What to Wear for Professional Headshots

So your headshot session is coming up and you don’t know what to wear…

Before deciding what to wear, take a moment to think about the purpose of your headshot session. Is this for your personal business? For your employer? For potential new job opportunities? Or just for personal reasons? This will help you narrow down to a direction and overall vibe that you want to incorporate in your session.

It’s important to know your market. Are you a realtor that is more laid back and wants to feel personable to your potential clients? Are you a CEO that wants to communicate top-of-the-line professionalism? Are you a small business owner who wants to show the personality of you and whatever you’re selling?

1. Outfit Selection

• So now that you have a general idea of what you want out of your session, let’s brainstorm. Here are some tips for outfit selection

  • Make sure your outfits are well fitting. Not only can you tell in the image when an outfit might be too lose, too tight, etc., but the discomfort we get from wearing an outfit that doesn’t fit us perfectly is often communicated in the image. A well tailored suit is going to bring out a confidence in you that drowning in a baggy blazer simply won’t.

  • If you are one to accessorize, then by all means please do. A subtle necklace or a nice watch can really elevate a look and make a statement. But too much of a good thing can become a distraction for the eye and take away from the focus of the image.

  • Depending on the industry, you might not need to be in a 3 piece suit. A pair of jeans and your favorite blouse might suffice. Know your audience, and determine your outfit based on that. People love authenticity; your headshot outfit is such a direct way of expressing personality in a professional setting. Consider adding a little personality. Ex. Graphic tee under your blazer, fun and colorful top, your favorite necklace, etc.

  • If you feel like picking an outfit or doing your own hair and makeup is too much of a challenge, opt in for a professional hair and makeup artist as well as a professional stylist. This will help relieve all the pressure AND give you images that will truly stand out. The professionals know what needs to be done to look your best on camera; let them take the reins.

2. Grooming and Makeup

• It is important to have a polished look for your headshots. But polished doesn’t mean devoid of personality, it just means a level of care and attention to detail. Nails are a good example. If painted or fake nails are your thing, then absolutely do that. If they aren’t your thing, that is great too. But make sure your nails are well kept; things like dirt under your nails show up in photos and it doesn’t exactly communicate professionalism. If your headshots are on a small screen, people might not notice. But sometimes little details like that stick out. Clean and well kept hands communicate attention to detail and professionalism.

• Hair is another example of this. Wear your hair however you are most comfortable, but make sure to comb it out before your session to minimize distracting flyaways and tangles. We do our best to smooth out flyaways in post, but sometimes it is out of our control.

3. What to Avoid

• Avoid fabrics that attract a lot of lint. This stuff shows up on your images, and while we do our best to get rid of what we can in post, sometimes it’s too much for us to get.

• As discussed before, avoid ill fitting clothes

• Avoid getting a new haircut days before your session. Your hair needs time to settle after a new cut. You don't want to deal with unruly bangs or a quiff that just won’t lay right.