Notes

Dressing for your body type seems to be a theme that women give more attention to than men. And that’s a shame. Because knowing your body type will result in finding the right fit, and the right fit can easily optically take kilo’s off of your overall appearance. The ‘aesthetic surgery’, as I like to call it. 

Now whilst men usually cannot be classified as a ‘pear’ or a ‘hour glass’ (classical female body types), you can definitely categorize different male figures, too. Before I quickly break a few of those down, I want to stress that knowing your body shape (and preferably having a tailor to dress you according to it) is key. The crux of the matter is, it’s not the clothes that you’re wearing that let you own, but the ways in which you wear them. Fit is the number one principle when it comes to improving the way you look, and you can only ever find your ideal fit when you know your body type.

Different cultures, different bodies

When I visit a client, I can already broadly guess his body shape before having ever met him. Say what? Yes, someone’s ethnic background says a lot about one’s physique. For example, Indian men usually have very slim wrists and arms. They also prefer to wear their pants a bit higher. Belgian men wear their trousers lower, their legs are pretty thin, and they carry a bit more volume around the waist. And whenever I have to design a suit for an African man, I know that it will most likely be necessary to create extra space around the hips. The experience of working for so many different people from different cultures is a great ‘preliminary study’ for the suit I will be making.

The tailoring diet: -5 kg thanks to just fabric

Within these vague ‘cultural body types’, you of course find more specific and individual body shape categories. Men who are larger around the waist and hips have a ‘triangle’ body shape. Creating balance is a key consideration: tailored patterned blazers, structured shoulders and single-breasted suits all help with that. Then there are men who have rather broad shoulders and a well-developed chest. Slim fit shirts will enhance this toned body shape that we call the ‘inverted triangle’. You can read all about the other three body types online to get an idea, but better yet: get yourself a tailor who will mathematically establish the very perfect fit for your body. Measuring is a huge part of what I do, I have a formula for deciding on the best proportions and with this, I can literally give anyone the look of an athletic figure. Some call it magic, I call it tailoring…

Till next time,
Your tailor