DateableWhat to wear in dating profile photos
Wear clothes that fit well, in plain colours that suit your skin tone, with one dressed-up photo and one relaxed.
Wear what you would wear on a good first date: clothes that fit well, in plain colours that work with your skin tone. One dressed-up photo and one relaxed photo show two sides of you, and that is enough to know whether someone wants to meet.
Your photos are your opening message
When someone lands on your profile, they look at your photos first. This is where they decide whether they want to read your words or move on. The clothes you wear in those photos are the first thing they notice about you, so make them count.
A photo of you in something you feel good in reads differently from a photo of you in something you think you should wear. The first is honest. The second is noise.
Solid colours photograph better than prints
A busy pattern competes with your face. Stripes, checks and graphic prints shrink you down on a small screen. A solid colour frames you.
The best colours are the ones that make your skin look warm and alive. If you are not sure which those are, stand in natural light in front of a mirror in a plain blue shirt, then a plain white shirt, then a plain grey shirt, and notice which one makes you look healthier. Wear that colour.
Black, navy, grey, white, cream and earth tones work for most people. Jewel tones (emerald, sapphire, burgundy) photograph well on many people too. The rule is simple: if the colour makes your face look good, use it.
Fit matters more than price
A well-fitting shirt from a high street shop photographs better than an expensive shirt that is too big or too small. Fit tells the person looking at your photo that you care about how you present yourself.
Clothes that fit well sit on your shoulders, not bunch at the waist, and follow the shape of your body without clinging. If something pulls or gaps, take it off and wear something else. A photo lasts longer than the discomfort of squeezing into something.
- Shoulders: the seam sits where your shoulder ends, not bunching or sliding
- Length: in a button-up shirt, buttons sit flat; in a t-shirt, the hem reaches your hip, not your thigh
- Waist: the shirt follows your natural waist, not tight enough to wrinkle or loose enough to hide your shape
- Sleeves: they reach your wrist, not halfway up your forearm or covering your knuckles
One dressed-up photo, one relaxed
A dressed-up photo shows someone who can meet you somewhere nice. A relaxed photo shows who you are on a normal day. Together they answer the question someone is asking: "Is this person someone I want to spend time with?"
Dressed-up does not mean a formal dress or a tuxedo. It means you have made an effort: a shirt or a dress that is not wrinkled, shoes that are clean, maybe a jacket. It is the clothes you wear to a nice restaurant or a day out somewhere you want to look good.
Relaxed means jeans and a t-shirt, a jumper, casual trousers and a plain shirt, the clothes you wear on a Sunday. It is you without trying, which is the you your date will meet most often.
What to leave out
Logos and workplace branding have no place in a dating photo. A logo on your chest tells someone to read the brand instead of looking at you. A shirt with your company name says you are at work, not on a date.
Swimwear and underwear do not belong in your public profile. A private photo album exists for a reason: to let a person you have been talking to see you in a way you choose, when you choose. Your public photos are your introduction, not your audition.
Avoid anything torn, wrinkled or stained. A photo is a still moment: if it looks messy in the photo, assume it looks worse in person.
How your clothes send a message
Someone looking at your photo is not just seeing the clothes: they are asking what wearing them says about you. Clothes that fit and suit you send the message that you respect yourself enough to choose carefully. Solid colours let them see your face. A mix of dressed-up and relaxed tells them you have depth.
The clothes I wear tell the story I choose. If I look good, I feel confident, and confidence is what shows.
Your photos work together to answer one question: would I enjoy meeting this person? The clothes you wear are just the answer you give with pictures. Make it honest.
Once you have chosen your photos, take time to choose the right photos, which ones go first, and which ones show the different sides of you. Learn more about dress codes if you are planning a specific kind of date, and explore style for more on presenting yourself well.
