When I got my first television job, my dad took me down to what was known as the "anchor clothing store" because all the New York anchors shopped there. I told him we couldn't afford to shop there, but he said we couldn't afford not to. (Of course, he knew the sales guy and had cut some sort of deal.) "You wanna go on TV lookin' like a slob?" he said. Dad may have worked in a deli, but he knew how to dress.
The sales guy took measurements, then picked out several suits he thought would work for me. While trying them on, I was amazed at how different they looked from off-the-rack stuff and how wonderful the fabric felt. Dad bought me two suits, which, more than 20 years later, still look great. Classic never goes out of style.
Then there's the smoke-damaged Halston suit I mentioned in an earlier post that was found in a salvage shop for two dollars. That too, is still hanging in the closet.
Good clothes aren't cheap. And while many of you are barely getting by on meager paychecks, you need to think of your wardrobe as an investment in your career. You may be working in Podunk and thinking, "Well, this is how the people in Podunk dress, so I can get away with these old college clothes." But that's the wrong approach.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
If you're willing to spend time hunting, you can find great deals in close out stores or discount shops. Sometimes a woman just needs a colorful silk top to go with a blazer, and ten bucks can do the trick. I have one client who buys designer stuff on eBay... a little risky if it doesn't fit, but she says it works for her. And if you live in a market that has a well-to-do neighborhood, thrift stores are often filled with new stuff (still with tags) bought by rich people on a whim and never worn.
Finally, a few tips for the guys. I'm seeing way too many tapes from men with no neckties (totally unacceptable, unless you're doing a "dirty" story) and sloppy knots. If you don't know how to tie a necktie, go to a nice clothing store and ask someone to teach you. Get a dimple in the knot and make sure it's all the way up to your collar. And no more wrinkled shirts....ironing takes little time and makes a big difference in your look.
Same rules apply for interviews. Wear your best outfit.
Remember, when you send out your resume tape you're making a first impression. And in such a superficial business, how you dress is a big part of your success.
2 comments:
I used to be totally against it, but I've found that modern non-iron/wrinkle-resistant shirts are actually great. In the past, I thought they looked fake, cheap, plastic-like and didn't last very long. But I've found the newer ones are MUCH better. I like the ones from Brooks Brothers (you can get them on sale), but there are several other good brands too.
Even if you don't mind ironing, I think they're worth it for a job that has you riding around in cars and doing physical things all day. Unless you use a ton of starch (bad for your clothes), a normal ironed shirt will start to look sloppy at the end of the day.
One more tip: a clothes steamer is very useful! I got one as a gift a few years back, and I thought it was silly, but after I tried it I was convinced. It doesn't replace ironing, but it's a quick and easy way to get the wrinkles out. If you have a previously-ironed garment that just got a wrinkle or two from folding or something, it's a lot faster to steam it out than to re-iron the whole thing (and I personally have never mastered the art of just ironing the bad part without messing up the rest and having to re-do it all).
Also, if you're a guy doing a live hit from the newsroom or reporting from the studio, always wear a nice sport coat over your shirt and tie. Many guys look immature, sloppy, lazy in the studio without taking a second to put on the coat which makes for a more polished appearance.
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