5 Essential Tips for What to Wear for Business Headshots
One of the most common questions employees ask before company headshot day is:
“What should I wear for corporate headshots?”
And for good reason. Choosing what to wear for their company’s professional headshot day can feel like navigating a fashion minefield.
We’ve all been there. You’re thinking, “What exactly is ‘professional but not stuffy’?” while also figuring out “How can I help my team show up to represent our company brand?” Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. The right outfit can transform a standard headshot from “meh” to “wow,” making you and your entire team look polished and confident. It’s not about looking perfect, but about looking authentically professional.
For many, it’s the only professional photo they’ve had taken in years (if ever), and the idea of choosing the “right” outfit can feel intimidating. But when everyone on your team knows what to expect—and what looks good on camera—they’ll walk in more confident and prepared.
A clear, consistent wardrobe guide doesn’t just help all the individuals at your business look great. It ensures your entire brand looks polished and cohesive across LinkedIn, your website, and your marketing materials.
Here’s how to help your team dress for corporate headshot success.
1. Keep It Professional, Not Overdone
The goal is to look put-together, approachable, and aligned with your company brand. You don’t need a suit and tie (unless your approved business look requires them daily), but you do want to avoid the overly casual or overly flashy. The sweet spot? Looking put-together without trying too hard.
✅ Choose fitted, solid-color tops
Solid colors photograph well and keep the attention on the face—not the clothes. Think navy, charcoal, white, burgundy, forest green, or soft pastels.
❌ Avoid busy patterns or loud graphics
Stripes, plaids, polka dots, and logos can distract or distort on camera. Stick with simple textures and clean lines.
✅ Keep jewelry minimal
Statement necklaces or large earrings can compete with the face. If jewelry is part of someone’s personal brand, that’s great—but keep it intentional.
2. Color Psychology & Coordination
Your company likely already has brand colors—use them as inspiration for a look that feels professional and on-brand. Color choices can influence how your team is perceived in photos, so a little planning goes a long way.
✅ Pick Brand-Friendly Neutrals and Accent Colors
Start with a base of timeless neutrals like white, navy, charcoal, and gray. These shades photograph beautifully and work well in almost any office or outdoor setting. Add one or two accent colors drawn from your brand palette—such as a muted teal or a soft jewel tone—for subtle variety and a modern, intentional look.
If you have a large team, you may want to offer a range of 3–5 brand-friendly tones so everyone can find something flattering while keeping the group visually cohesive.
❌ Avoid Everyone Matching Exactly
A perfectly matched group can work, but it also might feel stiff or “cookie-cutter.” Instead, aim for cohesive variety—different shades within the same palette. Encourage team members to mix lighter and darker versions of your chosen colors, or to pair neutrals with small pops of accent tones. The key is to avoid clashing with your brand colors or with each other.
🎨 Harness Color Psychology
Think about the emotions your brand colors convey.
- Blues and teals suggest trust and reliability.
- Greens imply growth and balance.
- Reds and warm accents add energy and confidence.
Using these shades strategically helps reinforce the message you want your brand to communicate.
💡 Group Tip: Share Visual Examples
Provide a simple visual guide—a Canva palette, mood board, or quick collage of dos and don’ts—so employees can easily see your preferred colors and combinations. A picture is worth a thousand words and makes it far easier for everyone to interpret the dress code correctly.
BONUS PRO TIP: You can use this “coolors” website to upload your logo or a photo to create color palettes you can share. Or import your palette into Canva to create a cohesive color and wardrobe guide.
3. Helping Your Team Look Polished
Helping your team show up polished can feel a little delicate, but a few friendly pointers go a long way.
When you book with us, we include these tips in the What to Wear handout so you can easily share them with your staff.
Quick Grooming & Prep Tips to Share
- Hair – If you’re plannin a trim, a fresh cut or trim 3–7 days ahead so it looks natural and neat. Don’t make drastic changes before Headshot Day.
- Makeup – Light and professional; a bit of powder helps prevent shine.
- Glasses – Wear them if you normally do—just clean thoroughly and we’ll check for glare.
- Clothing – Choose well-fitting outfits that are freshly pressed or steamed.
- Rest & Hydration – A good night’s sleep and plenty of water help everyone look bright and alert.
Providing these gentle, practical reminders sets your team up to feel confident and camera-ready, while keeping the process simple for you.
