What Is the Best Color to Wear for a Headshot? (Pro Tips for Looking Your Best)
In short:
The best colors for headshots are solid, neutral, or jewel tones that complement your skin tone and background. Avoid overly bright colors, busy patterns, or anything that blends into the backdrop.
Your headshot is often your first impression—whether it’s on LinkedIn, your company website, or a conference speaker page. While pose, lighting, and expression matter, what you wear can make or break the image. The right color enhances your features, draws attention to your face, and projects confidence. The wrong one can wash you out, clash with the background, or distract from your expression.
Here’s how to choose the best colors for headshots so you look your absolute best on camera.
Choosing the Right Color for Your Headshot
When deciding what to wear, think about your skin tone, the background your photographer will use, and the mood you want to convey. Solid colors almost always photograph better than patterns because they keep the attention on your face. Jewel tones such as emerald, sapphire, burgundy, and deep teal work beautifully on many people, adding richness without being overwhelming. Soft neutrals like charcoal, navy, cream, or beige are also safe, timeless choices. If you’re having your headshot done for professional branding, consider working in colors that align with your business or industry’s style to create a cohesive look.
Colors to Avoid in Headshots
Some colors make photography more challenging and can be less flattering on camera. Pure white can sometimes wash out lighter skin tones unless balanced with a darker background, while pure black can lose detail and feel overly harsh in bright lighting. Neon colors and extremely bright shades often cast unwanted reflections onto your skin, making it harder to achieve a natural tone in the final image. Tiny stripes, checks, or busy patterns can cause distortion in digital photography, pulling attention away from your face. You’ll also want to avoid wearing anything that matches too closely with the background, as this can make you blend in instead of standing out.
Flattering Colors for Every Skin Tone
If you’re unsure what looks best, there are colors that tend to flatter most complexions. People with lighter skin often look great in deep greens, blues, burgundy, or warm neutrals. Those with medium or olive skin tones can pull off jewel tones, soft pastels, and rich earthy shades beautifully. Darker skin tones tend to glow in bold, saturated colors like cobalt blue, mustard yellow, emerald green, or rich purples. One of the best ways to ensure you’re camera-ready is to bring a few different outfit options to your session so your photographer can choose what works best with the lighting and background on the day of your shoot.
Your headshot should capture you at your best. At Merrick Multimedia, we guide you through every detail from wardrobe to background so your final images look polished, professional, and truly reflect who you are. Let’s make your first impression unforgettable
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What color looks best in a headshot?
Jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, and burgundy are consistently flattering.
Should I wear white or black for a headshot?
Both can work in the right conditions, but softer neutrals are often more forgiving.
What colors should I avoid for headshots?
Avoid neon, busy patterns, and colors that are too similar to your background.
Do certain colors make you look slimmer in photos?
Darker, solid shades can create a slimming effect, but fit and posture matter most.
Can I wear my glasses for a headshot?
Yes — if you wear them most of the time, you should wear them in your headshot. We will always help you to minimize glare during the shoot and then we remove any remaining reflections in editing.