Nobody watches a TV interview and thinks “great outfit.” They do notice a shirt that shimmers, a forehead that shines, or a red tie that seems to vibrate, and once they notice, part of their attention is on the clothing instead of the message. The goal is to be visually forgettable so that everything the audience takes away is something you said.
Color
Cameras and studio lighting handle color differently from the human eye. A few rules cover most of it:
- Avoid pure white. Under studio lights it blows out and forces the camera to pull its exposure down, which darkens your face.
- Avoid bright red. It can bleed at the edges and appear to buzz on screen. A deeper burgundy is fine.
- Avoid pure black next to pure white. The contrast is hard for the camera to hold; you lose detail in both.
- Choose mid-tone blue, grey, or muted colors. They sit comfortably in the camera’s range and keep the focus on your face.
- Ask about a green or blue screen. If one is in use, do not wear that color anywhere, or parts of you will disappear.
Pattern
The specific enemy is the moiré effect: a fine, regular pattern (thin stripes, small checks, herringbone, tight houndstooth) interacts with the camera’s sensor grid and appears to shimmer, crawl, or throw off rainbow artifacts. It is genuinely distracting and the crew cannot fix it once you are live. Wear solids, or patterns with large, simple, well-spaced elements.
Reflective and moving items
- Glasses: keep them if you normally wear them, but let the crew check for glare and adjust. Anti-reflective coating helps.
- Jewelry: remove anything that dangles, jangles near a lapel mic, or catches the light and pulls the eye.
- Shiny fabrics: satin and high-sheen synthetics catch hot spots from studio lights. Matte fabrics are safer.
Grooming, which matters more than the clothes
On a close-up, the audience registers a shiny forehead before they register your tie. Studios almost always offer a quick powder; take it. For a remote interview, keep translucent powder and apply it yourself to the forehead, nose, and chin. Set stray hair, and do a final ten-second check of your collar, teeth, and anything between your teeth right before you are on.
If you are doing it from your office
A remote hit is still a TV interview and the same rules apply, plus the room:
- Put your main light source in front of you, not behind. A window at your back turns you into a silhouette.
- Raise the camera to eye level. A laptop on the desk shoots up your nose.
- Sit two or three feet off the wall so you do not cast a hard shadow.
- Clear the background of anything you would not want a viewer to freeze-frame and read.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should you avoid on camera?
Pure white (it blows out under studio lights and pulls the camera's exposure off your face), bright red (it can bleed and vibrate on screen), and anything that matches a green or blue screen if one is in use. Mid-tones in blue, grey, and muted colors are safe.
Why are small patterns a problem on TV?
Tight stripes, checks, and herringbone create a moiré effect: the pattern interacts with the camera's sensor grid and appears to shimmer or crawl. It is distracting and there is nothing the crew can do about it once you are on air. Solid colors or large, simple patterns only.
Should I wear my glasses for a TV interview?
If you normally wear them, yes, but ask the crew to check for glare and adjust the lighting or your head angle. Anti-reflective lenses help. Taking them off if you are not used to it causes squinting, which reads as discomfort.
What about a remote or webcam interview from my office?
Same color and pattern rules. Additionally: sit far enough from the wall to avoid a shadow, put the main light in front of you not behind, raise the camera to eye level, and clear anything from the background you would not want scrutinized.
Does grooming matter as much as clothing?
More, for close-ups. Powder down shine on the forehead and nose (studios usually offer this; for a remote hit, do it yourself), tame flyaway hair, and check your teeth and collar right before. The audience notices a shiny forehead before they notice your tie.
Prepping for a broadcast hit? Press Prep covers the substance: the likely questions, your messages, and a timed on-camera mock. See how to prepare for a TV interview for the full format guide, or the preparation checklist.