What to Wear for Your Headshot
A decision guide most photographers won't give you. Five rules — colors, neckline, industry, fit, accessories — that decide whether your photo earns the room or quietly undermines it.
800+
Professionals Photographed
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48hr
Standard Delivery
5
Rules That Matter
The wardrobe is not an accessory to the shoot. It is half the photo. Below is the same field guide we send to every booked client — distilled into the five decisions that change how seriously the photo is read.
Solid Colors Win.
Patterns, stripes, and small prints fight your face for attention. They also compress badly at thumbnail size — which is exactly how LinkedIn will display the image.
✓ Works
- Solid navy
- Charcoal
- Crisp white
- Deep forest
- Rich burgundy
- Camel
✗ Fights Your Face
- Fine pinstripes
- Houndstooth
- Busy florals
- Logos, any size
- Small prints
The rule: your face should be the most interesting thing in the frame.
The Neckline Decides the Energy.
Your neckline is the edge of the photo's frame around your face. It is also the single fastest signal of professional register — and the one most often missed.
Structured collar
Blazer, button-down, tailored knit. Reads as authority.
Clean crew or V-neck under a blazer
Reads as modern senior.
Loose crewneck alone
Reads as junior or off-duty.
Open collar with visible chest
Wrong register for business.
You can wear almost anything — but what you wear at the neckline is what the viewer processes as your role.
Match Your Industry, Not the Trend.
What reads as "senior" is industry-specific. A photo that is correct for a McKinsey partner is wrong for a YC founder, and vice versa.
Finance · Law · Consulting
Tailored suit. Dark tones. Minimal accessories.
Tech · Startup
Blazer + clean tee or crisp button-down. No tie required.
Creative · Agency
Texture allowed. Color allowed. But tailored.
Healthcare · Coaching
Warm professional. Color OK. Softer contrast.
Dress for a trend — the photo ages in 18 months. Dress for your industry — it holds for 3+ years.
Fit Beats Brand.
Nobody can tell what brand you are wearing. Everybody can tell if it fits. A $200 blazer tailored to your shoulders photographs better than a $3,000 suit that is slightly loose.
Before the shoot — check these:
- Shoulders sit flat. No pulling, no bunching.
- Sleeves break cleanly at the wrist.
- Shirt collar stays closed without gaping.
- Jacket buttons without strain. One button rule for portraits.
Haven't had it tailored in 2+ years? Your body has probably changed. Check it.
Accessories Are Subtraction, Not Addition.
Every accessory has to earn its place. Default to fewer.
✓ Earns Its Place
- A single watch
- Wedding band
- Small stud earrings
- Clean glasses (bring a spare)
✗ Competes With Your Face
- Statement necklaces
- Multiple rings
- Bold lapel pins
- Anything that reflects or dangles
The best executive headshots have almost nothing going on below the neck. That is intentional.
The Directing Advantage
Shoot vs. Session.
At Fuentes Studio, you don't just show up and hope.
We send a full wardrobe guide before the session. We review your options on shoot day. We adjust on the fly — if the first look isn't working, we change it in three minutes.
That's the difference between a shoot and a session.
Wardrobe Questions, Answered
What color works best on camera?
Solid, mid-to-dark tones — navy, charcoal, forest, burgundy, and crisp white. Solids beat patterns at thumbnail size.
Should I wear a tie?
Match the register of your industry. Suit-and-tie for finance, law, and consulting. Blazer with a clean shirt for tech and startup.
Will tailoring really make a difference?
Yes — more than the price tag of the garment. Shoulders that sit flat and sleeves that break at the wrist photograph as 'expensive' regardless of brand.
How many outfits should I bring?
Two for a LinkedIn or Corporate session. Three to four for Executive or Personal Branding. We review and adjust on shoot day.
Can I wear glasses?
Yes. Bring a spare pair if possible — anti-glare coating helps, and we light to manage reflection. We can also pre-style frames you are not wearing in the shot.
Does this guide work for women and men?
Yes. The five rules — solid color, neckline, industry register, tailoring, accessory subtraction — apply to all wardrobes. The applications shift; the principles do not.
Ready to Put the Guide to Work?
Book your session and we'll send the full wardrobe brief — tailored to your industry — within the hour.