What To Wear For Professional Headshots
A 5-minute read for Realtors
“Dress how you want to be addressed.”
-Bianca Frazier
The way we dress influences what others believe about us. These beliefs included how smart we are, how much authority we have, and even how much money we make. They also impact whether clients consider us trustworthy and reliable to work with.
Aside from the perfect pose in your photos, what you choose to wear will help establish your professional brand identity within your community. Nowadays most people see your professional headshot before they meet you face-to-face, therefore your wardrobe in professional headshots is also an important part of making a great first impression.
We’ve put together our top wardrobe tips and tricks based on the top FAQs we receive to help ensure you have a successful headshots session.
Overall Styling Tips
Dress like you’re the boss
When in doubt, look to your boss or another industry leader you respect. The way your superiors dress is usually a good indicator of what’s appropriate attire for your industry and will help you convey confidence without appearing as if you’re trying too hard. If your work environment is formal, then dress formally. If your work environment is business casual, then dress business casual.
Avoid overly casual clothing
It’s been said that wearing more formal clothing can contribute to a feeling of power and control, which can impact your posture and presence in photos. The way you feel in front of the camera will show in your photos. We highly recommend you consider clothing options that make you feel good about yourself.
Feature multiple outfits
Think about who you work with and dress for them. Do you work with commercial investors and residential clients? -If you regularly interact with different types of people make sure you have a headshot that fits each of your audiences. Instead of trying to consolidate your audiences into an outfit that doesn’t fit either scenario well.
Steer clear of worn-out clothing
While we’re always in favor of you choosing your favorite outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks, be sure to take a good look at the outfit you have in mind before assuming it’s perfect for your photos. Just like us, our clothing can start to look old and tired. This is especially true of brightly colored clothing or knitted fabrics, which could fade or show signs of wear and tear after each wash. To ensure your clothes make you look tailored and put together, opt for newer clothing or “dry clean only” items that still look fresh and crisp.
Less is more when it comes to accessories
Your jewelry shouldn’t be the first thing a person notices about your photo. The best professional headshots enhance your natural features without distracting them.
For necklaces, make sure the pendant is visible above the crop of the photo. For earrings, stick with simple studs. Hoop earrings and anything that dangles can easily get caught in hair and tends to get lost in the photo.
What Colors You Should Wear
The color you wear matters – and we’re not talking about your favorite color that you like to wear, but the actual color theory of your outfit can make an impact. Color theory is the psychology behind how certain colors influence our moods, thoughts, and behaviors. The color you’re wearing can influence what others believe about you. It’s smart to think about what message you want to convey in your photos and select those colors carefully. Use this quick guide to help you plan out your wardrobe for your upcoming headshot session with us.
· Dark colors - formal, dominant, and authoritative
Light colors - friendly and approachable
Some bright colors - confidence and energy
Muted colors - conservative and less threatening
High-contrast pairings (i.e., a dark jacket and light shirt) – power and authority
Stick with solid colors
Simple colors and subtle patterns usually look best on everyone. Bold or small, busy patterns tend to divert from your face and can create a distracting moving illusion in the photos.
Don’t match your backdrop
When choosing colors for your professional headshots, consider your portrait backdrop. Unless you’re getting a company-branded headshot, choose wardrobe colors that a little contrast with your background so you stand out.
How Your Clothing Should Fit
Wear a higher neckline
Believe it or not, work-appropriate tops with lower necklines could end up looking more provocative than intended in professional headshots that are cropped closely. We recommend that women choose blouses and tops with higher necklines and men wear a button-up shirt.
Choose fitted clothing
Tightly fitted clothing tends to look more polished and less distracting than loose-fitted clothing, especially for formal or business-casual photos. If you plan to wear a blazer or suit jacket, make sure it fits closely around the shoulders and arms. And don’t worry about your clothes looking too tight - we have the know-how on how to pose you so that the shape of your body looks flattering in photos.
The Right Photographer
What you wear for your headshot photos definitely has a big influence on how and what those around you will feel and think about you, but it truly does make a difference when you have a photographer that understands portrait photography. Our portrait photography lead, Missy, started her career in portrait photography over 20 years ago. Her work in portrait and brand photography has graced the covers and inner pages of books and national magazines over the years. She has also had formal training in women’s portrait photography that also helps with posing and body composition, and extensive education and practice in Adobe Photoshop to help enhance all of a person’s best features.