Dress The Way You Want To Be Addressed With The Right Colors... In a Video Call!

Let’s face it. All it takes is 7 seconds for someone to build a first impression of you. You won’t get a second chance to make another “first” impression. First impressions these days don’t just happen when you meet someone in person. It happens on your LinkedIn profile, search results on social media, AND in the current state now, through video calls! This means that how you look in the call, can really affect your impression.

As an image consultant, I am often asked how someone can make a good impression. The way you smile? Or the clothes you wear? Carrying yourself with confidence definitely helps, but today let’s talk about that last one and specifically, in terms of color, because in a video call, the view is only from the chest up, therefore body frame isn't the priority here, but color is.

Color: The most important element in your corporate wardrobe

Wearing the right color for your skin tone can really accentuate your features, making you look fresh and energized. On the flip side, choosing colors that are less suitable results in looking washed out, drained, and in some cases if the color is too strong for your skin tone, it “overpowers” you. People are distracted by the color instead of focusing on the person wearing it. You may have heard of the compliment, “Oh wow the dress/shirt you are wearing is really pretty!” That my friends, is not really complimenting YOU. It compliments the outfit you’re wearing. A real compliment sounds more like this, “Oh wow, YOU look amazing!” and it’s my goal to help people realize they can look amazing like that! 

Understanding what colors look best on you. 

Firstly, consider these parts of your look: Makeup (for women), hair color, tie color (for suits), as well as the shirt or blazer that you’re wearing. Anything about your outfit that frames your face needs to be properly considered. The right color combinations will reflect on your face, creating a subtle and attractive glow.

Warm and cool color categories

Color analysis is usually divided into two main categories: warm or cool. In order to identify which category you fall into, take a look at your wrist area and have a look at the color of your veins as well as your skin tone at that region. For the best effects, do this with natural sunlight or under white light to avoid any misjudgments. People with greenish veins and yellow skin tones are in the warm color category. People with blueish/purplish veins, with a pinkish skin tone, are in the cool color category. 

For people with warm toned skin, you generally look good in colors with warmer tones, such as earth-bases colors or colors with a white base (as shown in picture below). For those with cool toned skin, you look best in colors that are on the two ends of the spectrum: pastel and dusty colors or colors that are deep and rich, such as jet black, and emerald green. 

Colors that match warm skin tones 

Colors that match cool skin tones

If you are starting to think about clothes in colors that suit the tone of your skin instead of just choosing your favorite color to wear… Congrats! You are on your way to becoming an expert at choosing what looks good for you! I hope these color suitability tips will help you further enhance your personal brand image, and build a great “first impression” that will last, especially when you decide what wear in that next video call:)

Note: This article has been posted in Integricity Visuals as part of my guest writing assignment