What to Wear for an On-Camera Interview

If we're filming you for a company video, a documentary, or a fundraising piece, you may wonder what to wear. After more than three decades behind the camera, here's what works — and what causes problems you'd never predict.

Colors

Solid, mid-tone colors look best. Jewel tones — deep green, royal blue, burgundy — flatter almost everyone and hold up well under professional lighting.

Avoid pure white and solid black. The camera exposes for your face, so a bright white shirt can glow and a black one can turn into a shape with no detail. Off-white, cream, charcoal, and navy give you the same look without the problem.

Skip neon colors. Under lights, they reflect onto your skin and pull the eye away from your face.

Patterns

Fine stripes, tight checks, and herringbone can shimmer and crawl on video — an effect called moiré. You won't see it in the mirror, but the camera will. Solid colors are safest. If you want a pattern, make it large and simple.

The microphone

We'll clip a small microphone to your collar or button placket, so your shirt becomes part of the audio system.

Cotton and wool blends stay quiet. Slick or stiff fabrics — some silks, nylon shells, starched collars — rustle against the mic every time you move. Long necklaces, dangling earrings, and loose bracelets can knock against it too. Simple, quiet pieces work best.

Dress for your role, one step up

Wear what you'd wear on a good day in your job. A CEO looks right in a suit; a shop foreman looks right in a clean work shirt. Viewers trust people who look like themselves, so authentic beats formal.

Small things that help

Bring a second option. If your first choice fights the background or the mic, a thirty-second change solves it.

Glasses are fine — we position the lights to control glare.

Choose fit over fashion. Clothes that fit well read as sharp on camera; trendy but ill-fitting does not.

Pick something comfortable. If an outfit makes you fidget, the camera catches every fidget.

Not sure? Ask us

If we're filming you soon and you're torn between two outfits, email us a photo of each. We'll tell you which one will look better on camera.