What to Wear to your Branding Session

You’re having a Branding Session! 

Deciding what to wear on your personal branding photoshoot can no doubt be overwhelming!  It’s not only a question of what you feel great in but also— what message you want to convey and how well your outfits complement your brand color palette. 

There’s so much potential to elevate your brand if you get it right.

How do you want to be seen?

Studies show that it takes less than a second for people to form an opinion of you, and the clothes you wear tell people a lot about who you are, and what they can expect from working with you.

Do you want to be seen as creative?  Fun?  Easy-going?  Professional?

Think about your brand and about what will attract your ideal client. 

If you are a service-based business that meets with clients in person, have at least 1 outfit that is an example of what you would wear while working with them.

Pro tip:  Think of 3-5 words that you’d like to be identified as. 
Always ask yourself if your wardrobe choices portray any of those 3 to 5 words.

Think about comfort and fit

Please don’t squeeze yourself into something, only to be totally uncomfortable for the day.  Additionally, clothing that fits too loosely often doesn’t photograph well either. 

Clothing that fits well is essential for you to look your best.

Don’t be afraid of color

Colors are probably the most important thing for you to get right.  Wearing the right colors can completely transform your look by lighting up your face and making your eyes sparkle!  If you don’t know which colors suit you, start by thinking about the colors of your brand.

Try holding up different colors to your face and see what difference they make to the way you look.  Although you may think neutral colors make you look smart and professional, they also might prevent your true personality from coming across.  Bright or bold colors can make you look more fun and also more approachable.

Accessories are your friend

Accessories can make outfits more fun and interesting.  When people come to your website, most won’t have met you in person, so you need your personality to come across.  Ultimately you want people to look at you and think you’re someone they want to meet and work with!

Have a play with different necklaces, earrings, and scarves and always have a look at whether it looks better with or without.  If you’re unsure, take a selfie to compare the difference. 

Consider your locations

Align your outfits with each location so that they feel as natural as possible.  If you always wear heels to a meeting but wouldn’t dream of it at home, let’s shoot your smarter outfit in a beautiful hired office space or at your favorite coffee shop, then swap those heels for comfy socks with jeans and a t-shirt on your sofa. 

Remember, we’re telling a story with these images so make sure it’s one that feels authentic to you so that you can confidently post these photos on social media throughout the year.

Makeup + Nails

Try to avoid overly glittery or dark makeup because it often doesn’t photograph well.  If you’re going for a more natural look, even just throwing on lipstick or lipgloss can add a lot to your look.  Also, for the ladies, consider going to the nail salon or painting your nails— even if it’s just a clear coat.

Pro tip:  Hiring a professional hair and makeup artist is a GAME CHANGER.  If you would like a referral to my favorites, please ask.

Try on all new items well in advance

Don’t wear anything for the very first time on your photoshoot.  If you’ll be going shopping for some new outfits or a few items to freshen up your look, that’s great, but please allow a few weeks between your shopping trip and your shoot day.

Wear in any new shoes with socks around the house  - blisters will make your job of looking happy and relaxed in the photos very difficult!  Try on all of your new clothes a couple of times to make sure you’re happy with how they look on.  Sometimes a top we love on the hanger turns out to have annoying straps that fall down or is more see-through than we’d like (not the kind of first impression you want to make on your About Me page)!  Or maybe the high-waisted trousers don’t sit right with the blouse you planned to pair them with.  Always check these things in advance so that you can find alternatives in good time and avoid turning up to your shoot feeling flustered.

Aim for seasonal flexibility

Depending on which month you have your photoshoot in, you may understandably gravitate towards either jumpers and scarves or sleeveless dresses and tops to suit the current season.

However, be aware that you’ll have these photos on your website for at least the next six months, if not a whole year and you’ll want to post them on Instagram all year round.  So make sure you capture some seasonally-neutral looks.  This is another vote for the layers trick - you could easily add a cardigan over a warm-weather outfit or whip off your jacket for a few shots, just so that the images aren’t “time-stamped” and you can get more longevity from them in your marketing.

Want even more inspiration?

I hope you found these wardrobe tips for your branding photoshoot helpful.

For more inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to browse.  As always feel free to text pictures of what you’re thinking to your photographer to see what she thinks or if she has any suggestions.

If you’re ready to elevate your brand and book your branding session, I’d love to chat! Click Here so we can chat!

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