There is no perfect body, but there are ways to improve on it. Until the gym membership materialises, a few small sartorial tricks can help. They make a man look slimmer, more athletic and, by extension, more handsome. The first attempts to reshape the body through clothing date back to the Gothic and Romantic eras of dress. Back then, clothes were seen as an expression of inner values. Today the urban man has more practical goals, but the methods remain the same. For the heavier-set man who would rather it did not show, here are 4 clothing tricks that slim the silhouette. In our experience, men are very receptive to anything that disguises the body’s imperfections.
1. How can vertical emphasis make a man look taller?
There are several ways. First, the belt should not sit too low, with the stomach hanging over it. The legs would look half as long, and the disproportion only makes matters worse. Second, horizontal stripes are best avoided in favour of vertical ones. Third: for those who like the idea, braces that button on, rather than clip on, can replace the belt. Fourth: creased, flat-front trousers make the legs look longer. Many men stuff their trouser pockets with things that bulk out the silhouette even more. Best not.
2. How can dark colours disguise volume?
There are a few simple ways. Monochrome outfits help, especially black ones, which make the silhouette look considerably slimmer. On the other hand, a white shirt with black trousers is best avoided without a sport jacket. The half of the body in white will look twice the size of the half in black. Finally, however appealing a stroll on the beach may be, floral, tribal and animal prints are best avoided, as they only thicken the outline. If a printed shirt is chosen nonetheless, the print should be very fine.
3. How does a waistcoat hold in the softer parts of the body?
Few people know that the waistcoat was originally a corset. It was worn first by women, then by men too, to hold in the softer parts of the body. Although today it is purely decorative, a three-piece suit with a custom-made waistcoat makes a man look considerably slimmer. Many men believe loose clothes will hide extra weight. Quite wrong. The answer is not to dress in a sack, whereas a well-cut waistcoat can genuinely help.
4. How can naturally slim areas be highlighted?
The neck and wrists are the areas to focus on. Polo necks and roll-necks of any kind are therefore best avoided, as they turn the wearer into an upside-down balloon. What works instead are V-neck tops. They visually lengthen the distance between neck and chest, for a “slimmed-down” look. Worn with the sleeves pushed up to show off the wrists, all the better.
Geometric lines, chromatic texture, slim-cut clothes and the naturally slim parts of the body, then, are excellent tricks for hiding extra kilos. Which of them become part of everyday style is a personal choice. One thing holds wherever a man goes: first impressions really do count.
