PROFESSIONALISM: Dressing For The Part?

[BalletPSM]

I will take the bare arms over the sweat stains and the accompanying smells any day.  (How do you tell your PA/ASM/Crew that they smell?!  )

OMG, I had to do this with an actor once and it was awful.  I tried the whole "talking to the whole cast as a group thing" about wearing deoderant and it just didn't get through...so I had to take the actor aside and I think I said something to this effect:

"I know that you are really busy and are often coming right to the theatre from work, and I want to make sure that you have time to take care of all your personal issues...I just want to let you know that there are showers that you are welcome to use at the theatre, and if you need to, you can keep a change of clothes and toiletry items here.  I just want to make sure that you are taking care of yourself so that you can do the best job I know you can do in the show.  If there's anything I can do to help, let me know." 

He was really understanding, and totally open to what I had to tell him.

the best part is -- a few days later, he THANKED me for taking the time to care about him, and said that I had given him "the kick in the butt" that he needed to get his life back on track.  Apparently he had been going through some family issues that I wasn't aware of, and he told me that he hadn't been really caring about himself at all and the fact that I talked to him about it really helped him see that he needed to seek professional counseling and rearrange priorities.  Yikes.

So....I guess you never know how much you actually may be helping somebody when you talk to them about their hygiene and clothing issues!

[boolabella]

random thought...i just bought a pair of black scrubs that i was thought would make comfortable asm attire...has anyone ever tried them?

[Sarah]

Jessie: "Pull up your pants" can certainly let your offending PA know you disapprove of their apparel; I was wondering if other SMs ran into this problem with the frequency that I do. I work with a lot of students, most of whom think this is perfectly acceptable production attire; it freakin' boggles my mind that they think this is "professional looking." I know this should be another thread, but...whatever happened to leading by example? Not to say that I am the epitome, (far from it) but...I have to wonder: where have all the mentors gone?

[zayit shachor]

random thought...i just bought a pair of black scrubs that i was thought would make comfortable asm attire...has anyone ever tried them?

Scrubs are great - super comfortable - but no pockets, usually, which can suck. Do yours have them?

I have a pair (not black) that I paint in, they are fantastic for long days. (I wouldn't do construction or anything like that in them, though.)

[jspeaker]

My backstage blacks are typically a pair of scrub pants (I have a great pair with two front and two back pockets as well as pockets on the sides of the legs) and either a black nurses smock or a black chefs jacket.

they have great pockets and I can just leave them at the theatre and put them on over my street clothes.  No more does the evening show dictate the outfit for the day.

Once I loose some weight I will probably start wearing my black flight suit again.

I only ASM once in a great while (nature of DC) but when I PSM I dress fairly nicely.  I like "dress to meet the audience."  During Jitney at Ford's Theatre I had to walk out onstage to a full house (550 or so) to cancel a performance.

[boolabella]

The black scrubs i bought don't have pockets...not a shocker since they were only $10.00 but i do have a black waitress apron which has an abundance of pockets.  It's absolutely fabulous for asming, there's a place for the flashlight and the mic tape, anything the actors could possibly need!  It made my life so much easier backstage, I can't wait to use it again.

[Mac Calder]

Sarah: If you work with these sorts of people often, in your first meeting, cover clothing and hygene expectations. You can cover the it up by using something like "Working on shows can be pretty hectic, and sometimes hygene and clothing are quick to fall by the way side, so I just want to cover what will be expected whilst you are working on this show".

[centaura]

it freakin' boggles my mind that they think this is "professional looking."

What they're not understanding is the difference between peer acceptance and work acceptance.  They're dressing to be approved by their peers, but they don't realize that the impression that they leave behind in a work situation is 'Gee, nice thong - I never want to see that again' verses 'Gee, what a very thorough ASM - I'd like to work with them again'.  Ask them, and they'll tell you that their clothing shouldn't matter, but at the end of the day, it does.  Its stopping them from making a good impression.

-Centaura

[BeckyGG]

OMG, I had to do this with an actor once and it was awful.  I tried the whole "talking to the whole cast as a group thing" about wearing deoderant and it just didn't get through...so I had to take the actor aside and I think I said something to this effect:

Not on a show I've worked on, but I have worked with a director who had a cast that as a group was not the best smelling group.  This director took the group onstage one day before a performance or dress rehearsal, gave them a lecture about deodorant and showering.  After that they made the who group put on deodorant prior to going down to the dressing rooms.

On another note...I have a pair of black scrubs with pockets that I LOVE when I'm running the deck.  The pockets it has are huge and can fit many things (maglite, leatherman, pens/pencils/sharpie...)

[TechGal]

it freakin' boggles my mind that they think this is "professional looking." I know this should be another thread, but...whatever happened to leading by example? Not to say that I am the epitome, (far from it) but...I have to wonder: where have all the mentors gone?

Me too- and I'm a member of that age demographic!  Personally, I don't think it's so much a lack of mentors as an attitude/perspective problem among the young adults of my generation.  Freedom of dress and expression seems to have trumped modesty and professional attire accompanied by a 'why does it matter? if you got it, flaunt it' attitude like Centaura mentioned. 

I want to be treated professionally and get noticed because I do good work.  NOT because my pants are hanging down to such an extent that it's distracting everyone in the room! Same goes for shirts that are too light and/or low. And people that dress like that wonder why they're not taken seriously?!?!     

Recently while doing some work for a production company that does mostly concerts and corporate events, I noticed that all of the production company technicians were wearing black polo shirts with the company logo on them.  After watching them I decided to get one for myself (minus the logo of course) for two reasons,
1) I will probably be doing more work with this company in the future and until such time as they decide to provide me with one of their shirts I want to blend in
2) I like the polo because it looks a little crisper than a t-shirt but is still very functional and good for many occasions. 

[Sarah]

...in your first meeting, cover clothing and hygene expectations.

Mac, that's a great point; I will certainly cover that in my future introductory meetings, since I am getting a promotion to SM next season (I've been the calling ASM for the last two). Sometimes, it's easy to take for granted that which seems blatantly obvious.

What they're not understanding is the difference between peer acceptance and work acceptance.

centaura, you also bring up a good point. It's a difficult battle in the educational arena, sometimes, as TechGal echoes your sentiment. I also teach a class from which we cull our crew; I have outlined a very strict dress code in their syllabus. Of course, I get crew kids coming in with all manner of inside-out-t-shirts and jazz pants, but it frustrates me that there has to be some sort of punitive measure in place to urge professionalism from our students. This is obviously another thread so...[/rant]

TechGal, I agree that it's not a lack of mentors and I know this forum is full of intelligent, well-respected peers. I tried, in a most inarticulate manner, to express my general dismay at the lack of respect that some of today's students hold for anyone in a position of authority. Ack! I'm becoming my parents!!

[SummerShakespeare]

Where can I get these nifity scrub pants!!!! that will go on over my everyday clothes!!! I feel like a goth when I have to go out all day in my black as night attire!

[boolabella]

I actually got the black scrubs for $9.95 a pair at Walmart...it's a bargain if you ask me.

[KMC]

I actually got the black scrubs for $9.95 a pair at Walmart...it's a bargain if you ask me.

How well do these hold up?  It may be a bargain now, but not if you have to buy a new pair every show 

[BeckyGG]

The scrubs I have I purchased at a medical clothing-type company and they were only about $10 - $12 per item.  I've had them for over a year now and they are still holding up well.