Dress to Impress: Audition Outfits for Winter

An audition outfit is important for many reasons. For starters, you want to stand out. You want to look good, feel equally confident… and make a great first impression! But first impressions shouldn’t come at the cost of your own comfort… or warmth, for that matter.

Remember: a great audition outfit can be practical, weather-appropriate and comfortable too. 

What to Wear at an Audition

You have an audition – congrats! Now, what should you wear?

When dressing for any audition, it’s important to keep in mind what type of role you’re auditioning for in the first place. You’ll want to consider factors like: character age and what medium this particular project falls under (film, television, theater, commercial, print, etc.). Ideally, what you wear at an audition will likely depend on what type of project it is. Theater might lend itself to brighter colors and character statement pieces while film, tv and on-camera work typically asks for a more understated look.

Still, you want to dress the part and subtly hint at who you’re intending to portray, without drawing too much attention to yourself. At the end of the day, a casting/audition outfit should never overshadow your actual talent. After all, that’s what you’re there to showcase in the first place.

It might be helpful to think of it this way: what would your character wear to the mall, a coffee date or a casual outing? Keep it simple but equally in-tune with the aesthetic you’re looking to convey. 

Dressing for the Winter Weather

Winter is among us, and while some of us may dread the cold weather, its unpredictable snow storms and its frigid winds, the chilly season doesn’t exempt us from attending auditions (when and if they’re granted to us).

When I used to audition in New York City, I’d have to block off an entire day for the simple fact that I didn’t live in NYC to begin with. My audition days required taking a train in and out of the city (and often times, adding a subway somewhere in between). Even if you live in New York City, the city is huge. Depending on where you’re located, an audition might require you to travel to the opposite end of Manhattan, or worse, another borough altogether. Add in some leftover snow and icy streets and you have the whole trifecta. This is all to say, that auditioning actors will likely come across a collection of busy days and inconvenient temperatures. Whether you have one audition or plenty of them stacked in the span of 12 hours, you need to be prepared, and this includes dressing for the winter weather.

Winter Looks for Actors

Curating audition outfits that serve you (in the room and in the cold) is important and certainly something to keep in mind. Luckily, you can put together a few looks that don’t require much effort on your end. This way, you can focus on your acting instead of thinking about what to wear next time you’re called in for an in-person casting.

Let’s talk about some winter looks for actors. Below are some functional wardrobe items that you can piece together to create an effective and practical winter look.

• Layers – when you’re walking throughout NYC in the dead of winter, you’ll undeniably need layers to keep you warm. When you step in the audition room however, you’ll want an outfit that feels less bulky. Introducing layers is a great way to accomplish this, especially layers that can dress and accessorize a look as well.  They might include:

  a.      A thick winter scarf – check this cute one for $8.99 on Amazon!

  b.      Thermal wear – UniQlo has amazing options, from thermal shirts, pants and leggings to thermal tights and socks.

  c.      Satin lined winter hat – this will keep you warm and protect your hair – a double win! Check this cute basic at Target.

  d.      Fluffy earmuffs – as an alternative, you can elevate your look with a fluffy set of earmuffs for a cold day in the city (or wherever these auditions take you). Walmart has affordable options.

• A puffer or warm leather jacket – winter coats can be cute – sometimes it just takes a little extra searching! Check out this coffee colored puffer with faux fur lining on Amazon or this faux lined leather jacket from JCPenney.

• Wide flare corduroy pants – corduroy adds a great layer of warmth – it’s a great fabric to wear, especially during the colder months. If the pants happen to be flared, even better, as the flared bottoms can subtly and stylishly cover any chunkier winter or snow boots you might be wearing. If you don’t want to carry extra shoes to change into, this can be a practical alternative. 

• Fleece lined jeans make for a warm and stylish look, adding personality without compromising warmth.

Winter Outfit Inspiration for Petite Women

Most of the options that I mentioned earlier include smaller sizes, so there is plenty to chose from when it comes to petite sizing. As a matter of fact, I shop at all of those stores (and I’m 4’9”).

If you’re looking for winter outfit options, here are two looks I put together for some inspiration:

• Look #1: Dark Brown Corduroy J.Crew Flare Pants + Amazon Thermal T-Shirt + Light Brow Faux Fur H&M Coat + Amazon Color Statement Plaid Scarf

• Look #2: Target Dark Wash Flare Jeans + SHEIN Brick Orange Ribbed Turtleneck +  Amazon Brown Fleece Lined Moto Jacket + SHEIN Plaid Scarf + Winter Hat

No matter what you decide to wear, remember this: an audition outfit should reflect the project and your character but it should also reflect YOU! Putting a cute look together gives us confidence. At the end of the day, this is the best thing we can carry with us (besides our talent) in any audition room. So, curate a casting audition outfit that makes you feel like your most CONFIDENT self and wear it proudly!