Whenever someone inquires about portraits, personal branding photos or headshots, one of the biggest questions I’m being asked is “What should I wear?”. There’s an easy answer but often this doesn’t help my clients much. So I thought I’d elaborate a little for you today.
By the way, the “easy” answer I’m referring to is “Wear clothes you’re most comfortable in”. Which is exactly what I mean but not everyone knows what to do with this. If this is you, I apologise. Here’s a more extensive answer for you…
What’s your professional and personal clothing style?
What do you wear when you do your job? If you only work from home and never see any of your own clients in person, your answer might be “my favourite sweats”. Obviously, that’s not going to be the best choice for your headshots.
So instead imagine you’re meeting your clients in person. What would you wear? Are you formal or informal? Dress, suit, jeans and t-shirt? I’m not joking when I say that you should wear the clothes that feel the most like you for your headshots. Even if that means you’re wearing bright colours or a grey t-shirt.
The goal for your headshots is for people to see you as you are. We want to show your face and some of your personality. I will never recommend dressing up in clothes that don’t belong to you just so you can portray a version of yourself that’s far from reality. Afterall, if you meet your clients, they need to be able to recognise you. The more you dress up, the less you’ll look and feel like yourself.
Instead of feeling confident, you might actually end up feeling self-conscious in your unfamiliar outfit.
Your business needs to attract the “right” people – any imagery you publish needs to go hand in hand with your messaging, your tone of voice, your mission and your values. Really think about who you are and who you want your clients to see when they meet you.
Obviously your profession will have stereotypes that may influence your style and how you choose to portray yourself. But even that has room for interpretation. If you run your own business, you’re the boss. You choose your outfit.
By the way, if you have branded work clothes like logos on shirts or a branded apron, definitely bring them along for your headshots. However long your headshot session is, there’s always a chance to change outfits and create different looks for different needs.
What not to wear for your headshots
As much as I stand behind what I say above – dress authentically in a style that represents you and your personality – keep in mind where you want to use your photo. There are a few things that should be avoided for different reasons.
- Don’t wear clothes with a logo unless it’s your own.
- Avoid big, busy patterns that distract from your face.
- Block colours usually work well.
- Don’t wear ill-fitting outfits – even if they’re your favourites.
- Avoid showing too much skin – tank tops can be paired with a blazer or cardigan, too much cleavage should be avoided if it can’t be covered. This specifically relates to images you want to use on platforms like LinkedIn.
Afterall, as much as personality is important, you are still a professional. Showing skin is not a general no-go but be mindful of where you use those images and how they shape the impression others get from your photos.
What colours should your headshots feature?
Choosing your colour can open a wormhole. Some people swear by only using clothes featuring their brand colour(s). I’m actually not a huge supporter of that.
Using your brand colour in your photos should be done in a subtle way I think. Depending on your colours, they can be quite overwhelming and bright – and with that be the part of an image the viewers’ eyes get drawn to. But actually, we want people to notice your face first, not your outfit. So choose your outfit colours wisely.
Sometimes, your brand colour might actually not be one that suits you – but it’s a colour you love. I recently had a colour analysis done by a stylist and it was so interesting to learn more about what colours actually suit me compared to what I thought I should wear.
I can absolutely recommend getting a colour analysis to help you with that. Wearing colours that work well with your skin, eye and hair colour will make a huge difference in your photos.
If you’re interested in learning more about that, I can recommend Emmanuelle styliste who offers online and in-person style and image consultation.
How many outfits should I bring to my photo session?
Even during my shortest session, there’s time to at least swap out accessories, if not your complete outfit. It depends on what you need these photos for and what they need to do for you. Chances are you’d like a bit of variety in your photos – in that case, I can recommend bringing a few options that we can go through together at the beginning of your session. We might not be able to shoot you in every outfit but having some choices is not a bad idea.
Bringing a blazer, a jumper or a scarf can transform your outfit by adding layers or textures. Sometimes your favourite outfit might not actually photograph as well as you hope and having another layer or an alternative can help in that situation.
What should I do with my hair?
My quick answer: Wear your hair the way you always do.
Under no circumstances would I recommend getting your hair done right before your session – unless it’s a styling session to make you look like you always look. Don’t get your hair cut a week before your shoot – or even closer to the date. Make sure you know how to style your hair – with a new haircut that can result in challenges.
I don’t usually work with Hair and Make-up artists but I can recommend someone if you need one. But make sure you do a test run with them ahead of your session – you don’t want any surprises or delays on the day.
When in doubt, do your hair and make-up yourself. Again, it’s about showing up authentically as you are, not as the person you think others want to see. I’m absolutely NOT against getting help from a HMAU or a stylist to prepare for your session but only if they help you highlight who you are rather than transform you into a “better” version of yourself that you won’t be able to recognise in your photos.
Can I bring accessories and props?
If you book a full personal branding session, I will 100% recommend bringing props to your session. That would be mobile phone, laptop, maybe a notebook or a book, a camera, a reusable coffee mug or anything that you feel works well with your personality and style. But even a shorter session can benefit from some props that support your images.
Jewellery and scarves are easy accessories to change up your outfit without getting completely changed as well.
When you book your session with me, you’ll get a PDF guide that gives you more tips and recommendations on how to prepare for your session. I want you to feel as confident as possible in choosing me as your photographer. Usually we go through location, clothing and prep during a zoom call. Sometimes questions only pop up right before your shoot though when you decide on your outfits. If that happens, you’ll be able to email or message me to help you get ready.
