You know that hat you wear that makes you feel better than Beyonce? Or the shirt you wear whenever you have a big meeting you need to land? Or perhaps is those shoes that make you feel sexy as f*** and only bring out on a special occasion. We all have it. The piece of clothing that gives us confidence.
Well, when it comes to Zoom (or the camera in general) those pieces are just as important as wearing the right colors.
It’s interesting that in my most recent 10×10 challenge (coming this weekend) I really saw what clothes look best on me and the things I’ve always known rang, even more, true when looking back at photos (or these screenshots). With my pale skin, I simply CAN’T do pastels. And in creating the content for this blog, that became even more true when I saw myself in virtual meetings. If there are certain colors that you know look terrible on you (ahem, yellow!) or certain cuts that don’t work with your figure, by all means, don’t wear them to your virtual meetings. I tell you this for 2 reasons. 1. You won’t feel confident because you already know that it’s not your best. 2. Others will notice your lack of confidence or see the color drained from your face because for whatever reason you decided to wear yellow today.
When it comes to being on camera, I almost always suggest deep bold colors unless you have beautifully deep skin and then I would go the opposite. You want the clothes to contrast with your skin so that you stand out. Unlike in a photoshoot, I don’t suggest white for your meetings because it can be a hot spot and reflect too much light. If you really want to stand out in the meeting, it could be a strategy but otherwise stick with the bold colors – even a pop of magenta to brighten your day.
The next thing I suggest for being on any camera is to avoid small prints. They create a weird effect through a lens and start to look like the white noise on your TV. This can also distort your figure and cause all sorts of havoc. Instead, opt for layering solid colors or find a large pattern that stands out and is easy to read as a thumbnail image in a zoom meeting. If you can’t get away from the small print, I suggest layering a solid on top to calm it down. It creates a smaller surface area of the pattern making it less noticeable.
My challenge to you this week is to screenshot yourself in each meeting and look through the images at the end of the week. See what you’re wearing. How’s your hair. Which images do you feel the most confident in? What days do you feel like you really showed up and rocked your meetings? And see if there are any common denominators (that’s a math term) between the images to give you insight on how to continue to curate your closet.
The number one secret to looking your best on Zoom? Confidence. When you have an outfit that makes you feel like you can take on the world or light that shows off all your personality, you’ll sit a little taller, laugh a little louder, and speak up when you have something to share. That my dear friend is everything I want for you!
Go Zoom with confidence, sister. You got this!
Did you miss part 1 of this series? Find it here.
