There’s nothing the fashion world loves more than handing down commandments.
“This is in.” “That’s out.” “Wear this and you’ll look like a sartorial demigod.” “Wear that and you’ll look like you’ve lost a bet.”
The whiplash of it all can be exhausting. One minute you’re applauded for your cropped trousers, the next you’re accused of dressing like a children’s TV presenter. And the most infuriating part? Half of these proclamations are driven by fleeting trends rather than any real sense of personal style.
Because here’s the thing: it’s easy to chase what’s current. Harder and far more rewarding is dressing in a way that actually suits you. That fits your build, your lifestyle, and your personality.
Falling for a fad is a rite of passage for most blokes. But wearing something just because it’s in fashion, rather than because it works for you, is a trap that even seasoned dressers occasionally stumble into.
The goal isn’t just to look fashionable. The goal is to look like the best version of yourself today, next year, and a decade from now.
What Your Body Needs From Your Wardrobe
Your clothes should flatter your body shape, your skin tone, your hairstyle, your eye colour and your personality.
A great wardrobe is a mix of classic pieces and current trends, all personalised to be uniquely you. Knowing how to dress for your body shape – and which styles to avoid – is the first step to owning your personal style.
How To Dress For Your Shape
Male bodies may not have the curves and dramatic silhouettes often associated with womenswear, but that doesn’t mean they all fit into one generic mould. Far from it. Men’s bodies vary in ways that often go unnoticed, which is exactly why understanding your shape matters more than most blokes realise.
Stylists and designers love to talk about the importance of fit — and for good reason. A thousand-dollar blazer can look sloppy if it sits wrong on your frame, while an off-the-rack shirt can suddenly look bespoke if the proportions align just right. Fit is the great equaliser in men’s fashion. But before you can dress for it, you need to know what you’re working with.
Most men fall into one of five body type categories. Knowing where you sit can help you choose clothes that flatter your frame rather than fight against it.
The Heavy Lifter
Think inverted triangle. Broad shoulders and chest, paired with a lean waist and narrower hips. Often the result of heavy lifting sessions and upper body-focused gym work. This guy needs to balance his proportions — slimmer trousers, clean lines, and subtle layering work best.
The Athlete
Similar to the Heavy Lifter, but more proportional. Think Olympic decathlete rather than powerlifter. Broad up top, trim through the waist and hips. Most styles work well here, but structured jackets and tapered trousers help highlight the natural V-shape.
The Block Man
This guy has a torso shaped like a rectangle. His chest, waist and hips are all roughly the same width. The trick here is creating the illusion of shape — think layered fits, casual tailoring, and avoiding boxy silhouettes that make everything look too square.
The Happy Eater
The opposite of the Heavy Lifter. Narrow shoulders and chest taper into wider hips and a fuller waist. Think triangle pointing down. For this shape, darker tones on the bottom and open collars or wider lapels up top help rebalance the frame.
The Cuddly Teddy Bear
Rounder through the middle, often with narrower shoulders and slimmer legs. This is the bloke who looks great in soft textures, vertical stripes, and anything that gently elongates the torso. No shame in the teddy bear game — dress for comfort, but make it intentional.
Knowing your body type doesn’t mean putting yourself in a box. It just means playing to your strengths. Once you get that sorted, everything else falls into place.
How To Dress: The Heavy Lifter
As a heavy lifter, your large frame is somewhat imbalanced. Your wider upper torso and narrower lower half can be evened out by your wardrobe.
The goal is to draw attention to your hips while reducing attention to your upper chest. Focus on pulling the eyes downwards, avoiding bulk on the upper body, and adding a little extra to your legs. FYI – Gerard Butler is a great example of this body type. Sparta!
Focus On Your Right Places
V-necks narrow the chest and draw the eye down. Stripes across the stomach and detailing around the hips (think belts or pockets) also help emphasise the parts that need it.
Go Graphic
Simple graphic prints and logos will get attention, taking it away from your more substantial upper chest. Any kind of details, prints, or eye-catching colours on the shoulders, on the other hand, will draw the eyes to the wrong area.
Scratch The Skinny Stuff
Skinny leg cuts will make the top half of your body appear even wider. Try straight or more relaxed slim cuts instead, to balance out your proportions. You can also use statement trousers to lure the eye away from your broad shoulders. If you can, go for tapered jeans.
Expert Tip
You probably enjoy wearing most garments close to the body however, tailored garments can look pretty silly if worn too small. This is not to say a Slim Fitting or European fit is out of the question.
You just need to accept that most read-to-wear brands will not accommodate this shape off the rack. Similar to the ‘Athlete’, its crucial to fit the shoulders and chest and accept that the waist and/or hips will need to be narrowed.
This allows for more accurate sculpting of the back region and accentuating of the smaller waist. School boy error is to find a garment that fits your small waist because you like how ‘tight’ it feels, only to bust out in the chest and awkwardly split the seat of a pant.
