Part 1: Auditions - Clothing and Grooming tips for Men    The actor Will Rogers once said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That could be the Holy Grail of mantras for Casting Directors! Congratulations, you scored an audition! Nicely done but now ask yourself, how can I make a good impression? Let’s leave the scene reading and interpretation for another time. This blog will focus on fashion tips for men. In other words, how to dress for an audition.  Many Casting Directors have said that actors should dress the way the character would dress. With that in mind, if you are auditioning to play a detective in Backwoods’, Pennsylvania, you’d want to wear boots made by Timberland or cowboy boots with dark jeans and a cotton jacket. The same character in LA would call for jeans or possibly tailored pants with dress shoes instead of boots; along with a sport jacket. A white tucked in shirt with a belt would work well in both instances.  When preparing for an audition, look through your closet and pick out colored shirts and jackets with no patterns, words or graphics. Jeans almost always work, as long as they look clean without holes. Remember, you are selling yourself not the clothing.  Arrive at the audition with good hygiene. Don’t forget to use a natural or neutral deodorant scent. You will most likely be in a small room so hold off on using an overpowering deodorant, cologne or aftershave. If you have skin blotches or shaving nicks, use a neutral skin tone cover stick to cover them up. Just make sure you apply it to your face evenly; High-def cameras see everything! Regarding facial hair, 800Casting.com has received numerous emails asking, should I shave or not?  Ten years ago, I would have said, yes. Go ahead and shave. However, today things are different. Take a look at men in commercials and movies. Almost every man has facial hair. Remember, you aren’t a male model with a portfolio to show. The casting director will be looking at you and your headshot; that’s it! If you are clean shaven in the headshot, why not walk in with three-day stubble. Show them something different; they may actually prefer it. Your hair should be combed or brushed but not puffy. Think about using a dab of gel or conditioner to give it a more groomed look. If you wear jewelry, hold off on bracelets, watches, rings, etc. Those accessories can be distracting if the audition calls for you to use your hands.   Some clothing brands men may consider are Zara, Guess, INC (Macy’s), and Calvin Klein. They are a little more fashion forward and form fitting than Levi’s and Ralph Lauren. JCPenney Stafford dress shirts are of great quality and less expensive than most other brands.  Aside from the retail stores, almost every item you need for auditions can be purchased at discount department stores such as Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, and TJ Maxx. Consider putting together a small bag of audition clothes, such as baseball cap, bomber jacket, shorts, dress slacks, etc. Bring it along to the audition. A casting director may look at you and say, that was great...now read for this part. Believe me, it helps to be prepared.  On a final note, as previously mentioned, dressing the way the character would dress is very important. However, we aren’t saying go full beard if auditioning for a part as a Professor but maybe bring a pair of clear glasses to change the appearance of the character.  Give the Casting Director a reason to cast you over someone else. Remember, they are under pressure to find someone; why not make that someone be you!