What to wear in dating profile photos

On a dating profile, your clothes do quiet work. They tell people a bit about your style and your life before they read a word, and the wrong ones can distract from your face. You don't need new clothes. You need the ones that fit, suit the setting and look like you on a good day.

Start with fit, not fashion

Clothes that fit well look better in photos than expensive clothes that don't. Before choosing anything, check:

• Shoulders sit at your shoulders, not past them.
• Nothing pulls across the chest or stomach when you sit or lean.
• Sleeves and hems are the right length, especially in a full-length photo.

If you're unsure, a slightly more fitted piece almost always photographs better than a baggy one.

Colors that work on camera

• Solid, mid-tone colors are the safest: blues, greens, warm reds, rust, cream. They frame your face without competing with it.
• Colors that suit your skin. If people compliment a color when you wear it, wear it in photos.
• Avoid fine stripes and tight patterns. Phone cameras can turn them into shimmering moiré.
• Be careful with pure white and pure black in bright sun. White blows out and black loses all detail. Off-white and charcoal are easier.
• One bright color is enough. It draws the eye; two or three fight each other.

Dress for the photo's setting

A good profile has a few different settings, and the outfit should belong in each:

• The first, face-forward photo: a simple top in a color that suits you. Nothing with large logos or text.
• A full-length photo: what you'd wear on a good first date. Shoes count here.
• A hobby or activity photo: the real gear. Hiking clothes on a hike, an apron in the kitchen. Authentic beats styled.
• A night out or an event: a step up, but still you.

Varying the outfits also tells people these were taken on different days, which matters more than it sounds. Six photos in the same shirt look like one afternoon. The best dating profile photos covers the full set.

What to leave out

• Sunglasses and hats in the first photo. People want to see your eyes and hair.
• Costumes and uniforms unless they say something real about you.
• Very revealing clothes in the first photos. Many people swipe past, and the apps' own guidelines restrict some of it.
• Heavy branding. A big logo becomes the first thing people remember.

Comfort shows

If you're tugging at a collar or holding your breath, it shows in your face. Wear what you feel at ease in. A relaxed expression in a plain sweater beats a stiff one in your best jacket.

And if the outfit, the light and the place were right but you blinked or your smile set, keep the photo. Glowly fixes closed eyes and a forced smile and leaves your clothes and everything else exactly as they were. See also how to make your dating profile photo better.

Quick recap

1. Fit first.
2. Solid, mid-tone colors that suit you; no fine stripes.
3. A different outfit for each setting.
4. No sunglasses, hats or big logos in the first photo.
5. Wear what you're comfortable in.