– Godwin Hili, Director – Godwin Charli
How To Dress: The Athlete
Good news for you Athlete types: you’re the fit bastards that make everyone else seethe with jealousy.
Because your upper and lower body are already well balanced, your shape is much easier to dress than others. You can play with colours and cuts without having to worry much about whether or not everything is properly in proportion. FYI – Football players and athletes are a good example for this body type.
Be Daring
Take advantage of the gifts Mother Nature gave you and experiment with your wardrobe. Your body was made for making a statement, so don’t be afraid to take risks (as long as you still feel comfortable in your clothes).
Prints & Colours Are Made For You
There’s no need to be conservative unless the occasion demands it. Bold colours, prints and patterns are just as well suited to your body shape as solid colour basics.
Play Around With Other Things
If you don’t have to worry about your body type, you’re free to explore other interesting ways to spruce up your wardrobe. Try out new trends, take new cuts for a test drive, investigate new textures and fabric combination,s and work on understanding how to flatter other things – your complexion, your hair cut and colour, etc. – instead.
Expert Tip
Lucky you. Sometimes referred to as an ‘inverted triangle’ shape because of the obviously smaller waist in comparison to the upper body, Its imperative that a jacket fits across the shoulders and chest.
A Slim fit or European fit is a good starting point for this body type. Unless the garment has been Made-To-Measure, the waist and hips of the jacket MUST be narrowed to accentuate this physique by taking it in.
Trousers should be tailored without being too slim and shirts should be a slim fit or contain darts. It’s all about getting the proportions and balance correct, to avoid looking like you will topple over.
How To Dress The Block Man
For the Block Man, the primary aim is to add shape where there isn’t much shape to begin with. There’s only so much you can do to physically alter your body, but wearing the right kind of clothing can do wonders for creating the illusion of having a different body type. When dressing, a little style sleight-of-hand will make your shoulders seem wider while making your lower torso appear narrower.
Choose Your Prints Carefully
A print that imitates your rectangular shape – like a geometric pattern – will emphasise the issue you’re trying to correct. Well placed prints or colour, however, can be an effective way to enhance the upper portion of your body.
Layer Thoughtfully
Adding clothing is the easiest way to add bulk to your body. Shirts, knitwear and scarves can be used to widen the chest and shoulders while narrowing your lower torso.
Use Structure
Here’s your chance to put shoulder pads to good use! Structured blazers and jackets add the extra weight your shoulders need. For bonus points, have a tailor take the sides in or thin the jacket’s arms.
Expert Tip
Its important here to clearly define your upper and lower body components. Clever tailoring can achieve a more sculptured look. Look for a tailored jacket with a more padded shoulder to give the impression of broader shoulders. Ensure that the sleeve width of the jacket is narrow as well as area between the under arm and waist. Your goal should be to create the illusion of shape throughout the upper body.
How To Dress: The Happy Eater
Again, your wardrobe is your opportunity to correct the imbalances in your natural body shape. For Happy Eaters, that means wearing clothing that adds some substance to a sloping shoulder line and smaller chest. What you wear should reduce the effect of a lower half that appears wider than your upper body. Streamlined cuts and flattering colours are important for you.
Enhance & Emphasise Your Shoulders
Steer clear of polo necks and narrow crew-necks because they decrease shoulder with, and opt for structured tailored blazers and jackets instead. Single-breasted and button-down styles will also help streamline your torso.
Don’t Put The Focus On Your Stomach
Horizontal stripes across the stomach are a definite no, as is any kind of outerwear with details (like pockets) that draw attention to the stomach area. Dark colours will look best on your triangular shape.
Give Your Lower Body A Little More Heft
Wear trousers with a straighter leg. Skinny or heavily tapered trousers will widen the central part of your body, which is exactly the opposite effect you’re going for.
How To Dress: The Cuddly Teddy Bear
As a Cuddly Teddy Bear, the majority of your mass is concentrated at the centre of your body, making your arms, shoulders and legs look disproportionately slim. To make your body appear more defined, you must add shape to your shoulders and wear clothing that appears to lengthen your torso. Beware of anything that shortens you in any way.
Stripes are your friends (sometimes)
Vertical stripes and pinstripes will instantly lengthen your body, but horizontal stripes will make you appear rounder.
Don’t draw attention to your waist (or lack thereof)
Any kind of statement belt will attract attention to your waist and highlight your widest point. A printed or textured piece in a darker hue a better way to add flattering interest to an outfit.
Length and fit are hugely important
Be sure that your sleeves and trousers are the correct length and fit well. They should add shape and definition to your body without making your limbs appear shorter.
Expert Tip
It’s a common mistake to give up on tailored clothing and wear oversized pieces. Focus on comfort with a tailored edge. In other words, the garments should fit well across the shoulders, not be too roomy through the sleeve and underarm, and not be too tight across the waist region or lower half of the body. Avoid jackets that are short, ensuring a longer front balance. Again, its all about balance and drawing the eye away from the belly region.
