Business up top, party on bottom? Dressing for video calls isn't straightforward

Sales of pants have fallen, as people turn to video calls where only tops are visible. Photo: 123rf

The increase in virtual meetings has spawned new fashion trends and influenced the way we dress. It also warrants novel and unusual practices.

In the past, you could just give yourself the once over in the mirror before walking out the door. Handbag that complements your outfit? Check. Belt that matches your shoes? Check.

Not anymore. Now, there are plenty of other things to think about when you are dressing up for the screen. The pandemic (and the way it has changed our lifestyles) has also spawned new fashion essentials.

Take for example, the “Zoom shirt” – a top that is kept on the back of your desk chair to quickly help you look presentable for video calls. A poll by LinkedIn found that 42% of camera-ready home workers owned one.

Read more: Pyjamas not just for bedtime anymore, as the pandemic rewrites fashion rules

Virtual meetings have put a new spin on our outfits – or at least, the idea of what's acceptable. It seems that people are forgoing pants for video calls.

According to data by Adobe Analytics, which tracks transactions from 80 of the top 100 retailers in the US, sales of pants fell 13% in April compared with March, as people turned to video conference calls, where only tops are visible.

Jewellery sales are being affected by what’s noticeable from the neck up. Photo: Celovis

The choice of jewellery we put on has also been dictated by our changing lifestyles. Chunky pieces that are bold and more noticeable are currently very popular, as they stand out on screen.

Sammy Chong, the founder of Malaysian titanium jewellery brand Celovis, notes that she did notice an increase in jewellery purchase for pieces like necklaces and earrings, compared to rings and bangles – probably because the former are visible during video calls.

“The idea that ‘your jewellery speaks before you’ is something that I personally believe in, ” she says, about how the uptick in sales could have been caused by people keen to dress up their work looks.

“With virtual meetings, what’s important is the shoulder-up look because that’s what people can see. So to look fresh and put-together for unexpected meetings, I advise having a few pairs of earrings handy.”

Chong explains that people will focus on your face during such calls and earrings would most likely be the only jewellery noticeable.

She adds that they can easily make you look presentable, even if you are only wearing a simple shirt.

Read more: Showing off or just being trendy? Oversized gold jewellery is now fashionable

Yet, it is not just for work that we dress up and stare at the screen anymore. In cities still under lockdown, dating remains a virtual thing – necessitating some thought about what to wear to impress your potential partner.

How do you look casual yet chic, without giving the idea that you have been lying on your sofa the whole day? Are sweatshirts acceptable? Digital dressing is no easy matter.

Perhaps Vogue has best underscored the complexity of picking outfits in this new era of living.

Its April article titled “Your Perfect Zoom Date Deserves A Great Shirt” opens with a very pertinent question: “Does this shirt match my wall?”