What to Wear for Corporate Headshots (Men & Women Guide)

Choosing what to wear for your corporate headshot can feel surprisingly stressful.

The right outfit helps you look confident, approachable, and professional. The wrong one can distract from your face or date your image quickly.

This guide breaks down exactly what works — and what doesn’t — so you can show up to your shoot feeling confident.

Stylish headshot of young professional female against a wooden slate wall with professional lighting. Showing a good example of what to wear for a headshot

The Number one Rule: Keep It Simple

Your headshot is about you — not your outfit. The focus of your professional headshot for the viewer should be your face, not what you are wearing.

The best clothing choices are:

  • Clean
  • Well-fitted
  • Neutral or subtle in tone

If something stands out too much in real life, it will stand out even more in a photo. We want the clothing to almost fade away to make sure your face, eyes, smile, are the things the viewers attention is on.

What to wear for corporate headshots for Men

Safe, professional options

  • Blazer or suit jacket. Its great to break down the upper torso into more than one shape, it makes the headshot more interesting and flattering.
  • Collared shirt (with or without tie)
  • Neutral colours like navy, grey, or white.
  • The classic dark navy suit with a crisp white collared shirt always photographs well.

Tips

  • Avoid wrinkled shirts
  • Make sure collars sit properly, if you haven’t worn a shirt and tie for a while give it a test before coming for your headshot. Its not uncommon for people to come in for their headshot session and find they can no longer fasten the top button of their shirt and make the tie sit well.
  • Keep ties simple (no loud patterns). Thats if you are going to wear one. Its becoming more and more common for people coming to me to not wear a tie in their headshot. If you are unsure we can capture some images with a tie, and some without to give you options to choose from.

Environmental style headshot of male in jacket and shirt without a tie. Captured in modern office using glass and steel beams as the background. Captured in Auckland by professional Auckland headshot photographer Adam Firth.

What to wear for corporate headshots for Women

Flattering, professional options

  • Blouse, tailored top, or blazer
  • Solid colours or if you have to very subtle patterns
  • Structured clothing that holds shape

Tips

  • Avoid overly low necklines
  • Keep jewellery minimal
  • Choose sleeves if unsure (they photograph well)

Studio headshot showing a confident young female wearing a green suit jacket and white blouse in front of a pure white background. Headshot captured in Auckland city by local headshot photographer Adam Firth.

Colours That Work Best on Camera

Certain colours consistently perform well in headshots: what to wear for corporate headshots

✔ Navy
✔ Grey
✔ White
✔ Soft earth tones

Avoid:

  • Neon colours
  • Busy prints
  • Large logos
  • Pure black (can lose detail under lighting)

Corporate headshot of a male lawyer in Auckland

Matching Your Industry & Personal Brand

Think about how you want to be perceived.

  • Corporate roles → more formal, structured
  • Creative industries → relaxed but intentional
  • Personal brands → aligned with your audience

If you’re unsure, it’s always better to lean slightly more professional, of bring a couple of different outfits, see the next point below.

Studio headshot of a broadcaster with his microphone. Captured against a plain grey background with a window shape projected onto it for interest.

Should You Bring Multiple Outfits?

Yes — if possible. Especially if you are not 100% on what to wear for corporate headshots

Bringing 2–3 options allows you to:

  • Test different looks/combinations
  • Try images with and without accessories such as ties, hair up/down
  • Get more variety from one session

This is especially useful for LinkedIn + website + marketing use if you are unsure on what to wear for corporate headshots

Studio headshot showing two different outfits on the same person, one formal and one work uniform

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Wearing something too tight or too loose
  • Choosing fashion over professionalism
  • Ignoring wrinkles or creases
  • Wearing distracting accessories
  • over complicating it, simple and muted is better to make you pop out of the headshot

Final Thoughts on what to wear for corporate headshots

The best outfit is one that:

  • Fits well
  • Feels comfortable
  • Reflects your professional identity
  • Allows your face to be the main interest of the headshot

When in doubt, keep it simple — that’s what consistently works.

Environmental headshot of professional lady in black jacket and green top

Need Help Deciding on what to wear for corporate headshots?

If you’re booking a session, you’re welcome to bring a few options and get guidance on what to wear for your corporate headshot. Also your’e welcome to try a few outfit changes in front of the lights and camera to give you options to choose from for retouching.

If you’re looking for a corporate or headshot photographer in Auckland, get in touch to plan your session using the form below or give me a call on 02040988474

Useful links with more headshot information and examples

More information on headshot services in Auckland

Corporate Portraits/Headshots Page

Studio headshots captured for a large law firm in Auckland

Environmental and studio headshots captured for the same company in Auckland