Singer-songwriter won’t rock out without her stones
When Teresa Cirillo decided on an outfit to wear to the Guns N’ Roses show in Toronto earlier this week, she reached for her black jeans and a grey long-sleeved tee with droopy collar that she wore under a black leather jacket with a plaid scarf.
She finished her look with a pair of white Converse.
But the rocker style she sported that night was not so different from what she might wear onstage to perform with The Chasers, a funk/soul band that is also a bit of a departure from the Italian wedding bands she sang with previously.
Cirillo, 39, is an award-winning singer, songwriter, vocal coach and owner of Studio E vocal school in Stoney Creek who has worked with producers from Toronto to Nashville. She says one of the most important f actors in selecting an outfit for a perfor-
mance — be it at a wedding or a bar — is comfort.
“If you’re on stage for six hours, you want to be comfortable,” says Cirillo, who has been performing since she was 13 years old. “You want to make sure your shoes are comfortable, you want to make sure that you can move because, you know, you’re singing and dancing. So that’s super important for me.”
If it’s a formal occasion, this mother of three (who hit the stage in heels throughout all three pregnancies) might opt for a black threequarter or knee-length black dress — one she can easily move in. But when she and The Chasers perform at Stonewalls later this month, she will probably opt for a funky black top, ripped jeans, one of her many favourite leather jackets and jewelry dripping with stones, like the multi-chain necklace she wears here with a an eggplant wrap-style dress from Le Château.
“I feel very grounded when I wear geodes, any type of stones,” says Cirillo, who dresses down her outfit with a cropped denim jacket and grey suede perforated shooties, both from Marshalls. “That’s one thing I always have, it doesn’t matter where I’m going. I always have stones on.” Most eye-catching piece: I have a black gown with gold sequins and if I’m out at something more fancy, that’s what I would wear. It’s just a very plain dress — you can dress it up and you can also dress it down … and that dress, I think I found at Marshalls. Quirkiest wardrobe item: My Christmas sweatshirt that says Naughty Not Nice. I wear it at Christmas if I go to a Christmas party or an Ugly Christmas Sweater (party) … Wardrobe must-have: Currently, I would say a really comfortable pair of jeans with a good fit … I like all kinds of brands. Best purchase: A little black dress that I purchased at Le Château. I have worn this dress so much — it’s still actually in great condition. It’s great quality and it looks nice whether you’re dressing it down or dressing it up … it’s just a black three-quarterlength dress with ruching — it’s all ruched. The ruching starts just below the bustline and goes all the way down. Regrets buying: I always regret buying blouses. They don’t look good on me. I love the way they look on everyone else and when I see them on the hanger they look so good, and then when I put them on … not for me. Never works … any blouse. Loves to shop at: Definitely Marshalls and Winners. (They’re) so versatile. But my staples are Le Château, Aritizia — I love Aritzia. I actually splurged at Aritzia this summer and found some beautiful pieces. Timeless, classic pieces. I’m always looking for timeless and classic that you can rocker up. Ridding her closet of: Frumpy. I’m trying to get rid of frumpy clothes.
Splurges on:
Yoga clothes … I do yoga every day. So, Lululemon. I love Lululemon. But I love a good, inexpensive pair of yoga pants at Winners or Marshalls. But there is one pair of yoga pants that I would buy for double the price at Lululemon if I had to: they’re … Naked (Sensation) tights … I could do hot yoga, regular temperature yoga in them, they don’t move and they feel like you’re wearing nothing. I bought them in Dallas when I was in Dallas working this summer — they were $110 USD and worth every penny. I don’t go in and buy five, six pieces. I’ll go in and buy one piece and I’ll utilize that.
Beauty product she can’t live without:
Lip gloss. I love Tarte. Tarte is a great one because it stays on well. The NARS red (lipstick) is a staple.