What to wear for business headshot

What to wear for Business Headshots

Guidance for Professionals

One of the most common questions I get asked when commissioned for business headshots is, “What to wear for business headshot?” It’s a question I get asked by both men and women alike. Colours, tones, patterns or no patterns, light or dark—it can all be enough to make your head spin!

Your business headshot is more than just a photo—it’s how the outside world will perceive you and make an immediate judgement, so you want to get it right.

In this article, I’ll go through a list of rules (made to be broken) which will help you make the right choices for you on what to wear for your business headshot.

Whether you’re a corporate executive, small business owner, or entrepreneur, your image should convey confidence, approachability, and professionalism. Choosing the right outfit is of course hugely important, but people often overthink their clothing choices for their headshot. After all, it’s not a fashion shoot to show off your clothes.

Choose clothes that you feel comfortable wearing both in the fit and the style. Don’t go out of your comfort zone with something that would make you feel self-conscious wearing to out in public.

10 Tips on What to Wear for your Business Headshot

I have built up a wealth of experience which I have distilled down to a shortlist to make the decision of what to wear for your business headshot as easy as pie.

Follow the advice below and I’ll have you feeling comfortable, confident, and fearless, so when you step in front of the camera you know the result is going to be a picture you’ll love.

1. Stick with your style

How dressed up do you need to be? Only you can answer that. If you still wear a suit to work every day, wear your favourite suit. If you haven’t worn a tie since lockdown then wearing a tie probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Once your clothes are appropriate for what you do or what you want to convey, the session is all about getting great expressions. Your audience want to see you looking like “you”.

2. Make sure your clothes fit

Well-fitting clothing is key—anything too loose can make you appear larger than you are and smother your shape. While anything too tight can expose seams and buttonholes to undue pressure.

Once you’re happy that your clothes fit you well, think about choosing “fitted” rather than loose-fitting clothes. Fitted clothes make you look slimmer on camera.

Women

Choose an unfussy neckline—think timeless and classic.
Layering is a great way to quickly change up your look in the studio. For example, a crisp white shirt can easily be dressed up with a blazer then scarf. Layering helps to soften the neckline and creates an opportunity to use complementary colours. If you have lots of hair coming down onto your shoulders, layering at the neckline creates a soft, even frame for the face.
Fabric with texture looks great if that’s your thing.

Men

Business Casual Look – Light colour button shirt, open neck, collar under jacket lapel, collar stays, dark well-fitted jacket.
Formal Look – Light-coloured, plain or small-patterned shirt, tie, dark suit jacket. Ensure your shirt collar is the right fit for your neck and the tie is neatly knotted, covering the top button.
If you plan to do jacket on / jacket off, don’t choose a white shirt as it can look too bright against your skin. A light colour like blue or a subtle pattern works well.

3. Solid colour over busy patterns

I always recommend mid-tone plain colours. They are universally flattering, ensure your face remains the focal point of the image and work best under the studio lighting.

Neutral colours – remember you’re not modelling the clothes, you don’t want the clothes to draw attention away from you
Best colours for Women: Choose colour with depth. Navy, deep green, maroon, chocolate brown, and well-saturated blues and purples. Classic, timeless
Colours to avoid: Black can come across as too sombre or severe but is easily softened with jewellery or layering. While pastels, cream, and beige can wash out under some lighting.
Patterns: Solid colours work best or very subtle patterns. Avoid busy patterns, stripes, or loud prints that can distract from your face.

4. Coordinate with your brand subtly

Your headshot should align with your professional brand.

If you own a business or represent a company with signature colours, consider subtly incorporating them into your outfit. However, avoid being too “matchy”, your outfit should complement your brand, not overwhelm it.

5. Keep accessories simple and professional

Accessories should enhance your image, not distract from it.

Jewellery: Less is more. Opt for subtle earrings, necklaces, or watches. If bold jewellery is part of your personal style, make sure it doesn’t overpower your look.
Glasses: See the dedicated section below.

6. Makeup and Grooming: keep it natural

While professional makeup services are not required, I often work with a professional makeup artist.

Women: Stills photography, unlike film or video, requires a much lighter touch with the makeup brush. Aim for a natural look with neutral makeup. Avoid overly glossy or shimmery products and remember that it’s the eyes and mouth that the person viewing your photo will focus on.
Men: A fresh shave or well-groomed beard helps maintain a polished look.

7. Layering and texture add visual interest

Layering adds depth to your outfit, which can help create a more dynamic image.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with textures and layers. A scarf or pashmina can be an easy change between a summer look and a winter look. It will also change your neckline and add volume, texture, and dimension to the photo.

Jacket on, jacket off, add a top? It’s an easy way to create different looks……

A crisply ironed shirt by itself will give you a look that works well across many different sectors and looks great under a jacket too.

Textured fabrics, such as tweed or subtle weaves, can add visual interest without being distracting.

8. Things to avoid

Avoiding fashion trends is advisable. Once you have a headshot you love, it’s likely to be around for years so you won’t want it to go out of date because of a the shoulder pad revival that was in vogue.

Certain wardrobe choices can detract from your image:

Busy patterns and logos: Keep the focus on you, not the fabric.
Overly bright colours: These can be distracting and create harsh reflections.
Ill-fitting clothing: Clothes that are too big or too small can create unflattering lines.
Casual outfits: Unless your industry leans toward a relaxed dress code, avoid overly casual looks like t-shirts, hoodies, or sportswear.
Bare shoulders or arms: Avoid sleeveless tops, as bare arms highlight the contrast between the tone and colour of your arms with your face. You also risk showing your armpits in certain poses, and that is best avoided with most people.

9. Aligning your outfit with personal branding

Your headshot is a powerful tool for your personal brand. Consider what message you want to convey:

Leadership and authority: A jacket and strong colours like navy or deep green project confidence.
Approachability: Softer, warm tones like maroon or deep blues can make you seem more welcoming.
Creativity: If you’re in a creative industry, a pop of colour (in moderation) can showcase personality while keeping things professional.

10. Wearing glasses for your headshot

It’s fine to wear glasses for your shoot. If they’re part of you, then they need to be included. People won’t recognise you without them – that’s a headshot fail. However, they must be spotlessly clean, any fingerprints or dust will show up in the final image.

If you wear glasses at your desk but won’t be wearing them for the photos, make sure you take them off at least half an hour before the shoot. The last thing you want is those little red marks on the side of your nose showing up in the photo!

11. There are no rules!

If you love it, bring it.

We’re all individuals and rules are there to be broken. This is just a guide to get you thinking about some of the issues that may not have occurred to you.

The session is about you, not your clothes

In conclusion for what to wear for business headshot

At the end of the day, it’s all about wearing clothes that feel right to you and have you feeling positive and self-assured. This will shine out in the photos and you’ll be excited to upload your new business headshot to your profile page or LinkedIn.

Follow the advise above and I guarantee you’ll love your photos.

Contact me now to book your session!

P.S. It’s a little known fact that 20% of all time on LinkedIn is spent looking at profile pictures. So make sure you take the steps necessary to make sure your headshot really stands out and shows the best side of your business.

Some people put as much emphasis on this as they might for their wedding photography! You can also see some great tips here about how to get the best out of your time in front of the camera.