What To Wear For Headshots: Professional Guide in New York City
In Manhattan’s fast-paced business world, your professional headshot often serves as that crucial first impression before you even enter the room. As Head of Production at Match Production, I’ve directed thousands of corporate headshot sessions in our Times Square studio, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that wardrobe choices make a huge difference between an average photo and an executive portrait that opens doors.
The most common questions I field from clients center around one simple concern: what should I wear? After years of working with everyone from Wall Street executives to Brooklyn tech entrepreneurs, I’ve developed a systematic approach to headshot styling that consistently delivers results. Whether you’re booking an individual session or coordinating headshots for your entire team, the clothes you choose will directly impact how your audience perceives your competence, trustworthiness, and personal brand.
The Essential Headshot Wardrobe: Your Quick Guide
When clients ask me what to wear for headshots, I always start with the fundamentals. Solid colors in medium to dark tones, especially a dark color, work exceptionally well under our Manhattan studio lighting setup. These shades photograph beautifully and keep the focus exactly where it should be—on your face and expression. If you typically wear lighter colors and feel most comfortable in them, that's also a great option for authenticity.
Tip: Choose solid colors in medium to dark tones for your wardrobe, as they help draw attention to your face and create a polished look.
Well-fitted clothing without wrinkles creates the strongest first impression in any headshot session. I recommend bringing a few options to your photo shoot, giving us flexibility to create variety while maintaining your professional image. This approach works whether you’re in our Times Square location or we’re shooting on-site at your office.
The most important part of selecting your headshot wardrobe is choosing clothes that reflect how you typically dress when meeting C-suite executives or your most important clients. Your headshot should be an authentic representation of your professional self, and making the best choice means wearing what you would in real business situations—not a costume you’d never wear.
Simple accessories keep the focus on your face and professional presence. I’ve learned that when accessories compete with facial features, the photograph loses its impact. The goal is to create an image that communicates confidence and competence from the moment someone sees your LinkedIn profile or website. Simple jewelry is often better for professional photos to avoid distraction. The right wardrobe can make you look more polished and approachable in your headshot.
Tips for preparing your wardrobe: bring a few options, choose solid colors (medium to dark or lighter colors if that's your style), ensure clothes are well-fitted and wrinkle-free, and keep accessories simple.
Professional Color Palette for NYC Executive Portraits
Navy, charcoal gray, blue, and deep forest green photograph beautifully under our Manhattan studio lighting. These colors work across virtually all skin tones and create the sophisticated look that New York business professionals expect from executive portraits.
For female executives, rich burgundy and sophisticated plum consistently deliver excellent results in our headshot sessions. These colors add warmth while maintaining the authority necessary for executive-level imagery. I often recommend these shades for women in finance and legal sectors who want to project both approachability and competence.
Classic white button-downs are a staple among shirts for headshots, creating timeless appeal when properly fitted and styled. The key is ensuring the white doesn’t wash out your skin tone—something our studio lighting is specifically calibrated to handle. White works particularly well when layered under a dark blazer or jacket. Selecting the right shirts—well-fitted, wrinkle-free, and appropriate for your professional image—is essential for a polished headshot.
You’ll want to avoid bright colors like neon yellow or hot pink that can overwhelm the frame and distract from your professional message. Similarly, busy patterns create visual noise that pulls attention away from your eyes and expression. A bold pattern can express personality, but it should always be tested in photos to ensure it doesn’t distract. Flesh tones or colors too similar to your skin tone should be avoided in headshots to prevent looking washed out. Large patterns, in particular, can dominate a photo and are best avoided for headshots. When considering pattern in your attire, opt for subtle prints or combine a statement pattern with solid pieces to maintain balance and visual interest.
Here’s a real example from our recent work: During a corporate headshot day for a Goldman Sachs executive team, we used navy and charcoal exclusively for their board-ready portraits. The consistency across the team created a unified, professional look that perfectly matched their corporate brand standards. The executives were photographed individually, but the cohesive color palette ensured their images worked beautifully together for their annual report and website.
