When the pandemic hit in March, most professionals began working from home. Since then, video conferencing has been the usual way to conduct team meetings, client pitches, and job interviews. But dressing up for a professional Zoom meeting can be a bit tricky. Since you’re home and nobody can see what you’re wearing on the bottom, you might think that a plain-shirt-and-pajama-pants combo is enough. But what if you suddenly have to stand up? Or what if the company CEO makes a surprise appearance?
Lucky for you, we have rounded up some quick styling tips to help you get ready for your next Zoom call.
Dress a level down
Let’s not pretend you’re not at home. It is what it is. You can dress a level down. This means you don’t have to wear your regular office attire, but you still have to dress in business casual. Men can pick a sport coat over a suit. Women can choose to wear a cardigan or a printed scarf over their plain tee. This way, you can attend a Zoom meeting and then immediately do a household chore next—all without a fuss.
Keep accessories to a minimum
If you don’t want to dress up, you can take your outfit to another level with the right accessories. Have you recently bought luxury earrings for women? Make those gorgeous earrings the focal point. Earrings can also help bring a focus to your face, especially if you have short hair. But avoid those huge, excessively dangly earrings as they can become a distraction. The same goes for bracelets, necklaces, scarves, and other accessories. Steer away from anything too big, shiny, or bright as they may look out of proportion in a tiny screen and distract others in the video call.
Use color psychology
Colors have psychological effects, so if used right, they can help you make a good impression on others. Wearing bright colors can trigger emotions like creativity, confidence, optimism, and excitement. That’s a good way to complement your creative pitch. You can also try monochrome colors. Popular among those tech giants, monochrome dressing can help establish authority without the need to go full-on office attire.
But of course, consider your background to create a good color contrast. If you sit in front of a light blank wall, go for blue, green, or black top wear. Fresh pastels and neutrals are suitable for dark backgrounds.
Stay well-groomed
Wearing make-up is not necessary, but women still have to look presentable. If you think your face looks washed out on screen, use a tinted balm, blush, and a bit of mascara. Make sure your hairstyle is neat and off your face. If you have a serious meeting scheduled, trim and define your eyebrows. People tend to focus on your eyes when they’re talking to you, whether it’s face-to-face or through video conference.
The same goes for men. Make sure your hair looks neat. And wash up before the meeting, so you won’t look like you just got out of bed.
Making yourself look presentable for a Zoom meeting while you’re at home might seem like a hassle. But it’s necessary to signal others the kind of image you want to portray or message you want to convey.
