6 clothing tips for your webinar!

What’s THE most important thing when you’re giving a webinar? You’ll probably answer something like the content, the message or having an audience.

And you’re absolutely right!

When you are giving a webinar, you obviously want your message to come across. You want to tell your audience about something that matters to you. That’s why you’re organizing a webinar in the first place. Considering this, worrying about your outfit may not seem deserving of a high spot on your priority list.

But it is something you should definitely pay attention to. Because you want to minimize distractions during your presentation. If you look good on screen, your audience can focus completely on your story. Instead of being mesmerized by your purple-yellow checkered shirt. (And not in a good way!)

Whatever you decide to wear, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable. To make sure that you create a good visual balance and feel confident during your next webinar, here are some tips!

Tip 1: Don’t wear chunky statement jewelry or accessories

Making a fashion statement can be great, but it’s not the best idea for when you’re presenting a webinar. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wearing nice bling, but you’d better save those big pink flamingo earrings for another occasion. You should be more interesting to watch than your jewels or accessories. Also make sure that any jewelry you do wear doesn't make any noise when you move.

Tip 2: Colors, logos, and brand names

Pastels may look stunning on Easter eggs or cute little baby outfits, but try to avoid using these colors during a webinar. Unfortunately, they often appear rather dull on screen. Also beware of wearing black or other dark-colored clothes! These may have an ageing effect on your face when you’re being recorded. Because dark colors emphasize shadows on your skin.

Refrain from wearing clothes with visible logos, brand names or text, as these distract your audience's attention away from you.

What actually works well? Mid-tones are your safest bet: solid blues, teals, greens, and warm burgundies look great on camera and hold up well under most lighting.

Tip 3: Wear simple fabrics

Glitter and cameras aren’t friends. Especially when you use extra lighting, sparkles can have a blinding effect (and that’s not meant in a good way). The same goes for shiny fabrics, such as satin. Go with thick cotton and matte fabrics, because these minimize shadows and create a smooth, clean look on screen.

Tip 4: Avoid busy patterns

Don’t wear any pieces with busy or bold prints.

Why not, you ask?

Well, because these can also prevent your viewers from listening to what you have to say. Thin lines or checkers can create a moiré effect, resulting in a distracting rainbow-like shimmer. This happens because the camera can't cleanly process all those small lines. You obviously want to avoid this.

Tip 5: Choose your background wisely

The color of your outfit is not the only one you should care about. The background can make or break your look on screen.

Colors appear bright against a white background, while a dark background causes them to lose their intensity.

A light grey or blue background are the safest options, as these work well with most colors. And if you use a virtual background, always test your outfit against it before going live!

Tip 6: The most important tip

For many of us, standing (or sitting) in front of a camera can be daunting. But, trust us, it really doesn’t have to be! Make sure that you’re prepared and that you’ve spent time on your outfit and recording environment. That can help you create a look that gives you the confidence you need to get your message across!

Before you go live, it's also worth doing a quick test recording in your actual setup. Watch it back and you'll spot any issues while you still have time to fix them.

Just remember: you'll always look your best when you're simply yourself!