What to Wear for a Headshot (Without Making It a Big Deal)

Not sure what to wear for a headshot? A simple, practical guide for business owners — outfits, colours, and easy tips for relaxed, professional photos.

If you’ve booked a headshot or branding shoot and your first thought was “I’ve got nothing to wear”, you’re not alone. It’s oddly common. People who can run a business, manage staff, handle clients… suddenly get stuck choosing a shirt.

The easiest way to think about it is this: you’re not dressing for a photoshoot. You’re dressing for a good day at work.

Start with where the photo will be used. If it’s going on LinkedIn, your website, proposals, Google… it needs to look like you. Not a “version of you” that turns up once a year for an awards night. When a photo looks like a costume, people feel it straight away, even if they can’t put their finger on why.

Fit matters more than people expect. If you’re tugging at a collar, adjusting sleeves, or worrying something’s too tight, it’ll show in your face. Pick something you can sit down in, move your arms in, and forget you’re wearing. That’s usually the difference between a relaxed headshot and one that feels stiff.

Keeping it simple tends to work best. Busy patterns and tight stripes can be distracting and sometimes do strange things on camera. Solid colours are usually the safest choice because they keep the attention where it should be — on you. If you want something with a bit more interest, texture is a good shout: a knit, a blazer, a shirt with some structure. It reads well without trying to steal the spotlight.

Colour-wise, don’t overthink it, but avoid anything that’s very close to your skin tone as it can make you look washed out. Bright white can work, but it can also pull the eye away from your face in a tight crop. Black is fine too, but on its own it can feel heavy, so a layer (jacket, overshirt, blazer) often balances it out and adds shape.

Layers are useful for another reason as well: they make you look “finished” without looking like you’ve tried too hard. If you’re unsure what to bring, one option with a layer and one without is plenty.

If you’re in a trade or a local service business, clean workwear or a branded polo can be perfect. It tells people who you are straight away. The only thing to watch is a massive logo that dominates the frame. If you’ve got the choice, bring one branded option and one plain option and we’ll decide on the day what fits the look you want.

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On the practical side, a few small things help more than you’d think. Steam or iron it the night before. Give glasses a quick clean. And try not to arrive mid-rush if you can help it. Ten minutes to settle makes a bigger difference than swapping between five outfits.

If you’re still not sure, don’t worry. Bring two options, not six. Two is ideal. Three if you’re genuinely torn. We’ll pick what works best with the background and lighting and keep it moving. My job is to guide you through it so you don’t feel like you’re guessing what to do with your face.

If you’re putting off new headshots because you’re not sure what to wear (or you just don’t love being photographed), send me a message. If you want to make it easy, send over two outfit options and tell me where you’ll use the images. I’ll tell you which one will work best and suggest the simplest setup for your business.

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