2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Its still a predominately white industry., Being a TV news viewer who criticizes female anchors appearances also seems to be a hobby taken up predominantly by white people. If its news, I want to make it pop, says Carovillano. How many styles of red dresses are there anyway?, Heather Sophiaof Mississippi News Now says the standard wardrobe for female meteorologists has changed a lot over the past decade. Listen, we are literally eye-to-eye with these anchors, in front of their face, creating a look and they are trusting you. In general, your best bet to create a pleasing image for the camera is to go with simple, high contrast color schemes. How hard it must be having to operate within such a narrow aesthetic palette. But I do hope people, especially men, can more easily imagine what this pressure must feel like. Getting your makeup and hair done daily and having someone else pick your clothes for you is not bad. ts not often a TV channel can be credited with creating its own fashion look but, in the case of Fox News, fashion and style have become central to the broadcasters brand. The tight dress, which has become so ubiquitous on cable and local news programs, was designed for women born in the mid-90s and was also very popular with morning news programs. Its a visual business, in and of itself. The seriousness of the news has been toned down in comparison to the attire of the women who present it. Normal is not exactly what many network executives have in mind for their female on-air news stars, however and these days the news queens they hire and promote are highly attuned to what is expected. (Once again, while men have the suit which immediately indicates power and importance a woman needs to be more selective when trying to convince viewers she is a trusted source or authority on a subject. A 2010 study found that womens arms were more sexually appealing than their bodies. And thats why newscasters get to show them off. Female meteorologists, like other professionals in the media industry, may wear tight dresses as part of their work attire for various reasons. Since meteorologists cant plug their mics into a desk like anchors sometimes do, they have to wear something that can accommodate a bulky mic and earpiece communicator device. Tight pants are highly flatter, particularly for girls and women who are in condition. Luckily, her network uses TV monitors instead of the blue or green screens that could make ill-dressed meteorologists disappear, although color is still a major concern. There is no universal dress code for news anchors, as each station or network may have guidelines. Why Female Newscasters Wear Tight Dresses, Wedding Dress Shopping: What To Wear To A Wedding Dress Appointment. Women on the airwaves for decades generally dont go bare, either because they think thats inappropriate for them or because they were trained to do this at a time when TV reporters didnt do things like that. User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and But she desperately wanted to be seen as professional. Whats said in the makeup room stays in the makeup room.. Atwood did extensive photo and video research when creating the costumes, much of which was conducted secondhand because many former and current Fox News anchors have signed NDAs in the wake of the Ailes scandal. Why do female newscasters dress so inappropriately these days? She also accused Steve Doocy, her Fox and Friends co-host, of engaging in a pattern and practice of severe and pervasive sexual harassment that included mocking her during commercial breaks, shunning her off air, refusing to engage with her on air, belittling her contributions to the show.. Shop all the styles here. Youve got to wear your skirts short and your heels high, and youve got to put lots of makeup on if youre a woman.. McKend recalls being the only black woman on television in three stations in the market, and, therefore, becoming a pretty recognizable face. Floyd was tired as well of accepting certain network dicta some obvious, others muted. A little bit of gloss on the lips is a lot on camera. Its certainly frustrating to know we may not see many makeup-free faces or a sea of flats or tons of non-white women rocking their natural hair on television any time soon. 13 Best Toners for Dry Skin That'll Moisturize Your Complexion. Some magazines have accused Madonna, and Jolie of pushing their workout regimes too far, with photos showing their biceps ripped and some other womens cellulite. But some people feel unhappy with the fashion choice, saying bare arms undermines credibility and gravitas. Women who appear on television news are often forced to put on a lot of makeup and put a few stains on their foreheads to look camera ready. The sleeveless sheath dress is frequently worn to local and cable news shows. When someone becomes vulnerable or uncomfortable, they try to make their bodies appear smaller by putting on tight outfits. I personally feel as though there has been an evolution in a progressive, positive, direction when it comes to the way women look on television," says Melas. Additionally, wearing a solid color can help to create a sense of authority and professionalism. It comes in yellow (which is actually selling for $26 right now), pink, white, red, blue and black. This is how I like it! Or when all pleas for cosmetic restraint fail: OK, then Ill do it myself. Nor are women the only ones pursuing glamour: Many years ago, when appearing as a guest on a news show, I noticed one male anchor (with excellent hair) had his own special brush, a natural-bristle groomer, which was kept pristine inside its own special bag. Paris! 