Professional Headshots: What to wear?

Professional headshots are an important marketing tool to brand savvy professionals. An exceptional executive headshot can reflect credibility, personality, and professionalism. It can invoke trust, confidence, and connection in that essential first impression with potential clients, investors, and collaborators. Paired with social media such as LinkedIn, professional headshots used for profile pictures have taken on an important role in promoting our abilities and have a far-reaching web presence. It’s more important than ever to put your best face forward and invest in a professional headshot.

What to wear for your headshot session

Dress in a way that reflects who you are and is relevant for your target audience. For executives this would mean a well-tailored suit, personal trainers a sporty casual look, real estate agents can dress in a stylish business casual outfit, fashion bloggers and creatives can wear something chic with a trendy accessory. If you’re going for a formal or casual look make sure your clothes are stylish, new-looking, and tailored to fit. You may want to consider coordinating clothing colors and style with your company’s website. We recommend bringing at least 2 outfits just in case your first choice isn’t photographing well. Take a look at our Pinterest board of outfits for professional headshots.

Clothing to avoid

• Stay away from anything with super bold, distracting patterns or colors. Clothing with really tight grids or a small herringbone pattern can sometimes have a moiré pattern effect on computer screens.
• If you wear glasses please bring a pair that doesn’t tint in the sun and has an anti-glare coating.
• Avoid shirts with logos and large distracting patterns (classic or subtle patterns are fine) we don’t want either to be distracting from your face.

Clothing Tips for Men

Suits

• Avoid shiny, reflective materials, like shiny silk ties
• A well fitting suit preferably in a dark color
• Try to land the color of your tie between the tones of your suit and dress shirt
• Button down shirts should have medium to heavy starch to avoid wrinkles and creases

Business Casual

• Avoid wearing solid white shirts unless paired with a jacket. White tees look too casual, and white button down shirts can lose detail in portraits.
• Pair a button down shirt with a blazer or sweater to layer the look.
• Undershirts should be hidden beneath your shirt collar. Consider wearing a vneck tee or no undershirt at all.

Casual

• Well fitting purposely chosen clothes are the key to a great casual looking headshot. See a few examples of great casual outfits HERE.
• Style should be consistent with your brand or occupation.
• Layers are always recommended.
• Avoid logos, distracting patterns (classic or subtle patterns are fine).

Clothing tips for women

Business Attire

• Avoid stark white shirts, unless worn under a jacket, cardigan, or sweater
• A subtly patterned blouse under a jacket can add a bit of personality to your portrait.
• Jewelry is encouraged but should not be distracting
• Avoid short sleeves for an executive headshot

Casual

• Choose a well fitting shirt in a flattering color and neckline for your body type and coloring.
• Mixing textures, patterns, and layers are encouraged! Look HERE for a few examples.
• Accessories like jewelry, hats, or scarfs add a bit more polish and personality a portrait.

More clothing inspiration can be found on our Headshot Portfolio page.

Ready to book your headshot? Click here