In an era when online meetings have become the norm for many people, I’m about four years late to the party with this week’s topic, but as a retiree, it’s one that I haven’t had to deal with until quite recently. Of course, I was chatting online with family and friends long before Covid shut the world down and forced us to begin interacting virtually, but those were informal chats. I could have worn pyjamas and no one would have cared!

Now, however, since becoming more and more involved with patient advocacy, I’m beginning to find myself talking with professional people on a somewhat regular basis. As a patient representative, there’s no set dress code, but I’m convinced that what I say will be taken more seriously if I present myself well. I also know that I’ll feel more confident. At the same time, I want to look natural, not like I’m trying too hard. After all, I’m meeting from home, not in a formal boardroom.

Here are a few of the tips that I’ve learned:

• choose solid colours or subtle prints – bold patterns and prints can be distracting and take attention away from your face
• overly bright or extremely dark colours don’t look good on camera and solid white can make your face look washed out (it does that to mine in real life too)
• choose uncomplicated necklines – a classic collar, crew neck or v-neck works well
• wear clothes that fit well – not slouchy or loose fitting
• avoid logos and graphics
• choose simple accessories that won’t be a distraction
• good grooming matters – make sure your hair and makeup (if applicable) are done
• if you wear glasses, make sure they have non-reflective lenses
• don’t wear sunglasses or hats
• dress from head to toe, not head to waist – you never know when you might have to stand up!
• keep comfort in mind – being at ease in your outfit will be a natural confidence booster

Even though I don’t have a professional wardrobe, I can easily follow these guidelines and pull items from my closet that will work well for the meetings I attend.

And finally, a couple of other pointers to improve your online appearance:

• avoid fluorescent lights and overhead lights if possible – ideally, the light should come from behind the camera and shine on your face
• position the camera at or slightly above eye level and situate yourself so that you fill most of the screen
• keep the background uncluttered or blur it if the online tool you’re using allows

Image by Alexandra Koch from Pixabay