By: Casey Tibut

Simple Looks That Keep You Polished on Camera

There’s a moment before every video call when you catch your reflection and think, “Ah. So this is my villain origin story.”

You’re not alone. Remote work turned all of us into lighting technicians, amateur stylists, and part-time philosophers, wondering why our faces look different on every platform.

Good news. You don’t need a full wardrobe overhaul to look sharp on camera. You just need a few reliable pieces and a little strategy that can help you look more put together without stealing your morning.

Let’s get into it.

The Lighting Test Trick

Before talking about clothes, do one thing. Hold your top up in front of your face and check it against your lighting.

If the color makes your skin look like you just crawled out of a dungeon, it’s probably best to skip it.

Soft neutrals usually play nice. Sharp blacks may sometimes vanish into your background. Bright colors can turn your camera into a confused toddler.

Find the tones that seem to make you look alive. Stick with them.

The Neckline That Never Betrays You

A clean neckline tends to read well on every camera. Scoop, crew, square, boat—pick your vibe. Just avoid complicated cuts that could create weird shadows.

This is also where a classic white shirt can earn its keep. Quiet, simple, dependable. The clothing version of someone who shows up on time.

The Texture Rule People Forget

Your brain loves texture. Your webcam, on the other hand, not so much.

Choose fabrics with a little structure. Think soft knits, ribbed tops, crisp cotton, anything that doesn’t collapse on itself.

Slinky fabrics can move too much and catch light in all the wrong places. They’re great for dinner, less great when your camera turns them into a strobe show.

When in doubt, hold the fabric under your overhead light for two seconds. If it flickers or looks shiny, there’s a good chance it’ll do the same on Zoom.

The Sleeves That Make You Look More Put Together Than You Feel

Sleeves do heavy lifting on camera.

A fitted long sleeve looks intentional. A rolled sleeve may make you look “busy in a cool way.”
A balloon sleeve can give you presence without trying.
Cap sleeves, on the other hand, might make your shoulders look like they’re trying to run away.

You want lines that frame your face and keep the visual focus where it belongs.
Which is… you. Or at least the version of you that’s pretending to pay attention.

The Colors That Survive Bad Webcams

Photo: Unsplash.com

If your camera is the kind that makes everything look slightly haunted, it might be better to lean into:

• soft taupe
• Olive
• Off-white
• Navy
• muted red
• gentle earth tones

These colors tend to stay calm under poor lighting and might hide the “I slept weird” situation better than bright tones ever will.

Think of them as camera-safe comfort colors. They’re self-esteem with sleeves.

The Layer That Saves Every Outfit

A light cardigan or structured overshirt could instantly fix messy proportions.
Your top suddenly looks intentional. Your posture looks better. Your whole presence feels more grounded.

Keep one draped over your chair. This is your emergency layer. The visual equivalent of clearing your throat.

And since layers create vertical lines, they help make your face pop on camera without doing anything wild.

Minimal effort. Maximum payoff. The dream.

The Jewelry Cheat Code

You don’t need statement pieces. Just something small that might catch a tiny bit of light.

Think:

• a thin necklace
• small hoops
• a clean chain
• a ring or two

Anything louder can hijack your entire frame. Let your jewelry whisper.

It can read as confidence without looking like you’re trying to pitch a gemstone subscription.

The Hair Rule Everyone Learns the Hard Way

Hair must be either clearly styled or intentionally undone.

The in-between zone is where the chaos lives.

If you’re going messy, go charming-messy. If you’re going clean, go clean enough that your camera doesn’t invent stray hairs you don’t actually have.

Sometimes all you need is a quick brush and a side part.

Sometimes it’s dry shampoo and a prayer.

Either way, the goal is visual stability. Your camera loves consistency.

The “Good Enough” Outfit Formula

Here’s the fallback outfit that should make you look polished even when your morning started with existential dread:

• structured top in a camera-safe color
• clean neckline
• subtle jewelry
• one easy layer (cardigan, jacket, knit overshirt)
• hair that looks like it had at least one moment of intention

Done. Five minutes. Zero agony.

The Part People Always Forget: Your Energy

Photo: Unsplash.com

Your camera highlights your vibe as much as your clothes.

So wear pieces that feel like you.

If you’re comfortable, you’ll look comfortable. If you’re forcing a look, the camera might tattle.

Pick pieces with ease. Textures that feel soft. Colors that feel steady. Shapes that let you breathe and move and nod dramatically when someone makes a good point.

Isn’t that the whole point anyway?

The Real Question

You’re already living half your life on camera.

So why not dress in a way that feels like the upgraded version of your usual self?

The version that’s calm. The version that has taste.

The version that looks at her reflection before a meeting and thinks, “Yeah, this works.”

Ready to build your go-to video-call wardrobe?