Panicking about what to wear for headshots in Santa Clarita? Here are our top five tips for choosing the perfect outfit for the camera.
One of the most common questions we get in the studio is: What should I wear for headshots?
We get it. It can be stressful to get your photo taken, and it’s even more stressful when you know you’re going to use these photos all over your marketing for years to come.
Plus, choosing the perfect outfit always makes us feel our best.
But in a few key ways, dressing for the camera is different than dressing for an event or meeting.
That’s why we’re sharing our top five wardrobe tips, so you can choose your outfit with confidence and style – and still look beautifully on-brand.
Here’s everything you need to know about what to wear for headshots in Santa Clarita.
What To Wear For Headshots In Santa Clarita
1. Solids Not Patterns
When taking professional headshots, we typically recommend choosing a solid color for your outfit, rather than wearing a pattern. Why? If they’re too busy or overwhelming, patterns can sometimes distort on camera.
Plus, the focus of a headshot should really be on YOU anyway. The whole point of a professional headshot is to brand your face with your company, and show people who you are when you’re at your very best. Patterns can draw the eye’s attention away from your beautiful face and cause people to remember what you were wearing – instead of you.
All that being said, a little bit of pattern is ok, such as a patterned tie or belt.
2. Fitted Not Baggy
Especially if we’re not feeling super confident about our weight or figure, the first thing we pull out of the closet is usually a loose-fitting or baggy item of clothing. We think it hides the weight and makes us look thinner. But it’s actually the opposite. If your figure is hidden underneath clothes that are too big and bulky, then the photographer can’t see your shape – and more importantly, she can’t edit it. Instead, your shape is completely lost in the clothing, and your figure ends up looking as big as your too-big clothes.
Conversely, if you wear something form-fitting, the photographer can edit your shape in Photoshop and properly hide anything you feel self-conscious about. So if you want your silhouette to look its best, let the photographer handle it with Photoshop. As Lindsay always says: “Don’t layer a jacket over your favorite sleeveless dress when I can make you love your arms with the right posing and delicate retouching.”
3. Classic Not Trendy
While it might be tempting to wear the hottest new style in your professional headshot, be mindful of how long you want your headshot to last. If you typically update your headshot every 3-5 years, then you’ll want your outfit to look as timeless as possible. For that reason, we suggest classic looks.
A few classic silhouettes we love include a Calvin Klein A-line dress or a Calvin Klein charcoal gray suit, which always looks expensive on camera. For men, a navy suit is also nice, and you can dress up their look with a patterned jacket, tie or pocket square. Just be sure to avoid pinstripe, which doesn’t photograph well. Ladies can opt for fitted pants or a pencil skirt with a form-fitting blouse, or a nice fitted dress with some structure is always a safe choice, too.
4. Polished Not Over-the-Top
When you’re getting your picture taken, it makes sense that you want to look your very best. Many times, people think that means they need to dress to the nines for their professional headshots. But the goal of a professional headshot is to brand you and your business. So if you don’t look like you – or your brand – in your professional headshot, then you’re missing the point.
That’s why we always suggest that you come to your session looking polished but not over-the-top dressed up, compared to what you normally wear. If you meet your clients and peers in a button-up shirt and slacks, but you wear a full suit to your headshots, you won’t look the same when your clients meet you in person. You’re already watering down the consistency of your visual brand. Instead of wearing the fanciest thing in your closet, choose something you would actually wear to a big meeting.
5. Complementary Not Matching
When it comes to choosing the colors in your outfit, most people naturally want to match their brand colors exactly. If your brand is red and black, for example, most people assume they should wear red or black in their headshots. However, we often suggest that people wear colors that complement their brand colors instead. Why? Your headshot will be surrounded by your brand colors: your logo, your website pages, etc. You could even choose one of your brand colors as the backdrop for your headshot. By choosing a complimentary color for your outfit, you will stand out – without looking off-brand.
Still wondering what to wear for headshots in Santa Clarita? Reach out to us! We’re happy to answer all your questions.
About Lindsay’s Photography for Women
With the mind of a businesswoman and the heart of an adventurer, Lindsay began to conceive of a different kind of Santa Clarita photography business. In her vision, stepping in front of the camera could be an empowering experience that gave her clients more than just a photograph — it would give people a new way of seeing themselves. With an eye for seeing the beauty in life and in others, Lindsay could use the camera to spread beauty.
About SchlickArt Photography and Video
SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting professional portraiture, business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.