4. What to Wear – Options To Fit Your Brand
Every company has its own style, and your team headshots should reflect that. Whether you want a classic corporate look, a relaxed on-brand vibe, or a coordinated color story, we can capture a professional result. Choose one of these outfit approaches—or mix and match—to showcase your brand at its best.
Business Formal
Ideal for law firms, financial services, executive teams, healthcare leadership, consulting firms, corporate offices, or any company that wants a classic, authoritative look. This style communicates professionalism and trust at first glance.
When to Choose This Style – Perfect when your team frequently interacts with clients in formal settings, appears in annual reports, works in legal, finance, executive leadership, healthcare administration, or needs to project a strong, traditional business image.
What to Wear – Suits, dress shirts, blazers, and professional blouses. For men, a tie is encouraged but optional depending on company culture. For women, tailored dresses or blouses with jackets work well.
Color Strategy – Stick with solid, timeless colors such as navy, charcoal, black, white, or deep jewel tones like emerald or burgundy. These shades photograph beautifully and convey confidence.
Finishing Touches – Ensure clothing is clean, pressed, and well fitted. Keep jewelry and accessories understated so the focus stays on faces, not fashion.
Brand-Friendly Casual
Want a coordinated but more relaxed look than full business formal? Brand-Friendly Casual is a great fit for teams that want to look polished, approachable, and modern without everyone wearing suits.
Think modern professional – This look works especially well for tech companies, real estate teams, healthcare and med-tech teams, creative agencies, consulting firms, small businesses, and corporate teams that want a professional image without the formality of business suits.
Use your brand palette as a guide – Choose tops in company-friendly colors. If your brand is blue and gray, for example, you might offer a range like light blue, soft gray, navy, and crisp white.
Aim for cohesive variety – Instead of everyone wearing the exact same shirt, give a palette of three to five shades. This keeps the group visually unified while allowing individual style.
Keep it polished – Select solid-color tops with clean lines, such as button-downs, blouses, sweaters, blazers, or well-fitted polos. This works well for real estate professionals, tech teams, office staff, healthcare administrators, construction and engineering leadership, and client-facing business teams. Skip loud prints, neon brights, and anything that clashes with your brand’s main colors.
Branded Casual
Ideal for service industries, retail teams, construction and trades service teams, technicians, front-line staff, some tech start-ups, gyms, home services, hospitality teams, and other companies that want to highlight their company identity and team spirit. This style keeps things relaxed and approachable while still looking professional.
When to Choose This Style – Perfect for companies that serve customers face-to-face, have recognizable uniforms, want to create consistency across a large team, or need headshots that clearly connect each person to the company brand.
What to Wear – Clean, well-fitted company polos, branded T-shirts, logoed button-downs, work shirts, or professional uniforms. Everyone should wear the same logo version and similar sleeve length for a consistent look.
Color Strategy – Stick to your official brand colors and keep the palette tight. If you have multiple logo colors, choose one dominant background shade for shirts so the team looks unified.
Finishing Touches – Make sure every shirt is freshly laundered and wrinkle-free. Pair with neat, neutral pants or skirts and closed-toe shoes when full or half-body images are included. Avoid faded fabrics, worn prints, oversized shirts, or distracting logo placements.
The Do-Not-Wear List
A few common items just don’t work well in headshots:
🚫 Neon or ultra-bright colors (they reflect and can cast color on your face)
🚫 Wrinkled or ill-fitting clothes
🚫 Strapless tops (they can look like you’re not wearing anything)
🚫 Sleeveless tops (unless layering with a jacket or blazer)
🚫 Athletic wear, hoodies, caps/hats, or overly casual T-shirts
🚫 Logos other than your company’s own branding
Here’s our complete set of what-to-wear guides for professional headshots if you want to take a deeper dive.
5. Accessibility & Inclusion
Every team member should feel comfortable and respected on headshot day. When planning, keep these points in mind:
- Respect personal and cultural attire – Allow flexibility for religious dress, head coverings, or hairstyles. Your company’s dress guidelines can specify professionalism while making clear that cultural or religious garments are always welcome.
- Plan for physical accessibility – Make sure the photography space has wheelchair access, wide pathways, and seating options.
- Provide prep space – A small area for quick touch-ups is a thoughtful addition.
Building in these considerations helps everyone feel confident and ensures the finished photos authentically represent your whole team.
BONUS: Seasonal Planning Tips for Phoenix
Phoenix brings its own climate quirks, and timing your session can make a big difference:
- Warm months (May–September) – Afternoon temperatures can climb well into the triple digits. We don’t recommend outdoor headshots during the hot months because people do not look their best when it’s 100+ degrees. Indoor shoots in the AC are the best choice for Arizona summers.
