What to Wear for a Headshot?

 

What to wear for a headshot should reflect how you show up professionally, not what you think a headshot is supposed to look like.

In most cases, that means clothing that is simple, well-fitted, and aligned with your role and industry.

Before shoot day, send your team a simple brief. What people wear for their headshot has a direct impact on how the final images look, and on how consistent the set looks across the whole group. A little guidance upfront on what to wear for a headshot saves a lot of retouching time after.

Here’s what to pass along.

What to Wear for a Professional Headshot

• simple
• fitted
• neutral to your industry
• not distracting

Stick to mid-to-dark tones

Avoid bright colors and bold patterns. The goal is for faces to read clearly, not clothing. Solid colors in navy, charcoal, slate, burgundy, and forest green all work well. White shirts are fine under a jacket. On their own, they draw too much light and compete with the face.

Fit matters more than formality

Clothes should fit well and be in good condition. No fraying, no visible wear. Beyond that, the level of formality should match what your firm typically wears. Don’t ask people to dress up beyond their normal register. Uncomfortable people make uncomfortable portraits.

Specific guidance for women

Avoid sleeveless or strapless tops as they create awkward crops at the shoulder. Avoid plunging or heavily detailed necklines. Keep jewelry simple: smaller earrings, a single necklace. Nothing that competes with the face.

Specific guidance for men

If wearing a tie, lean toward contemporary colors like blues, pinks, muted greens. Skip navy, olive, and traditional power red. If the shoot includes three-quarter length portraits, the full outfit needs to work not just the top half.

Hair and skin

Haircuts should happen at least a week before the shoot, not the day before. Color should be retouched if it’s very noticeable. Facials within 48 hours of a shoot frequently cause redness or breakouts. Both are worth mentioning to your team.

Glasses

Anyone who wears glasses should come with clean, smudge-free lenses. Non-reflective lenses are strongly preferred. Blue light blocking glasses alter skin tone around the eyes under studio lighting. Photochromic lenses, the kind that darken in sunlight, are problematic under flash equipment. If someone wears either, they should plan to shoot without glasses or bring a spare pair.

Bring options

Ask everyone to bring a second outfit if possible. Backdrop color and layering choices sometimes change the calculus on what reads best. Having a backup avoids having to reshoot.

Send this a week out. It gives people enough time to sort out a haircut or dry cleaning without making it feel like a last-minute scramble.

A Note on Makeup (when applicable)

The biggest issue with skin, both male and female, is shine under lighting. We take care of it with oil-absorbing paper. You might ask why not just use a little powder but there’s a problem with that approach:

1. Photographers are not makeup artists.
2. Photographers aren’t licensed as makeup artists because they’re not makeup artists.
3. Photographers cannot secure insurance as makeup artists because… see #2.

With that knowledge in mind, we have worked with all kinds of makeup artists including ones who apply basic powder, clip nostril and ear hair, and smooth hairstyles… and all that in 5 minutes before a team member sets foot in front of the camera. Whether you are an individual or a corporate entity, we’re happy to talk about the possibilities.

Read more – Should you hire a makeup artist?

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A Simple Way to Decide What to Wear

• If you would wear it to meet an important client, it will work.
• If it feels like a costume, it won’t.
• If it draws attention away from your face, it’s the wrong choice.
• If you feel comfortable and like yourself, it will photograph well.

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