Dress codes: What's "cool" is not necessarily what you should wear

Grape,

I see a lot of men on local news being very non-traditional these days. Goatees, no neckties, jackets with tee-shirts. What's your take on this, and would being "non-traditional" affect your chances for a job?

-Trendy guy

Dear Trendy,

Well, call me old school but conservative and traditional still rule. I often wonder what some on-air people are thinking when I see some of the "outfits" that pass for newscaster wardrobes these days. It is one thing to wear jeans when you're doing a story on a farm; but if you're in a studio there's no excuse for an unprofessional look.

For whatever reason it seems that all the fashion mistakes are made by those with a Y chromosome. Women don't seem to fall prey to dressing down.

Anyway, you asked for my opinion, so here goes:

Goatees: Honestly, they make most men look sinister. They may be in style now (they won't be in a few years, trust me) but they just look weird on people delivering the news. And by the way, if there's any gray in your facial hair (hence the term "graybeard") you ought to shave it off. You will improve your chances if you look conservative.

T-shirts instead of collared shirts: This is really a pet peeve of mine, and it seems that all sorts of sportscasters are going this route. When Don Johnson wore t-shirts and a suit on Miami Vice it worked, but that was 1986 and this is broadcast news. Get a shirt with a collar and wear a tie. If my dad were around he'd say, "So, you're going to work in a five hundred dollar suit and a five dollar undershirt?"

No neckties: I don't care how hot it is or how casual you want to appear, if you are doing a serious story you need a shirt with a tie. I don't mind the lack of a jacket in the dead of August, but a man without a tie just seems to leave a little credibility on the table.

Monochrome outfits: I've seen a few outfits that consisted of black jacket, black shirt, black tie. Unless you're trying out for a vampire in the next Twilight movie, you need more than one color.

Goodfellas extra outfits: Black jacket, black shirt, white tie. Great if you're applying for a job with the neighborhood underboss.

As for the women, you all dress so nice. (Now please, stop dying your hair.)