What Should I Wear to an Audition
Dress for what you will be asked to do: what to wear to an audition, part by part.
All 49 things to wear
For acting or a musical
For a dance call
For a music school
For a prescreening video
Shoes
Leave at home
For acting or a musical 11
Basic dance wear in your bag, for a musical One US conservatory suggests musical theatre applicants get some for the dance audition. Casual but neat clothes that let you move One US conservatory’s advice for a musical theatre audition: dress casually but neatly. Clothes that look like you, not a character One US conservatory says the clothes you wear are part of the personality you project. Clothes you can move around in easily A UK theatre careers guide’s whole answer for drama school. You may be asked to be physical. Coat and umbrella for the journey Be ready for all kinds of weather and turn up looking fresh, a UK theatre careers guide says. Leggings Named beside tracksuits in a UK theatre careers guide as usual audition-room wear. Long hair tied back Off your face for drama school, a careers guide suggests. At classical dance calls it is the rule. Neutral clothing Wikipedia’s article notes that actors may choose neutral clothes they can move freely in. Simple, clean clothes in good condition Plain clothes are acceptable when they are clean and well made, Wikipedia’s article says. T-shirt you can do a warm-up in There may be a warm-up or a group workshop first, a UK theatre careers guide warns. Tracksuit bottoms Common in a drama school audition room, a UK theatre careers guide says.
For a dance call 11
Dance skirt On one US conservatory’s list of basic dance wear for a musical theatre dance call. Dance tights Named with the leotard by a US conservatory. A ballet company’s apprentices add: no holes. Leotard The base of a dance call outfit. A US musical theatre program and ballet dancers both name it. Leotard you have worn before Worn in and comfortable, so you are not fidgeting with it through class, a ballet dancer says. Loose clothing, where the call asks for it Some dance auditions specify loose clothing, Wikipedia’s article notes. Solid-color leotard A solid color, modest but noticeable, is one ballet company dancer’s advice. T-shirt with tights or shorts One US conservatory’s list for men at a dance call: tights, T-shirts or shorts. Top with room for a pinned number At large calls dancers wear a number pinned to the shirt, Wikipedia’s article notes. Warm-ups over your dance clothes while you wait There is usually a lot of waiting before a ballet audition starts, one company’s dancer says. Whatever the school’s own dress code lists Look at the audition page of the school holding it. Some set dress requirements. Your nicest leotard and tights Be put together, a ballet company’s apprentices advise, with neat hair and good posture.
For a music school 5
An outfit that makes you feel great A conservatory student’s tip on her school’s admission blog, beside warming up slowly. The clothes you wore for your mock audition One US music school says to play a mock audition in the clothes you plan to wear. Heels or dress shoes you can stand in One conservatory student’s advice ends with taking off those heels. Until then you stand in them. Shirt and tie One conservatory student’s audition-day advice ends: loosen that tie, you are done. Smart clothes, as for an interview Just as with any interview, an auditionee may dress well, Wikipedia’s article says.
For a prescreening video 6
Dance wear, if the video includes dance Wear appropriate dance wear if you will dance on the tape, a UK theatre careers guide says. Plain top Stick to plain clothing on camera if you can, a UK theatre careers guide says. Professional-looking outfit A London conservatoire sets no dress requirements for prescreening videos but asks for this. Sleeves that leave your hands in view Reviewers must see what you are doing, a London conservatoire says, such as a pianist’s fingers. Smart clothes on camera Dress the part: a US music school’s recording guide says always to dress well on video. What you would wear to the live audition Treat a recorded audition like an in-person one, a UK theatre careers guide says.
Shoes 6
Ballet slippers On a US conservatory’s dance call list for women and for men. Bare feet, for some contemporary calls Some contemporary dance auditions have applicants dance barefoot, Wikipedia’s article notes. Character shoes Listed for women by a US conservatory, beside jazz shoes and ballet slippers. Jazz shoes On one US conservatory’s list for a musical theatre dance call. Pointe shoes, for a classical call At classical auditions with a strict dress code applicants wear them, Wikipedia’s article notes. Tap shoes, if the role calls for tap For some music theater roles applicants bring tap shoes, Wikipedia’s article notes.
