The seven shapes of men – and the suits that work best
At last, the high street has cottoned on to the changing shape of the male form. Men’s bodies have altered drastically in the last 50 years – and, when it comes to suits especially, one-size no longer fits all.
Where once an off-the-peg number might have been passable on the majority, that is simply no longer the case. In 1954, the typical British male was just over 5ft 7in tall, weighed 11st 6lbs, had a 37-inch chest, a 34-inch waist and 14-inch collar. Today, the typical man is just over 5ft 9in, weighs 12st 6lbs, has a chest of 42in, a waist of 37in, and he takes a 16in collar.
But that’s not the whole story. While some of us are getting rounder – last year, the term ‘dad-bod’ entered the dictionary, meaning an untoned male body that’s started running to fat – the younger generation is taller and fitter that ever, encouraged to look after themselves not only by a booming fitness industry, but by the ripped torso shots they share on social media.
As a result, high-street stores are overhauling their off-the-peg suiting by creating a wider spectrum of shapes to fit (or which can be easily adapted to fit) the nation’s fellows.
And just as the women’s fashion industry has embraced models who don’t fit the sample-size “norm” – size-14 model Ashley Graham recently graced the cover of British Vogue - so too the men’s fashion industry is beginning to realise that there’s are shapes somewhere in between gaunt youth and rippling Men’s Health cover star.
River Island has enlisted Olympic discus thrower Brett Morse to showcase its new range of clothing, as a result of market research which, says Nick Tahir, head of menswear buying at River Island, proved “there was a real demand for stylish menswear that accommodates more body shapes”.
Giants such as Marks & Spencer and John Lewis have landed on seven new shapes of the modern British man, and are rebuilding their menswear departments accordingly. Whether you’re stacked like a rugby prop or have the proportions of a Lilliputian, there’s now a host of suit styles on offer.
So here, according to the British high street, these are the body shapes of modern British man… and suggestions for how to dress them.
1. Gym-honed
If you’ve put sufficient hours in at the gym, chances are you’ll conform to what tailors call the “perfect V” shape – with a strong shoulder line and a nipped-in waist.
You – by whom we mean the athletic likes of fitness expert Louis Rennocks or The Fall actor Jamie Dornan – are the “fitspiration” for the beach body-ready brigade.
When choosing a suit, gym-honed types should avoid cuts that are narrow; they’ll look too encasing. Single-breasted jackets will show off those hours of burpies better than double, which are boxy and add heft to a sleek silhouette. If your upper body is particularly bulky, opt for a soft cut on the shoulder line to avoid looking too much like an American baseball player. a Suit to Travel In wool and mohair suit, £730, paulsmith.co.uk
2. Stocky and solid
When it comes to suiting, rugby player-type shapes, such as George Kruis or Mike Tyndall, need to steer clear of extraneous detail, such as patch pockets. Similarly, opt for a two-buttons-per-jacket maximum; any more will add extra bulk to an already solid silhouette. Don’t be tempted to opt for baggy trousers for comfort’s sake; you need to balance a solid torso with neatly cut (but not slim-fit) trousers. For a good off-the-peg choice, go for a Westminster fit jacket, £990, and Fitzrovia formal trousers, £295, dunhill.com
3. Skinny
If you’re a wee slip of a thing – the kind of man for whom a 15-inch shirt collar is a bit roomy – tailoring is your friend, and can help you stand tall and proud. A roped shoulder lends an extra “puff” to the cut, so it sits in a gentle peak and lends a stronger shoulder line. Double-breasted jackets will add more presence and avoid a break in the trousers as the extra fabric will flap in the breeze on those narrow pins. The benefit of titchy frames is that they can carry off pattern much better than larger ones, on which it can look too overwhelming; footballer Peter Crouch and funnyman Steven Merchant should step out in plaids, houndstooths and checks, such as this skinny check suit, £160, topman.com.
