Dress for your shape – suit dos and don’ts

In association with Hemingway Tailors

As men, we come in a range of shapes and sizes, so how exactly do we all go about making sure we look our very best in a suit?

If you have to deal with the slight misfortune of compensating for your body shape with your clothing, here are a few tips to help you flatter your figure when it comes to wearing a suit.

Suits for shorter men

Don’t try to fool anyone by buying longer trousers. This is one of those areas where you should really get trouser which fit correctly – too long and they’ll only draw more attention to your height and potentially make you look shorter.

Do make your arms appear longer by revealing a bit of your shirt’s cuff. Beside the fat that this is how a suit should be worn anyway, some men make a similar mistake to that above by trying to over compensate on the length of their arms on their suit jacket. This once more will simply make I look oversized.

Don’t opt for wide lapels or ties. Doing so will only make you appear shorter and wider – a thin tie and lapel on the other hand can help to give your frame a slim and slender look.

Do wear a suit jacket which has buttons a little further down. This will give the perception of your body being longer and help to elongate your figure on the whole.

Suits for taller men

Don’t wear a short tie. This will draw more attention to your height and will almost make you look as though you’ve outgrown the tie itself! Go for slightly longer ties if you need – remember that the ideal tie length should see it fall within 5cm of your belt.

Do opt for shirts of a darker colour if you’re broader or a lighter colour if you’re slim. Darker colours are often more slimming while lighter colours can add width to your frame and give a tall slim male a more proportional look.

Don’t wear jackets that are too big. If the jacket isn’t tailored to your fit, especially around your shoulders, it’ll leave you looking in 1 of too ways. 1, it tends to make broader men look even bigger, or 2, it’ll leave a slimmer man looking frail.

Do wear a two-button suit. The beauty of a two-button suit is that it’ll help to break up your shape a little and leave you with a more aesthetically pleasing look. A cautionary note with this is to ensure that your lapels are cut relatively high.

Suits for larger men

Don’t wear a large suit. Many men make the mistake of trying to hide their figure in a suit which is too big but this often just leaves you looking even bigger.

Do wear an eye-catching pocket square. This will help to steer attention towards your chest, and in doing so divert any unwanted attention around the midriff. Just make sure that the pocket square goes with your look and isn’t eye catching for the wrong reasons.

Don’t wear your shirt untucked. While it might feel more comfortable, if you’re wanting to preserve a smart look then your shirt should always be tucked in, especially with a suit. If it feels too tight when you do tuck your shirt in then you could be in need of some larger trousers.

Do opt for simple yet stylish shirts. While patterns can add character to your look, they’re also likely to draw attention to your size. If this is something you’re wanting to avoid then you can still achieve a classy look with a plain shirt.

If you’re wanting to make sure that your shirt or suit complement your figure then the fit is all important. A tailored garment ensures that it’s made to your exact specification and will flatter your figure more than any ready-made item bought off the rack.