One part of your brand is your image. Fans remember what you wear, and might even copy your wardrobe. International Stylist, Nicole Janowicz’s provides this guest post with seven basic wardrobe recommendations for musicians.
As a stylist, working with musicians is fun and exciting because it is challenging! They usually have many different projects going on which provides me many different opportunities to be creative with their wardrobe. Between traveling for weeks on end for a concert or promotional tour, photo shoots, long recording sessions at the studio, and meetings with their record label, musicians are very busy and rarely at home.
As a result, they require a wardrobe that is low maintenance (meaning it can be easily washed by the hotel laundry service and not taken to a dry cleaner), pack nicely into a suitcase, worn multiple times, and always looks stylish and cool no matter how it is mixed and matched.
After years of working as a stylist for the Backstreet Boys and other musicians, both at home and on the road, I have compiled a list of a few staples I think everyone should have in their wardrobe in order to be prepared for a public appearance, photo shoot, performance, or meeting:
- A classic (new or vintage) black leather jacket – A cool, perfectly fitting black leather jacket goes with anything. Both men and women can wear it over a simple t-shirt or tank top with a pair of jeans. Women can throw it over dresses to add a little edge to their look. Men can even replace the traditional sports coat with a leather jacket and pair it with trousers and a button up shirt. A leather jacket instantly makes any outfit more unique, chic, and cool and will never go out of style.
- “Big Girl” or “Big Boy” shoes – every musician needs at least one pair of shoes that makes them feel like they can conquer the world. Musicians perform in front of thousands of people, are interviewed in front of cameras, are sometimes followed by the paparazzi, and meet with producers, writers, managers, etc. For all of these high profile and potentially stressful events, it helps to be in a pair of “butt-kicking” shoes.
- Jeans with a waxy finish – A pair of good fitting, dark wash jeans with a waxy finish are a wardrobe staple because: 1) Dark wash is the most unforgiving wash, can transition nicely from a casual day look to a more formal evening look, and is timeless. 2) They can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, and worn almost anywhere and with anything. 3) The waxy finish gives them a really cool sheen that is very reminiscent of leather and is much more interesting than a plain dark wash. A waxy finish is perfect for musicians because the shine photographs beautifully on TV and photo shoots, and looks fantastic on stage.
- Statement jewelry – Ladies should always have a few pieces of statement jewelry that will enhance nearly everything in their closets. A necklace, earrings, and a few stackable bracelets are good to have. Worn all at once, or just one piece at a time, jewelry will add extra style, uniqueness, and personality into any outfit. For men, a beautiful and interesting watch will go a long way in bringing extra flair to an everyday outfit.
- Suit – Rather than a normal, boring business suit, a musician should have one cool suit that can be worn to business meetings with the record label or to an awards show. Look for a suit that is a slim cut, small lapel, and has interesting detailing like piping in a contrasting color on the lapel, leather detailing on the pockets, or embellished with studs on the lapel or back of the jacket. DSquared2, J. Lindeberg, Hugo Boss, John Varvatos, Dolce and Gabbana, and John Richmond make very unique suits that are perfect for the stage, photo shoot, or personal appearances.
- Little Black Dress (LBD) – Ladies should have at least one LBD that is reliable in that it always makes them feel beautiful…even on a day when feeling anything but. For musicians, an LBD serves as a blank canvas that can be accessorized to look like different dresses. Musicians are photographed a lot. The beauty in an LBD is that you can style it in different ways and wear it to more than one event. Nearly every designer makes an LBD because they are a staple item every woman should have in their wardrobe. So, you can find a great one at every price point. Designers such as Alexander McQueen, BCBG, 3.1 Philip Lim, and Rebecca Taylor make LBDs that have unique cuts and detailing (like a leather bodice or structured shoulders) that give the dresses a rocker edge and make them versatile.
- Shop local designers and boutiques – When I travel with my clients, I research the best shopping in the cities we will be visiting and put together a shopping plan. I love visiting local boutiques and designers because they have amazing pieces that we usually cannot find at home. Nothing gives you a rock and roll edge like wearing special clothing or accessories from a local designer based on the other side of the world!
When my clients, the Backstreet Boys, and I are in Tokyo we shop in Harajuku and Shibuya and visit our favorite local designers like Hysteric Glamour and Juun J. I also always go to local vintage and thrift stores because I love to find very special and hidden gems.
One of the perks of being a musician is that you have the freedom to play with your wardrobe and use fashion and style to represent both your music and onstage persona. As a stylist, my goal is to use the best the international fashion industry has to offer to create a style and image that is strong, able to evolve with my clients’ careers, and most importantly, reflect their individuality.
International Stylist Nicole Janowicz’s clients have included some of the biggest names in music including Grammy Award-Winning Backstreet Boys, Slash of Guns N’ Roses, Keyshia Cole, and Actresses/TV Personalities Jaime King (“Hart of Dixie”, “Sin City”), Audrina Patridge (“The Hills”, “Audrina”), Holly Madison (“Holly’s World,” “The Girls Next Door”), and more. For more information: www.nicolejanowicz.com Follow her: @nicolejanowicz
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