Once someone gets to a level where they perform solo recitals - that is, a recital where they play the program entirely by themselves, the fashion gets taken to a whole new level. In music school, violinists usually play a junior recital and a senior recital - and then, in grad school, either one or two master's recitals. You would imagine that these are incredibly stressful occasions, and you would be right. Parents of younger children know how challenging it is to prepare one Suzuki piece to performance level - imagine a whole HOUR of music. Needless to say, in these times, it's definitely more fun to think about what to wear!
My go-to recital dress these days is a lovely purple dress that I scored for $17 at Goodwill. My strategy for acquiring recital dresses is simple: go shopping when you aren't desperate for a dress and hit Goodwill, thrift stores, and consignment stores. There's no need to spend hundreds of dollars on a designer dress. You can also rent a dress from a place like www.renttherunway.com.
For a more formal recital, I go for a long dress and beg and bribe my friends to do an up-do for me. Again, I recommend strong colors that will show well on stage as well as a fabric with some shine or texture to it.
For a more formal recital, I go for a long dress and beg and bribe my friends to do an up-do for me. Again, I recommend strong colors that will show well on stage as well as a fabric with some shine or texture to it.
A few important considerations when selecting a recital gown:
- Make sure you can move freely in it without any wardrobe mishaps, particularly in the bodice area. I've heard nightmare stories of girls who didn't play in their gowns before the recital and had their dresses fall open. Not what you want to be worrying about on your recital day!
- For the reason above, make sure that any strapless dress is fitted perfectly, so you don't have to worry about it falling. Also make sure any straps on your gown are securely fastened. You won't be able to stop and fix your dress in the middle of your concerto.
- Be careful about embellishments on the gown in the neck area, such as sequins, beading, or bows. Make sure that nothing about your dress will (a) change how you hold your violin or (b) make your violin buzz.
| Here's a close-up picture of the back of my dress. A little bit of interest to ad some flow to the style. I love details on the back of a dress - they add a lot of personality to the overall style and they won't hinder your ability to play at all! In the picture below, which you may have seen elsewhere on the website, you can see the full front of the gown. For my head shots I chose to have my hair down, but usually when I perform I have it pulled back. As in the less-formal outfit I posted earlier, I kept my jewelry to a minimum. Small pearl studs for earrings, and a simple pendant on a thin chain as a necklace - beware of heavy jewelry that could make your violin buzz! And as for shoes, remember - comfort and practicality. If you're dressing up this much for a recital, you're playing for 30 - 60 minutes or more without sitting down. Whether you wear stilettos or flip-flops (although don't wear flip-flops, it's tacky), make sure they won't distract you from your playing or cause you discomfort. |
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