An actor’s wardrobe

Remember, the clothes you wear when performing not only help the audience to visualise your character, but help you to feel the part. In fact, many actors state that they don’t completely feel like their character until that costume is on. Quite often, I have been asked to bring in ‘costume options’, which is fine with me, because I will know they fit comfortably and be fairly flattering. I can also choose colours that suit my skintone / body shape, etc. So here are a few tips to creating a cheap but useful actor’s wardrobe!1. The stereotypes rule – a flannel shirt is perfect for the ‘bogan’ and ‘country’ roles, a plain white long sleeved collared shirt will look smart for corporate scenarios. You will use these things again and again! Remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune, op shops are an actor’s best friend! Think about some common characters / looks and have a few things like this ready to go!
2. There are some fantastic apps for your smart phone that allow you to take photos of all of your clothes and put together outfits / looks, seeing what tops, bottoms, shoes and accessories would look like together. Having this with you on the go ensures you don’t overlook options and accidentally buy something you forgot you already had!
3. When buying new clothes, remember that dots or stripes that are close together can create the look of a ‘shake’ on digital cameras, and busy patterns can be distracting. Often, tops, jumpers and dresses in one bold or soft colour, go down better on set.
4. Similiarly, avoid obvious logos / brand names when thinking of clothes you can wear for shoots, as filmmakers often avoid these, incase the brand does not wish to associate itself with the content of the film.
5. Ask your actor friends to lend you something – but of course give it back washed and in good condition! Likewise, help your friends out if they need to borrow something. Sharing is caring, so help a fellow actor out! 🙂
Until next time, happy acting, my fellow thespians