Men's Basics by Body Type

While the emphasis in fashion consulting is often focused on women’s body shapes, we find as stylists that men’s body type dressing is often overlooked. However, it is equally important when styling men to get the best fit (and thus best outfit!). Our Men’s Style Director, Ben, is here to share the best men’s basics for every body type!

OVAL

SPORT COAT

This gentleman carries most of his weight in his midsection. My goal is to balance his silhouette by adding a sport coat or a jacket with a defined shoulder and/or small shoulder pad (like those used in sport coats). The key with this jacket is to make sure it is fitted correctly so it’s not too big.

RECTANGLE

PANT | BELT

For this silhouette, his chest, waist, and hips measurements are all the same, and his waist is not very defined. The goal when dressing this gentleman is to define his waist and give the illusion of a broader shoulder. The same trick with the sport coat or jacket with a defined shoulder applies here. I would suggest a wider lapel to give him a broader shoulder line and, in turn, make his waist appear slimmer. The other tip for this silhouette is to wear a slim-straight pant at his waist with a belt. The belt will draw the waistline in and give his silhouette some shape.

INVERTED TRIANGLE

SHIRT

The inverted triangle silhouette is most often defined as his chest and shoulders being wider than his waist and hips. The goal when dressing this gentleman is to draw the eye down by balancing out the upper and lower portions of his body. We want to avoid anything with too much of a shoulder pad or wide lapel. I would suggest a slim or trim-fit shirt for this gentleman. Alterations are almost always required for this silhouette to get shirts to fit correctly, depending on the drop between his chest and waist. David Donahue makes a great dress shirt with both a slim fit and a trim fit.