[2025 Edition] Are Earrings and Necklaces a No-Go for Job-Change ID Photos? Criteria Taught by Professionals

August 21, 2026 August 21, 2026

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ID photos submitted for job applications or career changes are a crucial factor that influences your first impression.

While it is standard practice to remove all accessories when taking ID photos for new graduate job hunting, should they also be removed for mid-career job changes? In recent years, corporate values have diversified, but have the manners regarding ID photos changed?

In this article, based on the latest 2025 business etiquette and hiring trends, a professional thoroughly explains the criteria for wearing earrings, necklaces, and other accessories for ID photos, along with examples of what is acceptable and what is not.

Basic Rules for Wearing Accessories in ID Photos
List of Acceptable and Unacceptable Items [By Accessory Type]
Accessory Guidelines [By Industry]
Summary: Master Etiquette for a Sincere and Impressionable Photo

Basic Rules for Wearing Accessories in ID Photos

Let us start with the conclusion. For ID photos used in job hunting and career changes, we basically recommend removing all accessories before shooting.

In particular, if you are applying to conservative industries such as finance, civil service, or manufacturing, be thorough and remove them completely.

Why is "removing them" the principle rule?

Hiring managers primarily check the following three points from your ID photo:

Cleanliness / Neatness: Whether you pay attention to details through your attire and hairstyle.
Sincerity / Earnestness: Whether you understand company rules and TPO (Time, Place, and Occasion).
Business Etiquette: Whether your appearance is appropriate for a formal setting.

No matter how simple an accessory is, it tends to give a strong impression of "fashion" or "individuality" first. In a business setting, individuality should be demonstrated through your abilities and experience. In an ID photo, removing unnecessary elements is the best strategy so that recruiters can focus on your application documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Should I remove small earrings or necklaces as well?

A. You should remove them. Even small accessories, when removed, will give a cleaner and more earnest impression.

List of Acceptable and Unacceptable Items [By Accessory Type]

While the general rule is to remove everything, there are exceptional cases where simple accessories are tolerated depending on the company culture or industry.
Here, we explain the design ranges considered acceptable, taking industry and TPO into account, categorized by type of accessory.

① Earrings / Clip-ons

Unacceptable Examples:
・Large hoop or drop types (dangling items)
・Flashy colors or motifs
・Wearing items in multiple locations on the ear
・Gold or silver items with high gloss/shine

Acceptable Examples (Only if extremely simple):
・Small stud earrings, pearls (single pearl)
・Transparent earrings (in unavoidable cases such as initial piercing studs)
・Resin materials that blend with skin tone or matte finishes

②Necklaces

Unacceptable Examples:
・Thick chains
・Large pendant tops
・Flashy motifs

Acceptable Examples (May be exceptionally tolerated):
・Ultra-thin chains hidden by a suit or blouse
・Extremely small single diamonds or pearls that blend with the skin

③ Others

Rings:
In standard ID photos, your hands are not visible.
Regarding wearing them during interviews, marriage rings may be permitted in some cases, but it is safest to judge according to the industry and company culture and basically remove all of them.

Watches:
In standard ID photos, your hands are not visible. Wear a simple one during interviews.

【Accessory Guidelines [By Industry]

Tolerance for accessories varies greatly depending on the industry you are applying to.

Job Hunting / Career Change (General Enterprises, Civil Service)

Rule: In principle, remove everything.

Reason: To eliminate any "concerns" when hiring managers review your photo. Having only piercing holes is not a problem.

Apparel, Creative, Foreign-affiliated Companies

Rule: Only if they match the company's brand image, simple designs may be tolerated in some cases.

Cautions:
Before shooting, check the company's website or images of employees, and carefully judge whether it fits the atmosphere. If in doubt, it is wise to remove them.

The acceptability of accessories varies depending on the company and job posting requirements. Please be sure to check the regulations before applying and prepare accordingly.

Shooting at a Studio is Recommended

"I understand that it's better to remove earrings, but I'm worried about the piercing holes or marks." "It's difficult to remove because it's a new piercing." — You might feel such anxieties.

At 19Studio, if they are simple earrings that do not stick out beyond the outline of the ear, we can naturally retouch and remove them within a reasonable range. In addition, we can make piercing holes and marks less noticeable along with skin tone correction, achieving a finish that combines cleanliness and naturalness.

Furthermore, we offer a full range of services useful for job hunting, including natural retouching to fix hair flyaways, suit wrinkles, and disarray, free rental of one-touch neckties (during the shoot), dark hair correction (free) that naturally adjusts hair color to match skin tone and atmosphere, a suit synthesis option (+1,500 yen) that provides peace of mind even if you visit in casual clothes, retakes until satisfied, and same-day delivery of photo data.

Why not get an "ID photo you can submit with confidence" that balances etiquette and cleanliness at 19Studio?

Click here for details!

Summary: Master Etiquette for a Sincere and Impressionable Photo

Accessories in an ID photo are a point where your understanding of TPO is tested.

A sincere photo that properly follows etiquette will powerfully back up your hiring process. Why not take the first step toward your next career at 19Studio, where cleanliness and naturalness come together?