Skype Calls: What to wear - YouLookFab Forum

I had an important Skype call a few days back, that I had to attend early in the morning from home. This was a work related call with a senior person, and I was worried about what to wear since this was my first time conducting an official Skype conversation. I couldn't find anything on YLF specifically for Skype, however I found some tips online that I'm sharing here - just in case anyone needs them for future:
1. In western formals: wear light shirt with minimal or no pattern (apparently pattern can get pixilated at times) with a dark coat or vise-versa. I was told to not match the background (white shirt against white wall - apparently makes you look like a floating head)
2. Dress from head to toe: You may need to get up suddenly to grab paper or change your angle. Pajamas at the bottom will look scruffy.
3. Look at TV news presenters for tips on color combinations & jewelry. I notice they wear pearls quite a bit. But I didn't wear anything.
4. Wear a bit of makeup coz the camera will make you appear grey & dull. And check your appearance on webcam 10 mins before the call to avoid on-call shocks!
Any other tips for dressing up for official Skype calls?

9 years ago

Anonymous

All very sound advice. Sounds like you have done your homework and have it covered.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I do video calls with colleagues regularly. And yes, it's important to get dressed from head to toe! I am laughing at the idea of wearing PJ bottoms.

I don't really worry about the pattern/ no pattern rule because these are not interviews -- just meetings with people I regularly work with. My company is very casual, also, so I don't need to worry about a jacket or suit.

Beth Ann

The last item is the most important, I think --- checking out your appearance on your monitor. I also always use bits of acting skills in meetings like this --- to keep my eyes engaged while someone is speaking to me to ensure that I communicate that I'm listening carefully. I always have to remind myself that looking at the camera is looking them in the eye! I also move around my monitor to find good natural light --- no sense in looking more "grey/green" in the monitor than necessary!

Kim

Good tips! Thanks! I only skype for personal reasons, but I want the focus to be on the conversation, not the "floating head" effect...LOL

Dee

Your tips sound good. I take a lot of Skype meetings aith colleagues and one thing I'd add is to make sure you're in an area with good/close lighting. If your light source is too far away, it's really difficult to make out anything more than your silhouette on the screen, and then what you're wearing won't matter at all!

Active Member

Thank you all for adding in your tips as well. This was an important meeting for me and so I was a bit jittery. Gladly it went off well!

rachylou

My first thought was... put on my Jane Jetson mask? Lol. Good tips, esp. as regards pattern and pixelation / seizure-inducing visual vibration (which is not a snarky comment, but an actual possibility).

But Skype, eh? Not WebEx?

I had the unfortunate experience of having to look right down the front of the top a woman I was skyping with was wearing (that isn't a great sentence, lol, sorry). She was leaning into her laptop I think and kept moving around to reach for things etc - and we all had direct access to waaaay more cleavage than I am sure she knew about. I have thought about this ever since, and never wear any kind of open or low neckline.

MsMaven

Watch for cats and other pets.

Normally I only Skype with friends or family, but occasionally DH calls from work with co-worker watching--an unscheduled call. My girl cat just loves Skype and when she hears the call, she wakes up and comes running so she can prance back and forth on my desk, twirl around and show off her butt to the camera and the folks out there who might be watching. Admittedly she has the cleanest butt of any cat I've ever owned, but for some people it is just too much.

She also knows she has me trapped and so I am forced to pet her.

Rachylou, you are so cute & funny! :)... the client asked for Skype so
Lisap, that sounds funny & embarrassing at the same time! and that is a good tip I didn't read anywhere online yet. Thanks for sharing!
MsMaven, your cat sounds like a primadonna (in a good way!) and so adorable! She has figured how to use Skype to her own advantage. Cats, much smarter than humans!

Jesusyoung

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