What to Wear for My Professional Headshots?

You might’ve asked to yourself, "what to wear for my professional headshots session?" when faced with a photo session but have no idea on what to wear. The fact that sometimes you feel overwhelmed or confused when choosing suitable attire for a photo session doesn't help either.

But rest assured, if you feel this pressure, that means you know that the right outfit could convey professionalism, confidence, and personality to the onlookers. With this article, we will help you choose the perfect attire for your professional headshots, so you can get that captivating headshot.

Understanding the Dress Code

Before choosing what outfit you want to use, you need to be aware of what industry you’re working in. It wouldn’t be too funny when you dress for a profession that you aren’t, such as dressing like a lawyer or front desk, when your actual job is a cinematographer.

The Corporate

If your career involves working in a corporate setting, then you want to look professional, because you are representing the company. For men you could pick sport coat, suit, dress shirt, or a tie, and make sure that your clothes are clean and free of pet hair. 

While for the office lady, you could choose combination between blouse and skirt, a blouse and trousers, or a suit jacket over a shift dress.  You could also consider wearing knits paired with jersey fabrics, as they fit nicely on the body.

Tech and Startups

In the tech industry or startups, they usually embraces a more relaxed dress code, such as a smart casual look. Because the line between business casual and smart-casual is blurred, you could very well go with jeans, shorts, and short-sleeved shirts as long as they are not too revealing.

Smart-casual aims to make you appear more approachable but still competent. Men can wear a combination of chino shorts with a short-sleeved collared, polo shirts paired with khakis or jeans, or maybe fitted blazers with jeans.

While the ladies can choose to wear casual dresses such as sleeveless tailored shirts, skirts, or well-fitting jeans paired with blouses or sweaters.

Creative Industry

As its name implies, this industry thrives on individuality and creativity, so you could focus more on uniquely expressing yourself. For your photo session, you could go with casual, semi-casual, or mix and match between the two styles, whichever makes you more relaxed and better expressing yourself.

Just remember to look for clothing guidelines to ensure the attire remains appropriate and straightforward. Men can wear jeans or khakis with polo shirts, casual button-down shirts, t-shirts, and other casual clothing.

For the women, you could express yourself by wearing jeans, casual dresses, skirts, and tops, along with comfortable shoes like flats or stylish sneakers. As long you avoid wearing inappropriate clothing or skirt, keep the midriff covered and don’t expose too much thigh.

Colors, Pattern, and Accessories for That Amazing Looks

When taking professional headshots, keep in mind that you should be the main focus of the photo. Therefore, it's best to avoid clothing that has very bright colors or big patterns as they can be distracting. There's no “one size fits all” for color and pattern, some might work in one style but not so well on others.

Formal/Bussiness Professional

For both of these styles, neutral colors like white, black, gray, and navy could help bring an aura of professionalism and trustworthiness. However, when going for the formal look, you should keep a patterned suit or tie to a minimum. On the other hand, if you're aiming for a business professional look, a uniquely patterned tie is a okay.

When it comes to accessories, it's best to keep things minimal. A nice watch, tie, vest, or a pair of simple earrings can add just the right amount of detail without being too distracting.

Smart Casual/Casual

As these styles are usually worn by people who work in creative or tech industries, you could do some experiments with brighter colors and unique patterns. By doing so, you can appear more confident, energetic, and with strong identities to yourself and your work.

It also allows you to use more standout accessories, such as artistic bracelets, smartwatches, knit sweaters, silk blouses with plaids, or clothing with pinstripe textures to make yourself more stylish. You could also go with simpler patterns if you prefer a cleaner casual look, which could complement your headshot without becoming a distraction.

Whichever color or patterns you choose, just keep in mind that it shouldn't be too bold or overwhelming as they might overshadow your face and take the focus away from you.

What to Avoid

Avoid bright neon colors or shiny materials as it can be distracting and may not look good on camera. Which could potentially affect the overall mood and tone of the photo. Additionally, very light pastels might wash out against lighter backgrounds, while darker colors may not show up well against dark backgrounds.

You also need to avoid older or worn-out clothing, as it may not look presentable in the final results. You also need to avoid white, black, or grey undershirts as they can be distracting when paired with a dress shirt. Additionally, if you are not wearing a tie, make sure that you have a stiff collar because floppy collar could make your headshots look sloppy.

Now You're Ready!

Congratulations, now you can create your perfect style for a professional headshots session! Your attire will surely suit your style with the right color, pattern, and accessories.

At aiheadshot.biz, we understand that choosing the right attire can be a daunting task and that's why we offer you our services to take the burden off your shoulders. Our advanced AI software will generate your professional headshots with the perfect outfits for your needs. So, sit back, relax, and let us take care of your attire needs.