Attire

[mr. beaumont]

I firmly believe the only place shorts are acceptable on stage is in a beach town.

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of a black button down shirt and a pair of Grey trousers.

[Mick-7]

You can look sporty with just a dress shirt, for example:

Suiting the Sound: The Rodeo Tailors Who Made Country Stars Shine Brighter

Unfortunately prices have gone up a bit.....

[AllanAllen]

You can look sporty with just a dress shirt, for example:

Suiting the Sound: The Rodeo Tailors Who Made Country Stars Shine Brighter

Yeah, I had some cool western shirts 10 years ago. I used to work at a vintage store and grabbed anything that fit me. The market seems to have dried up, there's nothing on eBay in a large tall that's embroidered. It's all used farm and fleet snap shirts for the same cost as new.

[AllanAllen]

There's some cool bolero stuff on the Third Man Records website, but it's all regular length. People always think it must be nice being tall, but I get sick of my back hurting and my clothes not fitting.

[Woody Sound]

[Ukena]

Thanks, this is what I needed. I'm 6'4" and 180lbs, it's near impossible to find clothes that fit me at less than designer prices. This jacket is a 40L and I'm thinking of going to 42L to try and get more sleeve length. The pants are work pants because 32x36 is hard to find. [...]

That's good info. I'm 6'3" and 185lbs, so a little heftier than you. A 41L usually is just the ticket. I wear 32x34, sometimes 33x34 pants, depending on the cut (my calves are bicyclist-sized).

Seersucker is another good choice for hot weather, and a good choice for an actual suit. One can often buy the pants and jacket separately, so you can get a jacket that fits and pants that are close. It's well worth getting a pair that is long enough and have the waist taken in – it's a nominal fee, usually, and well worth it. For that matter, getting a jacket that is close to your size and having it tailored a little bit is also a good investment, although maybe not for an unstructured jacket.

It might be worth your time to take a drive up to Chicago, where you may find stores like Macy's with end-of-season sales.

There are plenty of excellent linen or seersucker jackets for under $300; on sale, under $200. I just bought a great seersucker blazer (in Paris) for around $90.

[Woody Sound]

I once went to a country club dinner dance dressed like this. The mgmt approached me and told me I needed a jacket and tie to stay. Pretending to not know much English, I feigned my best Argentinian accent and said "Gentlemen, I assure you, in my country this is the most appropriate and admired formal wear." They humbly apologized, and I thanked them and proceeded. My friends were cracking up inside.

[DawgBone]

Yeah, I had some cool western shirts 10 years ago. I used to work at a vintage store and grabbed anything that fit me. The market seems to have dried up, there's nothing on eBay in a large tall that's embroidered. It's all used farm and fleet snap shirts for the same cost as new.

Cavenders sells a lot of western shirts. I can't imagine not being able to find a western store in Chicago area but maybe it's just my Texas brain overthinking your situation. We have one of these plus a Boot Barn in town.

Men's Western Apparel | Cavender's

[wintermoon]

Honestly, Art Blakey looking powerful on his album covers is no small part of my inspiration to wear a suit.

One of the times I caught Blakey we were sitting right up front. He was wearing a powder blue suit that turned navy by the end of the 1st set, sweated right through.
Instead of going to the dressing room on break w his band he came to the mic and lectured on why it was important to keep jazz alive.
A friend brought his little brother along who was into the Talking Heads and aspiring to be a guitarist was so blown away he ditched the guitar and rock, took up drums and became a college professor for percussion.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

Thanks, this is what I needed. I'm 6'4" and 180lbs, it's near impossible to find clothes that fit me at less than designer prices. This jacket is a 40L and I'm thinking of going to 42L to try and get more sleeve length. The pants are work pants because 32x36 is hard to find. So needless to say, a polyester Kenny Rodgers sport coat over double knee fire hose pants is toasty. I've found some slacks, but all the sport coats were the same heavy stuff.

I like to wear suits, I think I look good in a suit and I want the group to have a private event look even if we are at a Farmers Market, so people know from a look that yes, we can play your wedding reception too.

If you're playing music for cash, this is business as much as it is art.


Attachment 114710

I like the "existentialist Paris" look of the trumpet player but he might rather have got it from Miles than from Sartre and Camus. And a turtleneck is probably not what you are looking for ATM.

[Skip Ellis]

One of my favorite mentors from waaay back in the day who was a veteran of both the Wheeling Jamboree and the Opry, told me to 'always dress better than the audience' and I've always tried to follow his advice. You want to be treated as a professional - dress like one. Ever see a doctor or lawyer wearing shorts and flip flops? You're been hired to do a particular job, not party. Jimmy Buffett might be the exception to the rule....

[Litterick]

Ever see a doctor or lawyer wearing shorts and flip flops?

Yes, on The Gear Page.

