What to Wear for Business Headshots (Cardiff & Swansea Guide)

If you’re booking business headshots, wardrobe is not a “style choice” — it’s a communication choice. What you wear affects how confident, credible, and senior you read on camera, especially for LinkedIn and company websites.

This guide is built for professionals in Cardiff, Swansea, and across South Wales who want a clean, modern headshot that looks like leadership.

Start with the outcome: what do you need your headshot to say?

• Executive / Director: authority, calm confidence, clarity.
• Founder / Entrepreneur: trust + approachability, modern edge.
• Corporate professional: polished, capable, reliable.
• Client-facing roles: warm, open, credible.

If you’re unsure what style fits your role, your safest next step is to book with the intent of usage: LinkedIn, website, press, speaking, or leadership profiles. You can see the business options here: Business Headshots South Wales.

The simplest rule: wear what you’d wear to your best meeting

Not your most formal outfit. Not your “going out” outfit. Your best meeting outfit — the one that makes you sit taller and speak clearly.

Colours that photograph well (and why)

For business headshots, you want colour that doesn’t fight your face. The goal is for the viewer to remember you, not your shirt.

• Best choices: navy, charcoal, deep green, cream, soft white, muted blues.
• Use with care: pure black (can look heavy), bright white (can clip under lighting).
• Avoid: neon tones and overly saturated colours that pull attention away from your eyes.

Subtle detail matters because modern digital cameras and studio lighting reveal texture, contrast, and edge definition very clearly — especially in a head-and-shoulders crop.

Fabrics & patterns: what works under real camera lighting

Pattern is where people accidentally sabotage great headshots. Fine checks, tight stripes, and micro-patterns can produce distracting artefacts on camera.

• Choose: solid colours, gentle texture (wool, knit, matte cotton, structured fabric).
• Avoid: thin stripes, tiny checks, busy prints, shiny satin finishes.
• Best finish: matte or lightly textured — it reads expensive and clean.

Necklines and jackets: how to look confident (not stiff)

• Jackets: work brilliantly for leadership and corporate credibility.
• Shirts: open collar can feel modern and approachable; buttoned can feel formal and structured.
• Necklines: avoid anything that pulls attention to the chest or looks overly casual.

If you’re booking in Cardiff and want a more executive look, start here: Business Headshots Cardiff.

If you’re booking in Swansea for corporate usage or team branding, start here: Corporate Headshots Swansea.

Glasses, grooming, and small details people forget

• Glasses: ensure they’re spotless (smears show instantly under lighting).
• Hair: keep it controlled and intentional — avoid last-minute changes.
• Makeup (if worn): keep it natural and matte; avoid heavy shimmer.
• Beard: shape it the day before; don’t try a new style on shoot day.
• Hands/nails: if your pose includes hands, keep them clean and neutral.

Two outfit strategy (recommended)

If possible, bring two options:

• Outfit 1: your most senior, polished version (the “promotion-ready” look).
• Outfit 2: a modern, approachable version (still professional, less formal).

LinkedIn-specific tip: the crop is tight — keep it simple

LinkedIn profile photos display in a circular crop at small sizes, so simplicity wins. High contrast and clean lines around the face look strongest.

For reference, LinkedIn profile photo recommendations commonly cite 400×400 or larger for crisp display, with file-size limits depending on format and platform. You can see a current size guide here: Hootsuite’s social media image sizes guide (updated Dec 2025).

If your primary need is LinkedIn (rather than company sites or press), start here: LinkedIn Headshots Swansea & Cardiff.

Quick checklist (save this)

• Choose solid colours (navy/charcoal/muted tones)
• Avoid tight patterns and shiny fabrics
• Bring two outfits: senior + approachable
• Keep grooming consistent and intentional
• Clean glasses thoroughly
• Plan wardrobe around where the image will be used

Next step (soft direction)

If you want a business headshot that reads confident and credible on camera — and looks modern across LinkedIn and professional profiles — use the South Wales hub to choose the right option: Business Headshots South Wales.