Choosing the Right Clothes for Your Body Shape

Dressing well and looking good isn’t about sporting the latest fashions, nor is it about trying to look slimmer, more muscular or taller. Dressing well is about choosing the clothes that enhance your features, complement your natural frame and make you look as sharp and feel as confident as possible. However, choosing the right clothes for your frame is not always easy. After all, no two bodies are the same, which is why we always recommend checking the size guide of your chosen clothing store. So, how do you choose the best fit for your body? Well, you first need to understand what your body shape is, in this article we look at how to dress four of the most common body shapes.

Inverted triangle

• Broad shoulders
• Narrow hips and waist (in comparison to shoulders)

If your shoulders are noticeably broad in comparison to your waist and hips, you’re body type is probably the inverted triangle. Inverted Triangle shaped bodies are usually athletic and therefore suit most styles of clothing. V neck shirts and jumpers are most flattering to the inverted triangle as they help draw the eye down, following the body’s natural shape and balancing broad shoulders. Triangle shapes may have trouble finding t shirts that fit well, either finding them too tight across the shoulders or too baggy around the waist. To avoid this problem, choose t shirts with a more tailored fit and avoid boxy shapes. If you want to show off your naturally broad shoulders, sleeveless t shirts are also a good choice as are vests. On the contrary, if your goal is to play down your shoulders, find a top that creates the illusion of a wider waist: horizontal stripes around the midsection and graphic prints are a good choice.

As an inverted triangle, the wrong clothing could make your bottom half look unusually narrow. To balance out your broad shoulders and narrow waist, you’ll want to choose a trouser that gives your hips a little extra width. Straight leg jeans and trousers are a good choice as well as relaxed fit styles. Avoid skinny jeans and tapered fits and joggers which hug the ankles. Try to avoid pairing dark jeans with a light coloured top. Dark colours are naturally slimming, so you’ll want to avoid wearing them on the slimmest part of your body.

When it comes to jackets, padded shoulders will only make your shoulders look bigger as will structured fits. Avoid thick and heavy fabrics like denim and opt for relaxed styles instead. Try wearing a double breasted, rather than a single breasted jacket as this will only make your waist appear smaller and your shoulders broader. When choosing formal clothing, tailored fits are the best choice for the inverted triangle. A professionally tailored suit jacket will always flatter this body shape.

Triangle

• Narrow shoulders
• Narrow chest
• Wider waist (in proportion to shoulders)

Dressing a triangle body shape is all about balancing the chest and shoulders to appear in proportion to the waist. It is not necessarily about making the shoulders appear wider, but rather choosing cleverly tailored pieces that complement your frame.

Tops with detailing on the shoulders such as lapels are always a good choice for triangle body shapes. Layering is also a great way to make shoulders appear broader and narrow the waist. Choose jackets with a structured fit that nips in at the waist: a single breasted blazer with shoulder pads would be ideal for the triangle body shape. Overcoats are also a smart choice as they are structured across the shoulders but skim over the rest of the body. Avoid fitted and v neck t shirts and opt for more boxy styles instead.

When dressing your bottom half, it is best to avoid skinny, leg-hugging fits. Instead, opt for a structured trouser/jean that skims over the entire leg. Straight leg jeans and chinos are excellent choices for the triangle. They offer just enough tailoring to make legs appear slim, without drawing attention to your midsection. Jeans with fading on the knees are also a good choice as they can make legs appear longer and leaner, helping to balance out your overall frame.

Oval

• Narrow shoulders (in comparison to waist)
• Rounded midsection
• slim lower half (in comparison to midsection)

Most men tend to naturally adopt this frame later in life, but men of any age can have an oval body shape. In recent years, the oval has become somewhat of a sought after body type, with many people referring to it as the ‘dad bod’.

When dressing an oval body, the aim is to play down the rounded midsection and accentuate the shoulders and legs. This is best achieved by avoiding tops which cover the entire top section such as turtle necks and crew necks. Always choose a top with some sort of detail. Small patterns are great for slimming protruding midsections, try to avoid any top with a print or pattern which sits right around the midsection, as this will only draw attention to it. Never wear a top with a high neckline as this will only make your top half look wider. V necks and collars are best for slimming your shape. Long sleeves are also best for oval’s as they help to prevent you from looking too stocky.

As an oval, you will want to choose jackets which elongate your torso. To do this, choose fits which taper in at the waist without hugging it. Single breasted jackets that skim over the waist are always a good choice. For your lower half, you’ll want to opt for bottoms which add a bit of bulk to your legs. Avoid skinny jeans and trousers at all costs. Skinny and slim fits will hug onto your already lean legs and make your midsection look even larger in proportion. Look for fits which skim over your legs instead like relaxed fit, regular fit and straight leg jeans. Trousers which taper in at the ankles should also be avoided as they nip in at the slimmest part of the leg and make the top section look even larger.

Rectangle

• Shoulders, hips and waist are similar width

When dressing a rectangle shape you’ll want to choose clothing that helps to define your shoulders and waist. You can do this by choosing tops with wide collars and high necks, both of which will help to broaden your chest. Wide collar shirts are best for rectangular shapes. If you need to wear a tie, tie it with a wider knot and don’t wear it too long. Tops with horizontal stripes or detail on the shoulders will help to widen them. Block colours will make your frame appear even more boxlike, so choose patterns and prints to help create definition. Layered shirts and jackets will also help to create definition. Make sure to leave jackets open and choose styles which sit more snugly around the waistline to help distinguish your midsection. For bottoms, choose slim fit and skinny fit styles. If you’re a rectangle, your body will be fairly ‘up and down’ and so choosing a trouser that tapers towards the bottom of the leg will help give you more of a shape.