What colour should I wear for my business headshot?
Colour can make you appear radiant, confident & professional. Different tones can make you look slimmer & change your body shape whilst helping you stand out or blend in. The colours you wear can identify you as someone employed in a traditional role or as someone working in a new, creative industry.
Colour affects your mood & energy. Some colours make us feel more confident whilst others give us a reticence. Colour can also influence other people’s perception of you.
What colour you choose to wear for your business headshot matters.
Solid & neutral colours always work well
Neutral tones are calming & won’t overwhelm the photo. Dark neutral shades include navy, dark grey & black, while light ones include white, beige & cream. They are timeless, non-competing & emotionless.
Neutrals go well with most other colours. Neutral tones work well as a base alongside stronger colours. They also work well alone for a softer, more understated look.
Darker shades can be more slimming but black isn’t always the most flattering colour. Solid black can photograph flat & may lack detail & definition thus making you appear larger. Exchange black for rich neutral colours like navy blue, dark brown or deep grey.
Choose colours that compliment your skin tone
Colours that complement your natural complexion, skin tone & hair colour will enhance your features & create a flattering image. Avoid tones that clash with or mimic your complexion, as they can make you appear washed out & sickly.
Skin tones can be broadly categorised into warm, cool & neutral tones. Understanding your skin tone will help you select colours which work with your natural complexion.
Earthy, warm-toned colours like cherry red, terracotta, burnt orange, olive green & teal work well with warmer skin tones. Colours like lavender, sapphire, icy blue & cool greys will complement cooler skin tones beautifully.
Neutral skin tones generally suit a wider range of colours. Classic shades like navy, burgundy, or rich browns can provide depth & contrast without being overwhelming.
Wearing the right colours helps your skin glow & your eyes sparkle creating a fresh & vibrant look to your photo.
Rich, mid-tone colours typically work well on all complexions
Think deep blues, emerald green, sapphire & ruby. Deep colours reduce the reflection of light from clothing so that you don’t look washed out. Avoid neon colours. Bright orange, bright pink, neon yellow, or neon green can put colour casts on the skin and will not photograph well.
Solid colours work better than patterns. A block of colour keeps the focus on you whereas a pattern will distract attention away from your face in a photo. A headshot is, after all, a photo used to identify you.
Anything that matches your eye colour is always a bonus as it will help draw attention to your eyes!
Keep your industry in mind
When choosing the colour of your clothing, consider the industry you work in.
White, black, grey & navy are often thought of as traditional business attire & may be what is expected within certain professions. However, bright, vibrant colours will make you stand out if you want to make a statement. Bright, bold colours can be a way to capture people’s attention, especially in creative industries.
Classic business clothing options such as black, blue, navy & dark grey look good on almost anyone.
Use the colour of your clothing to accent your brand colour
A subtle flash of your brand colour can be highly effective. When your photo is featured alongside your logo it will create a greater sense of visual cohesion.
Think small & discreet; perhaps a tie, scarf, jewellery, glasses, lipstick or eyeshadow. Consider a top or jacket of the same colour for a bolder connection.
Why the colours you wear for your business photos matter
All colours have a subconscious meaning that affects us in subtle ways that may not always be obvious. Colour psychology studies the influence of colour on human mood & behaviour.
Colour psychology is widely used in marketing to influence a consumer’s emotions about a product or service. It can also influence viewer’s perceptions of our business photos.
Consider what colour/s you are wearing for your headshot & what subtle messages they may be communicating.
Colours & meanings
🔴 Red is a passionate colour. It is energetic, provocative, exciting & bold. It is also angry & aggressive & indicates danger. Seeing the colour red can increase our heart rate & breathing. Consider how a flash of red in your business headshot may influence the person viewing it.
🟡 Yellow is the colour of joy, happiness, creativity, energy, clarity, positivity, optimism, motivation, light & warmth.
🟠 Orange is a combination of red & yellow. It represents sunshine & warmth whilst promoting happiness. It’s an extroverted colour seen as friendly, cheerful, playful, optimistic & energetic.
🟢 Green is the colour of nature. It is synonymous with calm, peace, serenity & freshness. The mid-tones bring ideas of ecology, fertility, growth & health, whilst deeper greens represent wealth, affluence, prestige, quality & security.
🔵 Blue reflects sea & sky & embraces openness & freshness. it is trustworthy, calm, loyal, open, dependable, secure, stable, determined, ambitious & responsible. There is a reason why blue is the core colour for many brands.
🟣 The richness of a deep purple alludes to elegance, quality, sophistication & regality. It is also a mysterious & spiritual colour.
💕 In Western culture, pink is often associated with femininity, love, care, sensitivity & nurture.
🟤 Brown is the colour of the earth & is seen as carrying ideals of nature, simplicity, honesty, strength & durability. It also has associations with dirtiness.
⚫️ Black is a sophisticated colour with stability, strength & durability connotations. It is also dominant, prestigious, timeless & formal with undertones of authority & power. What message does your black suit send to viewers of your headshot?
⚪️ White is a cold colour associated with purity, innocence, simplicity & sophistication.
If you want to read more about the psychology of colour, check out this article here.
Colour is more than simply the hues that you like
Choose the right colour to wear for your business headshot & your skin will glow & your eyes sparkle. Your photo will fit cohesively with your visual brand & the colours within will give a subtle nod to your values & personality.
Your photo will capture people’s attention & positively influence their perceptions of you.
