How to dress for a Zoom date

By: Lottie Williams |

Online Dating

Lately, the world has become a lot more remote – in many different ways. In particular, the rise of digital connectivity has drastically altered the world of dating. Video conferencing can now make online romantic rendezvous a piece of cake to organise and geographical or money limitations cease to be an issue as well!

But with that loss of in-person face to face interaction, it can change the dynamic of a date, and the ease and convenience of this medium can take away from the chemistry and “special occasion” aspect of the gettogether. So if you are going to get to know that special someone via something like Zoom, you should still make the effort as if you were meeting in person. In particular, we’re talking about how you dress. 

Pyjamas and sweats have seemingly taken over as professional attire and even for video calls, only the top part of your body needs to look presentable. But try not to go down that road. By making an effort with your whole appearance, it will make you feel more special and confident and show the other person that you’re making an effort for them. 

Obviously, the only parts of you that will be seen will be ish from the waist up. So since the top half will be the most visible, that should be the focal point of your look. Afterall, grainy imagery can even cause make-up to be less obvious, but a striking blouse or dress will instantly be noted. Pick a flattering neckline and a contrasting colour to your surroundings – you don’t want to blend in with your wallpaper or bookshelf. One of the fun things on Zoom is picking out hilarious filters and backgrounds, so if you had a particular one in mind, make sure it doesn’t clash with your choice of garment!

By all means zhuzh it up with some jewellery, but if you feel a bit silly adding accessories when you’re just heading to your bedroom or living room, why not pick a top that has embellishments or a fun collar, to make it stand out more. 

Since you won’t be fighting with the elements, you might as well get adventurous with your hair. With no wind, rain or hats to ruin the look, why not go for a nice up-do or take the time to add product and blow dry your hair nicely. As a bare minimum, just make sure it’s clean. 

You’ll pretty much be sitting the whole time, so it’s easy to write off the bottom half of your outfit. In theory this is fine – if anything an added bonus – you can actually be comfortable, instead of having zips or spanks digging into your skin.

However, don’t get too complacent with your choice of bottom. You might need to go to the bathroom or stand up suddenly to shoo away your cat – and it’s all too easy to commit to an involuntary movement and all too late realise you’re in your old boxers or filthy tracksuit or shorts that have a hole in a compromising place. All the goodwill earned by your elegant top half will instantly be ruined. Plus, you might choose to do something a bit more interactive, like give your date a virtual tour of your house or even cook! 

This probably should come as no surprise, but until you get to know a person really well and most importantly, understand their sense of humour – it’s probably a good idea not to don a funny t-shirt or hoodie, lest the image you find hilarious make your date uncomfortable!

Lastly, lighting and camera angle are just as important as your outfit and hair. Nobody expects you to be a professional photographer, but you want to pick a setting that’s most flattering to your complexion and features. Have a play around with your video camera before your date and see what position it works best in and if you need to dim the lights or adjust your lamp or even light some candles? It would be a shame if you spent ages beautifying if the second the Zoom camera turns on, your chins take up ¾ of the screen and your face looks like it belongs in the Bohemian Rhapsody video.

And finally, make sure you’re familiar with Zoom itself so you don’t make a fool of yourself trying to figure out how to see and hear your date!