Most of my clients ask the same question a week before their session: what should I actually wear? It's the single biggest thing you can control — more than lighting, more than pose, more than where we shoot.
Here's the short version: wear something that looks like the best version of your everyday self. The long version is below, with the specifics I share with every Raleigh professional who books a session with me.
Start with solid, neutral colors
Navy, charcoal, black, soft white, deep green, burgundy. These colors photograph cleanly, stay in style, and keep the focus where it belongs — on your face.
I steer most clients away from bright reds, neons, or anything with a loud pattern. On camera, busy prints compete with your expression and pull the eye down to your chest. A solid color lets your face carry the photo, which is the whole point of a headshot.
If your brand leans creative (you're a designer, a florist, a founder with a strong aesthetic), a pop of color in a blouse or blazer can work — but build the outfit around one statement piece, not three.
Fit matters more than the label
A well-fitted $60 shirt beats an expensive one that pulls across the shoulders or bunches at the collar. Before your session, try the outfit on, sit down, stand up, raise your arms. If anything gaps, pulls, or wrinkles aggressively, swap it.
Two specifics most people miss:
- Collars should lie flat, not flare open or curl up at the points. Iron them the night before.
- Necklines should sit where you actually want them — not two inches lower after you sit down. Double-stick fashion tape is a headshot photographer's best friend.
Dress one notch up from your industry's normal
If your colleagues wear business casual, wear business professional. If your office is jeans-and-sneakers, wear a polished sweater or blazer. The headshot should read as you on your best day, not you on a Tuesday.
That said — don't wear a suit if you never wear a suit. Clients can tell, and the discomfort shows up in the photo. The goal is recognizable, not performative.
Keep accessories minimal
Simple studs. A plain watch. A delicate necklace if it sits right. That's the whole list. Big statement jewelry, logos, and trendy pieces all date a photo — and headshots should last you two to three years before a refresh.
Glasses: wear them if you wear them daily. Clean the lenses before we shoot. If you've got options, choose frames you won't outgrow in a year.
Makeup and hair: look like you
Wear makeup the way you normally wear it. If you don't usually wear much, don't overdo it for the camera — the photos will look like someone else. If you wear a full face daily, great, do that. The 2026 headshot trend has firmly moved away from heavy retouching and stiff studio looks toward natural, approachable, recognizably-human images.
For hair, style it the way you'd show up to an important meeting. Freshly trimmed within the last two weeks is ideal. Avoid anything so new it doesn't feel like yours yet.
What to skip
A quick list of the things I gently redirect clients away from:
- Bright white shirts alone (they can blow out against certain backgrounds — layer with a jacket)
- All-black on a dark background (you'll disappear)
- Thin horizontal stripes (they can shimmer on camera)
- Visible brand logos
- Anything you haven't worn before
What this means for your shoot
The best headshot outfit is the one you forget you're wearing after the first five minutes. Comfortable, fitted, recognizably you. Bring two or three options if you're unsure — we can test them against the light and pick together.
If you're booking with me and want a second opinion on an outfit, text me a photo the day before. I'd rather answer a quick question than watch you squirm in something that isn't working.
If you are looking for more information on what to wear, Please download my
WHAT TO WEAR FOR HEADSHOTS GUIDE.
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