I was doing a closet purge today and found a few pairs of matte black tights that were once part of my de rigueur professional costume (no, I was not a mime but there were many times when my voice was not heard – but that’s another story). Why did I bring these from New York when I moved out to Los Angeles last year? I kept a couple of other serious “business” clothes thinking there might be an occasion to look respectable as I reinvent myself here. But black tights or any black clothes for that matter doesn’t seem to work in Los Angeles.

At least not in person.

Now that many of us are spending a lot of time in virtual meetings – and it might stay this way for a while – you can pretty much express yourself with your look however you wish, tailoring (pun intended) your outfit to suit your clients, co-workers, audience, or whoever you meet with.

I’m not going to toss those black tights after all. You might think, well why not? Nobody sees your lower half on Zoom calls. Well, maybe they ought. Standing when presenting can be more effective than being just another talking head. We should be using this opportunity to make the most of the medium – and excel at it – so try to find a secluded spot in your house and practice. And by that, I mean away from the ridicule of your mate, family members, or even pets (mine are so judgy and cruel). On the other hand, if they love you they can provide constructive feedback. If you want to get fancy you can invest in ring lights and other accoutrements to improve production value but you can also just make sure your computer camera is positioned to capture your standing body and that lighting is even and most important, flattering. My point is to look your best on camera so that you stand out amongst the others.

Back to the tights. For years my signature outfit was a black monochrome combination of tights, short skirt, turtleneck sweater, jacket, and boots. Maybe I don’t need to give it up entirely just because I’m now in another climate. But why the short skirt? As we get older legs are often the last to go as far as shape. My grandmother had nice legs even into her eighties. Thankfully mine are still pretty good – especially when cocooned in spandex. By wearing a short skirt I am confidently defying what’s supposed to be age-appropriate. Confidently.

At the moment, California cool – t-shirt, jeans, and a good haircut – works for now on my virtual meetings. But it’s good to know that if I need to pull off a serious outfit in black I’ve got one that still fits.