One of the great things about being a DJ is that, for the most part, you can pretty much wear whatever you want to wear. Sure, some places may have a very loose dress code, but the most restrictive it ever gets is wearing a clean button-up shirt and some quality pants, and even then it’s only in some of the most upscale venues at the highest levels.
For most DJs out there, you pretty much have free reign on what you come to the stage wearing with one exception.
If you’re a mobile DJ, because you’re often performing at a specialized venue for a specific event, more often than not you’ll be required to come in following a dress code. In most cases, this is going to be some type of formal wear that falls in line with the nature of the event.
In this overview guide, we’ll take a look at what you should wear at an event as well as the importance of branding yourself and why it’s so important that you come in looking you’re very best at these formal and professional events.
What Should A Mobile DJ Wear?
Ultimately, as a mobile DJ, your goal is to put on a show for those that are specifically hiring you to perform. Because the setting is what it is, you may need to come across as more professional. However, if you get through it and build your name up, after a few short years, you’ll be so famous you can wear just about anything you want for whatever gig you want.
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Why Should Mobile DJs Wear Professional Clothes?
Probably the biggest elephant in the room here, why is it ok for a club DJ, radio DJ, and virtually any other DJ out there able to wear whatever they want to a performance while mobile DJs have to go in with a suit and tie?
Even most professional DJs at the higher end don’t ever wear more than a quality jacket and jeans. How is that fair?
Well, the difference really breaks down to the setting and environment. The majority of other DJs out there have a lot more control over whether they need to be there or not.
Especially if they’re a highly famous professional DJ, they have a lot more freedom to wear what they want since people are coming there specifically to see them. Even DJs that aren’t as popular, if they are in casual or party settings, their appearance isn’t nearly as scrutinized since everyone is out wearing what they want.
The same isn’t the case when it comes to mobile DJs.
Oftentimes, these DJs are performing at a specified venue for a very important event.
Whether it’s for a marriage, birthday party, school dance, or a corporate event, the idea is that things are going to be a bit upscale and refined even if people are going to have a bit of fun.
Even if you believe that professionalism shouldn’t extend to the DJ, the truth is that most of the clients and patrons will want to know what you’re wearing and simply won’t give you the job if they sense that you’re going to come in a casual set of jeans and t-shirt.
While there are a lot of reasons why this is the case, the two main ones have to deal with photographs and simple competition between rivaling DJ companies.
Photographs
The first thing you need to always keep in mind is that, as a mobile DJ, you are going to a formal event, and that that formal event is likely going to have photographers there. After all, if you were hired on as a professional performer for the event, odds are it’s important and they want it memorialized.
Having photographers in the mix, that alone should prove just how important it is that you look the part. Just think about it. If everyone is in dress clothes except for you, who’s going to stand out in every photo?
The weird mobile DJ, that’s who. People are going to remember you in a very negative light every time they take out their pictures since, rather than the focus being on the bride and groom, guest of honor, or birthday boy or girl, it’ll be on you, the DJ that’s wearing a t-shirt and jeans at this otherwise formal party event.
Just as club DJs often wear casual clothes in clubs and other casual settings to blend in, it’s expected that you’ll wear formal clothes while at this formal event for the same reason.
Simply put, by wearing formal clothing alongside everyone else, you don’t stand out in any picture, blending in and allowing people to enjoy your music rather than notice you physically.
Competition For The Job
It’s also worth mentioning that you aren’t the only mobile DJ applying for the position. Especially if it’s a high-paying gig, you can be sure that there are at least 100 other DJs out there gunning for that position. As such, you can imagine how sandals, jeans, and a t-shirt look when compared to a suit and tie.
Even if you’re slightly better, first impressions matter as do visual impressions. Simply put, you have to remember that this isn’t a club you’re performing at, and the people there aren’t expecting a club-like experience to come with their DJ.
By coming in – preferably – clean shaven, hair cut, in a suit and tie looking highly professional, you give them an initial impression that you’re taking this gig seriously and you want them to take you seriously as a performer.
Remember that, even if you’re a phenomenal DJ, people will remember you by how you stand out over how you perform. An easy example of this is Deadmau5, who is famous, not just because of his skills as a DJ, but also because of his outfit and LED “mickey mouse” headwear.
You want your outfit to leave a positive and intriguing impression about you and, when it comes to mobile DJ gigs, that means formalwear over casual.
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What You Should Wear As A Mobile DJ
Now that we know why you should wear formal clothing, let’s quickly go over what “formal clothing” actually means.
First of all, it does not mean “uncomfortable” or “stuffy”. While you want to come in with the standard suit and tie, you don’t want any of that stuff to be tight or stuffy, or otherwise uncomfortable.
Depending on the nature of the event (wedding, birthday, mitzvah, business event, etc.) you want to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible. Here’s a rundown of the different types of clothing based on the nature of the event.
1. Shoes
Starting with your shoes, pretty much a good pair of shoes is required almost anywhere you go. Heck, even if you’re performing on a beach, you should probably err on the side of wearing shoes and having them tell you to dress down more.
