Although I will provide most of your costume, Bay Area carolers are responsible for providing some pieces of their own Victorian costumes. 90% of gigs are in Victorian costumes (also called Dickensian costumes). Some clients want singers dressed in contemporary attire, so if you have a Christmas sweater that is good, but the vast majority want carolers in Victorian/Dickensian costumes. 

As I mentioned in the FAQ, this year you will get a $10 bonus for every gig if you can provide the costume piece that is the most difficult for me to provide  for you: top hats for tenors & basses and voluminous floor-length skirts for sopranos & altos)

Sopranos and Altos:

You are responsible to provide: 

• Black boots, booties, or “Mary-Jane” style flats (high heels are not recommended)

I will provide for you:

• Capelette or Victorian jacket
• High-necked blouse (usually white or cream-colored)
• Bonnet or Victorian riding hat
• Floor-length, full skirt with petticoat if needed (if you don’t provide it)

Optional to provide:

• Very full floor-length skirt with a petticoat for volume (no hoop skirts, please) for a $10/gig bonus
• a reticule (small drawstring Victorian purse) or muff - no additional pay, it’s just convenient
• Christmas or holiday sweater (won’t be worn on most gigs)

If you do want to buy or make your own skirt, victorian-era patterns are usually acceptable: Plaid, paisley, houndstooth, etc. Poinsettia floral patterns are also good. Colors to aim for: Red, Burgundy, Maroon, Forest Green, Royal Blue, Purple, Gold, Silver. Please try to avoid orange, yellow, brown, and khaki and any pastels; these colors do not evoke December holidays. Exceptions may be granted if you have a really good reason. There are several sellers on eBay and Etsy who will custom-make skirts that are suitable; prices vary, but the earlier you buy, the better deal you can get. Thrift stores sometimes have formal dresses with very long skirts that can be adapted into caroling skirts, too. You can look at TOR’s instagram page for examples of costume pieces.

Tenors and Basses: 

You are responsible to provide:

• Suit coat, tails optional (black is fine, but other colors may work too; please check with me)
• Suit pants (black is fine, same caveat as above)
• Black dress shoes (comfortable ones for long gigs)
• White, collared dress shirt 

Optional to provide:

• High-quality wool top hat ($10 bonus per gig if you provide this)
• A holiday scarf
• Christmas or holiday sweater (won’t be worn on most gigs)

I will provide for you:

• Period neckpiece: Ascot or cravat, or a big fluffy bow. 
• Holiday colored or patterned vest or waistcoat 
• High-quality wool top hat (if you don’t)

High-Quality Wool Top hats generally cost between $40 and $80 depending on the size and when during the season you buy them - they are more expensive in October and November than in July or August. Please send me a link before you purchase anything online; if you find a top hat for $20 or less it is very unlikely to meet my standards, but you never know! If you can buy or borrow one from someone you know, Bob’s your uncle. You can look at TOR’s instagram page for examples of costume pieces.

For everyone:

My intention in having this policy is to save myself the shipping fees and inconvenience of these harder-to-manage costume pieces. It is inconvenient and expensive to ship top hats and heavy skirts. If you buy yours early enough, you should be able to acquire these optional costume pieces for $50-60, which should pay for itself with the additional payment you get from gigs. And then you will have one already next season, when I will have the same policy. I have a finite amount of hats and skirts, so once they are spoken for, your only option would be to buy your own. But as you are all new carolers in the Bay Area, I will give you “first dibs” on the costume pieces I already own.

If you already have your own full costume, from working Dickens Faire or for some other reason, that is fantastic! - as long as it meets my standards, of course. It will make it easier to book gigs for you, but there isn’t additional compensation available beside the $10 extra per gig.