Picking a perfect suit is an art and it’s incredibly dependent on your body type. This is why it’s a bad idea to buy a suit before you try it, just because it looks good on the mannequin. The greatest problem lies in the fact that most men don’t know their own body type or at least aren’t being honest about it. Still, with the right suit, you can vastly improve your appearance, which is why this is one of those moments in which you can’t afford to get carried away. That being said, here are several tips and suggestions that should help guide you through the process of picking the right suit for your body type.
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Pear-shaped or dadbod
Not everyone can afford to spend their day at the gym, yet, this doesn’t mean that finding the right suit for people who have a pear-shaped figure is impossible. Here, you need a tad bigger lapels, whose main job is to draw attention (which they can do quite efficiently). On the other hand, the Neapolitan shoulder is your worst enemy and might make you square shaped. Another trick worth keeping in mind is looking at shoulders, seeing as how those that are tilted inwards make your waist appear narrower than it actually is.
As for those who still haven’t let themselves go that much and are currently in the shape known as dadbod, these are people who regularly exercise but aren’t that keen on dieting or even being careful of what they eat. One of the main physical characteristics of dadbod is that your waist and your shoulders eventually become the same width. People with this stature want a suit that pinches mid-torso. Even more importantly, you should look for jackets with the somewhat shorter rear in order not to appear too bulky (in a bad way).
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Tall or short
Depending on your height, you might have some trouble finding the right suit, which is why your best bet lies in looking for custom tailored suits. It goes without saying that a seasoned expert won’t have a problem making an adequate suggestion, however, it’s always good to know what to expect. Here, it’s all about the proportion, seeing as how making just one element of the jacket longer (for instance sleeves), may not be good enough. For those who are tall, yet slim, a more square-shaped jacket might be the best choice.
People who are too short often have an opposite problem, seeing as how it’s quite hard to find an appropriate diminutive frame. On the other hand, finding a decent suit for a shorter person isn’t really that hard. All you need is a suit with a longer gap between the button and the neckline. This way, the torso appears elongated, which further helps the wearer look taller. Here, nonetheless, you also need to look out for the material. Tweed and wool look particularly cumbersome on a short man, which is why they’re to be avoided at all costs.
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Gym honed
At the end of the day, there’s a misconception that a person with a perfect body may pull anything off. Sure, a regular suit may appear somewhat better on them than on an average Joe, yet, they aren’t training and dieting all year in order to look “somewhat better”. What these people want is a suit that will help them show the full effect of their work, without appearing like they’re trying too hard to rub it into everyone’s face. First of all, what they want is a single-breasted jacket. Second, they should go for a softer cut, especially if their upper body is a tad bulkier. Those who are a tad stockier should look for a suit with patch pockets. Lastly, in this particular scenario, you should always go for a two-button jacket.
In conclusion
Regardless if you’re proud or not-so-proud of your body, you need to understand that in different suits you won’t look equally as good or equally as bad. This is why you need to learn some basic parameters that affect your physical appearance the most. Needless to say, this is a knowledge that you, as a man, will get to benefit from over and over again.
