Choosing an Outfit for Film
So, Fashionable Reader, I've done a couple of interviews on youtube and the like, most of which were sprouted upon me without prior preparation. However, this Friday I have an interview for a Steampunk documentary project and I have had actual time to think about it.
Of course, I didn't until this evening, but there you have it. Life of a writer, living on the edge!
Being an academic I went and found various articles on What To Wear On TV.
After the usual blether about making certain you think about your outfit (obviously, or why would I be reading an article on the subject?) and that looking good gives you confidence (really, you don't say?) and that so many people don't think about this before a TV appearance (tell me about it, daytime talk shows), they got on to some concrete advice.
Distilled down it was basically:
Bad for TV
- wild colors
- distracting clothing or jewelry
- white clothes (too bright)
- dark colors like black and navy (becomes amorphous blob)
- red (camera issues) *insert Gail's scream of horror here, I do love me my red
- fine patterns like Herringbone, pin stripes, or check (causes moiré)
- large patterns or geometric shapes (too distracting)
- shiny jewelry
- jangly jewelry
- eyeglasses (if you, like me, must wear them, avoid shiny frames, then tip slightly up off your ears to angle lenses down to reduce glare from lights)
- vivid red lipstick or gloss *insert Gail's second scream of horror here
All black (one of many), check (one of several), pinstripe and cream
Bright color and bold pattern, small pattern and navy, red
Bright color and graphic pattern, bold pattern and navy, bold plaid
See Gail make so many of these mistakes. Sigh.
Good for TV
- solids
- pastels
- royal blue (flattering to most skin tones)
- something comfortable when sitting or standing
- makeup (apply to all exposed body parts: backs of hands, arms, neck, decolletage)
My old favorite the pea green needs repairs and may be a bit to shiny for TV, though I like the neckline and the dress makes me look slim. The peach is a good choice, but I'm afraid the color might read too close to my skin tone, although I love the odd neckline. Also it does wrinkle badly if I go from standing to sitting so it's probably out.
So then I considered skirt and top options.
Teal is nice, but this might be too bright, and I don't know about knitwear, it can appear quite stretched over the rack. The sailor top has interest around the neckline but it is a bit boobalicious and when the AB took a flash photo of it, it was very very shinny.
There's this nice heathered purple sweater, although I suppose it might cause the screen wiggle issue because it is almost a pattern, and it is a bit thick. It's kind of a moot point anyway, as the only skirt I have that would work with any of the tops is tweed and it does add a little bulk.
So what am I left with?
The teal jersey ticks all the boxes: it's a solid color, good on my skin, it has a little bow at the neck, it doesn't wrinkle when going from sitting to standing, it has sleeves. It is a little tight in the chest, very body conscious and not the most vintage of my dresses. I could add a belt to help hide the tummy?
The royal blue is, well, royal blue, which they say is the best color choice. It does have a pattern, but the fit is great and I like the cut slightly more than the teal. But it shows my arms, which I'm a bit self conscious about.
How about you guys, which one do you think is better?
And then what if it's quite cold? Most of my jackets and cover ups are black or cream.
I'm thinking simple cream accessories with either one, but are pearls too shiny?
I took a poke about the web to see how the celebrities did it. You better believe I'm going to start looking to see who obeys the rules. Frankly, they are all over the place. But when you're a size 2, do you really need to obey such rules?
Here are a few I found who were following instructions, but they were the exception.
Mostly people just seem to wear black. To hell with looking like a blob, at least I'm a skinny blob! Or they just choose something they like regardless.
And here she is breaking them all.
Argh, I just don't know what to do.
My problem is I think too much about clothing.
Final TV Checklist
- Change of dress in case director doesn't like first choice
- Cell phone off
- Touch up powder and lipstick
- Gestures should be smaller
- Take digital photos sitting and standing to make sure looks OK
- Find out the background color of the set if possible (my choice, I know it)
- Ask the producer for wardrobe color suggestions (he didn't have any)
- Tissues to dab perspiration
