Does My Bum Look Big in this Video?! or What to Wear in your Video
It’s a frequently asked question.
Everybody’s asked it at some point in their lives.
I’ll bet you’ve asked this yourself on countless occasions.
From a fancy date night to decorating the spare room and everything in between.
It’s one of the questions most of us might ask before we present ourselves to the world.
"What will I wear? "
Which then leads to, "Does my bum look big in this?!"
Of course, when you’re recording a video for your business there are one or two other things you should take into consideration too…
That Doesn’t Mean You Should Slob Out!
One of my top tips for when you’re deciding what to wear in a video is to be comfortable. If you’re feeling uptight and uncomfortable in clothes that are too tight, too restrictive or just not your style then that will come across in your presentation. Don’t try to be something you’re not! If you’re happy and comfortable in what you’re wearing, then you can concentrate on what you want to say and be more yourself while doing it –your authenticity will shine through and your audience will love that! That doesn’t mean that you should slob out in your latest ‘lounge wear’ but neither does it mean that you need to be dressed up to the nines. Find a happy medium.
Are You Totally Flamboyant?!
What do you normally wear when you’re meeting with clients? Do you generally wear a uniform (I’m thinking massage therapists etc here) or do you wear your own clothes? How do your clients usually see you? And, if you don’t usually have any visual contact with your clients (I’m thinking about artists and crafters who might display their work rather than themselves), then how do you want your clients to see you? What kind of image do you want to project? Are you super smart and chic, more relaxed or totally flamboyant and out there? Whichever way you decide to go on this, make sure it ties in with your brand image.
You Could End Up With A Bit of Strobing!
Something you might not usually think about quite so much when deciding what to wear is which colours and patterns will, or won't, work for you. For video recording, it’s best to avoid very small checks or stripes in case your camera has trouble picking them up in which case you could end up with a bit of strobing! Great for nightclubs, not so great for business videos! And when it comes to colour, you really don’t want to blend into your background, especially if it’s a green screen, as my son discovered recently when he did some green screen recording whilst wearing a green jacket - with an interesting effect! Think about where you’re going to record your video and what the colours around you will be. Did you know that the eye is always drawn to the lightest part of an image? So, you might want to consider wearing light colours if you’re indoors, but this isn’t essential.
Have You Made Up?
When it comes to make-up, let’s remember that it’s video, not theatre, darling! Unless you’re actually selling make-up then there’s no reason for you to overdo the pancake. If you normally present yourself heavily made up then by all means, carry on. However, if you normally go for a lighter touch then that will most definitely do for a video. You might want to even out your skin tones with a foundation or powder and perhaps add a splash of colour to your lips or eyes but there’s no need to go further than that. (For the male readers here, a little touch of powder can work wonders for you too; if you’re recording under a strong light, it’s best to get rid of that shine.) As with the clothes, be comfortable and be yourself, a little spruce up is fine but don’t feel you need to overdo it.
A Microphone Will Be Involved Somewhere!
Everybody likes to accessorise! When you’re going to record a video, just bear in mind that there will be a microphone involved somewhere! It might be an external mic or it could be an internal mic which can be easy to forget about as it’s out of sight. Either way, it’s best to avoid noisy, jangly bracelets or a necklace that could interfere with a clip mic. (If you’ve seen “Singing in the Rain”, think pearl necklace and you’ll know what I mean!) Again, don’t overdo it. Your target audience want to hear what you have to say, not be distracted by your wonderfully, amazing jewellery – unless of course that’s what you’re selling, in which case, bling it on! (Sorry, couldn’t resist that one!)
Does Your Audience Already Know You?
You should also give a little thought to the type of video you’re going to record. If you’re doing a little content marketing or some posts for your social media accounts where your audience already knows you then you can afford to be quite casual. However, if you’re recording a video for a landing page or something high profile eg a Facebook ad, then you might want to smarten things up a wee bit - you don’t need to go as far as a suit and tie but one of your ‘nice’ tops or shirts and a wee bit of lippy (for the ladies), should do the job. Just remember, be comfortable, be yourself and let your authenticity shine through!
One Last Tip!
So, I hope that’s helped you a wee bit with your decision making when it comes to what to wear in your video. One last tip – a little reward for reading this far! – if you’re wearing a jacket and you’re sitting down, then sit on the tail of your jacket and that will prevent it from riding up and getting baggy around your shoulders. And, of course, if you’re sitting down in your video, then no-one will see your bum, so it won’t look big at all whatever you decide to wear!
You can find more helpful tips on my website here
and if you're struggling to get yourself in front of that camera
then do check out my
From Camera Shy to Camera Confident course here.
If there’s anything else I can help you with then do get in touch - I'd love to hear from you! (As well as my website, you can find me on my Julie Neilson Media Facebook page or YouTube channel.)
Please feel free to share this with anyone who you think might find it interesting.
I hope you have lots of fun with your video ventures!
Julie x
Whether you want to make your own video
or have it produced for you,
I’d love to help you harness the Power of Video.
So, get in touch and
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