Dressing appropriately for your headshot session can enhance your credibility, create a sense of confidence, and establish a positive personal brand.
INTRODUCTION
When it comes to your professional headshot, your attire plays a crucial role in making a strong and lasting impression. Dressing appropriately for your headshot can enhance your credibility, create a sense of confidence, and establish a positive personal brand. In this blog post, we will give some suggestions on appropriate attire for your headshot.
COLOR PALETTES FOR SKIN TONE
When we buy clothes, we usually pick what we like based on our personal preferences and favorite color and we call it a day. But when you dig a little deeper, you’ll come to know that everyone has a different skin tone and knowing which colors suit your skin tone can give you a leg up on what outfits work best on you.
Generally speaking, all of us have a warm, cool or neutral undertone. Take a look at your arm. If the veins on your wrist are more blue or purple, you have a cool tone. If the veins are more green, you have a warm tone. If you can’t tell, you probably have a neutral tone.
When I say skin tone, I don’t mean skin shade (i.e., pale, olive, dark skin). Someone with pale skin can have a cool skin tone and another person can have dark skin with a neutral skin tone.
Here’s a quick summary of what colors work best for each skin tone:
- Warm: Go for warm colors like red, orange, yellow and coral.
- Cool: Go for colors that are in the cooler spectrum like purples, cooler greens, deep blues.
- Neutral: The lucky ones. Neutral tones are in the perfect spot for any shade of color
Check out this article from Fashion Beans for a deeper dive on how to determine the best colors for your skin tone.
Having said all that, you certainly don’t have to dress based on your skin tone especially when it comes to self-expression. This tip is meant to bring awareness to skin tones and color that typically work well together.
OK, so what kind of clothes do i wear?
There are a dizzying array of clothes out there that you can choose from. Instead of giving you a laundry list of what to wear, here are some general guidelines:
- Stay away from anything that can be distracting such as large patterns and logos (company logos are fine). Solids are a safe choice.
- Avoid overly casual clothing even if your office or job allows for casual wear. Consider more formal clothing for your headshot. You’ll feel different – more confident and that will show in your images. Don’t believe me? Check out this article from the Atlantic that talks about how people feel differently when wearing formal attire.
- Have a budget? Consider getting your clothes tailored so it fits you perfectly.
- No time for tailoring? Main rule of thumb is to avoid baggy or loose clothing. But also, avoid too tight clothing as it can lead to bulging.
- Choose modest necklines and sleeve lengths, especially if you want to maintain a professional and polished look.
Accessories
Since a headshot focuses on the head and shoulders, it’s best to keep jewelry simple and minimal. Excessive or flashy jewelry could detract attention from the face.
A simple wristwatch and a subtle tie clip can add a touch of elegance.
For earrings, a stud or something simple should suffice.
CONCLUSION
What you wear for your headshot session will influence how your photos will turn out. Dressing for success in your business headshot showcases your professionalism and sets the stage for future opportunities.
No matter your gender, your chosen outfit should fit you well. You should feel comfortable and feel really good in your outfit. When you feel good, you look good.
