Orchestra's dress code

[giles.enders]

In England, during this week  there has been a considerable amount of press coverage of a boy, Chris Whitehead, who wore his sisters skirt to school because he objected to the stricter dress code for boys at his school.

This has emboldened me to bring up the topic of women's dress in orchestras.  They frankly look a mess.  Their neck lines are anything from chokers to plungers, where if you sit in the balcony one can almost see down to their naval.  There are round necks, square necks and a great many other shapes.   Sleeves, from no sleeves, short sleeves of many different lengths to full length.
The clothing material can be anything from sequined, lace, cotton, silk, infact almost any fabric.  There are skirts of all descriptions, slim ,voluminous, long medium and short.  Trousers some several inches from the ground, others just below the knee with black tights and of many designs.  Shoes range from high heals to ballet and even sandals.

Given that many orchestras have as many women players as men, it is time to do something about this subject.  Either men should be given the same freedom perhaps to wear bow ties, ordinary ties, cravats, no ties, t-shirts, polo neck shirts, jackets could be optional and sandals an option.  The alternative is a dress code for women.

[Mark Thomas]

Giles wrote:

if you sit in the balcony one can almost see down to their naval.

That would certainly relieve the tedium of any Bruckner symphony 

a dress code for women

You're a brave man Giles! What would you suggest?

p.s. I do agree.

[JimL]

Everyone gets completely covered in Japanese yakuza tattoos and wears only speedos and bikini briefs!

P.S. Did I mention the Mohawks?  Mandatory Mohawk hair, so you can see the tattoos on the scalp!

[Paul Barasi]

Oddly, I get more bothered about how the men dress. Uniform has its points but usually it's so old hat, and doesn't even fit performances with period instruments (I think I'll check on this with the OAE's CE).  It's uncomfortable to play in too. I'd much prefer to see a T-shirted pianist than one drenched in sweat. And as for Vlad Jurowski  – quite apart from those bedroom slippers  – just what is that outfit he always conducts in?

[Amphissa]

Yes, I agree. The men and women should all dress exactly alike.

[mbhaub]

I hate wearing tuxes for concerts. White tie, black tie -- horrible. I think it's time orchestras adopt outfits like NASCAR drivers wear and sell a bunch of endorsements and advertisements on their bodies. Might help the institutions stay in business.

[JimL]

Yeah.  Maybe string players can get stickers for various bow resin manufacturers to put on their instruments.

[Lionel Harrsion]

I hate wearing tuxes for concerts. White tie, black tie -- horrible. I think it's time orchestras adopt outfits like NASCAR drivers wear and sell a bunch of endorsements and advertisements on their bodies. Might help the institutions stay in business.

My late and much missed piano teacher Ron Meachen once commented that wearing white tie and tails made it feel "like trying to play the piano in a suit of armour!"

[Hovite]

Oddly, I get more bothered about how the men dress. Uniform has its points but usually it's so old hat, and doesn't even fit performances with period instruments (I think I'll check on this with the OAE's CE).  It's uncomfortable to play in too. I'd much prefer to see a T-shirted pianist than one drenched in sweat.

I've just come home from a concert: the violinist Joshua Bell appeared to be wearing black silk pyjamas.

[Norbit]

I think a tux for the men and a nice black dress for the woman would be a good easy dress code. Or is that too complicated?

[JimL]

Now I'm intrigued by black silk pajamas for everybody.

[Mark Thomas]

Those of us with a significant other will know the "a nice black dress" can mean almost anything! I sing in a choir in which the men wear a black dinner jacket (tux) and the ladies have their uniform blouses provided for them, but they have to supply their own long back skirt, pearls, earings and shoes. We have a couple of big concerts coming up, so just now we are going through our six monthly furore over how long the string of pearls should be, is it one string or two, what type of earings, how black should the black skirt be and should it be above or on the ankle, what colour and style should the shoes be and how high the heels, how much lipstick, how much mascara etc.etc. etc. All of which debate is utterly pointless because, on the night they'll wear just what they want.

[giles.enders]

Could you prevail upon the ladies to all have long sleeves and skirts of the same length.  I don't care if the men in a choir wear shorts as they can't be seen, it is the 'Charity Shop' mess on the front row that is irritating.  Soloists excepted.
Incidently, what is the choir singing?

[Mark Thomas]

Judge for yourself, Giles: www.stuartsingers.com. You might describe our repertoire as unpretentious and eclectic. For instance, the men's number next week will be a barber-shoppy arrangement of "Five foot two, eyes of blue", whilst the ladies' will be "He ain't heavy, he's my brother". We sing standards such as "Stormy Weather" but also spirituals, comedy numbers and more serious items such as Bruckner's Locus Iste and some Purcell this time. We even attempted a Raff a capella piece once, a very jolly number about Spring which most of us reckon was probably the most difficult thing we've attempted!

[Paul Barasi]

Can we honesty expect a top performance from an orchestra whose dress code is too hot to play well in? Who are they dressing up for anyway?  I go concert for the music.