I’m Abby Young, a fashion stylist certified by the Fashion Stylist Institute and Condé Nast College, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I specialize in personal styling, color analysis and runway, commercial, and editorial styling. As the CEO of Abby Young Styling, I lead a team that aims to equip clients with the necessary tools to feel beautiful, confident, and have a positive self-image. We work with six & seven-figure professionals to achieve a powerful, elevated self-image through the power of their wardrobe and help curate a stylish, modern brand image for companies at any level.

If you’ve been meaning to uplevel your brand and take your content to the next level, look no further! Read on to learn about the top five do’s and don’ts when it comes to what you should wear to your branding shoot, according to a professional wardrobe stylist.

1. DO wear everyday, work-appropriate attire

No matter what industry you’re in, it’s important to consider the context of your typical workday and to dress appropriately. For example, if your clients and coworkers never see you in a suit, a shot of you working in a full suit, vest, and trouser set would look out of place. Although the branding shoot is all about refining your look and nailing that first impression, you still want to present yourself as who you truly are.

2. DON’T wear distracting details or patterns

Avoid drawing attention away from your face by leaving your plunging necklines, herringbone patterns, and logo-heavy or clashing prints at home. Let your smile and trustworthy appearance be the lasting impression that your potential clients are left with!

3. DO consider the colors you choose to wear

For us stylists, color analysis is our bread and butter. Before I do any personal shopping, I provide color & silhouette analyses for my clients so that we can first establish which color palettes best highlight your skin’s undertones, and which ones we should avoid nearest your face. Colors also have an influence on how you’re perceived by others: darker colors such as black, dark gray and navy display professionalism, reliability, and trustworthiness, while brighter colors like orange and yellow express warmth, cheerfulness, and overall likability. 

4. DON’T forget to steam or iron your clothing

This tip is key! The last thing you need to see in your final branding shoot photos is a pair of pants or blouse full of wrinkles, which are difficult (and oftentimes impossible) to edit out. Taking the time to steam or iron your clothing and to hang it up in garment bags ahead of time is definitely worth the effort.

5. DO check out our Wardrobe Guides

To best prepare for your upcoming branding shoot, check out our full Personal Branding Wardrobe Guide, now available for purchase on our website! For our professional photographers, we also have Women’s Portrait & Boudoir, Social Media Marketing, Headshots, Family Portrait, and High School Senior Portrait Wardrobe Guides to review and share with your clients.

We know how much your brand image means to you, and we understand how much work goes into preparing for your branding shoot. Let us take care of your shopping, wardrobe styling, clothing prep, and necessary returns and exchanges so that you can focus on running your business with utmost confidence while being at the center of your business . Book a complimentary phone consultation with us here to learn more about our styling services! For more information on how to take your branding shoot to the next level, check out these pose recommendations on Dana’s blog post here!

Abby of Abby Young Styling