What to Wear for A Headshot

Simple Tips (With a Cummulative Effect)

A lot of my tips today are insanely simple but when you use them all together it has a cumulative effect which can make your results dramatically improve. This is exactly how to figure out what to wear for a Photoshoot.

Let’s just start with the right preparation.

Prep & Laundry

Correctly launder all the clothing you plan to wear in your next session. Make sure it is correctly ironed and properly transported to keep it looking pristine on shoot day.

Undercrackers!

Sorting out some new grundies is the first level of this topic.

You can step this up further with shapewear or a pro bra fitting if you have boobs.

The overall goal of having great underwear on underneath your headshot outfit is to ensure you have a smooth silhouette. If you wear ill-fitting underwear it’s gonna make that new dress look cheap n nasty.

Shapewear

Great shapewear makes you feel more confident too.

So everyone unite, Let’s embrace the spandex!

Bear in mind the colour of your underwear too.  If it clashes with your outfit in any way you’re gonna regret it. When in doubt plum for a nude colour that works with your skin tone.

Head-To-Toe

Remembering a very simple h2t philosophy when you think about what to wear for a photoshoot is a great way to plan the right way for your next session.

From taking a hat right through to thinking about what shoes go with your outfit you can put yourself in the right place to make sure that when you shoot a couple of those full-length crops, you will be able to use them because your shoes match the rest of your outfit.

Accessories

Taking a mix of accessories along with what to wear for a headshot is a really clever way to make it look like you have a lot of options in your results.

For example, a man’s session in a simple black tee can be made to look vastly different with a watch, a couple of hats, a hoody, or a cardigan.

For women, statement jewellery is a really easy way to dress up and dress down the same outfit.  You can do a million things with a couple of scarves. If you have long hair I always recommend you begin your shoot with your hair down. Then, over the session put it up.  It’s always easier to build up a look over the duration of a shoot than strip things back.

Light Colours: A Breath Of Fresh Air

Opting for light colours can dramatically uplift any scene. Shades like pastels, whites, and soft neutrals evoke feelings of youthfulness, freshness, and airiness. These colours can create an inviting and cheerful atmosphere, making them ideal for settings that aim to convey optimism or a sense of new beginnings. In portraits, light colours can soften the subject’s features, allowing their personality and energy to shine through. This choice is particularly effective in outdoor settings or during daylight hours, where the natural light can enhance the luminosity of these hues, resulting in a radiant and vibrant image.

Dark Colours: Emphasising Presence and Exprression

Conversely, wearing dark colours offers a unique opportunity to draw attention to the subject’s face and expressions, especially in tighter crops, such as those commonly used in acting headshots. Deep hues like navy, black, or dark green create a striking contrast against the skin, helping facial features to pop. This effect is particularly useful where conveying confidence and authority is essential. The richness of dark colours can add depth and intensity to the image, allowing the viewer to focus on the nuances of the subject’s expression. In close-up portraits, this choice can evoke a sense of drama and sophistication, making the subject appear more commanding and engaged.

Balancing Light and Dark on Your Shoot

Ultimately, the choice between light and dark colours in photography depends on the desired mood and message. While light colours can infuse a scene with energy and positivity, dark colours can establish a sense of gravitas and focus. Understanding how these colour choices interact with lighting, composition, and the subject’s expression allows for more intentional and effective storytelling in every shot.

Patterns

When it comes to selecting outfits for photography sessions, the impact of bright colours and busy patterns can vary greatly depending on the context and intent of the shoot. While these elements can add excitement and vibrancy, they can also prove distracting if not approached thoughtfully.

The Distraction Factor of Bright Colours and Patterns

Very bright colours and busy patterns can draw attention away from the subject, diverting the viewer’s focus from the intended message or emotion of the photograph. In our photoshoot, the primary aim is to highlight your personality and expression. If the outfit is too loud or visually chaotic, it can overwhelm the viewer, making it difficult to engage with the subject on a deeper level. This is particularly true in professional settings where conveying clarity and professionalism is key.