Corporate Headshot Outfit Strategy
Your primary look should be your go-to client meeting attire, whether that’s a tailored suit or polished business casual. Choosing the right suits for headshots is essential, as they should complement your features and align with your brand identity. This is the outfit you wear when you need to make the strongest possible impression in your industry. For many of our Manhattan clients, this means a full suit with a crisp shirt and tie.
The secondary look should be slightly more relaxed but still professional—think a blazer with no tie or a sophisticated sweater. This gives you options for different applications, from LinkedIn to speaking engagements. Clients often need to decide which outfit best represents their professional image, especially when preparing for a personal branding session. Bring two or three different top options to a headshot session to ensure you have the right look for every context. The contrast between these outfits helps create a more complete picture of your professional personality.
Consider including company-branded apparel if it’s applicable to your role and industry. Tech companies and startups often embrace this approach, while traditional finance and legal firms typically stick to classic business attire. Dressing in a way that reflects your business image and industry standards is key. The key is knowing your audience and industry standards.
Wall Street expectations differ dramatically from Brooklyn tech startups, and your headshot wardrobe should reflect these realities. I work with clients to ensure their outfit choices align with their target audience’s expectations while still feeling authentic to their personal style. Fashion plays a significant role in professional headshots, influencing how you are perceived and helping you decide on the best wardrobe choices.
All outfits should reflect your authentic professional style, not feel like you’re wearing a costume. The best headshots capture the real you at your most polished and confident. When you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, that confidence translates directly to the camera. Stand behind your clothing choices to ensure your headshot feels genuine and true to your personality.
What Never to Wear for NYC Professional Headshots
Wrinkled or ill-fitting clothing immediately suggests poor attention to detail—something that can be particularly damaging in New York’s competitive business environment. I always advise clients to have their outfits pressed and to opt for clothes that fit properly through the shoulders and chest. Pay special attention to jackets, ensuring they are wrinkle-free and well-fitted, as a polished jacket can elevate your professional appearance.
Distracting patterns like stripes, polka dots, or busy florals create visual interference that competes with your face. These patterns can also cause technical issues in digital photography, creating moiré effects that are difficult to correct in post-production. Long sleeves, such as lightweight blazers or fitted cardigans, are often a flattering choice for headshots, as they help direct attention toward your face. Stick to solid colors for the cleanest, most professional result.
Scarves can be a versatile accessory to add a pop of color or coordinate with your branding, but avoid bold or overly patterned scarves, as they may be distracting in headshots.
Overly casual items like graphic tees, athletic wear, or anything you’d wear to the gym have no place in a professional headshot session. Even in creative industries, there’s a baseline level of polish expected in professional photography.
Shiny fabrics create unwanted shine and glare under studio lighting and can be challenging to photograph well. Materials like satin, silk, or anything with metallic threads can create hot spots that are distracting and unprofessional. Choose matte or textured fabrics that photograph more naturally and let your professionalism shine through in subtle ways.
Perhaps most importantly, aim to choose clothing that matches your target audience’s expectations. If you’re a conservative financial advisor, wearing bright, trendy colors might confuse potential clients about your approach to business. Conversely, if you’re in a creative field, overly conservative styling might not accurately represent your innovative thinking.
Accessories and Styling for Executive Portraits
Keep jewelry minimal and classic for the most flattering results in your headshot. Think subtle watches, simple earrings, and wedding rings. Large or flashy jewelry can create unwanted reflections under studio lighting and draw attention away from your face.
If you typically wear glasses as part of your professional image, make sure they’re clean and consider anti-reflective coating for your photo session. Our studio lighting is designed to minimize glare, but proper lens treatment ensures the clearest possible result.
For men who typically wear ties in client meetings, I recommend bringing a bit of variety by including multiple tie options to your session. We can test different combinations to see what photographs best with your chosen shirt and jacket combination. The goal is to create variety while maintaining a consistently professional appearance.
