Men: How to Look Sharp in Your Business Headshots

My goal here is to take some of the guesswork out of what to wear for your new headshots so you neither overthink it, nor underprepare.

Your headshot should look like you on a very good day — polished, credible, confident. Not stiff. Not costume-y. Not “this is the only suit I own”

You don’t need a whole new wardrobe. You just need intention. Here’s how to think about it.

Dress for your next role

Make sure:

Jacket fits cleanly at the shoulders and neck
Shirt doesn't billow or strain
If it’s boxy, dated, or tight in weird places – retire it

If you have something you love but just doesn’t fit quite right – consider having it tailored.

Here are some handy links to how to decode whether something fits properly:

👉🏻 Tricks to Tell if Your Dress Shirt Fits Properly

👉🏻 Visual Guide to How a Suit Should Fit

Don't make any big grooming changes right before your photoshoot. And do take some time to be thorough with your grooming:

Trim and edge your beard
Or shave the morning of
Tidy neckline, brows, and stray hairs

If you’re thinking about a haircut, do it about a week before your session — not the day before. Let it settle in so it looks natural.

😁 Bonus Tip: Use Crest White Strips at least three times during the week before your headshot photos are taken so your teeth are pearly white.

Wear what you would wear to:

An interview for your ideal position
A pitch to investors
A presentation to colleagues

When in doubt, skew slightly more formal. It’s much easier to relax a polished look than to elevate something that reads too casual.

Put together a head-to-toe outfit

Even if we’re mostly shooting waist-up, wear a full, cohesive outfit, all the way down to your shoes.

It changes how you stand. How you move. How you carry yourself. And that confidence absolutely shows up in photos.

Everything should fit nicely

Wash, iron, & lint-roll

This sounds obvious. It is obvious. And yet.

Wash and press your clothes
Lint roll everything
Or just take it to the dry cleaner
Do not wear anything that is visibly old or worn.

You can’t look sharp if you look like you picked your clothes up from the floor.

Want to stand out? Add intentional color

Neutrals — navy, charcoal, black, white — are timeless and safe. You will never regret them.

If you want a little edge, add color through a tie or a pocket square

Red, for example, is consistently associated with power and authority. There’s a reason it shows up in boardrooms and politics.

The key is intention. Not loud for the sake of loud.

Groom thoroughly

Bring your glasses (and clean them)

If clients and colleagues regularly see you in glasses, wear them for your new headshots.

If you only wear them sometimes, bring them. We can shoot a few frames with and without so you have options.

Clean your lenses right before your photoshoot.

And please avoid wearing transitions lenses.

Quick Recap

Dress for the role you want
Wear a collar
Prioritize fit
Clean and press everything
Add color thoughtfully
Groom intentionally
Bring glasses if you wear them

You don’t need to overthink this. You just need to show up prepared. And if you’re in doubt or due for some new duds – the folks in the Nordstrom men’s department are fabulous.

Across most industries, a collared shirt reads as sharp and put-together — it frames your face and adds structure.

A collared shirt alone feels polished but approachable.
Add a jacket and you shift into sharper, more authoritative territory.
Add a jacket and a tie if your industry leans formal.

Guaranteed win: Dark jacket + light shirt.

The contrast defines your face and photographs beautifully on almost everyone.

When in doubt — wear a shirt with a collar

Different rules.

If you’re an artist, designer, musician, performer, or entrepreneur whose personality is part of the product, your headshot should reflect your brand — not standard business headshots. If bold color, texture, or edge is part of how you show up professionally, lean into that for your headshots.

The goal isn’t “business-y.” The goal is personal brand aligned.