4. Dadbod
Using the phrase made popular by this very newspaper to describe a body type that says “I go to the gym occasionally, but I also drink heavily on weekends and enjoy pizza”, the dadbod is a solid shape into which many middle-aged men happily slide. Over time, waist size begins to mirror that of the shoulder width. We’re looking at you, Gerard Butler and David Cameron.
Here, it’s best to steer towards suits that nip and tuck correctly. Make sure the jacket pinches mid-torso, and avoid a long seat - put bluntly, the fabric over your rear - because this will look bulky; a single vent, rather than the full flap, will reduce the waddling-duck look.
While the dadbod might veer towards roomier shapes, this can be an error that makes a suit look unshapely. Better to opt for a jacket that’s cut higher than longer (Marks & Spencers’ come in short, regular and long; go for short).
“Our Big & Tall Collection was launched 10 years ago”, adds Dave Binns, head of buying at Marks & Spencer menswear. “But recently we’ve seen an increase in sales in our bigger and taller styles. Fit it a top priority for our customers and we see men becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to it.”
Dadbods should make a beeline for J. Crew's Ludlow jacket, £385 and trousers, £188, jcrew.com
5. Pear-shaped
Meet the men who were once Dadbods but have let themselves go even further. The likes of Jason Manford and Michael McIntyre, you’ll be needing a suit that not only hides any tricky areas, but draws the eye away upwards and away, too.
“I’d recommend taking lapels into account if you’re pear-shaped,” says Frost. “Make sure they are of wider and bigger proportions so that the eye is to them and provides a balance”. This means that the generous cut of the bottom half of the jacket will be offset nicely by a jacket with bold lapels and a strong shoulder line. Make sure you avoid a Neapolitan shoulder – those that slope downwards fluidly – and instead opt for one with a squarer shape. Check the pockets, too: if they are cut to tilt inwards towards the middle they will help create the effect of a narrow waist.
Your ideal new-season suit is the Hudson suit, £299, suitsupply.com
6. Tall orders
It was the challenge of finding suitable tailoring to fit his 6ft 6ft frame that prompted Roland John to launch his own brand, Lynch & Mason, to cater for men with muscular and towering frames. The online store – whose classic, sleek coats and suits have been worn by boxer Anthony Joshua, model and personal trainer Toby Huntington Whiteley and Idris Elba – is created to be worn straight out of the packaging, without adjustments. “I could barely find clothes to fit me, and when I did, none of them were very good quality,” says John.
“Arms were always too short, jackets way too high, trousers looked ridiculous. So I looked into working with manufacturers to make pieces in very high quality fabrics – cashmeres and wools – that actually fit longer frames. We’ve elongated the cuts, lengthened proportions but kept things tailored. It’s easy to opt for something oversized but then it just doesn’t fit.”
Lean, tall frames might be the envy of the suiting world, but to avoid looking lanky opt for a “block” silhouette - a square shape of jacket will help to broaden the torso. Double-breasted jackets work well here. If you’re looking to buy on the high street, you’d do worse than Mr Porter's Kingsman range of suiting. Kingsman double breasted wool jacket, £995, trousers, £395, mrporter.com
7. Short story
Alongside suits for larger shapes, many tailors have started to cater to smaller, shorter proportions; Savile Row experts have put this down to the boom in Asian spending power and the need for generally more petite cuts for those customers.
Diminutive frames should invest in a jacket with a long lapel that will lengthen the gap between the button and neckline and serve to elongate the torso. Avoid turn-ups or cuffs on trousers; they will cut the line of the legs off and make them look shorter. Steer clear of dense, heavy fabrics, including tweeds or woollens, as these will look cumbersome on shorter frames. “Our buying team are obsessed with sourcing the best possible quality of fabric to ensure that the suits are not only durable but the right weight and finish so that they hang well on the customer, and provide a great fit,” says Beth Pettet, John Lewis’ Head of Buying for Menswear, which recently debuted a Made to Measure suiting service at its Oxford Circus store.
Those lacking in stature – think Daniel Radcliffe and Rod Stewart – will find a size that fits perfectly from Caruso; £1,292, farfetch.com
