in search of the perfect recital dress

This summer I’m giving a recital — in the spirit of “what happens to a girl when she goes off to music school for a year?” — and of course I’m already working on my program, but I am also keeping my eye out for the perfect recital dress.
Yeah, it’s a little girly, but a good outfit does wonders for your playing. And since I love dresses, the perfect recital dress is quite a nice thing to have. (Not as nice as a good reed, but sometimes you can’t control that, so… perfect dress?)

There are a few things I ask myself when I’m scouting for this dress.
1) Can I breathe comfortably and deeply in it?
2) Can I sit down and play in it without embarrassing myself/making the audience feel super awkward?
3) Can I take a bow in it?
4) Is it generally comfortable?
5) Is it dressy/casual enough for my recital?
6) Do I feel amazing when I wear it?

Some of these questions — like the one about taking a bow — can be worked around. (I’ve learned how to do a kind of “nod bow” when I’ve picked a dress that does not meet this requirement, for instance.) Also, you have control over things like level of formality, so long as you let the other people in the recital know. And of course a little self confidence is going to go a long way in making you feel amazing in the dress of your choice.

Here are a few suggestions:

Maybe it’s the fact that they call it the Maestro Dress, but I think this dress is adorable! The higher waist allows you to breathe from the diaphragm, and the higher neckline allows you to bow with gusto. It might be a little short if you want to sit down, but it would be so cute with tights or leggings.

I actually own this dress (I love ModCloth, in case you can’t tell), and this dress is so comfy! The waist is both elasticized and a tie, so breathing is no problem. It does need leggings or tights, though, and it’s not super-formal, but would be perfect for a day recital. I highly recommend it!

I know this is short, too, but I’m in summer mode! And of course you can wear tights or leggings — or stand up to play. (This is especially true if you don’t play bassoon.) It’s so cute and summery, and a little bit dressier than the previous dresses.

Target dresses can be suspect when it comes to quality, and I’ve never seen this dress in person, but it is long and pretty and looks comfy. And it’s only $22! I own a sundress from Target that is too casual for a recital, but it’s one of my favorite dresses. If this dress is anything like it, then it’d be a pleasure to wear even after you play your last note.

A confession: This is the dress I want to wear at my recital! It’s just so adorable and sassy and it looks so comfy. We’ll see if it happens, but if anyone uses it at a recital (or anywhere else, really), be sure to let me know.

This dress is a more glamorous, “dressed up” option — it was originally a prom dress! But it is on sale now (like pretty much every other prom dress), so if you love the fact that is is beautiful, high-waisted (for ease of breathing), more or less demure, and super classy, you should definitely go for it.

I hope that, the next time you give a recital, you get to wear the perfect dress!
Here’s hoping I find one of my own.