What should I wear to my headshot session?

The Wardrobe Dilemma

What should I wear to my LinkedIn (corporate) headshot session?

My simple answer to this question is to answer with another question:

“What would you wear to a job interview?” or

“What do you normally wear to work?”

Though these are good as general rules, they don’t always apply. You want to put your best foot forward on LinkedIn, so you want to look your best. For a more detailed answer there are a few ‘rules’ or guidelines that I would recommend:

General

• Avoid too much pattern as it is distracting (particularly stripes). Instead opt for solid, muted tones. For jackets dark blues or dark greys work well.

Men

• For men I recommend wearing a jacket over a lighter coloured business shirt (white and light blue work well with a darker jacket). If you prefer no jacket, wear a darker shirt (particularly if shooting against a white or lighter coloured backdrop).
• Tie or no tie? This comes down to preference and the line of work you are in. For example most of our lawyer clients opt for a tie, while others (such as engineers) prefer no tie.

Women

• For women, a business jacket or blazer looks good. Again opt for a darker colour such as navy. Avoid white jackets as you get washed out (particularly against a white backdrop). Red or bright colours work well too, however minimise patterns and go for a solid colour.
• A smart dress works well also. Again keep it simple and a solid colour. Avoid low necklines where possible.
• If wearing jewellery, keep it to one simple piece, so as not to be distracting. However not wearing jewellery is even better.

Your Company Requirements

• If your company is asking you to get the photo done, make sure to check whether they have specific requirements. Most of the time they will, as they want a consistent look across the organisation.

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