The Final Ensemble
How we take a performance outfit from good to great — and build a repeatable wardrobe that works.
In our last post, we talked about the different kinds of outfits that you need for different kinds of gigs, whether it’s a recital, a church gig or a gala. We also talked about our favorite places to shop. In this week’s post, we’re talking about what’s in our closets and other important considerations like tailoring and shoes so you look as polished as your aria sounds when you step on stage.
Once you’ve found the perfect outfit or gown for your event, the work doesn’t stop there. There are several important steps to finalizing the ensemble (see what we did there??), especially for women.
Find the right shoes for your outfit
Pick something comfortable that you can stand in for hours or walk comfortably in. Keep in mind that you’ll likely have to walk gracefully across the stage and there will be cords, music stands, and instrumentalists to get through (or even worse, stairs). You need to be able to pivot and dodge all sorts of things. You’ll also need them before taking your gown to the tailor so you can get the length just right.
Take your outfit to a tailor to get it fitted, especially gowns
Very few things will fit right off the hanger, so find a tailor you trust to help you get your outfit just right. There are two important tests to run before leaving the tailor:
Breath Test: Watch yourself take large, singer breaths in the mirror. Does it look distracting? Do you have room to breathe? Is it comfortable?
Sit Test: I made this mistake in the past. I took my dress to the tailor, loved the way it looked, it felt great when I breathed, but it wasn’t until I got to the actual event and sat down that I noticed it puffed up very awkwardly on my chest. I spent every sitting moment resting my hand against my torso forcing it to stay down. Always, ALWAYS sit down with your dress/gown before leaving the tailor.
You’ll also want to budget in time to get the piece tailored. I have a piece that’s too long, even after tailoring because I didn’t budget extra time. When I picked up the gown, I didn’t even have time to try it on, much less get re-hemmed if I needed it!
If you’ve never worked with a tailor, I would also recommend taking in a “test piece” to see their work before testing someone new on your favorite recital gown.
Pro Tip: If you’re wearing a jacket or coat, make sure you “pop the X”. The tacking stitch is not part of the jacket!
Jewelry
Find the right jewelry for both the outfit and the event. The fancier the event, the more dramatic, large, and sparkly the jewelry can be, but don’t wear the same jewelry for a church gig! Make sure you have a collection of small, understated jewelry (bracelets, earring, necklaces) as well as fancier pieces. These are great to find in antique or thrift stores, or wait until there is a sale at your favorite store and buy several pieces at once.
Yes! Some of my favorite recital jewelry is from thrift stores, my grandmother’s jewelry box or local vintage shops.
Makeup
Practice your favorite makeup looks for both glam and understated events. You don’t want to do the same makeup for a daytime performance as an evening performance, a church gig vs. a gala or festival. Make sure to practice this ahead of time, and if you’re like us, go with a friend to pick out some colors! Kaitlyn helped me pick out my favorite contour and now I love to wear it all the time.
And when planning your schedule the day of a performance, make sure to schedule in extra time if you’re wearing false eyelashes–these ALWAYS take longer than they should!
One of the biggest challenges is making sure you do all of this with plenty of lead time before your performance. Oftentimes directors don’t know how much goes into putting together an outfit, so never be shy about reaching out early and asking what expectations are. Reach out to the other performers and coordinate with them as well! You have to take charge of this, don’t wait for them to tell you. What you’re wearing is the least of their concerns, but it should be at the top of yours.
Now the gig is over. What do you do?
Keep that outfit. Don’t throw it in the trash, give it to your cat for a bed, or send it to Goodwill. We all know quality is heading towards garbage bag level on a daily basis, and overconsumption is killing us whether your outfit is secondhand or not. So, for Pete’s sake, HANG ON TO YOUR QUALITY CLOTHING.
Take care of it, so you can wear it again! This means:
Take it to the tailor for any repairs.
Washing it. Immediately. And attending to any spots or tears before they set in or get worse. (White vinegar or baking soda usually takes care of most spots!)
If you can’t machine wash a piece because of leather, rhinestone or feather embellishments, spot clean it, air it out in some sunlight and fresh air, hand wash it or take it to the dry cleaner.
