What should a speaker wear in 2023? As we continue to emerge from the pandemic and find our way back into public spaces and onto public stages, we find ourselves in a different world in terms of dress. During the pandemic, the workers who were fortunate enough to work from home seem to mostly wear comfortable clothes, or pajamas. At least, as far as we could see.
I’m going to go out on a limb, or sleeve, here and suggest that pajamas are not the right look for a keynote speaker. That’s an easy call, but what about the rest of it? There are so many choices, and so many aspects to consider, that speakers could be pardoned for thinking that picking one’s outfit is (almost) the toughest part of the gig. Here are several guidelines to help you in your choice.
First, dress slightly better than the audience. This is an easy guideline to start with. You are on stage, you are the expert, the cynosure of the entire audience, and quite possibly a role model. So, you certainly don’t want to look worse – or more casual — than the audience, because that can be received as a message of lack of care or of not taking the event seriously.
A little bit of research will tell you how the audience is likely to be dressed. Ask the meeting planners, consult the style guide of the company or industry if there is one, and check out the weather at the conference hall location.
Second, dress to fulfill your brand. The first thing people see about you is your physical image, and that should speak to your brand. Are you creative, smart, a giant in your field, an up-and-comer, a classic, a trend-spotter, an academic, a sports icon, a CEO, a martial artist, ex-military, present military – every one of these possibilities carries with it expectations and symbols of the position or career or role that you inhabit. You need to dress the part. Both to fulfill expectations and to tweak them.
Third, dress to feel wonderful. Your performance will be affected by how you feel in your outfit, so spend the money and make your wardrobe bring you up rather than down. And think about the practicalities – be able to breathe, move, and stand easily in it. And have it opaque enough to resist the glare of the spotlight. Some things that are not transparent in ordinary light become so under the hot lights on stage.
Fourth, dress to look good against the backdrop. Especially if you are trying to get a bit of video from your talk, then it’s essential you not wear your favorite black suit – if the stage set is black. If it’s large convention, then ask for the set design drawings. If it’s a smaller event, talk to someone who knows. Lighting can do a lot, but you don’t want to disappear on stage!
Finally, dress to meet the moment – the post pandemic moment. No one really knows what’s coming a year out in fashion, except perhaps for someone at the great fashion houses of the world. But I’m guessing that, after wearing pajamas for so long, the world will want to dress up. I’m predicting a return to elegance. If I’m wrong, and instead people decide to throw off their fashion chains and stay stubbornly with comfort, then at least you’ll look better than everyone else.
Here’s to a fashion forward, well-branded, spectacular-looking you in 2023.
Thanks Nick. Small thing for most but big for me – pockets! I sometimes want to stash the clicker and I carry my iPhone to occasionally use as a prop. Having easy access pockets that don’t bulge is important.
Yes, indeed. Pockets are an issue, both for men and women. You don’t want them to ruin the lines of your clothes, and yet you don’t want to have no pockets, for purposes such as you suggest, as is often the case in women’s clothes. A tricky one.
Great article, and it’s a real need. As a Personal Stylist I struggled helping my clients find the right things for speaking on stage. So, I decided to create a brand of quality womenswear, and with lots of pockets, including a hidden back pocket in the waistband, especially for a microphone battery pack/ transmitter. The blazers also have pockets- 5 interior pockets for all the function! The suiting pieces are made to order with personalization to help solve fit problems and add personal style. Please inquire if I can help the ladies prepare for speaking on stage! The brand is called Midnight Oil, in recognition of the ladies who are working hard!
Rachel, Midnight Oil is the answer to a huge need! I would love to interview you on the #JOQ podcast — email me at nick@publicwords.com and we’ll set it up if you are interested. Let’s give the brand some air time!