What to Wear for Your Personal Branding Shoot
This is probably one of the biggest worries for anyone having their photo taken professionally, for work, with the family or in this case, for a personal branding shoot - what to wear??
What you decide to wear can make or break the photoshoot, not to mention waste a whole load of moolah if the photos don’t work.
That’s why I have created this guide - to make it easy, take out the stress and give you instant answers about what to wear.
First, let’s talk about why this is so important to get right.
If you are the face of your business this really matters. It’s about attracting the right clients, making the right impression and standing out in a sea of other entrepreneurs. This is your chance to stop the scroll - use your outfit to give you the edge and elevate you and your brand.
It has been proven time and time again that you only get a couple of seconds to make that all-important first impression. The good news is, you can totally curate it and make a powerful image with these tips.
So let’s get right into it. What should you wear and what should you avoid to get a successful result?
Dress in your brand colours.
If your brand/logo is red for example, or perhaps has an accent of yellow - use that colour in your outfit. What this does is create a strong brand image straight away, and consciously or subconsciously sends the message that you are your brand. That in turn increases the know, like and trust factor.
My brand colours were pink when I had this photo taken and I made sure I had some pink items for the shoot. I also chose navy blue because it is timeless and the photos would last longer.
If you don’t like wearing colour then don’t - it’s more important to express your authentic self. instead, it might be an idea to add an accent of colour with a statement earring or bright heels and keep the rest of the outfit neutral.
2. Wear head to toe block colour
This is a very neat trick. Wearing the same colour on top and bottom, or at least very similar, you will visually stand out straight away. It is also slimming and makes you look taller. Choose a colour that you love and know you look good in. If in doubt, book a colour consultation with me or a local colour analyst.
Notice in this photo when I’m on the run in London, I opted for navy blue rather than a bright. The colour doesn’t need to be bright if that’s not you.
3. Don’t wear anything you’ve never tried before
Your photoshoot is not the day to turn up with a few new outfits. Make sure you have worn the outfits before, that they are comfortable and not restrictive too or you might end up looking really uncomfortable. Footwear is a big consideration. I find ankle boots are a great option because they look smart but I am a trainer lover and I would pair a pretty dress with trainers. Just don’t pick anything you are not going to be able to walk in or that will make you feel restricted or not like yourself on the big day.
4. Make sure you have at least two, but ideally four outfits for the day
Don’t panic when I say this! I know even one outfit is tricky but FOUR!? You can be clever and make more outfits out of one and I’ll tell you how.
Outfit #1 - A blouse in your brand colours with jeans or tailored trousers
Outfit #2 - The same blouse and jeans or trousers with a blazer added
Outfit #3 - A bright dress in your brand colours or a colour of your choice.
Outfit # 4 - The same jeans or trousers with a different blouse
This bright pink would look good in photos and a pink suit it fairly unusual. Me&Em
5. Think about the message you are trying to get across
It’s helpful to think of adjectives that describe how you want to be perceived. Creative, approachable, professional, fun, artistic etc… A corporate lawyer who deals with very serious cases would want to wear something lower-key and more polished than say, a potter or a children’s entertainer.
Who is your ideal audience? If they are affluent then the images need to appeal to that demographic and your outfit should too. If you are appealing to Mum’s then a more casual outfit would be more fitting.
Ask your photographer to provide you with a location list well ahead of the shoot. This will help you decide more appropriate outfits. For example, if it’s outdoors, what season is it and will you need a coat? All this matters when planning what to wear.
6. If you go smart/casual, you won’t go wrong
Practically the whole business world now dresses in smart/casual or business/casual attire. Since the pandemic, this trend has accelerated with even the most straight-laced corporates like Deloittes in London announcing they are introducing a smart/casual dress code.
But what does ‘smart/casual’ really mean? In a nutshell it’s just not jeans. Tailored trousers, a skirt or a dress will look a lot better in photos. I personally love jeans for every day but for a brand shoot I would recommend levelling up.
