Alongside a photo of a not-so-stylish haircut she’d given her husband, Emily Maitlis revealed on Twitter last week that she used to work in a hairdressing salon. While her husband’s hairdo can be explained away by the fact that “she never learned to use clippers”, the Newsnight presenter’s shiny, bouncy mane three weeks into lockdown, with DIY now the only option, suggests that she certainly picked up how to do an excellent blow-dry.
As grooming pages have filled with how-to hacks for eyebrows, root touch-ups and manicures, and celebrities and influencers post tips on social media, the pandemic has inspired a surprising number of beauty trends from buzzcuts and pink hair to nail art.
But while many use the hours at home to experiment, one section of the workforce is expected to maintain standards. TV news viewing figures have doubled as the public look to trusted faces to explain the latest Covid-19 developments. That trust comes with expectations.
“In a time of crisis, maintaining normality where possible is important,” says fashion historian Amber Butchart. “We expect newsreaders to look professional, and a well-groomed look – for men and women – helps maintain our sense of order. For men, the suit is so ubiquitous that it is practically invisible – in 2014 Australian TV anchor Karl Stefanovic wore the same blue suit for a year to see if anyone noticed. He was highlighting the sexism his female colleagues faced, and he was right to – women in public life continue to be judged for their clothing to a much greater degree than men.”
Cathy Newman, presenter of Channel 4 News, says the public have made little comment about her appearance since lockdown started. “I’ve had loads of lovely remarks about the journalism. People stop me in the street and tell me how grateful they are for the stories we’re sharing every night.”
Newman’s camera-ready look is still down to the dedicated Channel 4 grooming team. “Lisa, our head of makeup, put together foundation, cover-up, mascara, blusher and every brush under the sun for each presenter. It was incredibly thoughtful. Lisa’s colleague, Amelia, even labelled every brush so I didn’t put eyeshadow on with the foundation brush.”
She believes that, whatever the circumstances, presentation does count. “People watch Channel 4 News in their millions on TV and online, so I think it’s important to do them the honour of looking smart. Also, we have an hour of television every night. It’s quite an event, and dressing up for it adds to that sense of occasion. I even wear heels when I’m presenting from home as it psyches me up for the programme.”
It remains to be seen whether the conventions of news reporting change as lockdown continues. ITV political editor Robert Peston has already made new rules for his home broadcasts. “I have always been a bit of a mess on camera,” he admits. “I have persuaded myself no one really minds whether I shave or not. And, of course, it is really great that no one can possibly know how long it is since I last showered.”
Peston is also immune to video-conferencing paranoia. While most of us cringe at revealing our homes to work colleagues, Peston has cheerfully let the country in. “Though my partner, Charlotte Edwardes, is a bit annoyed that our bare light bulbs, piles of books and dilapidated sofa have been revealed.”
Will he take advantage of lockdown to experiment with some of the new beauty trends – a buzzcut or a pink dye job? “Definitely not. At last I have a perfect excuse for the superannuated hippy look.”
Maybe the news will look different by the time lockdown lifts after all.