- Cooler months (October–April) – Pleasant weather gives you more flexibility. Outdoor sessions can be scheduled throughout the day with great natural light, but work best in full shade. Let’s visit about the best outdoor locations for your team photos to make sure results can be consistent across the time of the shoot.
- Indoor comfort – For year-round consistency and comfort, consider an air-conditioned studio session, which eliminates weather concerns altogether.
By factoring in Phoenix’s unique seasons, you’ll keep everyone comfortable and looking their best—no matter when headshot day is scheduled.
RESOURCE 1: Steps to Prepping Your Team for Headshot Day
A smooth headshot day starts with clear communication. Once you’ve chosen the overall look—whether Business Formal, Branded Casual, or a Brand-Friendly Casual—take these steps to be sure everyone arrives dressed and ready:
1. Decide the look early
Meet with key stakeholders to agree on the dress standard that best reflects your brand. The sooner this is set, the easier it is for staff to prepare.
2. Spell it out clearly
Send a short email or Slack message that includes:
- Date, time, and location of the shoot
- Specific wardrobe guidelines (colors, layers, accessories)
- Any “do not wear” notes such as bright neons or distracting patterns
3. Give reminders and visuals
Follow up a few days before the session. Attaching an example photo or style board can help everyone visualize the desired look.
4. Prep the space
Whether you’re shooting in a conference room or lobby, make sure the area is clean, uncluttered, and reserved for the time your photographer needs.
RESOURCE 2: Get Your Team Ready with Our Planning Kit
When you’re planning corporate headshot day, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s our detailed planning article along with a link to our downloadable Team Headshot Day Planning Checklist. And if you’re in the Phoenix area and book your company headshots with Headshot Pros AZ, we’ll send you our headshot planning toolkit with a sharable What-to-Wear guide for your team and email templates that you can copy and paste to prep your team before the big day.
RESOURCE 3: Conference Headshot Planning Tool
Need help planning a larger headshot event for your team? Use our Conference Headshot Planning Tool to estimate how much time you need to photograph your team, how many stations, and a cost estimate for your event.
These resources make it easy to:
- Share dress guidelines – simply copy, paste, and send so everyone knows what to wear.
- Remind the team – schedule a quick follow-up email or Slack post a few days before shoot day.
- Reduce day-of stress – everyone arrives on time and photo-ready, keeping the session smooth and efficient.
We designed this toolkit so you don’t have to write a thing. Just personalize if you like, hit send, and relax knowing your team is fully prepped for picture day.
The best team headshots happen when people feel confident, prepared, and comfortable. When your team looks good, your brand looks even better.
Team Headshot FAQ
What is the best color for team headshots?
Neutral, brand-friendly tones—like navy, charcoal, white, and soft jewel shades—photograph best. Use your brand palette for subtle accents and avoid neon or very bright hues.
Should everyone on the team dress exactly alike?
No. Aim for cohesive variety by giving employees a 3–5 color palette. This keeps the group unified while letting everyone choose flattering shades.
How far in advance should we share outfit guidelines?
Send details at least two weeks before photo day, then follow up with a reminder a few days before the session.
Can team members wear glasses in their headshots?
Absolutely. If someone wears glasses daily, they should wear them in the photo. Make sure lenses are clean and let the photographer check for glare.
What if someone has cultural or religious attire requirements?
Welcome and respect all cultural or religious dress. Include that note in your team-wide communication so everyone feels comfortable while keeping the look professional.
What’s the best time of year for outdoor team headshots in Phoenix?
Cooler months (October–April) offer the most flexibility. In hot months, schedule early morning or early evening sessions—or choose an indoor, air-conditioned space.
How do we keep the session running on schedule?
Use our Team Headshot Day Planning Checklist and sample schedule to assign time slots and send reminders. (Included when you book.)
📅 Pro Tip: Share your What to Wear guidelines with your team well ahead of your photo session—ideally with their scheduled time and location. This small step sets everyone up for success and saves time on the day-of.
Cari Hall is a professional headshot photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 2014, she has specialized in corporate headshots, LinkedIn headshots, and personal branding photos that help professionals and companies stand out with confidence. Drawing on more than a decade of experience — and a background in advertising and marketing — Cari brings both technical expertise and brand strategy insight to every session. She is known for creating a stress-free experience, helping even the most camera-shy clients feel comfortable, confident, and authentically themselves.
