As a dresser, you play a crucial role in ensuring that performers look their best on stage. With the fast-paced nature of backstage, it is important for you to be able to have the tools you might need at a moment’s notice. This is where a well-stocked dresser apron comes in! Your dresser apron equipped with essential tools and supplies to handle wardrobe changes and emergencies with ease.
If you’re new to dressing, you may have questions about what to include in your apron and how to organize it for maximum efficiency. In this article, we will provide you with valuable guidance on stocking your dresser apron, along with tips on customization, cost-saving options, as well as factors to consider when putting your apron together.
Having a well-stocked apron empowers you to tackle any wardrobe challenge. So, let’s dive in and make sure you have all the backstage wardrobe essentials you’ll need!
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Why Do You Need an Apron?
A dresser always needs to have both of their hands free to do their job, so it would be impossible to simply carry around everything you might need in the backstage space. This is where a trusty apron comes in!
A dresser’s apron is their most important tool when it comes to putting out fires, and handling anything that might come your way in the backstage environment. Different shows will require different things from you, and therefore, different needs for your apron. There may even be certain shows that you find don’t require you to wear an apron at all.
However, typically any show that you find yourself in the backstage wings frequently, frequently performing heavily assisted changes, handling complex costumes, or on the move between various backstage locations– you will want an apron with you.
Essential Tools for Your Dresser Apron
The Basics
The following supplies are the bare minimum basics that you will probably want with you for 99% of the shows you dress. They are classic backstage staples that will come in handy no matter who you are dressing, or what they are wearing.
- Safety Pins: Safety pins are a must-have for keeping things together. From securing loose buttons to fixing wardrobe malfunctions, having a variety of sizes on hand can save the day in a pinch.
- Needle and Thread: A reliable needle and thread are essential for making quick repairs. Whether sewing on buttons, fixing small tears, or adjusting a costume, having a needle and thread in your apron is handy. For backstage, having one needle loaded with white thread, or one white and one black thread is more than enough.
If you have difficulty figuring out how to store your needles so they remain usable at a moment’s notice, there are many styles of needle holders. With different styles available, you can pick whichever one works with your needs. - Snips: A good pair of snips is a powerful tool for any dresser. Whether you are removing the basting stitches from an understudy’s jacket, removing a loose thread, or quickly removing a jagged fingernail, you will find many ways to utilize a good pair of snips backstage.
- Stain Remover: Accidents happen, but having a stain remover can save the day. Choose a portable stain remover pen or stick that can quickly tackle stains without leaving residue, so you can keep costumes looking clean. There are two main types of portable stain removers. There are pens- such as a Tide Pen, or disposable wipes.
- Hand Sanitizer: As a dresser, much of what you’ll be toughing will be sweaty or otherwise dirty. Sometimes you may be tasked with helping someone add their shoes, then going to the next dressing room to help someone add a fake mustache to their face. You want to make sure you aren’t spreading germs around your actors or cast.
Other Common Contents
Personal Care
- Personal Cell Phone: This might seem sacrilegious to some, but a cell phone is a very handy tool backstage. Ideally, you have a group chat of some sort with your other dressers. Therefore, id something goes wrong, you can quickly call for backup.
- Tissues: Tissues can be used for multiple purposes backstage. Maybe an actor has a cold. Maybe they need to fix their makeup, stop bleeding, or spit out a cough drop. Tissues are an item that you may not need often, but when the need arises, if you are able to fill it, you’ll look extremely prepared.
- Pen/ Pencil: To write yourself/ other notes, if needed! Pretty self- explanatory.
- Bandaids: With the nature of theatre, you never know if there will be a time when you or your actor will get hurt right before a change. You want to be ready to cover any wounds (even just temporarily) so nothing gets on their costume or other actors.
- Actor’s personal supplies: This is mainly for principal or star dressing. Your actor might give you something they might want at their changes to help them through the show. This might include throat spray, makeup for touchups, or special lozenges.
Costume Care
- Spare Hardware: Having spare buttons, snaps or other hardware in your apron can be a lifesaver. With a variety of sizes, colors, and styles that match your garments, you’ll be ready to replace lost buttons, hooks, or snaps in a pinch.
- Lint Roller: Keeping a lint roller in your apron can quickly remove lint, hair, or other debris from garments. While it can be tricky to store a traditional lint roller among the other contents of your apron, there are a few styles that won’t get stuck to the things around it.
