What to Wear for a Professional Headshot: LinkedIn, Corporate, and Creative

You’ve booked the session. You’re thinking about the morning of — what goes in the bag, what stays home, whether the blazer you like actually photographs the way you think it does. Wardrobe is one of the few things in a headshot session that is entirely in your hands before you walk through the door.

The good news: there’s a short list of things that work, a short list of things that don’t, and clear logic behind both. At our Eden Prairie studio, we work with professionals from across the Twin Cities — attorneys, executives, real estate agents, creatives, consultants — and the wardrobe questions are almost always the same. Here’s what we tell them.

What You’ll Find in This Post

• The core wardrobe rules that apply to every headshot
• What to wear for LinkedIn and general professional use
• What to wear for corporate and executive headshots
• What to wear for creative and personal brand headshots
• What to avoid (and why)
• Fit, grooming, and practical prep tips
• Frequently asked questions about headshot wardrobe

The Core Rules That Apply to Every Headshot

Before you get to industry specifics, a few rules hold across the board.

Solid colors photograph better than patterns. A busy print draws the eye away from your face — which is the point of a professional headshot. Thin stripes, small checks, and herringbone weaves can also cause a moire effect under studio lighting, creating a visual shimmer that’s distracting in the final image. Solid navy, charcoal, burgundy, forest green, and camel all photograph cleanly. Subtle texture in a fabric — a fine-knit sweater, a linen blazer — adds visual interest without competing with your face.

Fit matters more than style. A well-fitted $50 shirt photographs better than a loose $300 one. Clothes that pull at the shoulders, gap at the collar, or bunch at the sleeves create visual noise and make people look like they borrowed someone else’s wardrobe. When in doubt, fit first.

Color near your face affects your skin tone. Very bright white reflects light up into your face in ways that can wash out complexion and create unflattering contrast. Off-white, cream, and light gray are softer choices. On the other end, very dark colors can create a heavy look if they’re all you’re wearing. A neckline with some visual interest — an open collar, a subtle V, a scarf — gives the eye a natural transition from face to clothing.

Bring options. Two or three looks give us flexibility to shoot variety in the same session. A different color or neckline can produce images that work for different platforms and contexts without adding much time.

What to Wear for LinkedIn and General Professional Use

LinkedIn headshots are the most versatile category — they need to read as credible and approachable without being so formal that they look stiff. This is the middle ground most professionals in the Minneapolis west metro are going for.

A blazer or structured jacket over a solid shirt or blouse tends to work well here. The jacket reads as intentional and polished without demanding a full suit. Under it, a simple collar, clean V-neck, or soft crew neck keeps the eye moving up toward your face.

For color, navy, charcoal, slate blue, and warm taupes are reliable. Jewel tones — deep teal, burgundy, plum — read as confident and photograph richly. Bright pastels can work depending on skin tone; ask us if you’re unsure.

For women, a wrap top or structured blouse in a solid tone or subtle print photographs well. A statement necklace can add personality without being distracting if it’s elegant rather than busy.

What to Wear for Corporate and Executive Headshots

Corporate headshots — for firm websites, annual reports, press releases, and executive team pages — call for a more formal register. The goal is authority and polish.

A full suit in charcoal, navy, or dark gray is never wrong for this context. A well-fitted suit with a solid tie or without a tie, depending on your firm’s culture, reads as professional across industries. For women in corporate environments, a structured blazer or tailored jacket over a simple blouse works cleanly.

Ties and scarves: keep them simple. A solid tie or a subtle texture is fine. A bold pattern on a tie competes with your face in the frame. Scarves can add warmth and visual interest if they’re not too large or busy.

Avoid novelty or logo items entirely in corporate headshots. Companies and law firms across the Twin Cities often bring us entire teams for headshots. When teams are photographed together, consistent wardrobe choices — not identical, but harmonious in tone and formality — help the firm page look cohesive.

