What to Wear for Professional Headshots and Branding Photos How to Look Polished, Confident, and Elevated.
What you wear for your headshots or branding photos matters more than most people realize-not because of trends, but because clothing communicates:
Confidence
Authority
Professionalism
Positioning
Brand identity
The wrong outfit can:
Cheapen the image
Distract from your face
Age the photo instantly
Make you look unsure or uncomfortable
The right outfit does the opposite;
It elevates everything.
This guide walks you through exactly what to wear for professional photos so you look:
Polished
Timeless
Intentional
Like the highest version of yourself
Start With This Question
Before picking clothing, ask:
“How do I want to be perceived?”
Examples:
Executive and authoritative
Approachable and warm
Creative and visionary
Luxe and refined
Bold and modern
Your wardrobe should reinforce that, not contradict it. You wouldn’t wear a soft lacy dress if your brand is powerful SEO hard charger. Likewise if you own a company that offers a High Tea experience, I wouldn’t expect you to be wearing a black pantsuit and shades.
What Colors Photograph Best
Best choices:
Black
White
Cream
Taupe
Soft gray
Navy
Earth tones
Muted jewel tones
These:
Photograph cleanly
Age well
Don’t compete with your face
Feel timeless
Avoid:
Neon
Loud patterns (unless it’s part of your brand, I’m of the opinion that cheetah print can be a neutral)
Logos again unless it is your brand- skip the tacky logos.
Tiny prints
Distracting textures
The goal is you first, clothing second.
Headshots differ from branding photos in this sense. They’re more subdued and the typical professional photo- if you want personality and life, let’s chat branding.
What Styles Work Best
Look for:
Clean lines
Tailored fits
Structured silhouettes
Elevated fabrics
Great options:
Blazers
Silk blouses
Well-fitted knits
Button-downs
Dresses with structure
Minimal layers
Avoid:
Baggy clothing
Wrinkles
Ultra-trendy pieces
Low-quality fabrics
Anything you constantly adjust
If you’re tugging at it, or you feel uncomfortable-it’s wrong.
How to Choose Necklines
Necklines shape your face on camera.
Most flattering:
V-necks
Scoop necks
Open collars
Soft boat necks
Avoid:
Tight crew necks
High necklines
Halters
Chokers
These shorten the neck and crowd the frame. We want long, elegant, and uncluttered.
Jewelry, Accessories, and Hair
Jewelry:
We don’t have to suck the personality out of you but use good judgement here.
Keep it minimal
No noisy earrings
No statement necklaces
No trend-heavy pieces
Hair:
Natural, polished, intentional
Avoid dramatic last-minute changes
Avoid heavy styling products that create stiffness
Makeup:
Our hair and makeup artists are trained for headshot styling, however here are some good tips
Camera-ready, not evening makeup
Even skin tone
Soft definition
Nothing overly matte or heavy
The goal is refined, not overdone.
Should You Bring Multiple Outfits?
Yes! Ideally 3–5 outfits.
This gives:
Variety across platforms
Flexibility for different brand moods
More usable images from one session
A well-designed branding shoot should create:
Website imagery
Social content
PR-ready portraits
Marketing assets
Headshots
Lifestyle imagery
All from one session. When we begin to incorporate more outfits and looks we begin to get a bit of personality and see deeper. This is borderline branding but a bit more refined.
Common Wardrobe Mistakes That Ruin Photos
Wearing something uncomfortable
Dressing like someone else
Choosing trends instead of timeless
Ignoring fit
Over-accessorizing
Trying to look “fun” instead of credible
The camera magnifies uncertainty.
It rewards confidence.
Final Thought
The best outfit is not the most fashionable one.
It’s the one that makes you feel:
Grounded
Powerful
Comfortable
Aligned
Your outfits make or break a session. Invest in high quality, well fitting options for your shoot. One great outfit will do more than 10 “okay” selections. When you feel good, the camera follows.
-Storm