How Should I Dress When Getting a Headshot?

DRESS COMFORTABLY AND AVOID BUSY CLOTHING AND JEWELRY

In terms of clothing – definitely be your usual stylish, fashionable self but bear in mind that the subject of your photograph is your face and not your outfit. Make sure to wear something you feel confident and comfortable in so that mood comes through in pictures.

For a traditional business look, classic dark suits are a great choice. To choose a well-pairing tie, aim to wear a shade that falls between the color of the suit and shirt underneath. A crew neck undershirt in place of a v-neck undershirt is often better especially with thinner lighter colored shirts where the neckline may show through.

For a business casual look, skip the jacket and opt for a colored dress shirt or blouse that, ideally, is darker than your skin tone. In both cases, a timeless headshot will be best served absent of all jewelry.

Overall, avoid things like turtlenecks and clothing with bold and distracting patterns and colors.  Also, avoid clothing with grid-like squares or minuscule herringbone patterns.  Avoid shiny and reflective articles of clothing, and avoid black cotton shirts as they pick up lint very easily. Also, refrain from wearing neutral gray clothing if you will be photographed on a gray background. Female executives may want to avoid wearing short sleeves or sleeveless blouses as they draw attention to bare arms.

In all cases, avoid clothing with busy patterns, colors, graphics or text.  And, although we discourage jewelry of any type, if you so choose to wear a chain or neckless, it should be short enough so that it does not get cut-off in the final image. Remember, a traditional headshot is cropped just below the shoulders.

For a more in-depth look at what it takes to prepare for the perfect headshot, request my free eBook ‘Guide to the Perfect Headshot’.