Ditch the Blazers: Time to Update Our Image
Let’s talk uniforms.
Now, before anyone reaches for their lapel badge in protest, hear me out…
The blazer, for many male voice choirs, has become a symbol—of tradition, of unity, perhaps even of pride. But it’s also a relic. Unless you’re driving a coach or attending a Masonic gathering, blazers scream “1950s gentlemen’s club” far more than they do “thriving, vibrant 21st-century musical ensemble.”
When someone under 65 looks at a group of identically blazered gentlemen on stage, they’re unlikely to see a place for themselves. The challenge isn’t that blazers are inherently offensive — it’s that they tell a story about who we are, and more crucially, who we’re for.
But it’s not just the blazers, they’re part of a wider picture…
One example that stuck with me was a choir we worked with in West Yorkshire. They had a great sound, an energetic MD, and an admirable rehearsal ethic. But online? Row after row of funeral shots, everyone in black and grey, sombre faces, standing in churches with no audience in sight. Their social media didn’t reflect the energy in the room during rehearsal. When they updated their website with new, vibrant photos (no blazers in sight), interest tripled. Tripled!
Think about what your image says. Are you posting photos that tell people, “this is a dynamic, contemporary choir where you’ll learn and grow”? Or are you saying, “We peaked in 1974”?
It’s time to ditch the blazers — not because they’re ugly, but because they exclude. A T-shirt or open-collar shirt with a unified colour scheme looks smart, modern, and relaxed. That’s something a younger recruit can imagine themselves wearing.
