Why Most Executives Dress Wrong for Video Calls
Your navy pinstripe looks sharp in person. On video? It strobes like a broken neon sign.
Most executives make the same mistake: they dress for the room they're not in. Video calls aren't board meetings. The camera picks up different details, different colors, different proportions. What works face-to-face often fails on screen.
Start with color. Navy and charcoal—your go-to power colors—read flat and lifeless on camera. You disappear into the background. Instead, reach for medium grays, soft blues, or even a well-cut burgundy. These colors separate you from typical video backgrounds and give your face some life.
Patterns are trickier. Thin stripes create visual noise. Small checks can shimmer. If you're wearing patterns, go bigger and bolder than you'd normally choose. A windowpane check works better than pinstripes. A textured weave beats a smooth worsted.
Fit matters more on camera, not less. That jacket that fits perfectly standing up? It might pull across your chest when you're seated. The camera amplifies every wrinkle, every strain line. Your video call uniform should fit impeccably while seated—which means trying it on while seated.
Lighting changes everything. Most home offices have terrible lighting that washes you out or creates harsh shadows. A light-colored shirt reflects light back to your face. Dark shirts do the opposite. This isn't about formal vs casual—it's about what works with the technology.
Here's what top executives who nail video calls do differently: they have dedicated video outfits. Jackets that work specifically for seated wear. Colors chosen for their camera, their lighting, their background. They test everything beforehand.
The collar matters too. Spread collars photograph better than point collars. They frame your face instead of creating sharp lines that compete with your jawline. Italian collars work especially well—they're designed to look good from multiple angles.
Your video presence is part of your executive presence now. The rules changed. The executives who adapted early got ahead. The ones still wearing their boardroom uniform to Zoom calls? They look like they're stuck in 2019.
Dress for the camera you're facing, not the room you wish you were in.