These 2 items were Zoom chic last year, but now they can hurt your career

During the height of the pandemic wearing certain accessories and clothing were considered power moves for Zoom calls but as we return to normalcy (and the office), these items may actually hurt your career.

Zoom fashion is now outdating you

In a recent Wall Street Journal article writer Donna Bulseco had a laundry list of sartorial choices that will make one look outdated. Now in the trashcan fire that was 2020, most fashion went out the window (or at least any pants with a button or zipper did.)

Most of our colleagues, friends, and even family only saw us from the waist up for a solid year so our face and torso were really all we had to focus on. This is why big accessories like statement earrings or shoulder pads were all the rage. Patterned shirts for men also made the cut. 

However, according to Bulseco and other experts, statement earrings are no longer fashionable so if you wear them you can look like you aren’t keeping up with the times. “A bit desperate for some display of fashion, many women reached for chandelier earrings last year, hauling out lookalike versions of Queen Elizabeth’s 1929 Cartier Greville jewels to watch “The Crown” with friends over video chat, or sporting a flashy crystal pair to bring some oomph to work meetings. But now, chandelier earrings indicate you’re stuck in a 2020 Zoom loop,” Bulseco wrote.

Get out of the Zoom loop

However, many of us are still on Zoom for meetings and still want to make a statement that doesn’t require us to buy a whole new outfit which is why jewelry can still work well. Bulseco suggests a big beaded necklace like this one as an alternative to earrings.

A neckpiece always makes a powerful impression. Ruth Bader Ginsburg wore collars and ruffs around her uniform robes to show she was distinctly different than her male colleagues.

For men, Bulseco cited bold patterned shirts as also looking quite outdated. And they can make you look less competent according to a recent study. In a Quantified Communications survey of 465 men and women, participants were asked to rate the colors and styles of people on video calls. They were asked which colors and clothing type made the person speaking appear authentic, trustworthy, and creative.

Only 8% of those surveyed said people wearing patterns came off as experts. That is a surefire way to ruin a job interview or try to run a meeting. If you want people to take you seriously, neutral colors are the way to go as 74% thought they commanded respect. Bright colors only came in at 18%.

As we return to the office or a hybrid model of sorts, we are all going to be rethinking our fashion choices and may even get excited about the prospect of dressing up once again. Just be sure to wear items that make you look powerful, competent, and with the times.