Tip 17: Fashion Faux Pas for Television Interviews
Never wear white: a white shirt under TV lights makes you look pale and washed out. Light colors also tend to add pounds to your appearance.
Watch out for your glasses: If you wear glasses, consider non-reflective lenses or contacts for the interview. TV lights may cause an unpleasant glare.
Don’t wear white socks: Don’t draw attention away from your face by letting light socks or bare legs peek from beneath dark pants.
Avoid loud, gaudy jewelry: Too much jewelry can be noisy. Remember, the microphone amplifies everything, not just your voice. The lights may also cause a glare from large pieces of shiny jewelry.
Don’t let your suit coat upstage you: Keep your jacket a solid color or subtle pattern. Also, try sitting on your coattails to keep the collar from rising.
Avoid intense, repeating patterns: Houndstooth, zig zags, checks, large polka dots on blouses, shirts, and blazers/suit coats make it appear as if the pattern is radiating from the screen.
Relax–You’re Ready
You probably never realized the world of interviewing was so full of potential minefields, right down to the tie or earrings you choose. There are a lot of suggestions here, but don’t get uptight trying to remember them all at once. That would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it? Most of the tips we’ve provided for you over the last few weeks are just good common sense.
Once you’ve done one or two interviews, you start to learn the ropes. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice. And doing a good job will get you lots more practice. Hosts love guests who know how to handle an interview. And now that you’ve read these tips, you do.
So, when you get the golden opportunity to tell your story — relax. You’re ready.
