The Dress Code
The Dress Code
Working as News Directors for local television stations in small and large markets over the years, we received the following phone call from a General Manager or Corporate VP during a newscast more times than we can count.
“What in the world is he/she wearing?”
The impertinence of that question comes from perhaps thinking that we weren’t watching the television in our office or maybe because we answered the phone and so we hadn’t already run into the studio and immediately challenged the talent in question for whatever fashion crime being committed at that moment. Let’s face it, upper management in almost any business is not known for their patience and understanding, especially when managing the softer skills of guiding people on thorny questions like what they should (and shouldn’t) be wearing to work.
Let alone what they should be wearing when appearing on camera.
Recently, we have seen some people appearing in television newscasts who made us start shaking our heads. We wondered if anyone in the newsroom was getting one of those phone calls. Why? Because whatever the anchors or reporters were wearing violated the number one rule of our dress code for television news:
“Never let your fashion choices distract the viewer from paying attention to whatever you are saying.”
It is reasonably simple to follow this rule. If how you are dressed falls into a description that could be summarized in a single word like “professional,” then you are probably complying with the rule and not the subject of one of those dreaded phone calls. You are also more likely to be given positive marks by the viewers. You know, the people we are trying to get to watch us in the first place?
More and more, though, we see talent on camera trying to push the envelope toward making some other kind of fashion statement. The reality is that the only statement your appearance should make on television is this: “Are you listening to what I am saying?” Because in a newscast, credibility and believability are the things that matter most.
Of course, the idea is that as an on-camera presenter, you should look presentable at all times you are on the air. We don’t believe anyone would intentionally try to sabotage themselves by dressing poorly. Conversely, we don’t want to encourage anyone to dress simply to get more likes or followers on social media. Forgive us for sounding like the grizzled veterans that we are–but you aren’t being paid just to create a bigger audience for your little dance videos made in the studio during the commercial breaks.
Back to specific recommendations we have for you in this area. More and more, we are seeing those who appear in the studio attempting to move to the “business casual” fashion genre. This can be dangerous territory–because there isn’t really anything casual about presenting the news. You don’t want to appear in a way that the audience thinks you aren’t communicating to them because your appearance makes them wonder if you are being professional about your job.
One great example to dig into about this idea is to consider the necktie. These days it is not that rare to see a male anchor or reporter going without a tie and having an open collar shirt under a suit jacket or blazer. It isn’t an everyday thing, but more of a testing of the waters from time to time as if almost just to see if the anchor can get away with it. The reality is that you certainly can–but should you? The 1990s arrival of tech executives who defined their style by eschewing a tie and maybe sporting running shoes rather than dress ones, has led to a growing number of men embracing the interpretation that “business casual” meant that no tie was necessary.
We would respectfully disagree.
A news anchor without a tie does appear more casual. But when is the news going to be predictably casual? Do you really want to appear casual when talking about a significant tragedy or when lives are lost? Would you feel comfortable attending a funeral without a coat and tie? If the answer to that question is maybe–consider what level of respect you are showing to the bereaved.
Or perhaos consider the example currently playing out in the NCAA Basketball Tournaments. Some head coaches wear athletic outfits that look more like their players on the bench than those coaches in the more traditional business wear. Which ones can you pick out easier during the game? Which ones seem to win more arguments with the referees? (OK, that last question was more rhetorical because of the sad shape of our bracket selections at the end of the first week.)
We think it’s fine for a basketball coach to wear athletic wear because of the context of the situation they are working in. But more importantly, the audience believes that both fashion choices are acceptable in this scenario. We haven’t seen any research that suggests that is true for viewers watching a local newscast. Plus, wearing a tie also makes it more acceptable to take a jacket off in some situations. Meteorologists in severe weather coverage–we are talking to you specifically here. However, the same applies to anchors appearing in the newsroom and conveying that they are working hard behind the scenes.
For Women, we acknowledge that your fashion challenges are significantly greater–and harder to navigate. There is far less of a go-to “uniform” that you can rely upon daily when looking in your closet. Our experience is that the more significant challenge is appearing professional and not getting criticized for being too much of any particular attribute. Not too revealing. Not too frumpy. Not too trendy. Not too dated. The list goes on and on. Given that we aren’t experts in this area, we would recite the wisdom of one female newsroom leader who delivered this classic quote about a female anchor’s wardrobe: “If she looks like she can do the newscast and then go out dancing without changing her outfit, she needs to change before the newscast.”
And because we aren’t fashion experts, we would point you to someone we think is an expert. Christi Schreiber has been an image consultant to on-camera talent for over 20 years and is a go-to resource for stations and individuals on all aspects of appearance. Her firm, Colour Basis, is excellent for helping with fashion and makeup choices for women and men whose job is to appear on camera. She has solid information to share and does so on her company’s website at Colourbasis.com
Another point we want to make on this subject is that context always matters, even with fashion. Of course, wearing a polo-style shirt is OK if you are doing a live shot outdoors at a local golf tournament. However, please don’t make the mistake of advertising a brand other than your station. You aren’t being presented by Nike or The North Face. Either wear a shirt without a more prominent brand name or logo–or your station’s branded one. And News Directors, you should ensure that everyone on camera has a polo shirt or two for such occasions. (Plus, please make sure it is the current station logo and not one from years ago!)
In fact, there is no better way to make your news team feel more like a team than by providing them with station-branded apparel. Everyone should have, at a minimum, a branded shirt and hat. Anyone who works in the field should have a few shirts. And then, depending on your climate or time of year, jackets of various weights for those crews in the field accomplish the same thing as uniforms do–identify your people and give them instant credibility and visibility as part of your station. It should be part of your station’s marketing budget because it makes your station more visible in the public eye.
We’ll leave you on this topic (for now at least) with the profound wisdom of the legendary rock band ZZ Top. They understood the power of fashion when they sang the lyric, “Cause every girl crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.” Obviously, this is also true for every boy and sharp dressed woman as well. Even if ZZ Top didn’t include them in the song.
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