Layering For Balance

When in doubt about how to incorporate patterns or bright colours into your look, a layered approach is often the best solution. By keeping the pattern contained within a layered ensemble—such as wearing a patterned shirt underneath a solid-coloured outer layer—you can maintain visual interest without compromising the overall focus on the subject. This technique allows for the playfulness of a pattern to peek through while ensuring that the more neutral outer layer grounds the look.

Creating Cohesion in Visual Storytelling

In essence, the key to using bright colours and patterns effectively in photography lies in balance and cohesion. It’s important to consider the overall aesthetic and message you want to convey in your images. By thoughtfully integrating patterns and colors into a layered look, you can enhance your visual storytelling while keeping the focus where it belongs—on you.

When it comes to colours you want to opt for colourways that compliment your colouring, your skin tone, hair and eye colour.

Your Brand Colours

It’s great to integrate your brand colour into your outfit but this can look bad quickly if done in the wrong way.  Wearing a full orange suit with an orange tie and shirt and hat and shoes is for sure “on brand” but let’s be honest, you’re gonna look like a bit of a muppet dressed like that. If you have a cool skin tone that really doesn’t suit orange you’re double-doomed.

Instead, you could throw in an orange pocket square, or add a pop of orange in an accessory to have your brand colour integrate AND compliment you at the same time.

A Quick Tip (To Get Started)

To see if you are warm or cool is to look at the veins in your wrists.  If they look blue-purple-ish you’re cool and if they look more greenish you’re warm. This is step one of getting a proper colour analysis with a professional stylist. Which I am not.

Textures & Shapes

I love a bit of texture in any photography session.

In fact, I’m a bit of a texture geek.  I even make notes of the textures of walls.  If you plan to shoot in a place with a really FLAT background you can recover this with wearing texture.  A big jumper looks great next to a flat backdrop for example.

Plan to take something textured to your next session to give variety and choice. Shapes and clothing can be confusing.

Necklines

When it comes to what to wear for a headshot think about the shape your neckline creates around your face.  Tiny thin straps can give you a naked look if cropped tightly.  Or bulky jackets with big collars can give you a pinhead look.

A V-neck is going to give a rounded face a bit more structure and sometimes a touch of masculinity.  A Round neck will soften your overall look.   Always try to avoid wearing brands or clothes that are really on-trend.  Big brand labels are never a good idea on a photoshoot when in doubt keep it simple.

Very trendy looks will date pretty quickly.  This is fine if you are focused on bringing a fashion element into your look, but it will mean you have to update your photography in line with the fashion seasons.

Your Brand Mood

Being in the brand photography world means that I’m always analysing the mood you are giving in your professional headshots.  This can be hugely affected by what you are wearing.

And Emotion

If you want to convey openness and friendliness wearing a tight high collar and some restrictive layers is going to jar with that message.

If you want to convey skill and professionalism, wearing loose ultra-casual leisurewear is going to jar.

That being said, if your brand is actually about a jarring message then dressing you in clothes that have a conflicting message to what you do might be putting you precisely on brand. I can help you with that too.

The Pimp-Daddy Accountant

Perhaps an accountant who dresses like a pimped-out rapper cos she delivers accounting services to the showbiz and adult industry world?

It’s all online, it’s 100% paperless, and she can hide invoice categories into “entertainment budgets” so you are all cool with the taxman. If you are that lady, please get in touch in the comments below so I can buy you a cocktail and learn about your exciting life!

The Elements

I love to shoot out on location as much as possible.  That’s my personal style and approach.

This can sometimes be pretty challenging for you in what to wear for a Headshot.  If I need you to walk up the side of a big slippery hill so we can get to a gorgeous vista, it’s better you bring your hiking boots with you and a big pair of cosy socks.

With A Shoe-Hack

Then when we get to the top you can go barefoot or throw on the Jimmy Choos.

Be Practical

I wear a lot of very unsexy but practical outdoor wear to a shoot, my crew is de-briefed to do the same.  If you are out shooting on a cold day:

• bring the thermos,
• bring your big coat that has no shape.

I want you warm and safe between sets.  On the flip side, if we are out in a hot climate, you need to show up with something to protect you from the sun:

• A big floppy hat,
• a sarong, and the mumu!

Think about the outfit that will end up in the final image when you are planning what to wear for a headshot.