You've prepared your talking points. You've practiced your answers. You know your three key messages cold.
And then you walk into a TV studio, sit down under the lights, and the first question the producer asks is: "Can we get you a different shirt? That pattern is causing problems on camera."
This happens more than most media training guides will tell you, because most media training focuses on what you say. Your outfit is doing something before you open your mouth, and it either helps or gets in the way.
Why camera technology makes this a real problem
Television cameras, and now webcam-based interview setups for streaming news, handle certain visual patterns in a way the human eye doesn't. Small, tight patterns - thin stripes, fine checks, herringbone fabric, intricate paisley - create what's called a moiré effect. The camera sensor and the pattern interfere with each other, producing a shimmering, crawling visual distraction that has nothing to do with your performance and everything to do with what's happening on screen.
This is not subtle. It's one of the first things a camera operator or producer notices. And it's entirely avoidable.
Solid colors are safe. Jewel tones - deep blues, burgundy, forest green, rich purple - read well under studio lighting and on webcam setups alike. Media training professionals consistently recommend navy and charcoal for the basic professional look, with a pop of color in an accessory or tie if you want it.
What to avoid:
White and bright pastels. Camera sensors register these as light sources. They blow out under studio lighting, which flattens your face and makes the rest of your appearance look darker by contrast.
Black in isolation. It can work in a well-lit studio, but on a webcam or in a basic news hit setup, black can flatten the separation between your arms and torso, making you look heavier than you are.
Red, especially bright red. It tends to bleed at the edges on camera - a phenomenon called color bleed - and can look distracting in close-up shots.
The safest single choice: a medium-toned solid color in a blue or green family. It works across studios, webcam setups, outdoor shoots, and Zoom recordings.
Jewelry and accessories
The rule for accessories is simple: anything that moves catches light. Dangling earrings, chain bracelets, and large pendants create a secondary visual that the camera follows, pulling attention away from your face at exactly the moment you want attention on your face.
Stud earrings, a simple watch, and a lapel mic placement that doesn't interfere with a necklace - these are the choices that disappear. The goal is for your clothing and accessories to be invisible.
Fit matters more than label
An expensive suit that doesn't fit looks worse on camera than a well-fitted off-the-rack option. Camera framing often cuts you at the mid-chest or the waist, meaning the first thing visible is whether your shoulders sit correctly and whether your collar lies flat.
Jacket lapels that curl, collar buttons that pull, sleeves that bunch - these read immediately on screen. The fix is almost always a tailor visit before the interview, not a new purchase.
Test before you go
The single most effective thing you can do is put on your intended outfit, sit in roughly the same lighting conditions you'll be in, and record yourself on your phone. Watch it back.
Does the pattern shimmer? Does the collar gap? Does your jacket bunch at the shoulders when you sit?
Pre-interview dress rehearsals catch problems that look invisible in a mirror but obvious on screen. Have a backup option ready. Bring safety pins. Bring a lint roller.
The underlying principle
Every choice that draws attention to itself is taking attention away from what you're there to say. The right outfit for a media interview is the one the viewer doesn't remember. They remember your point, your composure, your answer.
That's the standard. Dress to disappear into it.
CameraReady helps executives and spokespeople build this kind of confidence before the interview, not during it. Start preparing here.
