4 Musts of the Virtual Meeting Wardrobe
The pandemic has turned everything on its head. Workplaces and families are learning and adjusting to this new way of life. Everything has moved to being online and at a distance. From business meetings, to classes and even family gatherings are now being held online. On top of learning to accept the new normal, people are contemplating their virtual meeting wardrobe. At Tad More Tailoring, we put together some things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing your new “virtual” outfits to wear to work. After doing some digging, here is what we found:
Virtual Meeting Wardrobe Tip 1:
It has been the common consensus that solid colored garments read the best through the virtual lens (Graham, Jefferson). It is still possible to stay fashionable even though wearing solids may make you feel like you're now living in simplicity. For example, you can rock the color of the year set by Pantone. Yes there is a color of the year! Stay in trend by following Pantone through their website to see what colors are trending in the fashion industry.
Virtual Meeting Wardrobe Tip 2:
When planning your virtual meeting, not all solid colors are created equal. Black and white are two solid color tops that should be avoided. Most people have a white background or a black chair. With the lower quality cameras on most laptops and tablets; that crisp white shirt could blend into the clean white wall or the black jacket could be hard to differentiate from the black office chair. Think about the color of your chair and background when selecting your virtual meeting wardrobe.
Virtual Meeting Wardrobe Tip 3:
In addition to solid colors, a well fit garment translates better than a draped garment (Abrams, Hallie) on virtual meetings. This makes sense when looking at the quality of some webcams. Remember the old smart phone you used to have? How the pictures came out grainy or just like big blobs of solid color. Some cameras are not able to capture the depth of your beautifully draped clothes and come across as baggy and unkept to the viewer. So keep the color, pattern, and fit of your garments when composing your virtual wardrobe.
Virtual Meeting Wardrobe Tip 4:
We agree with many others that you should complete your entire outfit rather than just the waist up for your virtual meeting wardrobe. Yes, this means dressing from head to toe. As multiple sources have pointed out, you never know when you will be asked to stand up. We suggest taking Angela Robinson’s advice, “dress as if you are attending an interview”. You wouldn’t go into an interview with pajama pants and a suit coat, would you? Nope! So why do it online?
In summary the four virtual meeting wardrobe tips are as follows:
- Stick to solids
- Avoid Black and White
- Wear a well fitted garments, no excessive draping or bagginess
- Dress the entire body- Top to bottom
At Tad More Tailoring, we recommend business casual. Wearing something along the lines of dark wash jeans with a simple button down. Well tailored solid color tops that contrast the background and comfortably fitting bottoms make the best choice for your virtual meeting wardrobe.
Works Cited
Abrams, Hallie. “What to Wear for a Video Meeting and Other WFH Tips.” The Wardrobe Consultant, The Wardrobe Consultant, 23 Mar. 2020, thewardrobeconsultant.com/what-to-wear-for-a-video-meeting-and-other-wfh-tips/.
“Pantone.” Pantone.com, 2020, www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year.
Estreicher, Judah. “In Style: Keeping Your next Virtual Meeting Business Casual.” Bizjournals.com, 9 Apr. 2020, www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2020/04/09/in-style-keeping-your-next-virtual-meeting.html.
Graham, Jefferson. “Six Tips for Looking Great in a Zoom Meeting.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 13 Apr. 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/04/11/zoom-meetings-go-better-these-6-tips-look-your-best/5125980002/.
Robinson, Angela. “9 Virtual Meeting Etiquette Tips You Must Know.” Teambuilding.com, 12 Nov. 2020, teambuilding.com/blog/virtual-meeting-etiquette.