Appearances Are Everything!

VegasGeorge

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Well, maybe for some of us appearance is a large percentage of what we've got. ;) So, I thought I'd ask, "Just what is a Ukulele player supposed to look like anyway?"

Me, I've got my Trilby hat with Uke pin, Hawaiian shirts, and jeans. But what does your mental image of the archetypical Ukulele player look like? Is it Hawaiian, or cool urban, or what? Give us a description!
 
I don't have one image of a uke player. I have always been a casual dresser. My kids describe my look as early hobo. However, when we play out, I generally wear nice slacks and a suit coat, maybe a fedora. Even though I generally look like an over the hill hippie, I feel like one should make an effort to look like you are part of a band when playing out. My personal, band dress-up rule does not apply to playing at UWC.
 
Gray. "So ten minutes ago." Hygienically-challenged. Well fed.
 
Just a person with a ukulele. The rest is "window dressing"
 
I think of someone dressed casually, not formally, but that's about it.
 
Very colourful hawiian shirt, dark dress pants, a gray fedora and I swear to God........penciled on eye brows. This is not me but some guy I saw at a uke concert. His image still haunts me to this day, not good, not good at all.
 
See link below. Note the picture at the bottom right of this Mya Moe page posted by "Rob S." I think he nailed the look, although the pretty blond next to him is an especially nice touch.

http://www.myamoeukuleles.com/pics.php
 
I can only speak for myself but my everyday mode of dress applies to my "ukulele life" as well. I prefer not to have anybody read anything into what I'm all about via how I'm dressed; Joan Didion (a favorite writer) called this "anonymity of costume" and I'd say that's a pretty good description. I generally dress in denim, neutrals, a lot of black. Sometimes a floral vintage dress to keep people guessing.

This is something I really struggle with when I perform with a group - I hate the idea of "let's all dress like <fill in the blank>" and be all alike. While I'm fully supportive of dressing neatly and tastefully, I hate the idea of a costume or anything bordering on kitsch. And ukulele players, I'm sorry to say, in my experience often tend to embrace kitsch. I don't have a problem with this as a personal choice, but I really hate it when it's imposed on me.

So as a ukulele player I probably don't look like what I'm "supposed" to look like, but then I suspect as a middle-aged American woman I probably don't look anything like what I'm "supposed" to look like either! :)
 
My dress when playing music is situational. Comfort is the foremost consideration, all things considered. I prefer cotton or silk; linen shirts, when historically appropriate. Collar-less is nice. I play outside a lot so I have gotten into the habit of wearing hats for sun protection. I have all manner of hats but a nicely made Panama is hard to beat. I frequently wear Hawaiian shirts but this has nothing to do with Ukulele.

One thing for certain when I am performing I wear red shirts. They complement my complexion. People always comment how good/ healthy I look when I happen to be wearing red. One thing I know about audiences is that if you look good to them they think you sound better too! :p
 
I struggle a lot with what my stage "look" should be. Although I like hats and vests, they've become a corny stereotype of a uke player, so I avoid them now. I'm leaning more towards cowboy boots and sequins these days.
 
I thought this was going to be a "what percentage of your uke buys are based on the look of the uke alone?" which is a separate but good question too!

Me, late 30's, balding, as Kramer in Seinfeld described once "hipster doofus".
 
George-Formby.jpg
 
Our uke group has a T shirt that we wear sometimes when we perform. They are green or red. They have our logo on the front and the back. Other than that, I only ask that they come wearing clothes of some kind... No nudity as of yet!!!

My ultimate favorite thing to wear - cut-off sweats, a T shirt, flip flops.
 
Trying to get my picture up along side my UU name? Help Well OK here is the UU profile Looks like a player
 
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I can only speak for myself but my everyday mode of dress applies to my "ukulele life" as well. I prefer not to have anybody read anything into what I'm all about via how I'm dressed; Joan Didion (a favorite writer) called this "anonymity of costume" and I'd say that's a pretty good description. I generally dress in denim, neutrals, a lot of black. Sometimes a floral vintage dress to keep people guessing.

This is something I really struggle with when I perform with a group - I hate the idea of "let's all dress like <fill in the blank>" and be all alike. While I'm fully supportive of dressing neatly and tastefully, I hate the idea of a costume or anything bordering on kitsch. And ukulele players, I'm sorry to say, in my experience often tend to embrace kitsch. I don't have a problem with this as a personal choice, but I really hate it when it's imposed on me.

So as a ukulele player I probably don't look like what I'm "supposed" to look like, but then I suspect as a middle-aged American woman I probably don't look anything like what I'm "supposed" to look like either! :)


I am a man ..a feller ..a bloke ...what on earth is a black vintage denim printed florally neutral dress?
;)



Seriously tho....(I can be...not often) our little band The Uketeers...we wear waistcoats , dark trousers, light coloured shirts and ....bow tiessss.........god help me it is bloody awful.... not a good look but how do you say so ......nicely.....?



Sorry ?...about the dress ??....what do you mean I wasn't listening ?....of course I wasn't listening ....I'm a man !! It's on our job description !
 
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