Wardrobe Malfunctions: fur coats and lapel pins

Besides the complete one-sided play of Superbowl XLVIII, the other story of the big game was Joe Namath’s coat.  While only 49 degrees, Mr. Namath decided to dress for the Arctic. 

His over-the-top fur was the talk of sports shows and news shows alike and not just because PETA was less than amused.  We were all left wondering, what was he thinking?

But most wardrobe malfunctions are not due to a complete departure from sanity.  Most are due to clothing that may make sense in person, but have no place on TV. 

In comes Mitt Romney – a man known for anything but over-the-top and flashy.  A man known for a navy blue suit, white shirt, and red tie – the true Republican uniform.  But even the most vanilla can make mistakes on TV.

On the campaign trail, Mitt Romney chose to wear an American flag lapel pin complete with a secret service star in the center. 

While in day-to-day conversation this lapel pin is easy to discern, problems arise on TV.

During Mitt Romney’s first answer in his first of three presidential debates I, like so many others, Googled “what is on Mitt Romney’s lapel pin?”  Through the lens of the camera, it was impossible to know what the dot was and our attention was focused on figuring it out.

The main rule of TV clothing is that clothes should enhance but never distract.  If the audience is focused on what you wear more than what you say, it is a wardrobe malfunction.

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