Glad Rags: Julia Cumming on the Best Style for Bassists
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Get your glad rags on gang! Glad Rags is a column where we chat to some of our favourite musician's about their best garms. This week we're joined by Julia Cumming, the frontwoman and bass player of the Brooklyn-based band Sunflower Bean.
How important is clothing to you for a stage presence?
The clothes I wear onstage allow me to present myself as I want to be understood and they give me the confidence to play the best show I can. They also serve as a visual representation to the music we are making and playing.
Do you have a different style on stage compared to off stage?
Usually I’m wearing black jeans, tall boots and sunglasses. I choose some version of it most days! It’s just easy and always looks good.
I really love the fact that as a musician I have the chance to show different parts of myself, ones that are less practical but equally as true, on stage.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Do you think image is important for musicians wanting to be successful?
I think that musicians and especially bands have a magical opportunity to connect with people through their music and image. Music is really an experience that reaches people in a place deeper than words (one of the reasons it’s so hard to describe). But your visual side can be a tangible place where people can SEE who you are, rather than just feel it.
The first band that taught me this was DEVO, who blew my mind as a complete artistic idea of DE- evolution being expressed through a band. Or all of the early glam I loved, the clothes they wore and their wild hair made me wish that for just one night I could hang out with them and have an unbelievable adventure. As much as the music touched me, I loved the fantasy that came with aesthetics.
Who are some of your style inspirations as an artist?
I’m very inspired by the women who have come before me in rock. Courtney Love, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith. But I also try not to reference any inspirations too strongly and just go with what feels right for me.
What is your favourite piece of clothing to wear on stage and why?
I don’t know if i have a current favorite since we’re just starting to tour again! But I really love dresses and skirts on stage, because they give me the most freedom. Then I can focus on playing my heart out. And I always love a pair of good boots.
What is your favourite piece of clothing to wear offstage and why?
I have this one striped shirt, I used to wear it on stage a lot early in our career. It’s very soft and it’s starting to become raggedy and holey, it’s really falling apart now. But it’s the perfect shirt! It reminds me of my favorite gigs when I have it on.
Do you think people look down on musicians who like fashion too and if so, why?
I think that people will find something to dislike about you if they feel you have something they want or can’t have for some reason. Maybe it’s your style, maybe it’s where you were born, it could be anything. If someone doesn’t want to like you, they have already decided that, regardless of the clothes you wear. It’s best to just be yourself and ignore the rest.
How has your style evolved alongside your journey as an artist?
My style has definitely evolved! Especially around twentytwo in blue, I really used what I wore on stage to define that era. I wore a lot of shades of blue that felt connected to the album, along with some sequins and glammier ideas.
Nowadays I want to go back to the basics, who I was when I started, the simple and dark silhouettes that inspired me then. I wore them, they didn’t wear me, you know? I’m excited to grow with that in mind.
What advice would you give someone struggling to find their image as an artist?
Every day is another little opportunity to try something different or see what you like. I would say start small, be brave, and don’t judge yourself too much. Don’t shut yourself down before you’ve even started.
