Concertable Women's Clothing and Appearance

 

I am the one in the front with the twin braids.

Song: Fanfare for the Third Planet:

Composer: Richard Saucedo

Ensemble: LVYO Symphonic Band 

Open-ended concert attire can leave the women looking sloppy and at a loss for what to wear as stated by this cellist's blog post. However, there are few guidelines for women as to what makes clothing concertable.

As a rule, as pointed out in the original post, sweatshirts, jeans , and T-shirts are not concertable. However, cotton can be concertable as long as it is done well. I own a long, black skirt made of cotton that I use for concerts with open-ended dress codes. Even with open-ended dress codes, men have to adhere to strict guidelines as to what is concertable.

Generally, when I look for concertable clothing, I look for white, collared shirts and long, black skirts. When it comes to shirts, I look for a symmetrical collar and some degree of arm covering. Short sleeves are generally acceptable to me, but they might not be to your director. Longer sleeves give a more professional appearance, but they tend to be an issue in a concert hall that tends to be too hot. I feel faint and short of breath if I am too hot, which is an impedance to my flute-playing ability.

For skirts, I look for long, black, and relatively plain skirts that fit at the waist. Concertable skirts are neither voluminous nor body-conscious and fall at the ankles or to the floor. However, there should be no excess fabric dragging as this poses a tripping hazard. (Use hemming tape, some sort of sewing method or the services of a seamstress to remedy this problem.) They should ideally have only one or two layers, but some three-layered skirts are concertable.

As for makeup, I don't think ensemble musicians should all wear makeup. Some musicians are concerned about make up rubbing off on their instrument and others are allergic to makeup, don't know how to apply it well if at all, find wearing something on their face to be an impedance to their playing, and some just don't like it. These are all valid reasons not to wear makeup in an ensemble setting. The same goes for hair. Different people have different types of hair and not everyone wants to straighten it out to where it is stick-straight with absolutely no strays and then put it up in an immaculate bun. Wearing a bun can also impede playing by giving the musician a headache, which is distracting from the primary focus (the music).

Women in ensembles deserve to look as fluteiful as the men. I wear a specific uniform in my band. It is a black empire waisted dress with a sweetheart neckline, lace-ish cap sleeves, and sparkly details on the bodice. It is an absolutely beautiful dress and it is very flattering. (It's this one.) However, I have been in ensembles with open-ended dress codes and have not had a problem with the way females dress yet. 

What do you think makes clothing concertable? Do you agree or disagree with what I have said or have any new points to bring up? Have I addressed your concerns or brought up new ones? Let me know when you comment.

Concertable: Clothing that resembles concert attire, but is not marketed as such, like "loliable" in lolita