What to Wear for a TV Interview | Public Speaking

So how should you dress if you're going on television? For starters, you need to dress in a way that augments your message. You don't want to confuse people. If you are a banker, you don't want to dress like a sculptor or an artist. If you're an artist, you don't want to have a boring banker's suit on. There needs to be a connection between your message, what you're talking about, and what you're wearing. So if you're a dairy farmer, don't have a pinstripe suit on. If you're a banker, don't have jeans and a polo shirt on. It will confuse people. Other tips specific to tv? You're better off wearing solids and avoiding complicated patterns. Stripes that can jump around. And this is a fairly subtle stripe, but it tends not to jump around. And because a lot of my clients are people in the financial industry and CEOs, I have a business suit on. Doesn't mean you should be wearing a business suit. Stripes can jump around. Broad patterns can jump around. Certain colors can be bad for tv. If you're wearing a bright red, it can bleed. It's moving. If you're wearing white, that can be too bright and it can become the dominant thing on the screen now. Doesn't mean it's always awful. There are certain news anchors, even our president wears a white shirt. Doesn't mean it's going to destroy your whole image on tv. But in general, white is too bright and it dominates the picture. Black is another problem. Color black can have a swimming effect in real life if you're speaking or in front of people. But on tv, your arms can bleed together with your torso. And if you're sitting on a black chair, it can all bleed together. Black can actually make you look heavier on TV than you are on real life. So I would avoid black. I would avoid red. I would avoid white. Simpler the better. The fewer the patterns, the better. Do that and you will be dressed well for tv.