Always Dress for the Occasion

Clearly in this picture, it’s a little hard to determine who has dressed most appropriately for the occasion. Based on the sheer number of people in bathing suits, I (Nancy Vaughn) am overdressed. (See me in blue shirt and gray pants…looking hot. No, not the attractive h-o-t, but the seriously “It’s scorching in the Florida heat, get me out of here!” hot.)

This was a photo and TV shoot at Raymond James Stadium with fashion designer, Essence Flowers, Cloe Cabrera with the Tampa Tribune and WFLA Channel 8, and the lovely Tampa Bay Buccaneer cheerleaders. Essence designed the featured swimwear for the 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading calendar.

When I finally had a chance to view this photo, it got me thinking about clothing for occasions – particularly those occasions when you will be in front of the camera for print or television. The never-ending dilemma of what to wear!

In this picture, we are all dressed appropriately for the roles we played on this hot day. (This shot was taken post shoot and post interviews. The “it’s a wrap” shot.) At White Book, we often ask what our clients are going to wear on their shoots or TV appearances. While it seems like common sense that you wear something you look and feel good in, often people underestimate the value of clothes and the message it portrays.

This is where a quality stylist comes into play. Not just to catch those flyaway hairs or strange positioning (limbs held awkwardly, uncoordinated poses, etc.) or to create a flawless look (hello, lopsidedly tucked in blue shirt; see: me), but to actually prepare you for your best presentation on camera. From choosing the right colors that compliment your skin tone to coordinating suitable attire for interviews, your personal look and image should be taken seriously during your media interviews and interactions. It’s not just fashion styling, but a part of overall image development. Publicists often work with stylists, either pitching their clients’ products for magazine shoots or having their clients’ wardrobe styled and enhanced for television appearances and print shoots.

Some stylists’ work we really like: Laura Hunt with Freeway Fashion, Susan Bigsby, Melanie Pace, Kelly Machbitz, Petra Flannery, Eric Archibald, and of course, Rachel Zoe. What does your personal style say?