It’s like deja vu all over again. Here we are, confined to our houses for what could be an indefinite period of time. Some of us are already dusting off the sourdough recipe books. Many are spending at least a quarter of the day scrolling through various, indecipherable graphs. The more desperate among us have already reached the bottom of Netflix’s barrel and are considering rewatching Tiger King. Just like old times, eh?
As we say goodbye to the real-life forms of our friends, family, and colleagues, we reluctantly switch to their lagging and slightly pixelated video call alternatives. We’re now seasoned pros at this video call malarky though, aren’t we? Now we’ve all learned how to turn the microphone on and turn off that aquarium background, our attention can turn to more pressing concerns like, ‘What should we be wearing while we’re Zooming?’
With just that tiny rectangle of video screen to convey your whole selves, how are you supposed to make an impact? We had a little think, skimmed through more than a few Zoom style articles, and discovered they all seem to be missing the most obvious of points: There’s nothing that you can wear on a Zoom call that would have as much impact as your eyewear.
That’s right. Although we’ve always known eyewear is the most important part of any wardrobe, as far as Zoom calls go, eyewear is the star of the show. To inspire you and to give you some - not always 100% serious - advice we’ve put together this little guide, The Seen Guide to Zoom Eyewear, illustrated with the help of The Seen Team and a truly awesome selection of frames. Enjoy!
The Pyjamarama
While all the finer details of Zoom clothing etiquette haven’t been firmly established just yet, one rule is becoming clear: If the call takes place before 10:00 am or after 6:30 pm on a weekday, you’re perfectly within your rights to conduct the conversation in your pyjamas. Whether it’s a family phone up or an important early meeting, it doesn’t matter. Rules are rules. If the call falls outside reasonable hours, it’s PJ time.
Hey, but staying in your PJs doesn’t mean you need to slob it. Dial your bedclothes up a notch like our Lisa and polish off the ensemble with some spectacular crystal specs. In this case the rather magnificent Arp in Rose from none other than Jacques Marie Mage.
The Hangover
What happened last night? There was definitely wine. But you definitely didn’t go out. Were you following a Mike Tyson makeup tutorial at one point? Did you watch Tiger King again?
You can still look 💯 even when you’re not feeling 100%. When it comes to Zoom call style, you can make the rules to suit your level of hangover. Take a pointer from Michaela: sunglasses inside are ok if you need them to be. And the Jacques Marie Mage Newton frames in Silver Fox are always very, very ok.
The New Formal
In this strange new world, there’s more room to push boundaries. Forget the outmoded ‘smart-casual this’ and ‘formal that’. A new normal requires a new formal and why shouldn’t you be one of the trailblazers?
Bright and unapologetically modern, Theo make eyewear that’s purpose-built for rebuilding new notions of normal. Finishing off this slick look, Erika picked out this particularly raucous red pair from the latest Theo release, Santorini. (You can pick them up at our Manchester store by the way.)
The Cool ‘n’ Casual
So you’re a chilled guy, a laidback gal, or a generally horizontally-reclined kind of dude? Well you don’t need to worry what to wear too much, not that you were going to. Just slide into what you were wearing yesterday and I’m sure everything will work out just fine. Just remember, don’t forget to ‘casually’ conduct any and all video chats in front of a bookcase that just happens to be filled with a selection of the hippest books you can find for extra cool ‘n’ casual kudos.
Oh yeah, you will need some glasses though. Up there with the white T and straight cut jeans, every king of the cool ‘n’ casual needs an eyewear staple in their floordrobe. A man that knows his eyewear staples better than the back of your eyeball, Seen Head Honcho Tareq picked out these Anne et Valentin Raw in Brown — cool, casual, and smoother than a flat white with oat milk.
The Exhibitionist
Whacky? Wild? Do you see the sequin dress online and dream big?! Don’t subscribe to labels. Why should you? Dancing on tables is not on the agenda for the time being, but you being your flamboyant best always should be.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of an exhibitionist, go ultra. Put on that ultra-loud sequins and grab yourself the ultra-rambunctious Jacques Marie Mage Dealan in Ultra Pink. YEAH!
The Impresser Dresser
Casinos are off the cards, the Aston’s in the garage, and all overseas assignations have been postponed until further notice. But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring a bit of double 0-yeah to your next Zoom call. Whether or not the occasion calls for it, get out the big guns; don a tux and crack open the mini-martini. Who cares if it’s just a catch up with the pub quiz team?
Tony here knows how to bring a little suave sophistication to a late-night Zoom quiz. Coveted by both the rich and the famous, he’s paired up his tux with a pair of DITA’s TELION in Black. Just don’t tell anyone he’s been secretly getting fed answers since the picture round.
Thanks for listening
We hope you enjoyed our little guide to Zoom call eyewear. If you live in and around Manchester, you'll be please to know that we are still very much open. If you want to pop round, whether that's for an eye test or a style consultation, you need to fill in this form. If you're from the rest of the world, you'll be equally as pleased to know that the sterling Seen service is running as smoothly as ever. Shop to your hearts content and we'll fulfil your order like normal.
