Did you book a Headshot or Small Business Session and aren’t quite sure what to wear? You’ve come to the right place. The key for these photo sessions is polished simplicity! This should make clothing decisions a lot easier. Read on to check out my Headshot/Personal Branding Session wardrobe tips so you can feel super prepared for your session.

What Colors to Wear

You’ll hear me say it over and over, but simple is almost always better for photos. When it comes to colors, I recommend solid, muted colors that contrast with your skin tone and hair. If you want to use a little color to let your personality come across, that’s great—just steer clear of bright red and bright yellow. These two colors, in particular, can reflect harshly onto the skin.

Hoping to wear your favorite shirt that has a pattern? That’s totally fine if it’s a small pattern! Skip the larger, busier prints as those can pull too much attention away from your face (the real star of the show).

If your session will be held at an outdoor location where there will be a lot of greenery, try to avoid wearing yellow-greens that are similar to the color of grass/trees so there won’t be a camouflage situation. Check out the photo below for a blue-green that works great with this kind of backdrop.

Just remember, keep it simple and clean!

The Right Fit

Aim to pick an outfit that you won’t need to be tugging at or fixing the whole time we’re shooting. An ill-fitting piece of clothing often causes us to get more shots of you adjusting than great headshots! With short sessions like this, this is definitely not something we want you to focus on.

If your outfit has the slightest chance of having bra straps or shapewear peek out (that you wouldn’t want in your photos), choose a different dress, top, piece of shapewear or bra altogether.

Important note: Please try not to wear anything too tight in the arms that would constrict you from posing naturally. It might sound odd, but I use arms to make a shot look more casual and natural. When your arms can’t move, it can look really awkward and stiff!

Pockets!

If you can, try to wear something that has pockets that are comfortable to put your hands in (whether that be a jacket, blazer, or pants).

I recommend that you actually test a piece of clothing out by putting your hands in the pockets to make sure they’re not at an awkward height.

Hands have a way of suddenly becoming a little stiff in front of the camera. Pockets let you forget about your hands for a bit and create a way more casual/comfortable vibe.

Consider Location

It's important to align wardrobe with location. Is your session going to be at a park? If so, I wouldn't recommend anything too dressy (e.g. you probably wouldn't wear heels at a park).

If your session will be at an office or somewhere more urban, dress like you’re going to a meeting with clients or going to a job interview (think polished and professional).

Outfit Suggestions

A blazer/jacket over a t-shirt or blouse and jeans can be a great option—it feels smart, yet super approachable. If it’s warm out, opt for wearing a blouse without the jacket. If it’s a little colder, feel free to bring an additional layer like a cardigan if you'd like some variety!

A button-down shirt is always a classic look, but if your session is at a park, try wearing a more casual version (avoid the crisp collars). Soft fabrics like linen can make shirts like this feel more casual.

Lastly, knit long-sleeve shirts or simple sweaters are a simple, versatile option that can photograph beautifully in a wide range of different environments.

On top of that, accessories can make outfits more fun and interesting and help express your personality in photos. I recommend trying out different necklaces, earrings, or scarves and checking a mirror to see whether it looks better with or without.

Build Around One Piece

Have a piece of clothing you love and know you want to wear for your session but aren’t sure how to style it? Let’s use a black blazer as an example. Head over to Pinterest and type in “Black blazer outfits.” From there, find outfits that jump out at you and see if anything in your closet is similar to the other pieces they’re wearing.

You probably won’t have the exact items they have, but aim to replicate the shape and colors of the pieces to mimic the feel of the look. 

Check Your Closet Before Shopping

Before you go out and buy all new outfits for this session, give this a shot:

1. Go into your closet and grab your go-to favorite outfit for a polished look

2. Try it on.

3. See how you feel!

Typically, this is the outfit you’ll find most comfortable and feel the most confident in. This totally changes how you’ll be photographed!

The last thing you want to think about is a shirt that doesn’t fit as well as you thought.

Hair and Makeup

When it comes to hair and makeup, I recommend doing both a little more than your everyday look, but not over the top. If you’re not typically a makeup wearer and you’d like to put some on for your session, I recommend using just a small amount (eg a coat of mascara and some blush).

Feel free to have your makeup professionally done, but make sure your makeup artist knows you’re looking for a more natural look. Wearing significantly more makeup than you would usually wear can take away from letting these images be as “you” as they can be and cause you to not quite recognize yourself.

Styling your hair the way you normally do is my main recommendation when it comes to hair. We want these photos to be unrecognizably you and typically the most practice you have with a certain hairstyle is the way it’ll look best.

Not feeling super confident in the way you do your hair? Schedule a blowout for the day of your session—huge bonus if you can get an appointment with someone who you usually go to!