What to Wear for Creative and Personal Brand Headshots

Creatives, coaches, consultants, speakers, and entrepreneurs often want headshots that show more personality — a visual signal that they’re not a conventional corporate professional. The wardrobe latitude here is wider, but the principles still apply.

More color is available in this category. A bold, saturated solid — rust, cobalt, emerald — can work well if it flatters your complexion and fits your brand. Interesting textures — leather, denim, linen — can add dimension. A more casual silhouette — an open-collar shirt, a fitted turtleneck, a structured but unlined jacket — reads as approachable and real rather than formal.

What doesn’t change: patterns should still be subtle or absent, fit still matters, and the image still needs to look intentional. The goal is “distinctive professional,” not “I dressed in the dark.” If you have a brand color palette, wearing something that touches it can help your headshot integrate with your other marketing materials.

What to Avoid

Busy patterns. Stripes, plaids, paisley, and small geometric prints cause moire under studio lighting and draw the eye away from your face.

Large visible logos. A polo with a large brand emblem or a hoodie with a university name across the chest becomes a distraction and ages the photo quickly.

Bright white against your face. A bright white shirt as your top layer can blow out highlights near the neckline and flatten your complexion under studio lighting. If you love white, layer it under a blazer.

Wrinkled or visibly worn clothing. Studio lighting and a high-resolution camera will find every wrinkle, pill, and stretched fabric. Iron or steam what you’re bringing, and check for lint.

Accessories that compete. Large statement earrings, multiple layered necklaces, or a watch that catches the light — keep accessories simple so they complement rather than distract.

Fit, Grooming, and Practical Prep

Iron or steam your clothes the night before — not the morning of. Get a haircut at least five days before the session, not the day before. Fresh haircuts often look too sharp and clean-lined in photographs until a few days of natural movement settle them in.

For grooming, arrive looking the way you’d look for an important client meeting. Makeup, if you wear it, should be your normal professional level. Bring a lint roller. Our studio has one available, but having your own is an easy backup.

Frequently Asked Questions About Headshot Wardrobe

How many outfits should I bring to my headshot session?

Two to three is the sweet spot. One look gets you one result. Two or three gives you variety — different colors, different necklines, different energy — which means more options when you review the proofs.

Can I wear a patterned shirt for my headshot?

Subtle textures — a fine-knit sweater, a woven linen jacket — are fine and add visual interest. Busy patterns like stripes, checks, or florals tend to compete with your face and can create visual distortion under studio lighting. When in doubt, choose the solid.

What colors work best for headshots?

Navy, charcoal, slate, burgundy, forest green, and medium jewel tones consistently photograph well. Very bright white and neon colors create contrast issues. If you have a brand color palette you’d like to incorporate, bring it — we can often work with it.

Should I wear a tie?

For corporate and executive headshots in formal industries — law, finance, accounting — yes, a solid tie or subtle texture adds to the professional signal. If you never wear a tie in your actual work, don’t wear one in your headshot. The image should look like you on a normal good day.

What about glasses?

Wear your glasses if you wear them in professional settings. We adjust lighting to minimize glare, but it helps to bring a backup pair if you have one. Don’t wear your glasses for a headshot if you never wear them in real life — the image should match how people actually encounter you.

Can I bring clothes to the studio to change there?

Yes. We have a changing area. Bring everything you’re considering and we’ll look at it together at the start of the session. Seeing the options under studio lighting often confirms or changes the plan, and it’s better to have too much than to wish you’d brought the other jacket.

Ready to Book Your Session?

Bring two or three options to our Eden Prairie studio and we’ll work through the wardrobe call together at the start of the session. The goal is a photograph that looks like you — confident, current, and exactly right for where you are in your career.

Written by Dale Studios, serving Eden Prairie, Minneapolis, and the Twin Cities since 1983.

Related reading on our blog:

• What Does a Professional Headshot Cost? A Plain-English Guide
• How Often Should You Update Your Professional Headshot?
• How to Prep for Your Headshot Session (And Feel Confident on Camera) (coming soon)