Posted on by Rebecca Gold

Shooting a great music video means planning your looks ahead of time, having a clear creative direction and choosing some compelling outfits that look great on camera. Whether you’re shooting a quick Tik Tok video with some choreography or a a full-on music video production that feels more like a short film, the wardrobe you choose for your piece needs to be on point, especially since it’s going to be such a big part of the video’s look and feel.

Choosing the Aesthetic

Choosing the Aesthetic

When you’re choosing your wardrobe for a music video, it’s important to keep in mind which aesthetic you’re going for. Decide what time and style period you’re channeling and that will help you choose your outfits. For example, if you’re going for a 1980’s r&b inspired music video, your looks will be drastically different than if you were paying homage to the 1920’s Gatsby era, the 1950’s diner style or the early 2000’s MTV era.

Once you know if your music video is set in a specific era, you’ll need to decide which color schemes you want to showcase. Is your video monochromatic and moody? Is it neutral and minimalistic? Or is it vibrant, saturated and colorful?

Consider the Lighting

Consider the Lighting

Are you shooting indoors or outdoors? At high noon or at dusk? Your wardrobe will be dictated by the colors you want to showcase and the lighting you’ll have available. For example, if you are shooting at night, wearing black might not be the best choice - unless you have tons of artificial lighting equipment available for your shoot. You’ll also want to take into account the movement. Is your video going to feature a ton of dancing and big moves? Or minimalistic, smaller movements? If you’re planning on doing a lot of big movements, clothes and fabrics that flow or have a ton of volume help enhance those movements.

Consider the Movement of the Choreo

Consider the Movement of the Choreo

Think of Flamenco for example; the dancers in this style of dance wear big, ruffled skirts that they use to help enhance their spins and their dramatic flourishes. Bellydancers also use waist fabrics to accentuate the contrast between their waist and their hips, adding to the movements. If your music video is going to feature dance with big movements, think about adding flowy, ruffled fabrics that help dramatize every motion.

Activewear for Dance Videos

Activewear for Dance Videos

There are many possibilities when it comes to a music video, but for this article, we will focus on music videos that are meant to be modern, exciting, dance-driven and that highlight trending activewear looks.

Choose fabrics with a lot of colors. Splashy patterns look great on camera, especially if you are filming outdoors with a lot of sun. Conversely, they can also look really good in indoor studio settings with controlled lighting setups. Go for tropical printed leggings and matching sports bras for a coordinated dance crew look. If you are going for a more eclectic, mix and match, choose pieces like form-fitting, long-line sports bra tops and pair them with baggy sweat pants and sneakers for homage to the late ’90s and early 2000s. Tie-dye and Boho printed activewear is a great choice for music videos with a 1970’s flower power theme for a cute Tik Tok dance video, printed leggings and a custom tee with a printed saying on it is perfect for those young influencers who have neat, cohesive looks and are killing it online!