Smart/casual is smarter than athleisure, it is not your casual comfies (unless you are a PT or your industry demands it.) For women it is a dress, or a pair of tailored trousers that suit your body shape, paired with a blouse, something that doesn’t crease easily. Footwear is whatever you want it to be, ankle boots or flat shoes or like me - almost always trainers.
7. MYTH - Avoid anything too ‘on-trend’ unless you are a fashionista
How long do you want your photos to last? If you don’t plan on updating them for a couple of years then don’t go for a really trendy look because it might look dated really quickly.
BUT, having an up-to-date look is a good thing. It shows personality, if you wear what you love you look authentic and relevant. This will help you to stand out. For example, a current suggestion (March 2021) would be to wear a balloon sleeve or a statement sleeve of some kind, a loose dress would be ‘on-trend’ and wide-legged trousers are hot for this year.
It makes sense to update your photos anyway every year if you can. People who dress in a current way look current and like they have a finger on the pulse - they appear ‘on it.’ These are just some of the subliminal messages you can quickly get across with just your image.
8. Pattern is tricky…
But when done right, it can work very well but just needs some consideration. It is a fact that pattern dates faster than anything unless you go for a classic pattern like polka dots or a Breton stripe - but see point 7, I believe it’s better to look current.
Really loud and tight, the busy pattern can overwhelm the wearer and the background so that’s why, if you are worried already you might want to avoid it altogether. The location is really important in this instance because if you were being photographed in a wildflower field there would be too much going on. Or if you are standing in front of a backdrop, there might be too much visual clutter.
I’m going to include options that work but I want to illustrate what doesn’t too. The floral ditsy pattern on the blouse below is too busy - I absolutely LOVE the blouse and this brand but I wouldn’t style someone in it for a personal branding shoot. I would choose something with a more spaced-out pattern like the blue star print blouse below and try to incorporate brand colours.
Bright blue Mercy Delta blouse
What pattern can do though is help you stand out - imagine if everyone was just in block colours? That would be boring and no-one would be showing their individuality.
This is why it is so important to find out your unique personal style and let that shine through.
9. Consider the fabric and the fit
It is always better to try and go for silk or a polyester mix and avoid cotton or linen which crease easily. Everything in photos is magnified and yes, photoshop is going to used to give your photos a pro finish but creased clothes just look scruffy. Also, you will look far more professional and polished if your outfit is smart and neat and fits your body well.
10. Take inspiration from Pinterest
I just went over to Pinterest and typed in ‘Personal Branding Photoshoot’ and loads of images pop up to take inspiration from. I recommend creating your own Pinterest board especially for this. You might already have some suitable items in your wardrobe that you’ve forgotten about, so taking the time to plan what looks good on a moodboard will help to bring this all together.
The main thing is to be yourself, to project the most authentic image of yourself you possibly can. Even when there is tons of competition and people offering the same as you, there is only one person in the world like you and you can use your image as a tool to amplify that.
To help, I’ve pulled together a few looks I would choose to style someone in who wanted an up-to-date, professional image": I particularly love the red animal print dress - animal print is considered a neutral these days, it’s a good choice, and the red is the strongest colour you could go for.
Good Luck!
If you want to book my styling services for your shoot, contact me here.
RIXO Becky Abstract 60s Floral Dress
I really love the brand Stine Goya for bright jewel colours and bold and beautiful prints. Definitely worth checking out for a stylish photoshoot outfit choice. I would pair this blouse with tailored trousers. If you opt for wide-leg trousers then go more fitted on the top half so you are not drowned in fabric.
If you are a bold dresser then this would be fabulous. The top half would look great when you are sat at a desk for that kind of pic then the whole dress would stand out. I love the unapologetic femininity of this dress, the ‘on-trend’ ruffles, and statement sleeves, and the bright strong block colour.
Bright jewel blue blouse with statement sleeves.
I love these fluid bright pint wide-leg trousers. I’d suggest pairing these with a simple off-white silk blouse so the trousers do the talking and the whole look isn’t too overwhelming.
All saints silk shirt with soft pink pattern
I hope these selections have been helpful. Come on over to my Instagram for more outfit ideas. Much Love, Lisa x
