What is the right thing to wear for headshots, which fabrics and colors fail on camera, and why you should bring more options than you think you need.
Bring more than you think you need. There’s really no time limit on a session at my studio and no cap on wardrobe changes, so the only cost of packing a fourth shirt is carrying the bag up to the fourth floor.
That’s the short version of what to wear for headshots when you come to my Boston studio. The longer version is about which choices quietly cost you the photo.
What Should You Wear for a Headshot?
Solid colors, something that actually fits you, what others have told you they like on you and the level of formality your clients see you in. That’s most of it.
Fit matters more than price. A well-fitted shirt from anywhere photographs better than an expensive jacket cut for someone else’s shoulders, because the camera sees the line of the fabric and not the label. If a jacket collar stands away from your neck, that gap is the first thing I’ll be fighting.
What Fails on Camera
Some of this is counterintuitive, which is why people get caught by it.
- Fine stripes and tight herringbone. These can vibrate against the sensor and produce a shimmering pattern that no retouching fixes cleanly. A shirt that looks sharp in the mirror can be unusable in the file.
- Logos and slogans. They date the photo and pull the eye off your face. A headshot should last a few years, and a visible brand mark shortens that.
- Sleeveless tops, for a chest-up crop. At a tight crop, bare shoulders can read as though you’re wearing nothing at all. Bring a layer even if you plan to shoot without it.
- Anything wrinkled. Fabric creases are the single most common thing I end up retouching, and it’s the most avoidable. Hang your options rather than folding them into a bag.
- Jewelry that catches light. Small and simple survives. Anything that flares or swings around becomes the subject.
Dress for Your Industry, Not for the Camera
A headshot that doesn’t match how you actually show up is a mismatch your clients notice the first time they meet you.
Boston runs on law, finance, healthcare, tech and biotech, and real estate, and those rooms don’t dress alike. An attorney or an advisor in a suit and tie is dressed correctly. A biotech founder in that same suit often looks borrowed. If you’d never wear a tie to a client meeting, don’t put one on for the photo.
When you genuinely aren’t sure, bring both. We shoot both and you look at them side by side on the screen during the session.
What About Color?
Mid-tone and darker solids are the safest, and they let your face carry the image.
The backdrop gets chosen for your shoot, so color is a matched decision rather than a fixed rule. What I’m avoiding is a top that disappears into the backdrop behind it, which flattens you into a floating head, or a color so bright that the eye lands on your shirt before your face.
White can work and often does in a suit and shirt. On its own, at a tight crop, it can pull attention.
Grooming and the Day Itself
If you want a haircut, get it about two weeks out rather than two days out. Fresh cuts read as fresh cuts.
Wear glasses?
The easiest thing I can ask, is that you make sure your glasses are clean and clear of smudges. Wash them before you come to the studio with soap and water.
Common Questions
How many outfits should I bring to a headshot session?
More than you plan to shoot. There’s no limit on changes and no clock on the session, so bringing four or five options costs nothing and gives you real choices on the screen.
Can I wear patterns in a professional headshot?
Large, low-contrast patterns are usually fine. Fine stripes, small checks, and tight herringbone are the risk, because they can vibrate on camera and produce a shimmer that doesn’t retouch out cleanly.
Should I wear a suit for a headshot session?
Only if you wear one for work. Law and finance usually call for it. Tech, biotech, and most creative work usually don’t, and a suit that isn’t yours reads as a costume.
What colors photograph best?
Solid mid-tones and darker colors, chosen to separate you from the backdrop we pick for your shoot. Bright saturated colors compete with your face for attention.
Can I change my mind during the session?
Yes. That’s the point of bringing options. We break to look at images on the screen while we shoot, so you can see how something is reading before we commit to it.
Bring the bag. Decide in the room, with the images on screen in front of you, instead of guessing the night before. I photograph individuals at the studio in the South End and teams on location across Boston. Book a session.
