Even if the main brands don’t seem to care about it much, still most men are not the classic ‘regular’ shape catered to on the high street for the mass market, making it a real challenge to find clothes that actually fit properly.
However, identifying your body type and knowing what types of suits you should be going for and which styles to avoid are the first steps to suit success and the key to getting a fine fitting personal style.
When shopping for suits, always keep in mind the fit and feel. Just because something is expensive or designer doesn’t mean it will undoubtedly fit like a dream. If it isn’t right for your body and it doesn’t fit well, you won’t look good, regardless of the hefty price tag. If you find a cheap suit that manages to accentuate your assets and disguise all the things you want to hide, you will look like a million dollars, even without the million dollar price tag. Conversely, if you’re buying a suit just because it’s cheap, don’t buy it. A suit is an investment, you need to love it, if you love wearing it, you’ll exude confidence, which just happens to be the foundations for any successful business man.
So, to understand your body, learn how to dress to flatter your shape and avoid any body-type fashion faux-pas, we are here to help.
If there’s a little more of you to love (The larger lad): Carrying a few extra holiday pounds? Avoid horizontal stripes: it would accentuate your belly. Vertical stripes draw the eye downward, elongating your silhouette and visually slimming it. Pinstripe suits are the perfect dress-up clothes for you, especially paired with a crisp black dress shirt underneath. Also, avoid double-vented jackets as this cut will draw attention to your posterior. Pay attention to choosing the right size: tight clothing will only draw attention to your flabby bits; similarly, overly large clothes will only make you look bigger. So, buy clothes that fit. A belt will nip in your waistline and make it appear slimmer. Just be sure not to make it so tight that you have a belly overhang or muffin top effect. You should also be avoiding turtlenecks, bold/busy prints, and contrasting colours. Stick with dark hues from top to bottom, and opt for V-necks, long sleeves, and sweaters for a sleeker silhouette.- Peter-Crouch-esque? (The tall and skinny man): Opposite to the above, you want to create the illusion of broadness and bulk. So, choose horizontal stripes to create width and dismiss anything of the vertical dimension. The same colour from head to toe will make you appear even thinner so choose contrasting and different colours, still paying attention that they match well together and keeping in mind that lighter colours will make you appear slightly larger, so whites, creams, light blues, light greys, and pastels may visually bulk you up a bit. You shouldn’t wear skin tight shirts or skinny jeans as they will just accentuate your thin frame, you need to choose something more fitted instead and learn to layer up to fake a bit more mass. In terms of shoes, avoid round-toed, and opt for square or pointy to balance out your frame.
Vertically challenged? (The short one): The small guy needs some help to make him appear a big longer. You could go for shoes with a substantial heel such as dress boots to give yourself added height. Meanwhile, avoid big prints as these will overwhelm your smaller body. Large ties should also be banned from your wardrobe as they too will overwhelm your frame, stick to small ties to make everything seem proportionate. Another thing that will drown you is a long suit jacket which will just call attention to your height (or lack thereof). Shirts with vertical stripes are suitable because they have a lengthening effect. Lastly, shorter men should wear the smallest rise in their trousers as this will visually elongate your legs and avoid making your crotch and bottom area look baggy and empty.
Summary:
You should seek to create a sense of visual balance by exaggerating weak features, highlighting assets, and hiding flaws. There is not one look that will make all men look equally as stylish. Fashion is personal, knowing what works for you is key to achieving success in the style stakes. Find a trusted tailor and make him your new best friend. They’ll be able to ensure any and all clothes are optimally flattering for your body type.
