap, meltdown, or conundrum? Share it in the comments!