Skinny men are sometimes described as having ‘bodies like coat-hangers’. Believe it or not, this is a compliment: it refers to the manner in which a slimmer frame shows off the cut of a suit to best effect. However, if you are an especially svelte gentleman, it’s important not to let your figure undermine your dress sense. Sometimes, a streamlined physique can lead you to commit egregious fashion faux-pas. Luckily, we’re here to help you avoid these pitfalls and dress for your body type.
The most common error slim men make is attempting to bulk up their profiles using oversized suits. This is the worst mistake you can possibly make. An oversized suit simply never looks good. At best, it looks baggy and ill-fitting; at worst, it looks like you’ve borrowed it from a random stranger’s washing line. What’s more, an outsized suit will actually accentuate your smaller figure. If you desperately want to make your frame appear more powerful, we recommend subtly padded shoulders, wide lapels or (in drastic cases) double-breasted blazers. You should aim to dress in a way that plays to your strengths. Your slight frame will look marvellous in well-fitted suits; your outfit will look sharper and more dynamic due to your slim physique. You can use bespoke tailoring to ensure that your suit and body type complement each other to best effect.
It’s equally important not to go overboard. Wearing clothes that accentuate your lithe figure is a wise choice. However, wearing clothes that announce that figure as loudly as possible isn’t. It can be tempting to dress yourself in deliberately tight clothes that show off the sharp angles and impeccable lines of your body. It takes an enormous degree of self-assurance and irreproachable style to carry off that sort of look. If you miss the mark, your outfit will simply look gauche. After all, nobody likes a show-off. So you should probably select clothes that glide over your frame instead of clinging to it and which draw attention to the best features of your figure without being ostentatious.
In summary, the best course of action is to avoid extremes. If you are a slimmer gent, you can select suits that either accentuate your figure or subtly add power to it, but should avoid suits that boastfully announce your figure or (at the other end of the spectrum) actively attempt to disguise it. High-end men’s fashion is about elegance and nuance, not garish extremity. Remember this, and you’ll avoid dropping into any fashion pitfalls.