What to Wear to Your First Ever Casting - Carolyns Model & Talent Agency (2024)

The way you look has a significant impact on the first impression you leave with an interviewer. This is why people agonise over what to wear to a job interview. The same is true when you attend a casting event. If you’re overdressed, underdressed or stand out from the crowd in a bad way, it may end up hurting your prospects. Let’s talk about what to wear to your first ever casting.

What Not to Wear

Before we describe what you should wear, let’s talk about what you must avoid at all costs. When you’re a model, you’re wearing the clothes the designers select. They’ll pick out the outfits for you to wear, and they’ll probably make the decisions regarding your hairstyle, makeup, and accessories. For that reason, you want to present yourself as a blank canvas that they can imagine wearing what they want the models to wear, all while still appearing stylish yourself.

Any outfit should thus avoid making you seem incompatible with their vision. Don’t wear crazy patterned clothes. Don’t wear over-the-top accessories. You may stand out from the crowd with a loud necklace or brightly colored boa, but they will decide not to hire you because of it. Don’t show up trying to set a fashion trend – you’re there to show that you can be the one wearing the clothes they want to set the trend.

Vibrant hair and makeup will count against you. You can wear a little blush and mascara, but your makeup should be down-played. Natural hair is best. Don’t spend hours creating a fancy hairstyle, since you’ll probably be asked to take it down. However, you don’t want to show up looking like you need to take a shower and clean up.

Now that we’ve discussed what not to wear to a casting call, let’s discuss what you should wear to your first ever casting.

Clothing

First and foremost, you should wear clothing that fits your body well. Choose colors that accent your skin and eyes and look good on you. For example, you shouldn’t wear colors that make you look jaundiced or washed out. In general, avoid patterns. The ideal is a white shirt.

The clothes need to look good on you too. For example, it is more important that you wear pants or skirts that fit you than try to squeeze into tighter outfits that you’re threatening to overflow. The clothes should be tight fitting without being skin tight since that can count against you, too. You want to wear jeans, tights or a denim skirt that shows the contours of your body and the quality of your legs. Conversely, oversized clothes will count against you. Even wearing a jumper you can whip off is a strike against you. Casting agents will be seeing hundreds of people, and they don’t have time for you to change clothes into something that makes you look great. They’ll choose someone else who is a better fit.

Dress appropriately for the casting call. If they’re asking for people to model swimwear, don’t show up in a suit. Overly revealing outfits are always a mistake. Wearing too much can count against you, too. If it is cold outside, wrap yourself up in a coat and hood, but take it off as soon as you arrive. Big wooly accessories worn inside suggest you don’t have the right body shape for the job.

Footwear

Consider wearing high heels since this shows that you can walk in them. If you cannot walk in high heels, you’re not ready for a casting call. Never show up to a casting call wearing thongs or pumps; that shows that you are inexperienced and implies you can’t walk in heels. Consider wearing ankle boots like these black ankle boots from dunelondon.com, as they are stylish and resemble heels so you can show you’re comfortable walking and posing in them. Ankle boots like these from Dune are attractive whether paired with jeans, skirts or shorts. They also avoid the opposite mistake would-be models make of wearing heels that are insanely high.

Hair and Makeup

Wear just enough makeup to enhance your beauty. However, you shouldn’t show up totally made up. This means no fake eyelashes, minimal eye makeup, and no neon lipstick. Directors want to see the natural shape of your face, the condition of your hair, and what your skin really looks like. Consider putting your hair up in a ponytail or loose bun. This allows you to show off your bone structure and the glossiness of your hair, but you can easily take it down if asked. We shouldn’t have to say it, but you need to have clean, bright teeth. Don’t just brush and floss. Consider using a five-minute whitening kit, too. You want to have a bright, attractive smile.

Conclusion

Avoid making rookie mistakes and stick to the basics, and you’re most of the way there for your first ever casting call. Pick the right items that showcase your natural beauty, and your odds will never be better.