Most people spend more time worrying about what to wear than anything else before a portrait session.

That's not vanity. That's instinct. Because on some level, you already know that the wrong outfit can undermine an otherwise great set of images — and no amount of retouching fixes a pattern that's eating your face or a colour that drains your skin tone.

The good news: you don't need a stylist, a new wardrobe, or a second mortgage on a designer outfit. You need a handful of principles that work regardless of what you're shooting — personal brand, corporate headshots, or family portraits.

Here's everything I tell my clients before every session.

The One Rule That Overrides Everything Else

Before we get into specifics: wear something you've worn before.

That sounds obvious. It isn't. Almost every client who has shown up in a brand-new outfit has spent the first twenty minutes of the session tugging at a waistband, checking a neckline, or asking whether something looks right. That self-consciousness shows in the images.

Your brain has enough to process on the day — where to look, what to do with your hands, how to relax. Don't add "does this fit?" to the list. Wear something that already feels like you, that you know sits well when you move, and that you've confirmed looks good in a mirror. New clothes belong in the wardrobe for a week before they belong in a shoot.

Colours: What Works and What Kills a Shot

Stick to solid, mid-tone colours. Navy, forest green, warm burgundy, dusty rose, camel, slate grey, rust — these photograph consistently well across skin tones and most background choices. They read as confident without fighting for attention.

Be careful with white and black. Both are workable — but both have failure modes. Bright white reflects light back into the face in a way that can flatten features and blow out detail in the fabric. Pure black can merge with dark backgrounds and lose shape entirely. If you love white or black, go for off-white, ivory, charcoal, or very dark navy instead. They give you the same visual effect without the technical headaches.

Avoid neon and very saturated colours. A neon orange top will bounce colour onto your face. Electric blue does the same. These colours don't just distract from you in the final image — they actively change how your skin looks.

Match your colours to your brand — if you have one. For personal branding and corporate headshots, think about where these images will live. If your website is built around a cool, minimal palette, a warm-toned rust shirt will create visual friction every time someone lands on your About page. Your outfit doesn't need to match your brand colours exactly — it needs to sit comfortably alongside them.

Patterns and Prints: The Short Version

Avoid them. The long version:

Busy patterns cause moiré. Fine stripes, herringbone, houndstooth, and tight checks create a flickering optical effect in photography called moiré — a distracting visual interference that no amount of post-processing fully removes. It makes your clothing look like it's vibrating. It is not a good look.

Large prints compete with your face. A bold floral, a graphic slogan tee, or a statement print pulls the viewer's eye away from where you want it. In a portrait, your face is the subject. Your outfit is the frame. A frame that shouts defeats the purpose.

Subtle texture is the exception. A cable-knit jumper, a linen shirt, a well-cut tweed — these add visual interest without the problems that patterns create. Texture reads well on camera and gives the image depth without demanding attention.

If you love prints and feel strongly about including one, bring it as an option. We can trial it in the first few frames and make the call based on what the camera is actually doing with it.

Fit: The Thing That Matters More Than Almost Anything

A mid-range outfit that fits perfectly will photograph better than a designer piece that doesn't.

Clothes should sit — not pull, not hang. Anything that pulls across the shoulders, gaps at the chest, or bunches at the waist will be visible in the images. Anything that hangs shapeless adds visual weight and loses structure. Neither is what you're paying for.

Check your fit sitting down as well as standing. Most portraits involve at least some seated shots. A jacket that looks immaculate standing can bunch badly at the collar when you sit. A shirt that fits perfectly upright can gap at the buttons when you lean forward. Try the full range of motion at home before the session.

For jackets and blazers: make sure the shoulders sit right. The shoulder seam should sit exactly at your shoulder point — not drooping down your arm, not pulled up toward your neck. Everything else about a jacket's fit can be compensated for. The shoulder can't.

Necklines: What Photographs Well

V-necks and open necklines lengthen the neck and define the jaw. For most people, this is flattering. If you're conscious of your jawline or neck, a V-neck or wide scoop neck is your friend.

High necklines and turtlenecks can work — but require more care. A high neckline merges your face and clothing into one visual block. That's not inherently a problem, but it puts more pressure on facial expression and lighting to create definition. If you love turtlenecks, bring one and we'll test it.

