I agree with the character part. I would add that it may depend upon the venue as well. I where a suit at times, but I'll usually stick with just a short sleeve shirt and tie.
Very true!
The standard for more than a few hundred years is to be NEAT & CLEAN -- WELL GROOMED AND WELL MANNERED. That latter part being where we old farts get a bit disjointed given the idea of your
just walking up to someone out of the blue and asking for there attention Stepping into a person's "Personal Space" is a dangerous thing to do and likewise reeks of poor social graces. Granted, some can quickly recover by generating interest but at the same time there are many who end up being pushed out of the way (sometimes literally) or at least ignored or told to go have sex with them selves.
"Building a Tip" is an art and it is something that seems to have been forgotten by many in today's magic culture. This intrusive action adding to the public's negative view towards magic and magicians; especially when it comes to someone as "frightening" as WalkingHollow describes himself. . . to many of the over 35 young parent crowd having such a person stepping into their personal space instantly causes alarm. . . I pity the mage that does this to a Vet fresh from the front or worse, a strung out and angry "street person" that's not altogether in the mental department.
Yes, dressing in character is very important but we need to understand that the general public identifies "character" as things far more "Disney" than Criss Angel-esque.
I have a get-up that I use when I'm working the streets (which has been quite rare, given the heat). I have a 12 ft. diameter bright purple parasol that mounts to the back of my wheelchair with the words PSYCHIC ENTERTAINMENT stenciled on it. It's very simple but it creates a tip -- curiosity seekers. Having an exhibit, in days not so long gone it would be a table of some sort that obviously implied Magic, but having such a simple thing disarms the public and give you a positive sense of reputation -- you're "safe" in their eyes because you are an
obvious attraction.
The other rule for success in this business is to dress at least 10% better than the audience you are shooting for. For street workers that would mean top label jeans/pants, shoes, shirt, etc. or a costume that is obviously custom (though self made). You can look every bit the "bum" so long as you are actually clean and the look can be discerned as "deliberate" i.e. nothing wrong with long hair so long as it's well groomed and obviously taken care of (and that include the multi-colored thing . . . been there, with a Mohawk & lots of piercings). Your nails must be clean and if possible, manicured so they look healthy & neat . . . so YOU come across as a class act and not typical pan-handler.
Your props must likewise reflect cleanliness and care . . . crisp cards, clean coins, fresh sponge with good color & bounce, etc.
This is all simple and very basic etiquette that used to be taught to kids before hitting the 4th grade and again, as they came into the mid and latter teens, preparing for the adult world. Sadly, it's something we've lost because of how "society" has lost its footing and its priorities. Magicians however, have a long standing history of being that person of quality and character, even when they play the role of curmudgeon or buffoon (not that I'd know anything about those positions).
I'm nearly obsessive about my hands being clean.
