One of the most important parts about working with our clients, is helping them figure out what to wear for a headshot session. We believe that one of the basic things to avoid wearing are clothes with busy patterns. If you think about where most headshots end up, like LinkedIn, email signatures, or casting websites, then you will understand how important it is for the face to stand out. Having anything that distracts from that in the image can take away from making a great first impression. Your clothing, the background, and every other element in the headshot should support the person in the image, not compete with them.
If you are planning on having a professional portrait session, definitely include some unique and fun articles of clothing if that’s your brand. For your basic headshot, however, it’s always our advice to choose simple and classic pieces of clothing with solid colors that complement your natural coloring. If you need help with what colors look best on you, check out our blog post on Picking the Right Colors for Your Skin Tone. Check out the 60-second video above to see an example. If you have any questions about what to wear, we are always happy to provide resources as well as share ideas back and forth. Many of our clients even text us photos of their clothing ideas ahead of time so we can make sure that we make great selections for their headshot session.
Video Transcript – What to Wear for a Headshot Session
In our FAQ we suggest to our clients that they do their very best to avoid busy patterns. Here’s why. Our philosophy is that your face, your expression is the star of your headshot. Everything else, the clothes, the background, are supporting actors. By the time your images get to LinkedIn or a casting website, they are going to be so small that it will be really important for your face to be thing that draws attention. In those situations, you don’t want want a shirt like THIS…Chewing up scenery.
Busy patterns, crazy colors, and wild accessories definitely have their place in business and lifestyle portraits. For your basic headshot, we recommend that you pick a classic piece in a solid color that complements your natural complexion.
Now that’s better.
If we pair that with a complementary background, we create the style and color harmony that will make your headshot, and most importantly, your FACE, stand out.