What Kind of Shirt Should Men Wear in Professional Pictures?

Solids and subtle patterns work best for photos.

Selecting a shirt for a professional picture sets the tone for the image you are trying to convey. A professional picture is the way you are perceived before an interview or introduction and it will also be a treasured memory. Does this Spark an idea?

The Formal Shirt

A formal dress shirt gives you a polished professional photograph.

A formal look requires a solid color, collared, long-sleeve, cuffed, pressed shirt with a tie. Under a jacket a white shirt is the most common formal choice. Without a jacket, a neutral deep tone such as grey, beige, charcoal, navy, black or tan will appear more formal than white. A white shirt is the most traditional, though photographers do not prefer white alone because of lighting adjustments; blue is the most conservative. The fabric type should be a flat tone without shine; avoid reflective fabrics like satin, silk and some polyesters.

The Business Shirt

Professional business photos require a shirt that is customary for your type of work. A salesman may wear a small pinstripe patterned collared shirt with a sport coat. A gym instructor would wear a solid color, collared, short-sleeve polo shirt . A CEO would wear a crisp European tailored button-front shirt with a distinctive collar under a jacket. Keep patterns to a minimum. If you are a teen or a contractor, a plaid shirt may be appropriate. An artistic type would wear a slim-fit, button-down, long-sleeve shirt. Avoid brights like basic blue, yellow, green and red. Pastels may photograph well, but they are not as flattering on light skin tones. A royal or neutral color in deep green, black, grey, tan, wine or deep blue is a better color choice in a long sleeve, collared, button-down shirt that is not tucked in.

The Personality Shirt

Your shirt captures your personality and interests.

A professional photo is often used to capture a moment in time. This is when your shirt becomes part of a story about you with an interesting pattern like a giant fish if you are a sportsman, or a golf shirt, a football jersey or Hawaiian shirt for a solo photograph. Stay away from a favorite T-shirt with writing on it, no matter how clever the saying on it is. A professional photograph is your chance to show a polished version of you that will be remembered.

The Theme Shirt

A classic white shirt is timeless for a casual outdoor photo session.

Your shirt can also be used to create a color theme in professional photo sessions at the beach where the family all wears the same or similar colors. A light blue, untucked long-sleeve shirt with khakis, or a white, loosely fit, button-front, collared cotton shirt with jeans are classic choices for professional outdoor family photos. For a photo with your mate, your shirt should complement your partner's colors, yet you don't have to match exactly. Long sleeves are best when your partner is more dressed up. It can be a dress shirt or a mock turtleneck, a sweater-type pullover often made of cotton jersey or silk blend.