Lights, Camera, Fashion

I've always loved the way an outfit could express your personality. It's not so much that I love fashion and being trendy (I think my "scene kid" phase in high school and love of yoga pants in college made that pretty clear...) but rather an interest in the way that I can either influence or reflect my mood by changing my clothes and makeup. I'm sure any woman can attest to the fact that high heels can instantly boost your confidence, but it goes beyond that. When I want to feel badass, I throw on a pair of combat boots. When I already feel badass, I wear pink (honestly, what's more badass than saying "screw you if you don't think being girly can also be tough"?). I get a better workout when my sports bra matches my sneakers and I'm actually friendlier when I wear dresses instead of combat boots.

There is a lot of power in choosing an outfit, which is why I wanted to write a blog post about it. An actor is constantly trying to get in the zone and really feel like their character, so here are some tips to help (This is also relevant for non-actors and "real life"; just substitute audition and filming scenarios with whatever your life entails -- job interviews, dates, etc.):

1) IMPORTANT: Don't spend money you don't have on clothes you can only wear once!!!

• Why don't you want to spend your money on clothes for a film? Well, while you can wear the same outfit to a million auditions, you can really only wear it on film one time. Otherwise, when you use that footage for a demo reel, it'll be hard to differentiate clips from one movie from another. The only exceptions would be if you were just an extra (since you can't use that for your reel) and if you will absolutely not be using that footage on your reel (like if the quality of the camera was poor or if your performance was bad and you won't be showing it to any casting directors).

• If the director isn't happy with the clothing you already own, they should be the ones paying for wardrobe for the film. Show them what you have that you think could work for the project, but if they want something specific, it is up to them to find it. This may involve you accompanying them to Goodwill to try things on, but they are the ones with the budget for THEIR project.

• Don't be afraid to buy and return items. If you do end up wanting to buy something yourself, make sure you know the store's return policy before you check out and don't forget to actually return the item! You won't save any money if you only had 30 days to return something but you leave it in the trunk of your car for 3 months! Tip: Buy a seam ripper or find another small item to poke holes in your clothing. I know this sounds funny, but it is the key to removing and reattaching tags. Rather than ripping them off, (and thus breaking them) make the hole the tag is going through large enough that you can pull it out and later put it back on so you can return it. And don't lose the tag!

Example: These dresses were used for a film in which I was playing a bridesmaid. It was obviously important that we had the exact dresses (so they would match) so we couldn't go with what this other actress and I already had in our closets. The director ordered these online and returned them after filming.

2) Shop or plan outfits for a "vibe" not trendiness or just to be cute. The audience's imagination will fill in any gaps. Creating a character is less about making the "best dressed" list on Fashion Police and more about capturing someone's essence. On camera, you can't tell if your jeans are designer or $5 from Goodwill!(Actually, 90% of what I've worn in films has been from Goodwill and manipulated with paperclips to make them fit....)

Example: I've also worn the same cheap pleather jacket from Forever 21 to a ton of auditions and found that it looks really, really good on camera for a variety of roles. I've worn it when auditioning to be a rich, snobby girl (leather = fashionable) but also a badass for an action film (leather also = biker). The jacket never changed, but it works in a variety of situations.

Also play with stereotypes and go for obvious choices. If the character is a free spirit, go for a hippie look. If she is young and innocent, wear white. These are images than we have associated with feelings because of other films we've seen, so casting directors are also going to have those images in their minds, even if they don't realize it.

3) Don't sweat the little, unchangable details. 90% of the time you're on camera, your full body is NOT in the shot. Most auditions are taped either from the waist up or just your head and shoulders and the same goes for actually filming on set. Instead of fixating on whether your jewelry clashes with your shoes, choose those accessories based on what you think will bring the essence of your character across. Chances are, your shoes and even your legs will only be on screen for a few seconds, so no one is going to notice the tiny details that you see off-camera.

4) Layers are your friend! Outfits always look more put-together and intentional when you wear a jacket, scarf, or something else to accessorize.

Example 1: Jackets are great when you have multiple auditions in one day! Every time I go for an audition at Full Sail, I always wear a jacket. Aside from the fact that the waiting room is always freezing, it's an easy way to change up my look between auditions. During one of my last auditions, I was going from one room (where I would play a high school student) to another (where I was a stuck up college sorority girl) to yet another (where I was supposed to be a rebellious young woman caught vandalizing someone's property). By having a leather jacket, I could wear it to be the rich girl, take it off to be the student, and swing it over my shoulder to be the vandalizer.

Example 2: Layers are the key to a good headshot, in my opinion. If you look up acting headshots, you'll find that people are wearing blazers or denim jackets in so many of them. Layering is a really good way to put an image across that wouldn't otherwise be easy to attain with just a shirt.

5) Avoid busy patterns and never wear tiny stripes. If you have any question about how it will look on camera, taking a picture will be a good start. Tiny stripes are never a good idea though, because they get warped when the camera tries to focus on them (no joke, I knew a kid who paid $300 for headshots and then had to get them redone after none of the images turned out right because he wore stripes!) and it's very distracting.

6) Make sure you have some color in your wardrobe. It is not uncommon for a booking confirmation email to tell you not to wear certain colors. It may be because another actor is already wearing those colors or they don't want you to blend into the background. It is also super common for them to say not to wear black or white because EVERYONE shows up in those colors and it ends up looking really boring, hence the need for color (and also a good reason to bring jackets because it adds another hue).

7) Follow the director's instructions. I shouldn't have to say this, but just trust the director (or 1st AD, casting director, your agent, etc) when they give you directions regarding what to wear. As I mentioned before, they might tell you not to wear a certain color for a variety of reasons. You just need to trust that they know what they're talking about, rather than assuming you know better. If you wear the wrong thing, they may not be able to use you at all.

Example: I once received a confirmation email to be an extra for a party scene and they said not to wear any black or really bright colors (including white). Several people showed up in these colors anyway because they thought they had a better idea of what they would actually wear to a party.... and then they couldn't even be filmed because the scene was using a black light and everyone in black disappeared on camera and those wearing bright colors drew too much attention away from the main characters.

8) As long as the director has seen you in your wardrobe, it's okay if something doesn't fit you perfectly. There are so many tricks used on set to make an outfit "work". This is another time that you just have to trust that the director knows what they are talking about and you need to just let them do their job.

Example: Last week I was filming for Goodwill and the only shirt they had for me was a size large. Off-screen this would not have worked, but with a little movie magic, you couldn't even tell. We used a rubber band to pull the excess fabric tighter and it ended up fitting perfectly.

9) Get comfortable with Goodwill, Plato's Closet, and other thrift/consignment stores. For all the reasons listed above, these are a great place to find wardrobe. Their prices are low, they accept returns, and they carry a variety of styles. Also, if you need a certain color, these are truly the best places to look because they organize the clothing by color (unlike most retail stores, which organize things by style, brand, or trend).

10) Women! If a scene calls for you to sit down, pants or a skirt that is at least knee-length is your best option. Shorts are unflattering on even the best bodies because legs naturally spread out when you sit down, making your thighs look fatter and drawing attention to cellulite that isn't even there when you're standing.

I hope you will find this information helpful! Remember -- shopping for the camera is about creating a character, not being fashionable (unless you're playing a fashionista, of course!)