Session Prep

What to Wear for Your Professional Headshot: A Complete Guide

If you've ever stared into your closet the morning of your headshot session thinking, "I have nothing to wear," you're not alone. It's the question I hear more than any other.

Your clothing choices directly affect how polished, confident, and camera-ready you look in your final images. And since a great headshot will represent you for the next one to three years on LinkedIn, your firm's website, speaking bios, and press materials. It's worth getting right.

Here's everything you need to know.

Start with Color: What Works and What Doesn't

The best colors for professional headshots are mid-tones with depth. These include navy blue, charcoal gray, deep burgundy, forest green, camel, slate blue, and rich jewel tones like plum or teal. These colors hold up beautifully under studio lighting and draw attention to your face rather than competing with it.

Colors to reach for:

• Navy and dark blues: universally flattering, photographs clean under any lighting
• Charcoal or heather gray: professional without being corporate or cold
• Deep burgundy, wine, or plum: adds richness and warmth, especially for darker skin tones
• Forest green or hunter green: increasingly popular, photographs beautifully, especially on warmer complexions
• Camel, tan, or warm brown: elegant and approachable, especially on white or light gray backgrounds

Colors to avoid:

• Bright white: can overexpose near your face and create harsh contrast against skin
• Neon or oversaturated colors: pull focus away from your expression
• Orange or yellow: can cast unflattering color on the face under studio light
• Light gray or pale pastels: often disappear or look washed out depending on your skin tone

Patterns, Textures, and Prints

The rule of thumb: simpler is almost always better. Patterns draw the viewer's eye away from your face, and your face is the entire point of a headshot.

That said, not all texture is bad. Subtle textures (a fine herringbone, a woven knit, or a textured blazer) actually add visual interest and depth to a photo without the distraction of a pattern. What you want to avoid are repeating geometric shapes, fine stripes, and small busy prints, which can create a visual "vibrating" effect called moiré on camera.

• Avoid: fine stripes, houndstooth (small scale), busy florals, large logos, graphic tees
• Works well: solid-color blazers, knit sweaters, textured dress shirts, simple linen
• Use with intention: large-scale patterns, bold plaids, color-blocked pieces

What Style of Clothing Works Best?

Dress one level above what you'd normally wear to the office. If your industry is business casual, wear business professional. If you're in a creative field, wear your polished version of that aesthetic. Your headshot should represent you at your professional best, not your most casual self.

For a tailored, executive look:

• Well-fitted blazer (navy, charcoal, or black) over a simple blouse or dress shirt
• Structured suit jacket (avoid anything too boxy or too trendy)
• Simple, classic dress or top with a clean neckline

For a warmer, approachable professional look:

• Quality crewneck or V-neck sweater in a rich solid color
• Button-front dress shirt with a clean collar
• Polished blouse with simple draping

Necklines and Collars: A Practical Note

Since headshots are typically framed from the shoulders up, your neckline is one of the most visible elements in the frame. Here's what to keep in mind:

• V-necks and scoop necks create an elongating effect and frame the face well
• Crew necks are clean and simple, excellent for most headshot styles
• Turtlenecks can look polished and sophisticated, especially in cooler tones
• Avoid very low necklines for strictly professional contexts. They can distract from your face
• Collared shirts and blazers add structure and read very well in formal corporate headshots

Jewelry and Accessories

Less is more, but that doesn't mean nothing. Simple, classic pieces add polish without competing with your face.

• Small to medium earrings work well; oversized statement earrings can be distracting
• Simple necklaces are fine; avoid long chains that draw the eye downward out of frame
• Watches and simple bracelets typically aren't in frame for headshots, so don't worry about them
• Glasses: wear them if you wear them daily. Just let your photographer know in advance. Anti-reflective lenses photograph significantly better than standard lenses.

How Many Outfits Should You Bring?

I recommend bringing two to three complete options to your session, even if you only plan to use one. Seeing multiple looks on camera is often surprising; what felt like your "safe" choice in the mirror sometimes sings on screen, while your confident pick occasionally needs to be reconsidered.

For the Signature and Executive packages, having outfit variety gives you more flexibility in your final selections and ensures the images feel versatile across different professional contexts.

The Most Important Thing to Remember

The best headshot outfit is the one that makes you feel like the most confident, capable version of yourself, and photographs well. Those two things aren't in conflict. Use the color and pattern guidance above to narrow your options, then let that feeling be the final vote.

Always bring at least one outfit that makes you feel like you're at the top of your game. That's not vanity. That's strategy. When you feel powerful in what you're wearing, that shows up in your expression, your posture, and the energy you bring into the room. The camera catches all of it.