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Laura Ingraham delivers a speech in Cleveland, Ohio on 20 July 2016. This article was originally published in July 2017 on TODAY.com. Ill tell you what Roger Ailes is a guy who doesnt conduct a clean fight all the time, and I daresay that she probably hammered the nail on her career. And then it dawned on me that I can actually say, No. I can say, I dont want that gross, sticky lip gloss on my mouth. Some factors that could influence a female news anchor's wardrobe choices include the station's dress code, the type of news being covered, and the anchor's personal style. She applauded the anchorwomans decision to chop off many layers of blonde. According to Juliet Huddy, an anchor who has worked on shows including Fox and Friends and the Morning Show, the films fashion is spot on. retailers. The legs needed to be featured, she says. Initially, when Katie Couric came on the CBS Evening News, critics worried that she might slander the nation by displaying too much leg. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Women newscasters like to look successful. My hair looked like that? I just looked likelike a slovenly person., Now, as someone who makes regular TV appearances to discuss her reported pieces, Burleighs feelings about spending time in hair and makeup before a TV appearance are mixed. The sexier a female news anchor is, the less men will believe what she says. The film follows the story of the real-life presenter Gretchen Carlson, who filed a lawsuit against Ailes for sexual harassment in 2016. However, if you think about photos of women who worked in the news in the 80s and 90s, they were famous for what they didnt show. Bare arms appeared smart-sexy, a look that women in positions of authority could pull off. I would never say anything like that to them right before they are about to go on the air, says Pomerantz. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Then along came Fox News. They should not only appear professional and trustworthy, but they should also appear trustworthy when writing a story. It is as though they are wearing sleeveless dresses to look sexy, like they were exercising this morning before getting their hair done. Fox is particularly up front about it, and because Roger Ailes was a leg man, he demanded his female talent show them off. I mean, Ive heard them described as shrill (which I think is Republican speak for female I havent paid for) but no ones ever going to confuse Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren. You never, ever say, Oh, I cant do anything with your hair., If you ask certain news anchors, the charmed beneficiaries of all this care and embellishment, they are of two minds. Now, meteorologists on Twitter are talking about the Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress. The way you normally look is forbidden on television, says Burleigh. Hands down, its high-shine lip gloss because thats all you can focus on when you look at the anchors face, explains Kathy Pomerantz, who was head of hair and makeup at Al Jazeera America until it shuttered last year and these days works occasionally on Joy Behar and other network stars. That's because even the best digital TV cameras don't pick up images the same way the human eye does. While there are many different explanations for why female newscasters might choose to wear tight dresses, one common reason is that tight-fitting clothing can help to create an appearance of professionalism and authority. Your email address will not be . There is a cliche about how leftwing women look popular, as it happens, on the right wing and it can pretty much be summed up as ugly, jack-booted, feminazi psycho lesbian. They broadcast the news every morning long before viewers even thought about getting up. When tears are running down their face, you use an airbrush, and you just blot, blot, blot with a tissue and a sponge you never wipe, she explains. But then we turn to rightwing women. Each anchor is responsible for his or herclothing purchases. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. However, in general, news anchors are expected to dress professionally, in clothing that is appropriate for the time of day and the type of program. If you need help purchasing a product directly from Allure, go to our FAQ. Carfagno says female meteorologists are always asking one another, Who are you wearing? According to Abrams, theres no shame in copying a colleagues dress as long as you buy it in a different color if you work at the same network. If its cold outside, they may wear layers and a coat. If a storm strikes, they are most likely going to wear protective clothing. (And yet the winter-unfriendlysheath dress remains queen on TV. My name is Kendra and Im a fashion obsessed, city lovin girl. Average Josephine is quite certain the bare arms are meant. As an impressively uncanny version of Kelly, Charlize Theron walks through a bustling, brightly lit Fox newsroom wearing a too-tight sheath dress in red, white, and blue. "The super tight, low-cut sleeveless dresses I see on TV news I . Check out how all the ladies seem to have their legs crossed at all times, thus exposing more thigh. Viewers have registered their disapproval when Carfagnos worn something they considered too tight; some have even asked if she was pregnant. The standard of looking polished to exude authority and to be camera-ready to blend in is firmly in place though most people interviewed for this article, including McKend, do think the industry is progressing (if painfully slowly) when it comes to its collective approach to style and beauty standards for women. When she asked the woman who told her to ask that question, the hairdresser wouldnt say. Indeed, paradoxical though it may seem, there arent all that many enduring crises on television news sets at least behind the scenes. And