By now, you’ve already likely seen a clip currently going viral of Channel Nine journalist Amber Sherlock‘s so-called “wardrobe meltdown” after both she, fellow journalist Julie Snook and guest psychologist Sandra Rae were set to appear on screen all wearing white.
“I need Julie to put a jacket on because we’re all in white; I asked her before we came on,” Sherlock can be heard telling producers before the trio go to air.
Image: Channel Nine
"Julie, I need you to put a jacket on ... Come on, I asked you two-and-a-half hours ago. It’s not the hardest request."
After further discussion, a few minutes later Snook returns wearing a black jacket and the segment starts without a hitch.
Unfortunately since the footage was leaked, Sherlock has been subjected to a barrage of hate with many questioning why what they were wearing was such a big deal.
Image: Channel Nine
While it might seem trivial, there was actually a very specific reason for her wardrobe request.
"In an environment of a news desk where you only see a mid shot of the talent in a seated line altogether you would try to avoid talent all being in the same colour as it looks like a uniform and too samey samey," explains TV stylist Anne Stringer aka Stylist Stringy who has worked on shows including The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, The Voice and X Factor.
This matters because nothing rarely goes unnoticed on screen.
"Even though the news being delivered should be more important than how someone looks, unfortunately we live in a world where people judge on how someone looks and things like this get noticed," she says.
A photo posted by ANNESTRINGER STYLIST????YOGA TCHR (@styliststringy) on
"I've not worked in news but I have worked on many shows where I have had to dress three hosts and I would always put them in contrast or complimentary colours or outfits where possible so each individual stands out."
While it's the wardrobe team who work with the talent to determine what they wear, it's the Executive Producer who gets the final say and sign off of what goes to air.
"In this situation where all three talent were in white you would try to find a solution of finding a different colour top or jacket for the other two talent, which was done," Stringer says. (Post continues after gallery.)
"If there wasn't anything available by the time you went to air you would just have to make a little joke out of it and say something like 'We obviously got the memo about all wearing white today!' and then it would have been laughed off and forgotten."
When there are guests involved, a separate wardrobe person or team needs to be liased with which may be why this particular situation occurred.
"Usually outfits are planned in advance but sometimes things are last minute as its the world of TV and changes are made," Stringer says.
"So it could be possible the two other reporters didn't know what Amber was wearing and didn't have options or couldn't get sign off, so hence why all wearing white occurred. It's a human error and in the end was resolved."
Listen: We dissect the styling of the red carpet. Post continues after audio.
While what TV presenters wear is something those working in the team have to consider, she believes it's important to keep it in perspective.
"Let's face it we aren't curing cancer or saving lives - there are more important things in the world to worry about," she says.
"I know the wardrobe team at Channel Nine work very hard behind the scenes to make all the on air talent look the best they can. It's team work at the end of the day!"
To read more from Brittany Stewart, you can follow her on Facebook here.