[Ukena]

One of my favorite mentors from waaay back in the day who was a veteran of both the Wheeling Jamboree and the Opry, told me to 'always dress better than the audience' and I've always tried to follow his advice. You want to be treated as a professional - dress like one.[...]

Tony Rice often wore a suit and tie onstage. Asked if it was out of respect for the audience, he said it was out of respect for the music.

[AllanAllen]

Cavenders sells a lot of western shirts. I can't imagine not being able to find a western store in Chicago area but maybe it's just my Texas brain overthinking your situation. We have one of these plus a Boot Barn in town.

Men's Western Apparel | Cavender's

Plenty of western stores, they just don't have that coveted tall size. And if they do, it's work wear, not the cool embroidered or fringe styles.

[Doug B]

Last summer my ophthalmologist's partner was wearing shorts and a lab coat-looked like he was wearing a mini skirt. It was summer, but the medical building was air conditioned. Totally unprofessional wear for a doctor.

Doug

[wintermoon]

Last summer my ophthalmologist's partner was wearing shorts and a lab coat-looked like he was wearing a mini skirt. It was summer, but the medical building was air conditioned. Totally unprofessional wear for a doctor.

Doug

I wouldn't complain if it was an attractive lady

But NO shorts on gigs...again, unless it's an attractive lady.....

[mr. beaumont]

I found decent western wear snap button shirts on Amazon in tall sizes...I'm 6' 3" 250 so I feel your pain. Apparently at most retailers you can't be fat and tall.

It's super easy to get the real deal in Chicago, you just need to speak a little Spanish.

[djg]

Last summer my ophthalmologist's partner was wearing shorts and a lab coat-looked like he was wearing a mini skirt. It was summer, but the medical building was air conditioned. Totally unprofessional wear for a doctor.

Doug

good piece of advice: regardless of temperatures *always* wear an undershirt, less visible sweat on the dress shirt.

[DawgBone]

Plenty of western stores, they just don't have that coveted tall size. And if they do, it's work wear, not the cool embroidered or fringe styles.

A quick google search does turn up some shirts from Wrangler listed as big and tall. Might have to dig around for a while to find a shirt you like. I know the pain of buying XL shirts that are made for a 5'4" 300lbs chinese guy.

[AllanAllen]

I found decent western wear snap button shirts on Amazon in tall sizes...I'm 6' 3" 250 so I feel your pain. Apparently at most retailers you can't be fat and tall.

It's super easy to get the real deal in Chicago, you just need to speak a little Spanish.

The most frustrating part is asking at a store if they have any tall sizes and they say "no, we get one or two and that stuff just flies off the shelf." Like... GET MORE, marketing 101, get more of the stuff people buy and less of the XS and 4XL the store is full of because nobody buys it.

[DawgBone]

I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around jazz guys loving the western wear but I like it! Allan maybe you need to incorporate a couple western swing tunes into your set since it contains a jazz element. That might really set you apart from the pack in a good way combined with the shirts. "Driving Nails In My Coffin" or something like that.

[AllanAllen]

I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around jazz guys loving the western wear but I like it! Allan maybe you need to incorporate a couple western swing tunes into your set since it contains a jazz element. That might really set you apart from the pack in a good way combined with the shirts. "Driving Nails In My Coffin" or something like that.

Yeah, I'm more of a swing guy and to me, Bob Wills does swing just as well as Benny Goodman or Duke Ellington. They're different flavors of the same thing. I'm also not the stereotype jazz guy, last night I went to Chicago and saw Rancid, Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day at Wrigley Field.

Do you know about Bruce Foreman?

Guest Artist: Bruce Foreman (Jazz Guitar) - YouTube

[Doug B]

I wouldn't complain if it was an attractive lady

But NO shorts on gigs...again, unless it's an attractive lady.....

Naa-the partner didn't have the knees for it. Better a Scottish kilt-clan of your choice.

[Mick-7]

I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around jazz guys loving the western wear but I like it!

Well, I think we're talking the tamer attire, not full out rhinestones and bangles regalia.

A good looking vest with a white shirt can look quite spiffy (and it's much easier to find a size that'll fit you).

Here's the back of an old one I own:

[DawgBone]

Yeah, I'm more of a swing guy and to me, Bob Wills does swing just as well as Benny Goodman or Duke Ellington. They're different flavors of the same thing. I'm also not the stereotype jazz guy, last night I went to Chicago and saw Rancid, Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day at Wrigley Field.

Do you know about Bruce Foreman?

Guest Artist: Bruce Foreman (Jazz Guitar) - YouTube

I'm not much for punk rock but I always preferred Operation Ivy to Rancid but the recordings were not engineered very well to my ears. But the songwriting was there. "Sound System" Didn't know about Bruce Foreman, great player. Love the guitar-sax duo. A musician buddy of mine down here, Erik Hokkanen is in the Texas western swing hall of fame. He can guitar or fiddle with equal aplomb as his favorite players were Django and Stephane Grappelli. Great guy too.