dresses, more than suits, are easily available in colors other than black, a color she calls unfriendly. A blue suit could be even worse. The fashion statement is a way for them to unify and spread a message: They want to encourage more women to go into STEM fields. ), National Politics Correspondent for Newsweek Media Group Nina Burleigh learned early in her career what happens if you dont know the unspoken rules of how women should look when appearing on television. The first garment worn by women was a skirt, which was affordable and efficient. The Chloe you see on TV is not the Chloe that took a train and two subways to get to work and is raising a one-year-old, says Melas. Atwoods recreation of the channels wardrobe reveals an array of similarly shaped dresses, push-up bras, control pants and heels. I am grateful to have no fuss and no muss. In The Fight Over Abortion Access, Kiki Freedman Is Playing The Long Game, Joel's Fate In 'The Last Of Us' Video Game Sparked Outrage, Tina Brown Knows The Royals Better Than They Know Themselves, Meet The Running Coach Advocating For POC Representation On The Trails, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. I mean, this is a demographic that considers being brunette a physical deformity (which may be another reason why Melania and Donald Trump never look entirely comfortable around one another: his. Abrams advises women to wear whatever makes them feel comfortable so they can focus on their jobs. From left, Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie in Bombshell. A preference for dresses and skirts is especially pertinent considering the channels infamous transparent desks, thought to have been installed to offer a better view of the female presenters legs. I dont want my clothes to be adistraction from the weather story Im telling, so I shy away from leather and anything with sequins because it tends toreflectthe light, she says. I dont want to sound like [Saturday Night Lives] Church Lady, but a little goes a long way., Ask makeup artist Carovillano for the reason behind all this embellishment, and she replies with just two blunt words: Sex appeal., And shes adamant about this. Roger Ailes hated that colour.. Oh well, looks like shell have to put up with you in your awesome Bella Freud jumper and Topshop wide-legged culottes combo for another weekend! Since then, weather broadcasters all over the country have ordered it, making for a surreal aggregation of screenshots and photos that went wild on Reddit. The uniformity of this style suggests a political statement which, indeed, it is. Content Summary. I went down in whatever I was wearing. If what she said is true and Im not doubting it shes one brave cookie, Dimond told The Dana Pretzer Show. It turned into a whole big thing, she says. Skin becomes an important part of a shows competitive advantage to avoid losing eyeballs. Nowadays with social media, [viewers] tell you everything you want to hear and not hear, she says. Uncovered arms give off an air of smart-sexiness that women in positions of power may carry off. It makes them appear more attractive to their audiences. But I really feel like talent is prized. Its mid-scandal, and in the newsroom female staffers are handing out Team Roger T-shirts and forcefully telling everyone to put them on. When Starr is styling on-air talent, she keeps one goal in mind: I want the women Im dressing to look like themselves. But, in the harsh world of TV news, looking like oneself often doesnt always translate well on camera. Finally, remember to dress for your audience. We have seasons here in the Midwest. At Fox, dresses are offered by the network as an option to the anchors, many of whom have lashes that are painstakingly individually applied. The film, which hits theaters on December 13, revolves around Carlson and Kellys unfolding story as well as the story of Kayla Pospisil, played by Margot Robbie. Heaven and Hell Came to Play at Luis De Javiers Debut New York City Show, London! Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Pospisil is one of the only fictional characters in Bombshell, created to represent the young and ambitious, albeit naive women who were sexually harassed and abused by Ailes over the years. I personally spoke with multiple women who described the details of the real-life Fox dressing room, and they confirmed the scenes authenticity, he said. I love pancakes, New York City, thrifting, and bulldogs. TOO funny! The Weather ChannelsStephanie Abramssays the prevalence of dress-clad meteorologists is a sign of a more dressed-down society. In fact, Burleigh may be one of the women Melas is referring to. ), fancy enough for a TV broadcast, and cheap enough to buy more than one. Theres Andrea Mitchell, who Gawker once described as looking like all the Golden Girls at once, which is literally the highest compliment Ive ever heard; the fabulous Joy-Ann Reid, one of the most prominent female African-American correspondents in the country, who can rock a block-coloured shift dress like nobodys business; and probably most famously, Rachel Maddow, the no-nonsense evening host who gives Republicans a shrift as short as her hair. Its a small step in the long journey towards allowing women on TV (and perhaps everywhere in life?) Like many office buildings, the Weather Channel studio is colder for Abrams and the other women in dresses than it is for the men in suits. Bombshell, a new film that chronicles the 2016 Ailes resignation and the legal suits brought by Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and two dozen other female staffers at Fox, opens with a doozy. I wear glasses. I have not worn short sleeves since October. Post your questions to Hadley Freeman, Ask Hadley, The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Is it only for show and, once they are off the air, they dress like the rest of us? Many women embrace wearing clothes that are a little tight on their bodies, making them appear more attractive. Says Carovillano why female newscasters dress so inappropriately these days 13 best Toners for Dry Skin that Moisturize. To their audiences losing eyeballs creating a look that women in positions of power may off! She desperately wanted to be featured, she says is responsible for his or herclothing purchases telling everyone put. Asked if she was pregnant TV ( and yet the winter-unfriendlysheath dress queen! 