I thought I’d go back to some basics. What to wear to an audition is a popular item in the Google search bar, and you’ll likely find a lot of information.

Most agree that what is best, is something that is solid, no logos/patterns, in a complimentary colour. Think, blues, purples, greens, pinks. Nothing too strong like bright red, because you don’t want it to be too distracting, but nothing too dark, especially if you’re like me, and have long dark hair.

White is usually considered a no-no because it can sometimes mess with the colouring/white balance on camera.

But most of the confusion happens when you’re auditioning for a role where a typical uniform is involved eg. doctor, mechanic, police officer, nurse etc.

You might be tempted to go in full gear, or try to run out and find a “costume” to wear. PLEASE DON’T! Casting does not expect you to have a full wardrobe of every costume you might ever play. It’s more important to dress in the essence of the character.

What does that mean? Well, when I audition for a role as a nurse, or doctor, I don’t go in scrubs, with a skull cap and a stethoscope around my neck –but I do wear a loose fitting v-neck that kind of resembles scrubs, basic jeans, runners, and my hair pulled back to complete the look.

If you need to dress for a police officer, I do not show up looking like the entertainment at a bachelor party, but I do wear a blue denim button up shirt, usually done up to the top, and dark jeans.

Making sense now?

Every once in a while, you might get casting that asks for a lab coat. That is rare, and even then–it is not expected of you to have on hand. Instead, you might want to get a white/light grey cardigan that you can drape over your blue v-neck t-shirt.

Other items you might want to have on hand to ensure you can cover the essence of most character roles are:

-Blazer & Button-up: for those CEO/Business Professional roles

-Demin/Khaki jacket: for those “down and out” roles, it also works for roles that call for you to be outside (more on that another day)

-Athletic top: depending on your body, you might want to have a tank top, former fitting t-shirt for roles that require you to show a little muscle.

Once you’ve been auditioning for a while, and especially if you’re tracking your auditions–you’ll start to notice a trend. Then you can have your own audition wardrobe that you keep in tip-top condition, always ready to go. That way you can focus on your actual audition, rather than what you’re gonna wear.

If you’re auditioning a lot (2-3 times/week) for similar roles, you might want a few variations. For me, I get called out for: business professionals, suburban mom, doctor/nurse. So I’ve got a couple blazers (one light, one dark), a couple of button-up shirts, couple v-neck tees, and my go-to blue v-neck for nurses/doctor roles. Every once in a while, I’ll get called to be a love interest, so I reserve a few nicer, date-night tops for those roles. Very rarely, I’ll get called in for the cop/sheriff/security guard role. I have one dark denim shirt and black jeans that I wear for that every time.

What’s in your audition wardrobe?