Nowadays everything is upside down because of the worldwide pandemic. Business, meetings, classes, all of these services are now online. Please do not underestimate online classes. Professors and students wake up and get ready for them as if they were face to face. As a PhD. student, I am one of them, nothing has changed about my daily preparation. Because cameras are on, so I should be spruce and be shipshape in front of my friends and professors. Thus we all would benefit from a piece of advice.
As a student, for a normal class I want be comfortable but also stylish. A jacket is too much for a standard online class but a cardigan with an elegant shirt would be appropriate. Nowadays combining cardigans with pocket squares is in. If your cardigan has a breast pocket, you can use a pocket square with your cardigan. That makes your casual look more elegant. A cotton pocket square fits with a wool cardigan. For this case matching the fabrics shows the quality and looks good on the cam. Combining dark colored cardigan with light colored shirt and pocket square would be better on the cam.

On the other hand It can be your presentation day. Every student looks more attentive on their presentation day. This situation remains same for online classes too. Presenter student can wear a chic blazer and turtleneck jumper. This combination is completed with a pocket square. Combining dark colored blazer with light colored turtleneck jumper and pocket square looks more self-confident. Also combining dark colors with light colors shows your strength. Presidential fold is the best option for a presenter. It looks modest but stylish. Too much pattern oversimplifies your look. Also on a 13 inch screen you look too complicated with patterns. So a plain pocket square would be great for a presentation look. Again the fabric is so important. Silk or satin would be so shinny for this serious event. Therefore a cotton pocket square looks better on the screen.

Online thesis defense is the top point for these online classes thing. When it comes to online thesis defense, everything about casuality is cancelled. You have to be formal for a thesis defence and your jury must feel that you are strong and confident. So you have to make them feel your formal style. White shirt is the first step for that. It shows your seriousness unobtrusively. This time you have to wear a tie and for the last goal use a pocket square. Both your tie and pocket square should be plain for a formal look on the screen. White pocket square would be better and it matches with your shirt. But please choose a dark colored tie! Something must be darker. A suit with dark blue tones provide a comfortable place. Because blue has a calming effect. Also dark blue draws the attention for purity of the white pieces. In addition to these please prefer presidential fold. Because this fold supports your formal look. Other folds can be exaggerated. Plus, use a plain pocket square! Unnecessary patterns ruin your formal look. Also avoid from the satin pocket squares, they seem too frivolous at this point. Use a cotton or silk one.

I can hear your questions about professors. Gingham patterned shirts are their life-saver for the screen. They can wear these shirts both for the normal classes and jury. They can combine it with grey jackets which looks fancy on the screen. Also they can prefer blue tones for jackets. Using patterned pocket square with gingham patterned shirts is a good option. It would seem casual but classy. Silk pocket squares fits with their high-grade look.
Zeus