What Not to Wear in Your Headshot Session (and What to Wear Instead)

The night before a headshot session, most people don’t lie awake worrying about lighting or posing. They lie awake worrying about their closet.

I get it. Your clothing is the one part of the day that feels like it’s entirely on you, and it carries more weight than people expect — because in a headshot, the wrong outfit doesn’t just look off, it pulls attention away from the one thing that matters: your face and your expression. The good news is that dressing well for the camera is mostly about knowing what to skip. I’m Erica Land, a Rockville-based portrait photographer, and after twenty years of headshots for professionals across Bethesda and McLean, here’s the short list I give every client.

Skip loud, distracting patterns

Bold prints, busy plaids, tight stripes, big graphics — they all compete with your face, and in a headshot, they usually win. Patterns can also do strange things on camera, buzzing or shimmering in a way you won’t notice until you see the frame. Save the statement print for a day it can be the star. In your headshot, you’re the star.

Instead: choose solids, or the quietest texture — a subtle knit or a soft weave that adds depth without shouting.

Skip neon and overly bright colors

Very bright colors reflect onto your skin, so that electric-blue or hot-pink top can quietly tint your face a color you’d never choose. Neons overpower your complexion and drag the eye straight to the fabric.

Instead: reach for softer, muted tones that flatter your skin — deep blues, warm neutrals, forest greens, soft burgundies, a good charcoal. If you want color, pick one that complements you rather than competes with you. Not sure what that is? That’s exactly what we sort out before the session.

Skip anything that doesn’t fit

This is the one people underestimate most. Clothes that are too tight restrict how you move and sit, and it shows in your posture. Clothes that are too loose add bulk and hide your actual shape, so you read heavier or boxier than you are. A headshot crops close — every wrinkle of fabric across the shoulders is visible.

Instead: wear pieces that fit you now, cleanly through the shoulders and neckline. If a jacket only closes when you hold your breath, leave it home. Comfortable and well-fitted always photographs better than “technically nice but a size off.”

Go easy on trendy or excessive accessories

Accessories can add personality, and I’m not anti-jewelry. But very trendy pieces date a photo fast — the whole point of a good headshot is that it stays usable for years — and stacked bracelets, big statement earrings, or a busy necklace can clutter a close crop and pull focus.

Instead: keep it simple and timeless. One pair of earrings you love, a watch, a ring. Let the accessories support you, not audition for the frame.

Never wrinkled, never stained

It sounds obvious, and it’s still the thing that trips people up on a rushed morning. Wrinkles and stains read as unprofessional in a close portrait, and while I retouch every final image, I can’t press a shirt in post the way an iron can the night before.

Instead: steam or press everything the evening before, hang it up, and lay out your full outfit — shoes and all — so nothing’s a scramble. Bring a lint roller. Future-you will be grateful.

A simple way to plan your looks

Bring two or three options in this same spirit — solid, well-fitting, clean — in colors that suit you and match how you want to come across. If your work skews formal, a blazer over a simple top is hard to beat. If it’s more relaxed, a clean knit or a crisp casual shirt works beautifully. And you don’t have to decide alone: I help every client choose on the day, so you’re never standing there second-guessing a collar.

Think, too, about where these photos are going. A polished look for a law firm directory in Bethesda is a slightly different choice from a warmer, approachable look for a McLean consultant’s website — and we can absolutely get both in one session.

The goal is simple: it should look like you

Every one of these tips points the same direction. We’re clearing away the distractions so the focus lands where it belongs — on your face, your expression, the real, confident you. That’s what makes a headshot work, and helping you feel genuinely seen is the whole reason I do this.

When you’re ready, book a headshot session and I’ll walk you through wardrobe well before the day. See more of my headshot and branding work here, and a little about me and my why here.

Serving professionals in Rockville, Bethesda, McLean, North Bethesda, Washington, DC, and across the DC metro area.

Headshot wardrobe FAQ

What’s the safest thing to wear for a headshot?
A well-fitting solid top in a muted color that flatters your skin, with a blazer or clean layer if your field skews formal. Simple almost always wins.

What colors photograph best?
Softer, muted tones — deep blues, warm neutrals, greens, burgundies, charcoal. Skip neons and very bright colors, which can cast onto your skin and pull focus.

How many outfits should I bring?
Two or three is plenty. Bring options you feel confident in and I’ll help you choose on the day, so nothing’s left to guesswork.

Can I wear jewelry and accessories?
Yes, kept simple and timeless — a favorite pair of earrings, a watch, a ring. Avoid trendy or oversized pieces that date the photo or clutter a close crop.

Do you help with wardrobe before the session?
Always. Every client gets guidance ahead of time, and I help you choose on the day — whether you’re a Bethesda attorney or a McLean founder, you won’t be planning this alone.