You're not going to wear THAT are you?

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I want to start with a disclaimer.

Disclaimer: You are beautiful just the way you are. Your content is far more important than your looks. Do what feels comfortable.

• If you hate lipstick -don’t wear it.

• If you have to wear your dangly bracelet because it was the last thing your dear departed nana gave you – WEAR it.

• If you simply HAVE to wear black – then, Elvira… by all means, wear black!

 

This information is like a buffet; take what you want and glance over what doesn’t interest you. And if you want to have a quick reference of this on hand when you go shopping or you’re perusing your own closet…go get it here.

 

Now that I’ve said that…let’s get real. The point of making videos is to create a connection with your audience. So take two minutes and let the best version of you shine through on camera.

 

O.K. – we can start now.

I am not a girlie -girl but I’ve found with my advancing age and the advent of 4K resolution that when I go on camera -whether that be for a webinar, a thank you video, a web class or most recently on Facebook Live…I put 2 minutes of effort into my appearance. And I feel good about that!

Yesterday, in fact, I even used the blow dryer; an antique from the turn of the 21st century. I’m a mom, so this was an event and I’m still relishing the smooth luster of my naturally-dyed blond hair.

 

16 years spent behind the camera has left me with a lot of knowledge on what to wear…and NOT wear in front of the camera. I have been sharing this information with my corporate clients for almost 2 decades and now I want you to have these nuggets of wisdom.

 

A STORY

One day about 15 years ago I showed up to interview an administrator for a nursing home. She was a platinum blond in her mid-forties wearing a neon orange shirt with a plunging neckline. Her V-neck plunged so far, her double -D’s were front and center. I wondered what type of video she thought we were filming. What occurred to me that day is that no one told her what to wear. It never happened again.

And so, although I know you would NEVER wear that on camera and expect to be taken seriously, it’s the back story on how the What to Wear Cheat Sheet was born.

 

Let’s start with COLORS THAT LOOK GREAT ON CAMERA

 

Jewel tones are ideal colors to wear on camera. These include blue, green, purple, maroon, brown, gold, deep red. Take a look at the pallet below and then see which colors work best with your complexion.

 

Now let’s talk about the colors, textures, and patterns that don’t work on camera.

Bright red, white and neon all shout “look at me” and that would be fine if you were trying to sell the clothes. We both want the same thing; we want your audience to focus on your content and the brilliance cascading out of your mouth. Right?

Also, avoid anything that sparkles or has a silver filament (men, a lot of ties have silver in them). These create a moray issue  -that shaky, looking through the fence effect that makes your eyes feel fuzzy. Also, avoid LOUD PATTERNS.

WARNING: This next one is controversial but don’t worry -I give you an alternative so bear with me.

 

DON’T WEAR BLACK. There, I said it…everything will be o.k.

 

Black is slimming. Black also absorbs light and when you wear black near your face and you are not professionally lit – it does ugly, shadowy things to the area under your chin. If you must wear black, choose a lower neckline (but don’t be slutty about it -refer back to plunging neon neckline story above).

The other thing you can do is wear a pop of color near your face like a bold, bright necklace or scarf. See, that wasn’t too bad, right?

 

CHOSE CLOTHING WITH STRUCTURE

 

If you’re going to be using a lapel mic you want to wear something structured on top. What does that mean? A structured jacket or button-down is great…a gauzy t-shirt or blousy silk dress is not. Wearing something structured also helps define your shape -or at least give the illusion of one:)

 

TIP: Avoid noisy jewelry. The mic will pick up every dangle and jangle.

 

HAIR & MAKEUP

 

I’m not great at hair and makeup so if I have a bigger shoot or something where I need to make a more polished impression -I saddle up to my hair stylist. On a DIY note, make sure you don’t have stray hairs, a shiny forehead or mega loud lipstick. I find powder, lipstick, and mascara is enough for me. Oh! and I have to fill in my eyebrows…or it looks like I don’t have any…and that looks weird.

 

TIP: Don’t let your hair and makeup speak ouder than your words.

 

SMILE

 

The best thing you can wear is a smile. Just ask Annie.

 

 

Remember to download your cheat sheet here (bring it shoppin or over to your sister’s closet): What to Wear Cheat Sheet

 

If you have a video topic you’d like covered, let me know! I’m listening.

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