I’m often asked about what a musician’s wardrobe consists of.
Black. And lots of it!
As a musician my clothing for gigs consists mainly of black. As an orchestral player black is for the performers to have a cohesive and professional look on stage. This same idea translates into most gigs.
For weddings and background music especially, the idea is often to be unobtrusive. You certainly wouldn’t want to clash with the bride’s wedding colors; so black is a safe choice! Just because you're wearing black, doesn't mean it has to be boring black. I try to go for clothing with subtle, but interesting details. Such as lace, textures, and classic silhouettes.
The harp is one of the most difficult instruments to move. Therefore, I have to think of comfort and what clothing is easiest to move the harp in. Typically pants! Although, I do often wear dresses, I try to stick to knee or tea length. It's rather hard to move a harp in a full length skirt. If I’m wearing skirts that are floor length stairs are out of the question with the harp! So typically I would need to change at the venue if floor length skirts or gowns were appropriate for the gig.
For outdoor (actually most events as I’m always cold!) events I also bring a black sweater or suit jacket.
The only time I stray away from the black is for special requests or circumstances. One example would be traditional Chinese weddings, in which black is a color that should be avoided. In this case, pastel colors should be worn. Occasionally, I'm asked if I could match the wedding party colors. The problem with trying to match the colors is that it's
often impossible to get exactly the right shade. This is why I advise my bride's to have their musicians in black.
The idea is go for a classy and sophisticated look.