What you wear for your professional headshot will make a bigger difference to your final images than almost anything else — and it's something you have complete control over before you even walk through the studio door. This guide covers everything you need to know to get it right.
The First Rule: Dress for Your Industry
The most important question when choosing what to wear is: what does professionalism look like in my field? A barrister's headshot wardrobe should look different from a UX designer's. A real estate agent's photo should look different from a fitness coach's.
Think about who is going to see your headshot and what impression you need to make. "Professional" means different things in different industries — and the most effective headshots reflect the specific professional culture of the person being photographed.
General rule: dress as you would for an important client meeting or job interview in your field. If in doubt, go slightly more formal than usual — you can always dress down a look with an open collar.
Colours That Work Best
The Reliable Choices
- Navy blue — probably the most universally flattering and professional colour for headshots. Photographs beautifully against most background colours.
- Charcoal grey — authoritative without being harsh. Works particularly well for corporate and legal professionals.
- Forest or sage green — flattering across a wide range of skin tones. Less common than navy, which makes it more memorable.
- Burgundy / deep red — warm, confident, and distinctive. Often underused in professional photography.
- Cream / soft white — light but warm. Works well against darker or grey backgrounds.
Colours to Be Careful With
- Bright white — can cause exposure issues, especially against light backgrounds. Fine with dark backgrounds.
- Black — can work beautifully but requires careful lighting to avoid looking flat. Discuss with your photographer before committing.
- Very light colours against light backgrounds — can cause you to "disappear" into the background.
Colours to Avoid
- Neon or very bright colours that distract from your face
- Colour combinations that clash loudly with your skin tone
- Colours that are identical to your background colour choice
Patterns, Textures, and Prints
As a general rule, avoid busy patterns and small prints. Fine stripes, houndstooth, and tight checks can create a moiré effect in photography — an unpleasant flickering pattern that's impossible to retouch out.
Solid colours with subtle texture (linen, wool, fine knit) tend to photograph best. Bold patterns can work for personal branding shots where the goal is to communicate personality, but for most professional headshots, simpler is better.
Fit and Condition
Ill-fitting clothes are one of the most common mistakes in headshot preparation. A $50 shirt that fits perfectly will always look better than a $500 suit that doesn't. Check that your outfit is clean, properly ironed, and fits well across the shoulders and chest — the areas most visible in a headshot.
How Many Outfits Should You Bring?
At Sydney Headshots, we encourage clients to bring 2-4 outfit options. There's no limit on outfit changes in any of our sessions, so more options always means more variety in your final images.
Think about different contexts where you'll use your headshots — LinkedIn, website, press/media, internal staff directory — and bring outfits appropriate for each. A smart blazer for LinkedIn, a more casual-professional look for your personal brand page, perhaps a dress shirt without a jacket for your about page.
Still not sure what to bring? Let's talk before your session.
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