Clothing Crap

When you wear a specific outfit to work as a magician, are you wearing a uniform or a costume? First, a distinction: a uniform is a collection of clothing one is implored to wear as part of a certain work environment; a costume is a collection of clothing selected to match one's character. Most magicians wear the uniform of the particular form of magic that they're doing without considering costume choices. The point of this post is to get you out of the "what do I have to wear to this" frame of reference and into the "why am I wearing this and how can I use this to shape my impression on people" state of mind.

The most basic rule of what to wear is the "one step above" rule. That is, dress one step above the level of dress of your audience. Below is a list of the "dress" hierarchy (to use the rule, find the level of dress of your audience and then dress one rung above it). Notice that the ladder is a lot more complex than just casual-suit-tuxedo. There really are a lot of subtle steps in between that you should recognize:

Tuxedo (black tie)
Expensive, tailored, pricey brand name suit
Suit and tie
Sports jacket/blazer and slacks
Dress casual (open shirt, expensive jeans instead of slacks)
Casual but nice (expensive/knit shirt, shined shoes)
T-shirt and jeans
(There is a level below this - swimsuits, open shoes - but if I include this, I may give the impression that it's okay to wear a t-shirt and jeans to a gig. It's almost always not, unless you're on stage portraying a character that requires it.)

Now that you know what's appropriate, find ways to inject your character into your outfit. Think of your choice of tie: is it outgoing? Loud? Understated? Fun? Serious? What is the color of your suit? Fashionably pin-striped? Classic black/navy blue? These decisions are very important in manipulating your first impression and getting your character across right away.

Also keep in mind that many situations don't have set audience levels, so you get to choose your own level of dress. For example, you may have the choice between a classy blazer and slacks and a fashionable sports jacket and expensive dark jeans. Both may be appropriate, but both communicate completely different messages.

The biggest violation of these rules happens with younger magicians, who try to emulate their role models by emulating their dress. If you're young, take advantage of it and dress young and hip. You shouldn't look like you just got out of a country club, but like you are about to go clubbing. Dressing out of character (even the implicit character that spectators associate with your age) can put off an audience, so be careful, methodical, and deliberate in your choice of clothing. Subtlety is very important.