Lose the Stripes to Be a TV Star

As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, many of us will wear stars and stripes to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms.

DMG isn’t here to tell you to avoid patriotic patterns for Monday’s festivities — USA it up! But if you happen to find yourself on camera, patterns can present a problem.

Enter the moiré pattern — an optical illusion that occurs when a camera struggles to process small, repetitive designs like tightly arranged stripes. That’s why certain clothing can appear to “move” on screen.

How do you prevent it? Simple: stick with solids.

Men, ties are often the worst offenders. A solid tie is always a safe choice, but if you wear a pattern, make sure the stripes are wide and well-spaced, and that any other design elements are larger than a dime.

Women, avoid small dots, tight stripes, or other busy patterns on clothing. In general, solids are your best option. Large flowers or bold designs can also become distracting on camera — and the focus should be on you, not your outfit.