All of us are born differently. And because of that, there are various body types, even for men. With all shapes and sizes, there are styles and fabrics that would only fit or look good on a particular body type.
A tall man would like to wear an overcoat that won’t make him look like a giant, and a short man would like to wear a suit without looking like a kid wearing elderly clothes.
You see, all of us need to be taken seriously, and that very much includes clothing and style. We wouldn’t want to wear something that emphasizes our flaws but at least cover or not accentuate it will do. Apparently, a suit cannot remove a couple of pounds form your weight but wearing a good one will help you look sleek. A good-fitting clothing will minimize the attention on specific physical features that do not accentuate your best assets.
The good news is, you can achieve your best with the help of a skilled tailor, one that knows how to what looks best on you. One who knows your body type better as well as what color suits you.
Let’s discuss the body types of men and what style best suits accordingly:
1. The Average Build
With the term itself, the average man is neither tall nor short, neither too heavy nor too thin. Most clothing off the rack often fits him because of his average physique. If you have this build, you are very fortunate because you won’t be having any problems that much. Just dress neatly and pay attention to your fabric and color combinations.
2. The Tall Man
The fabric choices for a tall man is quite tricky. Excellent choices for fabrics are checks and windowpane since these are both unique and classy. If you are a tall man and you opt to wear stripes consider those that are spaced farther apart such as chalk stripes instead of thin or barcode stripes.
Clothing features that make a tall man look proportional are:
– Ticket pocket
– Larger trouser cuffs about 1 7/8 inches
– Jacket with 3/4 to an inch past the bottom curve of the back
– Pocket squares
– Boutonnière
Individually, they are not that much but together, they break the boring vertical lines that make up the tall man.
3. The Short Man
The short man’s problems are the opposite of a tall man. While the tall man needs to add details to break from his face down to his feet, the short man needs to follow a sleek streamline to allow a smooth path from head to toe. If you are a short man, avoid horizontal lines, especially those with a square pocket fold. Horizontal lines create a wide illusion so better not choose garments with this feature. Solid fabrics with dark tones create a slimming effect.
Another problem of a short man is that his head often looks a bit larger relative to his body. To compensate for this, he needs to choose a hairstyle that doesn’t exaggerate his head’s width. A matching dark jacket and trousers will also help elongate the body. A light/dark combination will only cut your body in half, emphasizing the shorter torso. Also, make sure that your jacket is cut short, just covering the bottom curve of your backside. Another thing, wear your pants at your natural waist and wear suspenders instead of belts.
4. The Heavy Man
The heavy build refers to a person whose waist is larger than their chest. The challenge here is finding something that doesn’t make them appear larger. Most off the rack clothing fit a heavy man’s shoulders, but the waist is often too small. That is why a heavy man should look for a jacket with a generous cut and flattering drape. Also, it’s better for a heavy man to wear a loose midsection than a fitting one. The jacket would not get rid of his size, but at least it will not emphasize his body but refocus on his face.
Vertical lines and dark colors create a slimming illusion, so these features are ideal if you are of heavy build. For styling, two-button jackets with a deep V can elongate the chest. It is also ideal for a heavy man to wear trouser higher than the hips. The drape can create the illusion of longer legs instead of a squeezed midsection.
5. The Thin Man
Here we are for the thin man. A thin build is the opposite of the heavy man, so fashion sense is also opposite. Vertical lines and patterned clothing are ideal since these features add substance to your frame. If you are a thin man, be mindful of your fit. Too slim narrow your frame more and too loose will exaggerate your structure. A thin man also needs some subtle overlapping fabric such as a double-breasted jacket and double pleated trousers with cuffs. For the neck fit, measure two fingers while the cuffs, should not be too tight but not too loose as well. The pocket square and medium spread collar will also help. Grooming also matters and growing a little more hair can make a difference on your look.
Combinations And How To Look The Best
1. Tall And Heavy
With this build, you are tall but at the same time heavy so you may need some proportion. Your jacket pockets should be proportional with a generous cut on your lapels. Avoid shoulder paddings as they will only add more bulk to your physique. Skip from check patterns but go for solid and thick stripes.
2, Tall And Thin
If you are a tall and thin man, be conscious of the fabric and fit of your clothing. If the weather permits, go for double-breasted suits and heavy fabrics. Checks and fabric textures are very crucial with this body type.
3. Short And Stout
The perfect for this type of body is quite tricky. Stick to solids and horizontal stripes to create a silhouette. Never wear combinations that create vertical lines. Don’t go for baggy clothing as well. Your goal here is to create a lean and straight silhouette that will enhance your overall figure. For jackets, go for no vents.
4. Short And Thin
This build needs proportionally smaller clothing. Large cuts make a small man even smaller. Custom-tailored suits are the best but be careful with a quick fix on trousers because you might end up with a tailor who only shortens the pant legs. Your cuff should cover 2/3 to 3/4 of your shoes and nothing more or shorter than that.
5. Muscular
Usually, men have a drop or the difference between the chest and waist circumference. Most men have only a few inches, but muscular men have significant drops which can even go closer to 10 inches. This is why muscular men also tend to struggle with finding the perfect clothing.
The goal here is to create a unified look without any upper torso exaggerating your body. Subtle hints are ideal if you still want to expose that masculine figure. For the jacket, soft shoulder with minimal padding is recommended. Peak lapels are great options. You may also want to avoid suppressing your waist because a man’s body is not supposed to be shaped like an hourglass.
Weightlifters and athletes tend to have extreme drops so a slightly longer jacket can help a sharp V-shaped torso. Pleated trousers also give ample room to the seat will help give more weighted hips. Also, wear a heavier shoe with a design and a trouser with a larger cuff can better proportion your body.
While most muscular profiles are heavily weighted on the upper torso, soccer player silhouettes tend to have the opposite problem. They have a lean upper body but a larger muscular lower body. For this build, your trousers should be carefully tailored, not too tight so pockets won’t bulge out and jacket with no vents. Keeping your jackets on is also ideal, so your prominent lower torso and back sides are covered.