After a client books a shoot with me, one of the first questions I’m asked is, ‘What should I wear?’ It’s a crucial question because your wardrobe selection is one of the major storytelling elements that can impact the quality of your brand visuals. While I always spend a good amount of time in pre-production sorting our these details with my clients through a pre-session guide and strategy phone call, I believe it’s valuable to extend some of these personal branding photoshoot outfit tips to everyone – whether you plan to work with a photographer or DIY your own content!

How is a Personal Branding Photoshoot Different from Other Portrait Photography?

Before we get into my personal branding photoshoot outfit tips, we first should define what exactly a personal branding photoshoot is and whether these tips may even apply to your experience. Many people confuse personal branding with business headshots, and understandably, both are similar as they are a form of portraiture photography designed for entrepreneurs; however, the difference between the two lies in strategy. Headshots are typically close up portraits in front of a simple backdrop and serve to help connect a face to the person behind the resume, website, or Linkedin profile.

Personal branding photography not only introduces your face, but also visually reveals a part of your personality or lifestyle in order to connect with your audience and achieve specific outcomes such as growing an online community. This is why personal branding photography isn’t as simple as showing up with a freshly pressed button down shirt. In order to accurately convey the personal in your personal branding photoshoot, every element in the frame from location, props, and wardrobe, must be intentionally chosen.

My Personal Branding Photoshoot Outfit Tips

When considering your wardrobe, you want to find a good balance between authenticity, strategy, and what will look great on camera. Firstly, you’ll need to consider the appropriate dress code for your shoot which will largely depend on your brand’s lifestyle and the type of audience you are trying to attract. For a beachwear brand, wearing heels and a blazer will come across as too stuffy, while those in a luxury market should maybe avoid more casual clothing like jeans and sneakers. Once you’ve determined the standard of dress and overall vibe of how you’d like to come across, then you can begin to plan out your specific outfits based on the following guidelines:

1. Find Inspiration

Clients I work with receive a mood board within their pre-session guide that helps to inform them of what brands with similar lifestyles or products are wearing in photoshoots, but you can create your own visual board to help determine your wardrobe options. Pinterest is a fantastic place to source for inspiration for a personal branding photoshoot outfit or find personal brand photographers on Instagram and see what their clients are wearing! Be sure you’re not copying looks entirely, since that will defeat the purpose of creating brand visuals that stand out in your industry, but this can be a great jumping off point to see what works and what doesn’t on camera!

Another way to find inspiration is to consider your ideal customer or client and where they would shop for clothes, then head to that clothing store’s website and pull inspiration from their product photos and how they style their models.

2. Choose a Color Palette

If you’re already an established brand that has worked with a brand designer or agency then your brand probably has a set color palette used across your products or marketing materials. Utilizing those same colors for your photoshoot wardrobe will help to blend these visuals with your other materials seamlessly.

If you don’t have an official color palette for your brand yet, then let this opportunity be the nudge you need to establish one! I suggest picking 2-3 colors to incorporate into your wardrobe, in addition to any neutrals you might wear like black or white.

Don’t feel like you need your entire outfit to feature those 2-3 colors at once. If you’re working with a photographer that allows for multiple outfit changes, you can have one outfit focus on one color and another outfit highlight a different color in the palette.

Here’s an example of a past client, Ocean Bliss Yoga, that did a wonderful job at executing their brand colors through their wardrobe. You’ll see that not everyone is wearing all six colors from the brand palette, yet everyone looks cohesive all together.

3. Work with your Location

A personal brand photoshoot location should not only makes sense for your brand’s lifestyle and audience, but can also inform your wardrobe selection. Your first option is utilizing your location to complement your wardrobe. For instance, a beach setting could be the perfect pairing with a flowy, linen ensemble in shades of blues and neutrals. A harmonious combination like this helps to communicate the calming and unified essence of your brand.

Alternatively, you might opt for an outfit that intentionally contrasts with your location, like wearing a fuzzy, neon pink sweater in a clean white studio. This juxtaposition of location and wardrobe can help to illustrate that your brand embraces unexpectedness, creativity, or non-conformity.

Below are two examples of brand sessions that utilized this idea: Alessandra Rosser chose to pick an ensemble contrasting her art studio filled with paintings that feature warm pastel tones, while Kelly, from Bake and Bacon, went with an outfit that compliments her minimalist, neutral kitchen setting.

4. How to Source your Wardrobe

Once you’ve gathered your inspo, picked out your color palette, and settled on how you want to work with your location, now you can begin to source the pieces you’ll wear! For some, this might be the most daunting task, especially if you feel like the clothes in your closet just don’t align with the look you’ve envisioned.

For those that don’t have the budget to buy new clothes for the shoot, consider using a clothing rental company like Nuuly, borrowing from a friend, or reach out to some clothing companies about collaborating with them! Some companies may be interested in gifting you clothes for the shoot in exchange for reposting the photos or any BTS content on their social accounts. Just be sure to communicate this collaboration with your photographer beforehand as they would need to agree to have the company share their photos.

5. Consider the Details

Though your first priority might be deciding what shirt, pants, skirt, or dress combination to pick out, it’s important to consider that no outfit is complete until it’s styled. The styling of an outfit is like the frosted pipping on a birthday cake; The details that help to bring the look together so that you stand out just a bit more. Included in these details are styling techniques such as the French tuck for blouses or rolling up jean hems, layering options, and accessorizing with belts, glasses, or jewelry. By paying attention to these styling nuances, you can elevate your outfit from ordinary to outstanding, ensuring that every element works together to make a memorable impression.

Final Thoughts on Picking a Personal Branding Photoshoot Outfit

As you continue planning your personal branding photoshoot, remember that your wardrobe is more than just clothing—it’s a powerful tool for storytelling and connection. By carefully considering the nuances of location, color palette, wardrobe selection, and styling details, you can craft visuals that authentically reflect your brand’s essence and resonate deeply with your audience. Whether you’re working with a photographer or DIYing your content, these outfit tips serve as a roadmap to ensure that your brand visuals leave a lasting impression.