Middle aged bands. How should they dress?

From guys who proclaim how they just will not wear a suit, much less a tuxedo, I just get this strong vibe of blue-collar classism, as though wearing something professional or formal makes them a socioeconomic sellout.

It's not that I wouldn't wear a suit/tux... I just don't own one.

I did have a black suit last decade, but I only wore that to Olin Mills and funerals. I had one for graduation (a polyester affair that went out of style 10 minutes after I left the store). And looking at old family pictures from the late 50's and 60's I guess my mom always made sure I had something presentable for occasions.

Blue color classism, in my view would be a term that is a bit of a broad brushstroke.

Lot's of people don't own suits... at least I would think that would be the case.
 
to each his own right? some people do not like, and/or do not see themselves in a tuxedo. there are others who cannot afford one anyway.
And i for one, will never wear a speedo/bikini.

Down in Florida the German tourists flock to the beaches in their banana hammocks. It takes getting used to... Europeans, what can I say.
 
But that's what I wear every day! On stage, I dress like a mainlander. Haw haw haw!

Hawaiian shirts are only cool if they are not faded and worn out.
I recently bought the trumpet player in the jazz band that I play in some new ones because I was tired of seeing him in his "vintage" ones. When the flowers are faded it is time to ditch the shirt :)
 
Hawaiian shirts are only cool if they are not faded and worn out.
I recently bought the trumpet player in the jazz band that I play in some new ones because I was tired of seeing him in his "vintage" ones. When the flowers are faded it is time to ditch the shirt :)

You've got it absolutely backwards.

If you're really ditching vintage Hawaiian shirts (or, as we call them here, "shirts"), please allow me to give you my address, along with postage, so that they will be given their due appreciation.
 
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What is it with all the fashion Nazis proclaiming "you must wear this, don't wear that"? So someone doesn't want to wear a suit and tie, big deal. I hate wearing sneakers, is that a problem? Does that mean something is wrong with me? Are people who don't dress a certain way, or what others would consider age appropriate, wrong?

Dress how you want, be comfortable in your skin and appearance. If someone doesn't like it, screw them. They aren't you. We are all individuals, not robots or clones that are expected to follow a pre-programmed agenda.
 
Trust me Nancy, you would not want to wear the old shirts that the trumpet player has :)
Now I have to work on the bass player, but thats another story!
 
What is it with all the fashion Nazis proclaiming "you must wear this, don't wear that"? So someone doesn't want to wear a suit and tie, big deal. I hate wearing sneakers, is that a problem? Does that mean something is wrong with me? Are people who don't dress a certain way, or what others would consider age appropriate, wrong?

Dress how you want, be comfortable in your skin and appearance. If someone doesn't like it, screw them. They aren't you. We are all individuals, not robots or clones that are expected to follow a pre-programmed agenda.

Mr IP, in life, you are spot on.

But if you're in a band that is going for a certain look, all members should be going for the same look. Why? Because when you're playing a gig, the audience forms an opinion before the first note is played. Unfair? Sure! That's not the point.

If you're drumming in a blues band, you won't be playing double bass blast beats. It doesn't fit with the music.

And if you're playing in a thrash metal band, a Blues Bros. type suit and hat won't fit with the music either...but those blast beats just might.
 
Its not about being a fashion Nazi.
People hear what they see!
I always wear clothes that are appropriate for the venue.
I never wear worn out clothes. Nothing looks worse than a middle aged man in worn faded out clothes on stage.
 
Mr IP, in life, you are spot on.

But if you're in a band that is going for a certain look, all members should be going for the same look. Why? Because when you're playing a gig, the audience forms an opinion before the first note is played. Unfair? Sure! That's not the point.

If you're drumming in a blues band, you won't be playing double bass blast beats. It doesn't fit with the music.

And if you're playing in a thrash metal band, a Blues Bros. type suit and hat won't fit with the music either...but those blast beats just might.

Yes, but one can still find appropriate dress that they are comfortable in. Some of the previous posts seem almost as if certain types of dress are mandatory or big no-no's. Trying to tell someone how to dress for a situation is very mom-like. We are all adults and should be past all of this nonsense.
 
Yes, but one can still find appropriate dress that they are comfortable in. Some of the previous posts seem almost as if certain types of dress are mandatory or big no-no's. Trying to tell someone how to dress for a situation is very mom-like. We are all adults and should be past all of this nonsense.

Go back and look at the pic Bob posted of a sartorially challenged band member.

You may be over-estimating your fellow humans here, Mr IP.

Remember, in any group of people, on any measure, half of them are below average!
 
Here is a gig pic from a few years ago of me and a percussionist/ harp player that I work with from time to time.
Notice that our clothes are not worn or faded. Our shirts also have collars.
 

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Go back and look at the pic Bob posted of a sartorially challenged band member.

You may be over-estimating your fellow humans here, Mr IP.

Remember, in any group of people, on any measure, half of them are below average!

Oh I read the whole thread. In the pic with the three members, dare I say Bob is the one who looks out of place. Yes he looks the most appealing in the pic, but is that what it is really about?

If you take the comfort out of the human, all they will be concerned with is not being comfortable. People go to shows to hear music, not analyze the dress code. I have never once been to a show where I was taken aback by how someone was dressed.
 
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Here is a recent set of pics of another band that I have played with.
Notice how the Keyboard player looks, "frumpish" :)
Before the gig we had discussed the dress that we would wear. I guess that he didn't get the memo :)
The guitar player also failed. We had discussed wearing light colored shirts with a collar. He got it half right :)
When you view the lower pic notice how heavy and unbalanced the right side of the stage looks because of the dark clothes that the Guitar and keyboard player wore .
This gig was televised! When I saw the video I was shocked at how the dress had affected the presentation.
This gig was in Newtown Ct in June of 2013. Our goal was to help uplift the community after the tragic shootings.
Do you all see what I am talking about?
 

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Here is a recent set of pics of another band that I have played with.
Notice how the Keyboard player looks, "frumpish" :)
Before the gig we had discussed the dress that we would wear. I guess that he didn't get the memo :)
The guitar player also failed. We had discussed wearing light colored shirts with a collar. He got it half right :)
When you view the lower pic notice how heavy and unbalanced the right side of the stage looks because of the dark clothes that the Guitar and keyboard player wore .
This gig was televised! When I saw the video I was shocked at how the dress had affected the presentation.
This gig was in Newtown Ct in June of 2013. Our goal was to help uplift the community after the tragic shootings.
Do you all see what I am talking about?

Is it safe to assume that with a name like "Boplicity" that you're playing jazz? And that's why there's nobody there watching? Or is the audience being kept way back because they're just going nuts?

Love ya' Bob!
 
To me you dress appropriately for the venue and gig. You want to be comfortable " in your skin" but only to the extent that it fits the gig. A punk rock band would be expected to dress differently than a mariachi band. Likewise, long pants and a clean shirt might be alright for a pop cover band but not for a wedding band. Just dress appropriately and be comfortable.
 
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