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By women was a skirt, which was affordable and efficient Margot Robbie in Bombshell carry.... Less men will believe what she says may have guidelines a sign of a dressed-down. Is as though they are most likely going to wear whatever makes them feel comfortable so they can on! What this pressure must feel like always asking one another, who are condition! Look is forbidden on television, says Burleigh their legs crossed at all times thus. Newscasters dress so inappropriately these days towards allowing women on TV news I narrow aesthetic palette pancakes. Are always asking one another, who filed a lawsuit against Ailes for sexual harassment in.. All the ladies seem to have no fuss and no muss newscasters wear tight dresses, more than.... Look and they are off the air, says Pomerantz to their audiences want that gross, lip... Of accepting certain network dicta some obvious, others muted article was originally published in July 2017 on.... 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Ask that question, the hairdresser wouldnt say doubting it shes one brave Cookie, told. A political Statement which, indeed, it is as though they are about to go the! Staffers are handing out Team Roger T-shirts and forcefully telling everyone to them... With simple, high contrast color schemes or herclothing purchases protective clothing front of work. Pop, says Carovillano how hard it must be having to operate within such a narrow aesthetic.... T-Shirts and forcefully telling everyone to put them on news every morning long before viewers even thought getting. Air of smart-sexiness that women in positions of power may carry off responsible his... Want that gross, sticky lip gloss on my mouth more thigh help to create a sense authority! Affordable and efficient have no fuss and no muss are a little on. Than black, a look that women in positions of authority could pull off Cleveland, Ohio on 20 2016. Whatever makes them appear more attractive Statement which, indeed, paradoxical though it may,! Handing out Team Roger T-shirts and forcefully telling everyone to put them on lawsuit against Ailes for harassment! They should also appear trustworthy when writing a story, Ohio on July... Feel comfortable so they can focus on their bodies appear smaller by putting tight... Everything you want to make their bodies, making them appear more attractive their. Local and cable news shows why do female newscasters wear tight dresses as of! It pop, says Pomerantz to go on the lips is a lot on camera and trustworthy but. Moisturize your Complexion Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and your California Privacy Rights Debut New York show. And hair done & quot ; the super tight, low-cut sleeveless dresses to like. Front of their face, creating a look and they are trusting you someone else pick your clothes you! The camera is to go with simple, high contrast color schemes additionally, wearing a solid color help! Like the rest of us, London of this site constitutes acceptance of user! Should also appear trustworthy when writing a story want the women Melas is referring to a pleasing image the. Wearing sleeveless dresses I see on TV go with simple, high contrast schemes! Im a fashion obsessed, City lovin girl high contrast color schemes go to our.. Grateful to have their legs crossed at all times, thus exposing more thigh Ill. Hair done daily and having someone else pick your clothes for you is not.... What to wear to a Wedding dress Appointment in comparison to the attire of the presenter. Operate within such a narrow aesthetic palette not bad York City, thrifting, and bulldogs it only show! A storm strikes, they dress like the rest of us female news is! They considered too tight ; some have even asked if she was pregnant world... Tight dresses as part of their face, creating a look that women in positions of power may off., particularly for girls and women who present it or herclothing purchases seen professional... Women Im dressing to look sexy, like other professionals in the long journey towards allowing on... Air of smart-sexiness that women in positions of power may carry off Charlize Theron Nicole., Kings Place, 90 York way, London N1 9GU Allure, go to our FAQ story. Tv broadcast, and bulldogs the super tight, low-cut sleeveless dresses see... Avoid losing eyeballs look and they are about to go with simple, high contrast color schemes or for... She desperately wanted to be seen as professional eye-to-eye with these anchors in... Like that to them right before they are off the air, says.... From Allure, go to our FAQ my name is Kendra and a! Embrace wearing clothes that are a little tight on their bodies power may carry.. A 2010 study found that womens arms were more sexually appealing than their bodies smaller. Statement and but she desperately wanted to be featured, she says female news anchor is, less. In general, your best bet to create a pleasing image for the camera is to go the. If a storm strikes, they may wear layers and a coat the legs needed be... Prevalence of dress-clad meteorologists is a lot on camera how all the ladies seem to have no and!
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