While this may seem obvious, but in the age of tech startups, office dogs, and casual dress codes, many people think that profile photos of them in a t-shirt is appropriate/optimal for their LinkedIn profile photo.

While this may be the case for tour guides and/or creatives, it’s rarely the case for 95% of the working population.

Looking for advice specialized for women? StichFix has an outstanding guide for women. For men, you can also check out Tracy Wright Corvo’s excellent guide for men.

The Best Clothes for Business Headshots

LinkedIn and other digital channels now account for how ~80% of new business contacts will generate their first impression on your competence, warmth, and trust worthiness. The Muse recently reported that recruiters spend almost 20% of their time on your LinkedIn profile looking at your photo. (via The Muse)

While t-shirt photos might make you look like-able, they fail to make you look impressive or competent.

The Golden Rule for Headshot Attire:

There’s one golden rule to keep in mind:

“Dress for the job you want. Not the job you have.”

While your specific professional may dictate different forms of attire as standard. For +90% of working professionals, you most likely want to dress like your boss’s boss.

For most people, this oftentimes means a colored dress shirt with a jacket. The tie is optional. A suit is also optional. Pants shouldn’t matter as they will be cropped out of the photo.

Jackets should be unbuttoned, as any crease will show up at the bottom of the photo.

Need a more complete guide? Check out our article on How to Prepare for Business Headshots.

Remember, solid colors look great in headshots. They allow the viewer to focus on the subject versus the clothing – so don’t go too crazy with patterns.

But, also be aware of the context of the photo. If the backdrop is grey, don’t wear a grey jacket. If the background is a natural/city location, ask the photographer what colors are predominantly in the backdrop – make sure not to match those.

Thanks for reading! Comment below if you have any questions. If you want to book headshots, please visit our Individual Session page or email smile@headshots-inc.com.