Let me just say upfront: this is not your typical “wear solid colors and avoid busy patterns” blog post. Well, okay, it is a little bit that. But it’s also the advice I give every single client before their shoot because I’ve watched outfit choices make or break a session in real time, and I’d rather you hear it from me now than figure it out the hard way on shoot day.
After 17 years of photographing people in Gig Harbor, Tacoma, and across the Pacific Northwest, here’s what I actually think about what to wear to a brand photo shoot.
01. This is not the time to go shopping.
I mean it. This is not the time to head to the store and buy a bunch of things you think you can maybe pull off. It’s also not the time to get creative and cobble together pieces from your closet in a way you’ve never actually worn before just because it looks really cute on your bed. I’ve seen both of these go sideways in real time and it is not a fun feeling for anyone.
This is the time for the tried and true. The outfit you’ve worn to meet clients who really mattered to you. The one where you walked in feeling like yourself and didn’t have to think about it once. That’s the one we want.
02. If your outfit is the loudest thing in the photo, we have a problem.
And I say that with so much love. We are here for you, your energy, your presence, your whole thing. The clothes are supporting cast. The second your outfit starts upstaging your face, it’s gotta go back in the closet. You are the main character. The dress is an extra.
03. Before shoot day, put it on and take your own photos. All the angles.
Front, back, side, sitting, crouching, the works. Your photographer is not going to photograph you the way your bathroom mirror does, and you want zero surprises on shoot day about how that waistband is behaving. Do your homework. Future you will be so grateful.
This is genuinely one of the most underrated steps in outfit prep and almost nobody does it. The ones who do show up to their sessions with so much more confidence because there are no surprises.
04. Solid colors and simple patterns are almost always the right call.
Bold graphics, logos, and busy prints compete with your face. When in doubt, simplify. Every single time. Your face is what people are supposed to remember, and anything that pulls the eye away from it is working against you.
That said, “simple” doesn’t mean boring. A beautifully cut blazer in a rich solid color, a textured knit, a classic stripe, something with interesting fabric or structure but a clean visual read? That’s the sweet spot.
This applies whether you’re coming in for a full brand session or a headshot appointment. The principle is the same: your face is the point.
05. If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your body, please hear me: flowy and oversized is not the answer.
I know it feels like it should be. But loose, flowy fabric reads even wider on camera and it hides your shape instead of honoring it. What actually works is something with structure, something that goes in at the waist. A fitted blazer, an A-line dress, a two-piece set. You have a shape. Let’s see it.
This is some of the most important outfit advice I give, and it’s the one people push back on the most before their shoot and thank me for the most after.
06. Think about where these photos are going to live before you pick your outfit.
Your website, your socials, your email signature, all of those have a color palette. You don’t need to show up head-to-toe branded, but one intentional piece that nods to your colors? A stripe, a solid, an accessory? That’s the difference between a great brand photo and a photo that feels completely, unmistakably yours.
Before you finalize your outfits, pull up your website and your Instagram grid. Look at the colors already living there. Now dress to belong in that world.
The short version
Wear what you already love and know works on your body. Keep the visual noise low so your face can do its job. Do a test run at home, all the angles. And think about where these images are going to live so they feel like yours when they get there.
Feeling physically ready? Hop on over here to get mentally ready as well.
If you’re looking for a brand photographer in Gig Harbor, Tacoma, or the greater Seattle area, I’d love to talk. Inquire here or shoot me a note at hello@brazenhousestudios.com.
Melissa Stone is the owner and photographer at Brazen House Studios, a brand photography and headshot studio based in Gig Harbor, WA, serving entrepreneurs across the Pacific Northwest.
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