- Bobby Pins/ Wig Pins: This tool is only needed if you are working in a non-union space or a theatre that doesn’t otherwise have a wig team.
- Pliers: Especially helpful for zipper malfunctions or broken jewelry.
- Show-Specific Wardrobe Maintenance Supplies: This category will take time to build as you get to know your costumes. With experience, you will be able to look at a particular costume and pinpoint eventual issues.
For example, you may be tasked with helping zip someone into a really form-fitting corset, where it feels like the zipper is under a lot of stress—so you might consider making sure you have a few decently sized safety pins in your apron at all times, in case you arrive at that change and the zipper busts! Wardrobe maintenance supplies can vary from show-to-show, and even from track to track.
Any Specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements for Dressers?
There aren’t any specific “rules”, persay. However, you should go into dressing knowing that it is a very physically demanding job on your body. If you are asked to perform a task that hurts your hands, don’t be afraid to ask for gloves. If you are doing lots of work on your knees, ask for kneepads. An experienced dresser will be very in tune with both their actor’s need and own physical needs.
Organizing Your Dresser Apron for Efficiency
We mentioned that apron contents might vary from show to show as your needs and your actors needs vary. Also, the way your apron is organized, or even the type of apron you wear might change. For example, if you are star dressing, you might need a place to store a water bottle on your apron. Your track might require you to track many jewelry pieces. Therefore, you might need a place to easily place/ access them so they don’t get lost. If you are swinging, you may want a place to stick your notes. The way you set up your apron might take a bit of trial and error as you figure out what feels best to you.
A good rule of thumb, however, is to organize your apron in a way you can quickly access whatever tools you need. With that in mind, it may be difficult to efficiently utilize an apron that has only one large open pocket.
How can I organize my dresser apron for quick and easy access to my essential tools?
In our opinion, the more pockets, the better. And the more types of pockets the better. A great dressers apron will have multiple pockets of different sizes, some zippered and some open.
For more information about how to pick a great apron, check out our post on apron types! (coming soom)
Cost-Effective Ways to Stock Your Dresser Apron with the Essential Tools
As you stock your apron, don’t be afraid to include tools from your place of work. Especially ask your theatre to supply consumable items like top stick, bobby pins, thread, earring backs, etc. The stock of items that you keep in your apron for the run of a show should not be supplied with your own personal money.
However, if there’s supplies, such as a special pair of snips, feel free to supply yourself with whatever you prefer. If you purchase a tool for yourself is more expensive or unique, than what other dressers might have gotten from the shop for free, be sure to label your tools in some way.
What To Consider When Stocking Your Apron
- The Show/ Person/ track you are dressing.
- Are you star dressing/ following one person most of the show? Do you even leave the dressing rooms during the show? Do you remain in one quick change booth for the show that is stocked with and easily accessible costume repair kit?
- What are the most likely things to break or go wrong with the costumes you look after?
- Are you dressing masculine- presenting people? For Feminine- Presenting people?
- Do you do any work during the run of the show in which a certain style of apron will get in your way?
- You don’t want to be lugging around 10 pounds around your waist.
Other Possible Essential Tools for your Dresser Apron – Crowdsourced From Wardrobe Professionals
Below, you’l find a list of some items that different dressers have said that they have packed into their apron at one point or another. Feel free to check it out, and include any item that you think might be handy in your own apron! By no means, do you need to constantly have everything on this list, but feel free to use it as a guide when assembling your own apron!
- Cough Drops
- Gum/Mints
- Kilt Pins
- Candies
- Spare Shoe Laces
- Shoe Horn
- Small Jewelry Pliers
- Actor Makeup
- Light Up Mirror
- Top Stick
- Personal Fan (manual or Electric)
- Handkercheif
- Nail File
- Nail Clippers
- Super Glue
- Small container (for dropped beads/ broken pieces)
- Your personal Water
- Lens Cloth
- Small screwdriver for glasses
- Oak Tags
- Dritz Rainbow Braid
- Flashlight
- Wet Ones
- Multitool
- Extra earrings/backs
- Chapstick
When looking to stock your apron, sometimes less can be more. Sometimes, however, you might need a lot of supplies with you if you are tracking an actor with an intense track. Overall, like all things wardrobe, go with your guy and keep with you what you feel is important to have backstage.
Is there anything we didn’t include in this article that you always have in your dressing apron? Let us know in the comments!
