CMU School of Drama


Monday, November 09, 2015

The Business of Show Biz: Costume Fitting Etiquette for Actors

Theatre Bay Area: Maybe the answer is obvious to others, but I’m not sure how I’m supposed to interact with costume designers when I go in for a fitting. I don’t know when (or whether) I should voice my opinion about what they are fitting on me. I know they want to me to say I like it, but what if I don’t? Also, are there certain things that actors are expected to bring with them, or expected to do? The whole thing is often just awkward and embarrassing. Is there professional etiquette for costume fittings?

3 comments:

Rachael said...

Fitting etiquette is important to everyone in the fitting room. There is a reason Ken put a list of things you should have/do in a fitting. Participating in fittings is part of my job, if we were in a normal office setting, we’d all get fired for sure. As a draper we get very close to the actors bodies with pins, markers, ourselves, its important to treat them as human beings and not an mannequin we are dressing, just as its important for them to wear underpants. The number 1 both on that list and to me is arriving on time. Being late to fittings not only cuts into the time we need with the actor and the clothing, but it is also rude. There can be upwards of 6-10 people directly involved in a fitting out side of the actor, I assure you they could be doing something better than sitting and waiting. I also agree that the actors should be honest in each fitting, it is easier to fix and adjust things then than once you get into dress rehearsal, or final fittings.

Stefan Romero said...

As an aspiring costume designer, these are exactly the things I would tell actors who are unsure about proper protocol. I feel that in order to create harmony between the actor and costumer, it's important for the costumer as well to make sure the actor is comfortable enough to appropriately voice their opinions, to make sure that the ensemble fits within the perspective of the actor and their interpretation of the role. While it is easy to think that since they are not trained designers they cannot properly analyze an ensemble, it's important to keep an open mind and realize that the costume as an extremely influential role in an interpretation of a character and ultimately how they are performed. Yet this synergy only occurs when the actors are on time! I know of no better way to get off on the wrong foot....

Jake Poser said...

Such a relavent and important article.
After having had the costume mini part of Stagecraft 1, I now understand just how up close and personal one gets in a costume fitting.
As a designer, I am learning that it is important to not just please the director but the actor working in your costumes as well. They are just as much if not more their clothes than they are your designs.
I did not understand just how collaborative costume design can be.
It involves so many people in the shop, the director and the actor. Allowing an actor to comfortably speak about the costume and ask for feedback is important because in the end we want the clothing to look good. The best thing to make something look good is confidence. If an actor feels good in a piece, then so do I.
I also love that this article touches on honesty. I think that sometimes actors forget that we will eventually find out what their waist size is. If they were honest upfront about their measurements in the end they are going to have a costume that flatters them. Not to mention the actor was cast because they look and fit the part. They should be proud of it.