Pocket squares and lapel pins can add personality without overwhelming the overall look. These small details help express individual style within professional constraints. However, I typically recommend testing these accessories first to ensure they don’t create visual competition with your face.
Hair should look professionally groomed but authentically you, with professional styling that highlights your natural features. Whether you’re someone who always wears your hair perfectly styled or you prefer a more relaxed approach, the key is consistency with how people expect to see you in business settings. For both hair and make up, aim for a natural look that enhances your appearance without distraction. Make up should be used to highlight your best features and enhance your look, not to transform you into someone unrecognizable. Your headshot should look like you on your best day, not like someone completely different.
A personal styling consultation can help you select the right accessories and outfits, ensuring everything works together for your headshot session. The investment for a personal styling consultation typically starts around $250 and can vary based on the level of detail and number of outfits.
Remote Headshot Considerations
Remote headshots have become increasingly popular, especially for distributed teams and busy executives who can’t make it to our Times Square studio. Most people find it challenging to select the right outfit for remote headshots, so when preparing for a remote session, I recommend testing your outfit on a video call beforehand to see how colors translate on screen.
Ensure your top works well for waist-up framing, which is standard for virtual meetings and remote headshots. The outfit should look complete and professional even when only the upper portion is visible. This is particularly important for how many outfits you’ll need—usually just your top half, but feeling fully dressed helps project confidence. For remote sessions, I recommend bringing a few different top options so we can choose what works best on camera.
Solid colors photograph more clearly than patterns in remote setups, where camera quality and lighting conditions are variables we can’t fully control. Stick to the same color principles we use in studio—medium to dark, solid colors that complement your skin tone.
Consider your typical Zoom background when selecting colors for remote headshots. If you usually use a virtual background, certain colors may not work well with the technology. We provide guidance on optimal color choices based on your specific remote setup.
Our remote headshot process includes a brief consultation where we walk through your wardrobe choices and lighting setup before the actual photo session. This preparation ensures we capture professional-quality images that meet the same standards as our in-studio work, just adapted for your location and technology constraints.
If you want to further improve your wardrobe choices for remote headshots, taking a course in personal styling can provide valuable guidance and confidence.
Scheduling Your NYC Corporate Headshot Session
We recommend booking your 45-60 minute session between 9 AM and 4 PM for optimal lighting conditions, whether you’re coming to our Times Square studio or we’re shooting on-site at your office. These time slots ensure consistent, professional lighting that makes everyone look their best.
Match Production serves all five boroughs with our mobile setup, plus our centrally located Times Square studio. Whether your team is in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island, we bring the same professional quality and styling guidance that has made us a trusted choice for New York’s leading companies.
Our delivery timeline ensures you receive professionally retouched images within 48-72 hours of your session. For urgent needs, we offer same-day delivery options that accommodate last-minute speaking engagements, press requirements, or website launches.
Corporate packages start at $350 per executive for individual sessions, with volume discounts available for team bookings. Group rates become more cost-effective when booking 10 or more team members, and we can coordinate scheduling to minimize disruption to your business operations.
Ready to create headshots that reflect your professional excellence? Contact us at hello@match-production.com to discuss your team’s scope and timing needs. We’ll work with you to develop a wardrobe strategy and scheduling approach that delivers the executive portraits your brand deserves.
When it comes to professional headshots in New York City, the right wardrobe choices can transform a simple photo into a powerful business tool. From our experience working with thousands of professionals across every industry, we know that confidence starts with feeling authentically professional in what you wear. Choose solid colors that complement your skin tone, ensure everything fits properly, and remember that your headshot should represent you at your polished best.
The difference between a good headshot and a great one often comes down to the details—from the way your jacket frames your face to how your accessories complement rather than compete with your expression. By following these guidelines and working with experienced professionals who understand the unique demands of New York’s business environment, you’ll create images that open doors and enhance your personal brand for years to come.
By Lisa,
After all these years of perfecting headshots in the city that never sleeps, I’ve learned that the best professional portraits happen when preparation meets expertise—and great wardrobe choices are where that preparation begins.
