Bob Opsahl’s jackets don’t stir public discussions. Martha Sugalski’s outfits do.
No matter how TV news evolves, female anchors still face more scrutiny for their clothes than their male counterparts. Frivolous, you say? Not when the topic raises questions about professionalism, sexism, even localism.
Sugalski, who moved from Miami to join WESH-Channel 2 in August, is discussed regularly on The Philips Phile on 104.1 FM.
“We’re on Martha watch almost every day,” says radio personality Moira. “Somebody says, ‘You won’t believe what she’s wearing: This is too shiny, too leopardy.’ People say she looks like she’s going to a cocktail party.”
Moira, however, has defended Sugalski’s clothing, especially a leather-lapel number that irritated Jim Philips and other men on The Philips Phile.
“I think she looks great,” Moira says. “She looks very Miami.”
Sugalski’s wardrobe might reflect changing attitudes in the market: Is Orlando absorbing Miami’s flash? But her look irks other Central Floridians. Karen Andreas, a former Brevard County commissioner, criticizes Sugalski for dressing down.
“I would say to Martha, ‘I want to see you do well. I want to see you more professional in appearance,’ ” Andreas says. “It affects how you deliver the news. The news is too important to be treated casually.”
Sugalski says she hasn’t heard the complaints and describes her reception in Orlando as “fantastic.”
Her boss, WESH news director Barbara Maushard, says she has received feedback on just about every topic.
“Martha is a great addition to our team,” Maushard says. “As a team, we work to present ourselves well on every level. I don’t want to talk specifically about wardrobe.”
She is not alone. Wardrobe questions don’t thrill Katie Couric, anchor of the CBS Evening News. In response, she has cracked jokes about maintaining good hygiene and consulting the stylist for ABC anchor Charles Gibson.
“I take pride in the fact that I’ve always tried to dress appropriately,” Couric says. “I’m going to wear things that I think are attractive and not too distracting.”
Yet a few critics ripped the white jacket she wore in her Sept. 5 debut. The criticisms: It was too tight and a faux pas after Labor Day.
“I can’t imagine Katie Couric’s success will be determined by her wardrobe, and I doubt it will be hampered by it either,” says Jacqueline London, anchor at WKMG-Channel 6. “It’s just disappointing that more attention seems to be placed on her appearance rather than her ability.”
Yet London points to a challenge faced by all newscasters. “It’s nice to think viewers only pay attention to what we say as opposed to what we wear,” she says. “I know that’s unrealistic in a visual medium.”
On clothing, TV newswomen have been judged more harshly than men for decades. That is unlikely to change.
“It’s easier for men,” says Martie Salt, anchor at WFTV-Channel 9. “It doesn’t bother me. It’s a fact of life. People pay more attention to what women are wearing.”
How do anchorwomen choose their on-air outfits?
“What I wear on the air is what I would wear elsewhere,” Salt says. “I’m trying to stay current but also tasteful.”
Wendy Chioji of WESH says she prefers classic, simple clothes. The way she dresses on-air is an extension of how she dresses off the air.
“When I’m standing in a store, I’m thinking, ‘How many black suits do I have?’ ” Chioji says. “I like blacks and dark grays. I have to force myself to wear reds and colors.”
London moved here from the Midwest, where dark, modest colors were the norm on the air. Shortly after she started in Central Florida in 1996, London heard from a viewer: You wear too many dark colors.
“That’s the one complaint that sticks out,” London says. “I keep that in mind when I find myself gravitating to darker colors. Consultants always say bright clothes are better. I love fashion, but the goal is to have a professional, classic look.”
Salt says viewers seldom write to complain about her clothes. Bob Jordan, WFTV’s news director, has told her when he disliked her look.
“I have had to defend an outfit that he thought didn’t come off well,” Salt says. “I say, ‘I know this is sharp-looking.’ On occasion, Jordan would say, ‘This necklace was distracting.’ This is a rare occasion. Nobody’s on me on this. That would be a miserable experience.”
Salt follows a simple philosophy: “Just dress nicely. That’s the end of it.”
London says she realizes it’s impossible to please everyone with her clothing.
“There will always be someone who doesn’t like the shade of lipstick you chose that night or isn’t particularly fond of a new jacket,” London says. “But if you place too much attention on that, you’ll lose sight of the main objective: anchoring and reporting the news.”