Leave at home 10
No brand-new leotard It may not fit well, and you would fidget with it all class, a ballet dancer warns. No bulky warm-ups in the dance call Non-bulky warm-up wear is what one US conservatory’s dance call list names. No busy patterns or stripes on camera They do not come across well on a self-tape, a UK theatre careers guide says. No costume You may use a chair, one US conservatory tells applicants, but no props or costumes. No holes in tights or leotard A ballet company’s apprentices want you looking professional and put together. No mask or character headpiece One US conservatory asks applicants not to imitate a favorite performer or dress as a role. No outfit you have never performed in Test it in a mock audition first, a US music school advises. No restricting clothes A warm-up or workshop may need you to be physical, a UK theatre careers guide says. No sneakers at the dance call Not recommended, one US conservatory says: they grip the floor when you try to turn. No stack of jewelry or hair accessories Simple earrings are best, a ballet company’s apprentices say. More can distract.
How this list was compiled
The 49 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-13; no list was copied. Each row follows what a school, a company or a careers body publishes for its own applicants, read on 2026-10-12. Drama school auditions (clothes easy to move in, tracksuits or leggings, a warm-up or group workshop, long hair tied up, all kinds of weather): Get Into Theatre, the UK theatre careers site, How to prepare for a theatre or drama school audition (https://getintotheatre.org/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-theatre-drama-school-audition/ ); its self-tape guide (https://getintotheatre.org/blog/top-10-tips-on-how-to-self-tape-and-audition-online/ ) for treating a recorded audition like one in person, dance wear, interview dress and plain clothing on camera. Musical theatre auditions and their dance call (casual but neat, basic dance wear, shoes, sneakers, props and costumes): University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Musical Theatre Audition Best Practices (https://www.ccm.uc.edu/areas-of-study/academic-units/musical-theatre/audition-best-practices.html ). Ballet auditions (a comfortable, solid-color leotard, the school's own dress requirements, warm-ups while waiting, no holes, simple earrings): Pacific Northwest Ballet, audition tips from its apprentices and dancers (https://www.pnb.org/blog/audition-tips-from-pnbs-apprentices/ ). Neutral clothing for actors, dressing well, classical dress codes with pointe shoes and tied-back hair, loose clothing, bare feet, tap shoes and pinned numbers: English Wikipedia, Audition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audition ). Music schools: Eastman School of Music on a mock audition in the clothes you plan to wear (https://www.esm.rochester.edu/general/2015/02/preparing-audition2/ ) and on dressing well in video recordings (https://www.esm.rochester.edu/blog/2016/03/ace-your-audiovideo-auditions-some-tips-and-techniques/ ); Royal College of Music, prescreening videos, for no dress requirements, a professional look and keeping what you do in view (https://www.rcm.ac.uk/apply/auditions/prescreening/ ); a student's tip on Manhattan School of Music's admission blog (https://www.msmnyc.edu/news/admission-blog-classical-orchestral-audition-tips/ ) and San Francisco Conservatory of Music's audition day advice (https://sfcm.edu/discover/newsroom/audition-day-advice ), written by a student. Every school and company sets its own rules, so read the audition notice first. Left out on purpose: makeup, on which these sources disagree, brands, prices, any show or role as a subject, and anything about body shape. Licence: own work
How it works What should I wear to an audition? Clothes you can move in for acting, dance wear for a dance call, a smart outfit for a music school. These 49 things are sorted by kind of audition, videos included.
Read the full guide
You may be asked to move
A UK theatre careers guide says a drama school audition may begin with a warm-up or a group workshop, so wear clothes that do not restrict you. One US conservatory tells musical theatre applicants to dress casually but neatly for songs and speeches, and to have basic dance wear for the dance audition.
Pack the shoes for every part of the day, and change between the song and the dance call.
Questions and answers
What should I wear for music prescreenings?
Dress as you would for the live audition. One London conservatoire sets no dress requirements for its prescreening videos but says you should look professional, and that reviewers must be able to see what you are doing, such as a pianist’s fingers.
What should I wear to a dance audition?
Check the school or company’s own dress code first. For a musical’s dance call, one US conservatory names a leotard and tights, a dance skirt or slim warm-up wear, worn with jazz, ballet or character shoes, and does not recommend sneakers.
What should I wear to an acting audition?
Clothes you can move in. A UK theatre careers guide says tracksuits or leggings are common in a drama school audition room. Tie long hair back from your face.
Should I wear something bright to stand out at an audition?
Opinions differ. Wikipedia’s article notes that some dance coaches encourage bright clothes at crowded open calls. One ballet company’s dancer advises the opposite on the company’s site: nothing flashy, so that the dancing stands out.
What should I wear for a self-tape audition?
What you would wear in the room. A UK theatre careers guide adds that busy patterns and stripes do not come across well on camera, so choose plain clothing, and wear dance wear if the tape includes dancing.