Men and Body Shape - Alterations Boutique

An Objective Opinion from a Friend Helps When Choosing a Suit

The natural male adult body shape is broad shoulders and expanded chest tapering to narrower hips and waist, the classic male V-shaped body.

But like women’s, men’s bodies change as they age and in men fat tends to concentrate on the abdomen and waist in men.

Chosen with care, clothing can be used to change the look of a body and to play down the bad points. This can mean that a tailor’s eye may be needed to ensure that it fits well and has the right features to accentuate the wearer’s best points.

A suit is generally a major purchase for a man and is expected to last longer and the advice is generally to buy two good quality ones in preference to five cheaper ones.

The attentions of a skilful tailor may still be needed even if a suit is bought ready made in the correct size because it is the fine details of fit through suit alterations that make a suit look and feel good, while style is a question of personal taste and the occasion or environment for which it is wanted.

The first thing to consider is the purpose for which the suit is mainly to be used, whether it is daily office wear, an interview or a formal event. The decisions on features are endless: one two or three buttons, what kind of lapels and one vent or two to the jacket, while trousers can be with or without pleats or turn-ups. A good quality wool will be longer-lasting than a lighter fabric and can be worn all year round.

Navy blue is generally considered a safe and versatile colour and will be the most useful for regular wear in a variety of situations.  The choice of a pattern will need care because patterns can date and may not be versatile enough to cover everything from an interview to a day in the office to a more formal event.  On the whole the guidance from the experts is to keep things simple.

Apparently also, according to some style experts, the one thing most women notice about men is their shoes, especially how clean and sharp they look.

These choices are less about the current fashion than about what will best enhance the person and the way they look as well as making sure the investment in a good suit will pay for itself.

For a young man buying his first suit an objective view of the choices he is considering will be very helpful. However, an experienced tailor will be able to advise and guide each individual on how to make the best of their appearance.