Fashion Headliners

Clothes do make the man. Or, should we say, the woman. This is especially true in the newsroom, where the authority of an anchor lies not only in her convictions, but also in her fashion.

Ever since the September 11 terrorist attacks, we’ve been glued to our TV sets watching the news, and along the way, it’s been hard not to notice what our newscasters wear on a nightly basis.

On CNN International, for instance, where the norm is understated chic, it’s hard not to notice anchors like Rosemary Church or Ralitsa Vassileva. Though often dressed in a subdued fashion, all the white linen suits in the world can’t dampen the allure of Church’s bedroom voice and screen-siren good looks, or Vassileva’s Sixties mod-inspired eye makeup. In truth, a strong persona like Church’s is almost too glamorous for the no-nonsense world of headline-making news.

CNN’s male half hold up a more traditional way of dress: an anchor like Anand Naidoo, for example, will appear in a classic black suit modernized by a blue shirt and salmon polka-dot tie.

Across the Atlantic, on BBC World, it gets harder to tell the news broadcasters apart. There are no "personalities" here, more an array of talking heads dressed in a sea of charcoal gray. For example, a BBC World News anchor like Anita McNaught will be dressed in a minimal black Jil Sander suit that boasts sharp tailoring and little else. With her natural hair and very neutral makeup, she might liven up the proceedings with a huge sparkly pin. It’s all very staid and professional at the BBC, where the superior news analysis takes precedence over flash and fashion. Everyone relies on a suit in either black or taupe, usually buttoned up to the neck, with the occasional relief of a colorful or glittering accessory. Though swinging London has birthed some of fashion’s most cutting-edge designers like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen, it’s a safe bet you won’t find those attention-grabbling clothes on the BBC.

Here in Manila, I’m happy to say, our newscasters aren’t afraid of a little more fashion experimentation. While a number of veteran reporters have cemented their reputations with fearless reportage and professional–although traditional–dress (Jessica Soho of Jessica Soho Reports, Angelique Lazo of RPN-9’s Arangkada Extra Balita and Frontpage’s Mel Tiangco come to mind), a few stand out from the crowd with a distinct personal style and savvy fashion picks. The only thing they seem to have in common is a penchant for wearing Philippine South Sea pearl jewelry, a patriotic thing to do in these troubled times.

TV Patrol’s Korina Sanchez is a prime example. It’s apparent that a lot of thought goes into her wardrobe, which is classic yet modern all the way. Sanchez favors bold colors like red, black and white – a smart choice since solids register well on camera and emphasize her gutsy persona. Occasionally, she’ll turn the conventional uniform of suit and inner shell on its ear with flashes of sexiness or femininity. Recently, Sanchez has been wearing trendy lace, as a camisole and even a black lace bra peeking provocatively from a lowcut shirt. While this might be too Madonna for some, or distracting when paired with sober news like the war in Afghanistan, it’s obvious Sanchez enjoys being a style chameleon. One day it’s lace, the next a nautical look, the following day a skirt suit in girlish pink with restrained pearl jewelry. Though she’s at her best in graphic ensembles (courtesy of stores like The Black Shop and Tango), Sanchez knows what works for her and has fun playing with her look. The only thing she needs is a softer, more neutral makeup: darkly defined eyes and red lipstick are too severe for her already strong features.

Her contemporary on the same network, Karen Davila of ABS-CBN’s HeadLines and The Correspondents also sports multiple fashion personalities. From a red cheongsam one day to a brown leather jacket the next, Davila shows promising style, but seems to be in the process of finding her look. She should really peg what suits her and work it to the hilt. She should perhaps stay away from blazers with shoulders that are too wide.

The trendiest look on the nightly news has to belong to Ces Oreña-Drilon. ABS-CBN’s Pipol, Point Blank and occasionally, TV Patrol’s host has to fill a number of different roles, but her clothes are always youthful and hip. For Point Blank, she usually sheds the typical blazer altogether in favor of a cardigan or long-sleeved knit top with an asymmetric zip collar. Teamed with her short, spiky hair and rimless glasses, Drilon makes any outfit, whether from Top Shop, The Black Shop, Fish, Tweeds or Cesar Gaupo, instantly current. Given her already edgy look, extra care must be taken with dramatic accessories like, for example, a black fringed scarf on top of tuxedo dressing, which tends to put the whole look over the top.

Another standout in the broad field of hard news is Saksi’s Vicky Morales, whose unabashedly colorful attire is like a breath of fresh air. Morales likes her suits in pastel and almost fluorescent colors like Elsa Schiaparelli pink and electric blue. She is one of the few who can pull off combos like an iris-blue blazer with a red shell and black pants. Like other female anchors, she has a penchant for classic accessories to go with her suits from Lloren, but is most known for her flower pins, which she has in almost every color of the rainbow.

Among the many male newscasters, Mike Enriquez makes the biggest impact, not only for his sensational rapid-fire delivery ("Ito ang inyong naging...SAKSI!’) but also his impeccable wardrobe from Bergamo. Though his suits are often black or pinstriped, Enriquez staves off boredom with brightly colored ties and matching jaunty kerchiefs tucked in his suit pocket. Nothing goes better with a spate of exciting news than a flashy pink or orange tie, as Enriquez must believe.

On the rival news program TV Patrol, male anchors Henry Omaga-Diaz and Aljo Bendijo do what they can respecting the confines of the uniform. Usually, they wear monochromatic suits and ties, but TV Patrol weatherman Ernie could sure use a makeover. Give this man a well-fitting jacket and tame that Ferdinand Marcos hairdo!

For the Filipino news watcher, there’s more variety these days than ever. News shows spring up like mushrooms every month or so, and each one is vying for a distinctive style. TV anchors supply much of that style, and Manila’s got some of the more colorful ones around. In a country where events can change as fast as the crowd count at EDSA, it’s good to note that many TV anchors are keeping up with–if not setting–the fashion trends.