Foreign correspondent Lisa Millar has slapped down a Twitter follower who publicly criticised her lack of wardrobe rotation while she was covering the recent terrorism attacks in Paris for the ABC.
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The Twitter user, named as Stephen Blackman, tweeted that the experienced reporter should make it a priority to visit a David Jones store to get a "few more clothes", after Millar wore the same black jacket while reporting on the tragedy.
When Millar, the ABC's London bureau chief, responded online with a simple "huh?", Mr Blackman explained: "the same jacket ... report after report ... I'm sure you follow".
@LisaMillar Don't you think when time permits a visit to "David Jones" for a few more clothes might be a priority?— stephen blackman (@stephenblackma1)
November 24, 2015
The Walkley-award winning reporter retorted: "Funnily enough I didn't have time to shop. Mental note to self - pack better when covering breaking news tragedies."
Mr Blackman's criticism prompted numerous responses from male Australian reporters who had also travelled to Paris at short notice to cover the breaking news story, including from Channel Nine personality and Today Show host Karl Stefanovic.
Stefanovic, who famously wore the same blue suit on air for a year to highlight the double standards for men and women, said he had also worn the same jacket while reporting in Paris.
Same one.. https://t.co/lkz0wsBxFW— Karl Stefanovic (@karlstefanovic)
November 25, 2015
The Seven Network's Europe correspondent, Hugh Whitfield, said he had been wearing the same jacket since the day of the Paris attacks and "barely had time to eat some days".
James McHale, also an ABC reporter, suggested that Mr Blackman may have confused the tragedy with Paris Fashion Week.
Lay off Stephen, everyone. He's simply mixed up Paris Terrorism Tragedy Week with Paris Fashion Week. Easy mistake. https://t.co/VYmwopwBN1— James McHale (@JamesMcHale)
November 25, 2015
That's the one! The one I was focused on at the expense of what you were saying out of fury over outfit repetition. https://t.co/okcHShEX8p— James McHale (@JamesMcHale)
November 25, 2015
@LisaMillar @stephenblackma1 one of my cameramen wore the same underwear for five days straight because he had so little time to pack!— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort)
November 25, 2015
After a flood of online support, Millar wrote that clearly there were "some attitudes that just stay the same". She was not upset, she said, and needed a "bit of entertainment after a rough 10 days".
She tweeted a photograph of the "offending" black jacket, laid out in a chair after becoming the subject of a "Twitter frenzy".
The offending black jacket taking time out on the chair after Twitter frenzy @JamesMcHale @FlipPrior @sister_ratched pic.twitter.com/qoNWGktQgA— Lisa Millar (@LisaMillar)
November 25, 2015
Fairfax Media
