A guide to men’s body shapes #StyleIsTimeless

Now, this may sound a bit mean, but it’s common for men to choose clothes based on what they think their shape is (or the shape they wish they had!) and this ultimately isn’t flattering or comfortable. My husband wishes he could get away with wearing ‘slim fit’ clothes but sadly has had to come to accept that he can’t; they just don’t suit his shape.

Just like women, men have different body shapes and my advice to help you look and feel better in the clothes that you buy is to get to know your body shape and learn what works with it best. Men tend to fit into one of the following geometric body shapes: Trapezoid, Inverted Triangle, Rectangle, Triangle & Oval.

Trapezoid

If you have broad shoulders and chest with a gentle taper through the waist, hips and legs then you are probably a trapezoid. Luckily for you, most fashion is designed with the trapezoid in mind and can pretty much try any and all trends out there! Show off your shape in slim-fitting tailored pieces and pair with casual knitwear for a sleek look. Emphasise your shape by taking advantage of the sports trend this year, check out sites like Chums for inspiration.

Rectangle

The rectangle shape is seen in men that are tall and thin with shoulders which are the same width as their waist and hips. Use clothes to make your shoulders appear wider and create a taper from top to bottom. It’s all about drawing the eye to your upper body to create this illusion – be bold with colour, prints (horizontal stripes work well) and embellishments, like a scarf, in the chest and shoulder area. Structured tailoring with shoulder padding and wide lapels are your friend as are layered looks with a shirt or a cardigan over a basic white t-shirt or vest.

Triangle

Triangle shapes tend to be narrow in the shoulder and larger around the waist and hips – unfortunately, this is basically exactly opposite to the proportions of most garments so it can be hard to find items that work for you, but not impossible! Draw the eye to your upper body by using structured jackets and brighter colour panels or detailing across the chest and shoulders to make them appear wider than they are. Vertical stripes will create the illusion that your shape is more streamlined and take visual focus away from more prominent areas. Avoid any garments which slenderise the neck and shoulders such as polo shirts or roll neck tops.

Inverted Triangle

If your chest and shoulders are significantly broader than your waist and hips then you are probably an inverted triangle. Perfect your shape by visually bulking up your lower body, while slimming down your upper body. Don’t be afraid of patterns on the lower body to distract the eye; horizontal stripes or checked fabric on your lower body are your friend, as are straight-leg trousers and jeans. Pair with property chosen slim-fit shirts to boost your proportions and make you feel more comfortable. Avoid drawing the eye to the upper body with shoulder embellishments, scoop necks or tailoring with shoulder padding and wide lapels.

Oval

If you have a rounded centre of the body, with slimmer shoulders and lower legs you are probably an oval. Although this shape tends to catch up with men of a certain age there’s no need to despair. Adding structure and width to shoulders and taking steps to visually slim down the body from the chest down will make you look a million bucks. Vertical stripes are your best friend, try a striped shirt or pinstripe trouser to elongate your shape. Fitted, loosely tapered trousers will flatter your lower body. It is important to make sure that your sleeves and trouser legs are the right length so your limbs do not look shortened. For a casual look try thick canvas jackets and overshirts which have the structure to hide any problem areas.

What is your body shape?