Whereas much emphasis is put on finding appropriately shaped and sized clothes in the female fashion world, the same rules are rarely considered for gentlemen. Tailored items and form-fitting styles are big business for women’s fashion yet many men take a simple “off the hanger” approach – rather than trying on clothes to see if they are flattering, a rough approximation of what would fit is used to decide purchases. In a way that many men will not put much thought or consideration into their footwear, picking comfort over style and often plumping for trainers as an all-purpose choice of shoe, many will also apply the same levels of apathy towards dressing for their size and shapes. Here are some ideas on how to dress appropriately, and in a flattering manner, for your size and shape:
Tall and Slim
One of the problems with this body type often comes with clothing that is perhaps too short and doesn’t stretch to the ends of the arms and legs enough; trousers that are sufficient width around the waist probably are not long enough in the leg as they will have been designed for a shorter, less lean individual. In such an instance where the trouser leg is too short, shoes will be overexposed and will look ludicrous. A way to sidestep this is to look for jackets and suiting which can be tailor fit and are often designed with a little extra length than you would find on an average jumper or pair of jeans. Double breasted suits are a great way to fill up detail on what would otherwise be a plain, lean length of material as are peaked lapels and ticket pockets. Custom shirts are advisable too as off-the-rack clothing, as discussed earlier, does not cater to a wide range of different body shapes by and large.
Tall and Large
For those of the large and tall build the most flattering way to dress would be to wear a long version of a suit jacket as this can help create a longer line; a side vented, two-button jacket fulfils this criteria perfectly. If possible, try and get the jacket tailored, particularly around the waist; by creating a “V” shape here it is possible to give an outfit a more flattering look – this can be further emphasised by keeping your jacket fastened whilst you are standing; it helps keep the silhouette shape as flattering as possible.
Short and Slim
The problem for many short lean men is that it is easy for them to appear lost in their clothing and, as such, it is essential to purchase a suit that fits snuggly rather than being oversized. The best way to achieve that is to make sure the jacket you wear is fitted and that trousers are also narrow, and if possible, tapered. Cuffed bottoms of a trouser can make a leg appear shorter so avoid these where possible and also make certain that the sleeves on your jacket is not too long or that the collar does not appear too large in contrast to your face.
Short and Large
In a similar fashion to the tall and large dresser, the ideal shape that a wearer should aspire to with their suit is one as close as possible to a “V” shape – however, the ways of achieving this are subtly different too. To maintain the V shape, stay away from dated effects such as shoulder pads, but do make sure to purchase a strong, shaped jacket which helps provide structure to your ensemble. A great idea is to purchase a jacket with only two lower buttons so that the natural shape will look closer to the “V” look you are aiming for – monochrome is also recommended as breaking up your look with colours can prove unflattering to your shape. The problem with not getting tailored trousers can result in the waist signifying that the trousers belong to a taller man; if the leg is too long it will end up covering the shoes – something that is not a fantastic look.
Kieron Casey is a blogger who writes regularly about mens shoes and fashion