Wardrobe Dos and Don’ts with Latoya Brown

Latoya Brown, personal stylist and owner of Richmond’s Fashionfluential, is an essential part of my Dream Team. We’ve worked together on countless photoshoots and she brings extensive knowledge, creativity, and professionalism to every one of my Personal Branding sessions with which she is involved (read more about her role in the process here!). A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she has seven years of experience helping people look and feel their best in regards to the clothes that they wear. Knowing what to wear and what to avoid for a photoshoot can be daunting, so having Latoya by your side is amazing, and she is, of course, an excellent resource for tips and tricks. Below, she has laid out her top five wardrobe dos and don’ts that are excellent starting points for your next photoshoot!

Hi everyone, I’m Latoya Brown, the principle stylist and founder of Fashionfluential personal styling. We help entrepreneurs, executives, and men and women on the rise create signature style that elevate their lives and careers. When I’m not wearing my Fashionfluential hat, I’m working on Kim Brundage’s Dream Team as a wardrobe stylist. One of the great things about having your headshots or personal branded images taken with Kim is that she takes the guesswork and stress away as you prepare for your session. With professionals by your side the entire time — from choosing the best outfits to the most flattering hair styles and camera-ready makeup — there is a team rooting you on from beginning to end. So let’s go over my five wardrobe dos and don’ts for your next headshot!

DO select a top in a color that not only compliments your brand, but also compliments your skin tone. If you’ve never done a color analysis and don’t know your “season” don’t worry, you don’t need swatches or any type of evaluation. Try this — think about the last time you went out and people couldn’t help but compliment you. That color probably looks good on you. Another tip is to try on a few different shirt colors and focus on the one that makes you feel good and gives you a healthy glow. Most people will fall in a range of warm colors like yellows, oranges, and reds while others fall in a range of cool colors like blues and neutrals.

DON’T wear small, busy patterns. There’s an effect called “moire” that is created when a camera tries to capture complicated patterns. It creates wavy distracting lines. Because most images are viewed on a screen, you want to avoid this by choosing a top in a solid color. You’re investing in yourself and your headshots and you don’t want the result to be unusable images.

DO shop your closet. There’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable or fake in front of the camera, so if at all possible select pieces from your own closet that you’ve worn before instead of selecting a brand new outfit. By doing this, you’re not going to feel like you’re wearing a costume and you’ll be less likely to have any unexpected wardrobe issues on the day of your photoshoot. If you must purchase something completely new, try wearing it once or twice before your session. That way you’ll feel more familiar with the way that it feels when it’s on. And as always, inspect each piece you plan to wear for any holes, loose strings, stains, and anything else that can be seen on camera. Having a stylist on set is a great way to make sure those things are taken care of and save the photographer from having to photoshop too much.

DON’T forget to plan a completely full look. You could do the TV broadcaster thing and look professional up top and have yoga pants and slippers on the bottom because your headshot is traditionally cropped just below your shoulders. However, I strongly suggest putting on a full look because your clothing has the power to change how you feel. Yoga pants or cargo shorts will feel completely different than a tailored dress pant and heels. The effort and energy will translate and exude in your final image.

Do accessorize strategically. For both women and men, accessories tell a story, so think about your choices. I love that a strategically placed timepiece can inform the viewer that you respect their time and take your business seriously. Whether you decide to go for bold statement jewelry, or a subtle pocket square that compliments your look, think about how that will connect with the viewer, your ideal client, and the story you’d like to tell.

Those are my five tips that you want to keep in mind when you are preparing for your next photoshoot. To find out more about a personal branding session with Kim Brundage Photography, click here, and I’ll see you at the pre-shoot wardrobe consultation!

Kim Brundage, is a personal branding photographer. She works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and professionals to create professional portraits that dramatically improve their personal image and brand.

To learn more about Kim visit her website at www.KimBrundage.com