What to Wear for Your Professional Headshot

Your clothing choices can make or break a professional headshot. The right outfit draws attention to your face and communicates confidence. The wrong one distracts the viewer before they ever get to know you. Here's what Gaby Abboud recommends after thousands of sessions across Chicago and the western suburbs.

Stick to Solid Colors

Solid colors almost always photograph better than patterns. Busy prints — stripes, plaids, florals, logos — compete with your face for attention and can create a moiré effect (a distracting wavy pattern) in photos. Stick with medium-toned solids: navy blue, forest green, charcoal, burgundy, dusty rose, or slate grey are all excellent choices that look professional without being boring.

Avoid pure white or very light pastels — they can blow out under professional lighting and make your skin look washed out by comparison. Pure black can also flatten the image if your background is dark. A dark navy is a better choice than jet black.

Dress for Your Industry

Your headshot should reflect how you actually show up professionally. A financial advisor should look polished and formal. A creative director can be stylish and a bit more casual. A yoga instructor or wellness coach can be relaxed and warm. Think about the first impression you want to make on a client or employer seeing your photo before they've ever met you.

For corporate and business headshots — which account for most of our sessions serving Chicago companies — a blazer or professional jacket typically photographs well. You don't have to wear a full suit, but having a layer adds structure and elevates the look.

Bring Multiple Options

We always recommend bringing two or three outfit changes to your session. This gives you variety for different platforms: one look for LinkedIn, another for your company website, another for your personal brand social channels. It also means if one outfit doesn't feel right on camera, you have a backup ready to go.

For on-location sessions — which is how Gabmaster Photography works, coming directly to your office or a location of your choosing throughout Chicago, Naperville, Lisle, and the suburbs — having a change of clothes is easy since you're already in your own environment.

Grooming and Details

Get a haircut a week or two before (not the day before — fresh cuts can look harsh). If you wear glasses, clean the lenses. Minimise jewellery that reflects light or jangles distractingly. For skin, a light mattifying product helps if you tend to shine under lights. Professional makeup or grooming is always worth it for important headshots and we can recommend local artists we work with in the Chicago area.

The Bottom Line

Solids over patterns. Colors that complement your skin tone. Clothes that reflect your profession. Multiple options. That's the formula. Not sure if something will work? Text us a photo before your session — we're always happy to give a quick opinion.