We often consider how certain outfits will be perceived by other people, but when you’re preparing for a stint behind the lens, it’s a whole different ball game.
While the very nature of being on camera is to draw focus, try to resist wearing your head-turning items of clothing, especially if you’ll be under harsh lighting. Picking simple fabrics is the best way to buff away excess shadows and create a sleeker body profile.
Another serious consideration should be to appear time-neutral, by which we mean you want the recording to appear timeless. Wearing that thrift shop waistcoat may make you feel like a dandy, but it won’t look current on film.
You can also lean too far in the other direction and choose something too ‘of the moment’. Even if your style is 100% on fleek, trends can change in the blink of an eye, and now your once cutting edge appearance on camera is more of a fashion relic. Choosing something modern with a timeless vibe ensures that footage of you is always relevant.
One of the strongest pieces of advice we can give you is to avoid clothes with logos or large text. These will draw focus from your lovely face and detract from your performance.
The same is true with patterns to a certain extent. Feel free to dabble with them in a subtle manner, but you don’t want them to pull focus. They should be used as accents rather than the main event - think a plaid shirt under a block color sweater.
One last piece of advice is to not venture too far outside your comfort zone. True, you want to wear something that looks flattering on camera, but if you don’t feel good wearing it, that’s going to translate on film and negate any positive effects the clothing has.
Ultimately, confidence is more important than wearing the most strategic clothes, but if you can put together an outfit that’s both camera-kind and makes you feel like a million bucks, perfect! That’s a winning combination, and you’re sure to make a lasting impression.