The old saying is “that a picture paints a thousand words” and perhaps that applies to the nonverbal picture that is painted by the speaker’s clothing. A good “podium costume” can make a very strong statement to the audience. Although the “perfect” attire will not guarantee success, the wrong outfit does guarantee problems. An outfit should be carefully coordinated from shoes to shirt. It’s also very important that nothing distracts and if possible, the outfit should attract others. The following guidelines are based on the findings of hundreds of public speakers who can speak from experience.

*NOTE* Students must follow the SJUSD Appearance/Dress Code regulations at ALL times. This includes travel to and from the tournament. The following are not allowed:
• Baggy pants, saggy pants, pants that slide past the hips and expose one’s undergarment
• Tube tops, strapless attire, and tank tops; all tops for all students should cover the chest, the midriff and back areas

Tips For Both Guys and Girls:
1. Neatness Counts -- Detail is important because all eyes are on the speaker and whether it is a crooked tie, a dangling thread, a hair out of place or a slip showing, it will be noticed. Clothes should also not be wrinkled or look as though they’re too big or too small for you!

2. Consider Distance -- An outfit looks quite different at a distance of twenty feet; a well-coordinated outfit may become bland and may appear mismatched. When trying on an outfit, back up from the mirror and gain the audience’s perspective.

3. Never Wear Strong Patterns -- This will distract the listeners. In fact, studies show that the bolder the pattern, the more the audience blinks and if the audience is busy blinking it listens less. Even pinstripes are not advisable. Consider wearing solid colors. The idea is to make the audience want to look at the speaker.

4. Use Color Advantageously -- Deep, rich colors can enhance the tone of the speech. The color choice should compliment the topic. Also be aware of the kind of background you’re standing against. (Chances are it’ll be a chalkboard because most rounds are held in classrooms.) Dark colors tend to make you “blend in” with the background.

5. Be comfortable -- Your clothes should compliment you, the speaker. Clothes should be comfortable to wear and move around in.

6. Balance Fashion and Formality -- Too much fashion can become distracting and may distract the judge(s) or the audience from what you have to say. In the end, you should look as though you took the time to dress well, because you care enough about what you’re doing to look your best.

Tips Just For Guys
- Wear a suit and a dress shirt. Grays and dark blues are good colors. If you don’t own a suit and don’t want to buy one, a sports jacket with complementing slacks will do.

- The “I-woke-up-5-minutes-before-the-tournament-and-didn’t-have-time-to-fix-my-hair” has always been an unpopular hairstyle with judges. Hair should be combed and neat.

- No sneakers or sandals. Some form of dress shoes goes a whole lot better with the suit look. Also, white socks are a no-no.

- Match! If your socks don’t match your pants, which don’t match your shirt, which doesn’t match your jacket, which doesn’t match your tie, it looks as though you dressed with your eyes closed.

Tips Just For Girls
- Girls are expected to wear skirts or dresses. Girls cannot wear pants in competition.

- Clothes, in general, should not be trendy. It’s never bad to be dressed more on the conservative side than the trendy side. Dressing conservatively doesn’t mean your clothes have to be a drab, though! Rich colors such as red (as opposed to loud and outrageous ones like fluorescent green) will help you stand out from your competitors and that is most definitely a plus.

- Hair should be tied back in some manner so that it doesn’t fly in your face during your speech -- even if you’re not moving around a lot.

- For more serious events (i.e. oratory, debate, impromptu, etc) business-type suits give a more professional look.

- Skirts should not be too short.

- No runs in nylons. It might be a good idea to bring an extra pair to a tournament.

- No shoes with very high heels. How high is high? Well, if you can’t walk at a good pace without tripping and falling everywhere, it’s a pretty good indication they’re too high.

- No sandals. Buy an inexpensive pair of pumps.

- Jewelry should be kept to a minimum, especially dangling earrings, noisy bracelets, and gaudy rings because they tend to make noise and are distracting!

- HI’ers do not have to be dressed as conservatively as people in other events -- fluorescent green and the like are still no-no’s, though.

- No bare midriffs.