Avoid strapless or very thin straps for professional sessions. For personal brand and corporate headshots especially, strapless tops can read as underdressed or create the visual illusion of no clothing at all in a tight crop. For family portraits, this is less of an issue.

Collared shirts and structured necklines photograph reliably. A well-pressed shirt collar or a structured neckline gives the image a clean line and frames the face consistently across different crop ratios — useful when images need to work across square social crops, wide website banners, and portrait press shots simultaneously.

What to Bring on the Day

Don't arrive in one outfit and assume that's the session. Bring options.

The standard guidance is three to four outfits. That gives you enough variety to cover different use cases — a more formal option, a relaxed option, and something in between — without turning the session into a fashion shoot. If you're booking a personal brand package, multiple outfit changes are usually built into the session time.

Bring the shoes too. For full-length or three-quarter portraits, footwear matters. A sharp suit with trainers reads as deliberate — but only if it's deliberate. If you're not sure, bring a smart option and a casual option and make the call on the day.

Steam or iron everything the night before. Creases in clothing are significantly harder to remove in post-processing than most people assume. The fabric texture that looks fine in your wardrobe at home will show every wrinkle under studio or directional natural light. Ten minutes with a steamer the evening before will save significant time in editing.

Pack a lint roller and clear deodorant. Lint is invisible until the images come back. Light-coloured deodorant marks on dark clothing appear under strong light in a way that's visible but fixable — mostly. Clear or invisible deodorant removes the problem entirely.

Specific Guidance by Session Type

Personal Brand and Corporate Headshots

The brief for these is simple: dress for the role you want, not the role you have.

That doesn't mean overcorrect into something that doesn't feel like you. It means think about the impression you're making on the clients or employers who will see these images. If you're a creative director, smart-casual and confident reads well. If you're a solicitor or financial adviser, a tailored suit or structured blazer signals the professionalism your clients are looking for.

Avoid novelty ties, statement accessories, or anything that will date the image quickly. Headshots often stay in use for two to three years. What feels current today can read as dated by the time you'd ideally reshoot.

One practical note: If your images will be used on a white or light background — common for press and LinkedIn — avoid white or very pale outfits.

You'll disappear into the background.

Family Portraits

Coordination, not matching.

Families who wear identical outfits look staged. Families who choose colours from the same palette — three or four complementary tones — look cohesive without looking like they ordered from the same catalogue.

A simple approach: pick one anchor colour that works for the largest family member, build two or three complementary tones around it, and let individuals choose their own piece within that palette. Navy, white, and tan work. Grey, blush, and forest green work. Bright red, neon yellow, and electric blue do not.

For children specifically: dress them last, not first. Children's clothing gets visually lost in planning — the adults make decisions around them and then the child ends up in something that doesn't coordinate. Start with the adults and let the children's outfits follow from there.

The Common Mistakes That Are Easy to Avoid

Wearing a brand-new outfit you haven't tested. Covered above. Don't.

Choosing an outfit based on how it looks in your wardrobe mirror. Wardrobe mirrors are usually flattering — they're positioned to make getting dressed easier, not to simulate how a lens at a specific focal length will render your silhouette. Try your options in a longer mirror, in the light you'll actually be photographed in, before the session.

Forgetting about your hands. For shots that include hands, nail condition matters more than most people think. Chipped polish, bitten nails, or very dry skin is visible in close crops. If your hands will be prominent in the images, factor that into your preparation.

Over-accessorising. A statement necklace, two stacked bracelets, and large earrings simultaneously is a lot. Each piece you add is another element competing with your face. Choose one focal piece and let the rest be subtle.

Wearing something because someone else said it looks good. This is a portrait of you. Wear what makes you feel like your best self — confident, comfortable, and recognisably you. Every piece of guidance in this post is a principle, not a rule. If you love something that technically breaks one of them, bring it. We'll look at it together and make the call on what the camera actually does with it.

A Simple Checklist for the Night Before

1. Three to four outfit options laid out and steamed

2. Shoes confirmed for any full-length looks

3. Lint roller packed

4. Clear deodorant switched to (if using)

5. Everything tried on, sat down in, and moved around in

6. Any brand-new items removed from the session plan or pre-tested thoroughly

That's it. Show up comfortable, show up prepared, and the session will do the rest.