Hang it up as soon as it’s clean.
Get a steamer. Or at least Downy Wrinkle Releaser. You’ll thank us later.
Find a good cobbler to replace broken heel tips, heel plates, soles and straps. It costs a fraction of a new pair of leather shoes.
Normalize rewearing your outfits. Because clothes are expensive. Because you feel confident in them. Because you love them. Keep track of which outfits you wear to each event so that you can use them again in the future.
I often get hired by the same organizations from year to year, so I’m careful about changing up colors/combinations each year and now have a rotation of outfits. I WILL reuse gowns for these events, especially after a few years have passed.
Same goes for me and church gigs where I’m not wearing robes. I actually keep a spreadsheet of the gig and what I wore so I can go back to favorite outfit/jewelry combinations and so I don’t rewear the same thing to a gig too close together.
Still feel stuck on what to wear or how to stock your closet? Check out “our closets” and some of our go-to outfits, and feel free to copy us! We are far from perfect or finished, but we have discussed, added to, and adapted them together over the last several years, so here’s our several years of “research” to get your started.
Happy Shopping!
Xoxo,
Sarah + Kaitlyn
Our Closets
Sarah’s Go-To Closet
Go-to styles: I am tall and have broad shoulders, so I usually go for gowns or tops that are high-neck halter, strapless, one shoulder/asymmetric, or occasionally a square neck. I can’t do flowy sleeves because it makes me look like a linebacker, so I typically go with no sleeve or a form-fitting sleeve. As a plus-size girlie, I avoid anything that hugs my hips or mid-section. If I’m wearing a skirt, I’ll go for something high-waisted and flared. This helps me be able to breathe comfortably, but also avoid feeling like I’m “on display”.
Go-to colors: Black, blue, dark green, maroon/burgundy
I also get hot VERY easily, so finding clothes that breathe well and keep me from overheating make a huge difference.
Skirts
Black, high-waisted, floor-length skirt with bow on the back (and pockets!)
Black, pleated, high-waisted, mid-length skirt
Tops (paired with my skirts)
Several sleeveless tops of different colors and cuts
White - dotted swiss
Pink
Black waffle-type texture with long, lace sleeves (I love this because it feels more covered up, but also keeps me cool)
Dresses
Green, polka-dot, v-neck, mid-calf dress with sash
Square neck floral dress, mid-calf
Gowns
Navy, A-line banded halter gown
Plum asymmetric/one shoulder, pleated gown with bow on the shoulder
Green, satin, square neck, structured gown
Jumpsuits
Black, spaghetti strap, v-neck jumpsuit. I’ll pair it with a cardigan and a belt
Dark green flowy jumpsuit with cap sleeves.
Kaitlyn’s Go-To Closet
I’m short, petite, small-busted and pear-shaped, with sloping shoulders and a long neck, so I usually go for dresses with a V-neck, cross-over, scoop or v-neck halter with a full or A-line skirt. Strapless or off-the-shoulder necklines or tight-fitting skirts are never good options for me. I also try to pick outfits with detail that help me take up more space visually or draw the eye upward, without “eating me”.
Go-to colors: Black, red, magenta/plum and turquoise
I’m usually cold, so I try to pick outfits that can be easily layered.
Skirts
Long pleated black skirt
Medium length box-pleat black skirt
Vintage grey plaid skirt
Tops
Black crossover short sleeve top
Black long sleeve scoop neck top
Black boatneck sweater with ¾ length sleeves
Black cap sleeve shirt with large floral print
Pink long sleeve floral print shirt in crepe nylon
Dresses
Black velvet dress
Crossover black and white dress with ¾ length sleeves
Long paisley sundress in crepe nylon
Gowns
Black sleeveless chiffon sheer dress
Black ¾ length sleeve dress with scoop neck and black dupioni silk skirt
Black ¾ length sleeve dress with v neck and black and fuschia dupioni silk skirt
Teal vintage formal gown
Navy crossover gown with cap sleeves
Shoes
Rothy black point flats
Black slingback pumps with low kitten heel
Black heeled pumps