Why Jackets Work Well on TV

During broadcast media training with The Media Coach one of the most common questions a cameraman will get is, “what do I wear on TV?”

That usually means what colours work best, should I wear a patterned blouse or shirt or (for men) should I wear a tie, etc.

But I can tell you, the single most useful garment for anyone appearing in front of a camera is something quite simple – a jacket. A jacket with lapels works for multiple reasons.

Firstly, jackets tend to add a slightly more formal and authoritative touch to an interview and this can help boost your authority on-screen.

Secondly, it gives the camera person somewhere to attach your microphone without invading your personal space by fumbling around trying to hide the wire. We don’t really want to see trailing wires on screen and so I sometimes have to explain to a woman wearing a one-piece dress that she is going to have to pass the microphone up through the inside of her dress so that we can hide the cable! This is not ideal. But wear a jacket and I can have the mic attached to you in seconds.

And finally, a jacket will allow you to wear a brighter colour underneath without running the risk of the colour ‘flaring’ on-camera and distracting your audience. For example, a bright pink or white shirt or blouse will always work really well when combined with a black or dark blue jacket; whereas those garments will run the risk of becoming too bright on camera if worn on their own. You can even get away with a shirt with a tight pattern, like checks or herringbone, provided you can tone it down with a jacket. And so for all of these reasons I think a jacket is the single most important garment you can wear for any TV interview or piece-to-camera.

The fourth reason is a bit ugh but should not be ignored. No sweat marks if you wear a jacket. Studios can be warm!

All of this applies equally to men and women. In this clip Yvette Cooper looks professional and neat in her jacket whilst Beth Rigby …well it is not a style choice I would recommend.

Sophie Raworth is one of the news presenters who broke the mould on jackets. She prefers flowery dresses. Here she is wearing a shift dress which looks smart but if the wire from that mic has has gone up inside the dress from the hemline. Quite a performance and one that might easily add to the stress of someone not used to being in a TV studio.

 

Advice on where to look, what to wear, how to sit and stand is all part of the Media Coach Broadcast Media Training. To understand what we can do for your organisation email enquiries@themediacoach.couk or ring on tel: +44 (0)20 7099 2212.

To book David Gridley for Corporate Video or production work visit his website mediacrews.co.uk