Fashion Tips:

              Although Thomas Jefferson decreed that "all men were created equal", when it comes to body type and clothing, that bold statement is simply untrue. As a result of having fewer curves, male bodies may vary less in form than women's bodies, but nevertheless, variation does exist and knowing how to dress for your body type as well as which styles to avoid is the key to honing your personal style.

              

              One thing to always keep in mind when shopping for new clothes is that the fit of the garment is its ultimate test. If an expensive jacket just isn't right for your body, it's going to look bad no matter what the price tag. Conversely, a tailor made garment will complement your body and complexion. Especially with Tailor Designs master tailors they will be able to advise you on styles and colours best suited to you.

               Fashion is not a democracy. In the style stakes, no one look exists to make all bodies equally beautiful. However, there are a few decrees that everyone can follow to look their personal best. First, make your tailor your new best friend. No matter what your height or size, only a qualified tailor will be able to ensure your clothes are optimally flattering for your body type. Second, learn what looks good on you and resist jumping on the fad bandwagon (acid-washed, skinny jeans, anyone?).

              It's great to experiment with trendy pieces here and there, but if you try it out in the shop and it doesn't look good, just forget about it and stick to what you know makes you look and feel great. Follow these rules and you'll significantly increase your chances of being voted best-dressed guy around.

Please click on the section below which applies to your body type for more info:

• THE BULKY MAN
• THE SKINNY MAN
• THE SHORT MAN
• THE TALL MAN

 

The Bulky Man:

Stay away from horizontal stripes
               If there's a little more of you to love, particularly in the stomach area, avoid any kind of horizontal stripe. While you're at it, avoid diagonal stripes too. What you should wear with pride, however, are shirts and trousers with vertical stripes. Vertical stripes draw the eye downward, elongating your silhouette and visually slimming it. Pinstripe suits are the perfect dress-up clothes for you, especially paired with a crisp black dress shirt underneath. Pinstripe dress shirts will also look great when mixed with dark jeans or black trousers. For casual wear, try to find a pair of dark corduroys with slim stripes that are made from thin material.

Avoid double-vented jackets
              The slits in the back of your jacket are referred to as vents. All jackets should cover your bottom. However, if you have a larger behind that makes you feel a bit self-conscious, stay away from blazers and jackets that are double-vented (the ones with two slits in the back) as this cut will draw attention to your posterior. To camouflage a wider rear, go with single-vented jackets or jackets without any vents. If you already own a double-vented jacket that you love, a professional tailor should be able to sew up the slits for you at a fairly minimal cost.

Go monochromatic
               A shirt and trousers in two extremely contrasting colors -- like black and white -- will break you in half and make a large middle stand out. Choose tops and bottoms that are identical or similar in color to create a cleaner visual impression and to look 10 pounds slimmer instantly. And, of course, choose all black for the most slimming effect, but add some colored accessories to avoid looking like you have a funeral to attend.

Wear a belt
               A belt will nip in your waistline and make it appear slimmer. Just be sure not to make it so tight that you have a belly overhang.

 

The Skinny Man:

              Loads of men and women envy their skinnier counterparts that can eat as much junk food as they want without gaining an ounce. People tend to forget that being too thin can be just as problematic as being overweight. It's hard to find clothes that fit and complement their thinner bodies.

              The most efficient way to solve the problem is to join the gym and eat more food that will add muscle mass to a bony body. But in reality, it's not always that easy and many men are destined to remain skinny. So the next best thing is to just work around heredity.

Avoid monochromatic looks
              If you wear a solid color from head to toe (especially black), you'll seem even thinner than you are, so break up your look by wearing a few different colors in your outfit. Fortunately, playing around with the colour palette should be fun and you'll get to experiment with a lot of different looks.

Choose fitted shirts
              Loose-fitting, untucked shirts will billow around you and make you look like the mainsail on a mast, so you'll want to choose something more fitted instead. While you should avoid skintight shirts because they will accentuate your bony upper half, do choose slim-cut shirts and learn how to layer them to fake a bit more mass.

Avoid round-toed shoes
              If you're really tall, shoes with a round toe will make you look disproportionate. To balance out your shape, go for square-toed shoes. When it comes to dress shoes and city shoes, finding square-toe shoes should not present a problem. If you're at the gym or playing a sport, however, square-toe shoes will be harder to find, so just avoid anything with an overly round shape.

Choose lighter colours
              Lighter colors will make you appear slightly larger, so choose whites, creams, light blues, light grays, and pastels to visually bulk you up a bit.

 

The Short Man:

               The rise in your pants is the distance between the crotch of your pants and the waistband. Shorter men should wear the smallest rise in their pants that they can get away with because a really long rise will make you look like you have a negative butt, as well as making what you've got in front look nonexistent. In contrast, a short rise will visually elongate your legs and avoid making your crotch and bottom area look baggy and empty.

Opt for square-toed shoes
              Pointy-toe shoes are only OK when you're taller and your pant leg can cover most of your shoe. If you are smaller, however, long shoes or really big, bulky ones will make you look like less of a professional and more like a joker. Square-toe shoes are best for you.

Wear heels on your shoes
              Although you should avoid wearing overly bulky shoes, you should buy shoes with a substantial heel. Dress boots are a great option for shorter men, and there are so many great styles available nowadays that can be paired with everything from jeans to a suit. To really give yourself added height, wear your dress boots with a longer pant leg that comes to the floor to disguise the heel.

Consider accessories
               Clever accessories, like a great necklace, tie or hat can keep people's eyes on your face, making them less likely to pay attention to your stature. Of all your accessory choices, a hat is probably best as it is a fantastic way to provide the illusion of an extra inch or two of height.

Avoid really big prints
               On smaller bodies, giant prints will overwhelm. One way to add quirk to your closet with prints is to choose small prints, like a graphic black and white print or small checks. So if you're shorter, have fun with your wardrobe by keeping your prints proportionate to your body.

Choose a slimmer necktie
              Slimmer to medium-sized neckties will avoid overwhelming your frame. Large ties should be avoided if you are short because they will make your body seem disproportionate by comparison. If you are very short, you might want to check out ties that are both slimmer and shorter.

 

The Tall Man:

               Why would tall guys actually complain? Surprisingly, very tall men have a hard time finding things that fit well. Also, when they aren't properly dressed, they often appear clumsy and awkward. Therefore, to avoid looking gawky, read these simple tips and spruce up your personal style.