The reason why wearing a good quality pair of shoes is important isn’t just because they feed into the formal and professional look, but also because the better and sturdier they are, the better off you’ll be after the fact.
The truth is that mobile DJs are up for hours on end when performing (whether as mobile DJs or club DJs). Whether that includes setting things up, breaking things down, to simply the act of doing your performance, you can expect very little “off time” when the event starts.
While there are a few different mobile DJ dress shoe options out there, your best bet is to look into a pair of non-slip, steel-toe, oil-resistant shoes that will let you set up and break down without worrying about falling or hurting yourself.
You also will want to think about looking into some comfortable shoe soles to handle some of the strain on your feet as well as even potentially splurging on a floor mat if you’ve got the money to invest in it or don’t want your feet crying the next day.
2. Trousers
When it comes to pants, there is a “bit” of leeway when compared to shoes. Pretty much, you’re going to be wearing some nice dress pants 90% of the time, with that other 10% being for more casual party events where you’re at a beach or somewhere outdoors and hot. In that case, rather than a pair of dress pants, you’ll instead throw on some khakis. Outside of that, your go-to situation should be comfortable semi-formal to formal straight-leg pants.
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3. Shirt
As with your pants, shirts have a bit of freedom based on where you’re going to be performing. For the bulk majority of events, you’ll want to dress in the same type and style of clothing as the guests. That generally means a clean white long-sleeve dress shirt.
On more casual and less strictly formal occasions, a mobile DJ may be able to get away with wearing a polo shirt.
Again, this is primarily going to be the case during outdoor beach and pool party events, where the bulk of the crowd is in swimwear and is all having a good time. Still, it’s important to remember that you aren’t wearing just a pair of swim trunks, but instead a polo shirt.
Many times, mobile DJs can trick themselves into believing they can get away with a t-shirt or no shirt at all. Remember that you don’t want people noticing you for any reason that strikes them as unprofessional or inappropriate. A polo is perfect for any of these fun and casual settings.
4. Tie
A tie, while not necessarily mandatory, only feeds into the mobile DJ professional image you’re trying to convey. If the event is very formal, like a wedding DJ event, you’ll definitely want to wear a tie. On the other end, a beach or pool party is not expected, especially since you’ll likely be wearing a polo shirt.
The area where it’s most up in the air is for everything in between. Mitzvahs, birthdays, company retreats. These are all times when wearing a tie is appreciated even if not expressly mandatory.
Generally, the rule of thumb is that you wear a tie if the host is wearing a tie, and take it off when they’ve taken theirs off.
#5. Suit Coat
Last on the list of formal events mobile DJ clothing is your suit coat. Here, a suit coat is meant to act as the completed piece of your professional DJ wear ensemble and should go with just about any event you go to, whether you’re just looking at DJing as a hobby or something more career-oriented.
Simply put, while ties may not be mandatory, suit coats pretty much always are as a mobile DJ at a formal occasion.
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Importance Of Advertising Yourself
One of the benefits of dressing professionally when performing is that it always gives your clients a positive impression of you. This positive impression, while great on its own, can actively turn into referrals and an infinitely more professional look if you’ve properly branded yourself.
That means adding logos and designs to your gear and materials. While still staying in that professional and formal design, putting your mobile DJ company logo out there can result in a dramatic increase in brand awareness for your mobile DJ company.
Setting Up & Breaking Down
We’ve managed to go into what you should wear during the event itself but we haven’t talked about what you should be wearing during the setup and breakdown stages. And while you might be expecting to wear a full-blown suit and tie while you’re putting your stage together, the good news is that that’s not (quite) the case.
You still can’t run around wearing a plain white t-shirt and a full-on casual getup, but the setup stage of your performance is just that.
You’re setting things up.
Here, you can get away with wearing matching t-shirts that have your logo branded on them. Ideally, your t-shirt picks should be all-black and everyone on your team should be wearing them. You can also up your game a bit by wearing something more business casual, though since setup can be grueling, make sure you’re the one directing things as opposed to getting down and dirty and potentially staining your dress shirt or getting it sweaty.
Then, once it’s time to get started, go and change into the aforementioned clothes, and you’re all good to go!
What Should A Mobile DJ Wear?
So, are we clear about what should a DJ wear? Just understand that there are pros and cons to every type of DJ. While it’s true that mobile DJs do have to run around in suits and ties more often than any other type of DJ, they’re also able to brand themselves more effectively and with greater prominence.
Everyone can dress down to an event, but only a few can dress up.
By heading your performance off in the proper attire, you essentially tell everyone in the room that you take your performance seriously and that you want them to respect it as something serious. This is something that even the most professional club DJs can find lacking due to many wearing largely casual pieces of clothing.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask the event coordinator what the nature of the event attire should be like. Not only does this ensure you’re wearing exactly what you need to wear, but it only further cements your professional nature. I mean, who else is asking them what is the ideal clothing?
