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How do you dress well if you've got a gut? How do you disguise a short waist? What exactly is the procedure for camouflaging a flat butt? And what kind of jeans should you wear if you've got a big butt?
Thankfully, I've got the solutions for you. Welcome to the world of "clothes as body camouflage," where anything is possible.
general rules
Whether you're skinny or heavy, tall or short, you should never fall back on baggy clothes to disguise your body's flaws. Alternately, you should never wear very tight clothes. Instead, take the extra time to buy the right clothes. Don't be afraid to spend a little more to camouflage a little better.
One of the best ways to complement your body with the right clothes is to find a tailor that you trust. He can be of great assistance when it comes to crafting suits and jackets that best fit your body type.
At the very least, you need someone around to give you a second opinion on your clothing. Don't worry if you still see your love handles after an afternoon of adjustments; as long as others don't see your gut, you're home free.
Tips for body types
Waist
By using the right combination of shirt, pants and belt, there are many ways to overcome both a short-waisted and high-waisted look.
Short-waisted
Simply put, short-waistedness is when your legs are longer than your torso. It's almost always a product of genetics, but it shouldn't prove to be any trouble for you if you follow these simple tips when dressing casual.
Wear jeans/slacks at your hips, not at your waist.
Don't tuck in; wear pullovers instead of button-downs to disguise your waist/hips.
Wear tall-cut T-shirts.
Match the color of your top with your belt. This will give the illusion that your torso is longer.
Wear sweaters and jackets that hang below your waist.
Pulling off suits for the short-waisted man, however, is trickier than with casual clothes. For starters, you should match the color tones of your jacket, pants and dress shirt to create one seamless outfit/look. In other words, don't throw on a pink shirt with a black suit if you're short-waisted, as it provides too much of a contrast.
Another trick is to have your tailor add an inch to your waist and subtract an inch from your inseam. This will let your pants sit comfortably on your hips, without touching the ground. Cuffed legs also make your lower half seem shorter.
Long-waisted
If you're long-waisted, your legs are relatively short and your torso is long. There are several ways to overcome this problem with some simple clothing adjustments.
Stand up straight. Tall or short, good posture always improves the way your clothes hang.
Wear a T-shirt, sweater or shirt in a contrasting color to your pants. This will break up the vertical line of your body.
Do the opposite of the short-waisted man and wear your pants at the waist, not at the hips.
Tuck in all your shirts.
As for suits, double-breasted suits are a great way to make your midsection appear boxier, as they present your body as a series of segments (legs, trunk, chest, then head). This will help divert attention from your legs.
Wearing suspenders also creates the illusion of a higher waistline. Alternatively, a belt with a large buckle and pleated, uncuffed slacks will draw attention to your lower half and make your legs appear longer.
Backside
Men don't fuss over their rear ends like women do, but they'll certainly try to cover it up if it's really big or really small.
Flat butt
While some men would prefer a flat butt, other guys hate it, because it causes their pants to drape awkwardly and their shirts to simply fall off into the air.
You can begin overcoming a flat ass by staying away from baggy clothes. Billowy pants will make your lower half look as if it's trapped in a parachute. Instead of thinking "bigger is better," wear jeans or pants that are fitted around the waist and include a high inseam. This cut supports the butt you do have, and makes it a shade more prominent. Straight-legged pants will also draw attention away from your backside by keeping the part underneath your legs in proportion with your hips, waist and butt.
Big butt
A big butt is not necessarily bad news. Most women even prefer guys who have a toned "bubble butt." Still, if you want to trim your caboose, try boxer briefs or biking shorts as an undergarment. These will help pull your butt and upper thighs tightly up.
If your butt sticks out at the top (kind of like a ledge), check out looser, wider-fitting jeans with a boot cut, such as carpenter jeans, worker jeans and relaxed fit jeans. These cuts provide a smoother vertical line when paired with pullovers and T-shirts.
When wearing less casual attire, avoid pants with a high waist; the extra height can make the bottom look extra long.
For the truly bottom heavy, avoid pleated trousers, which can highlight your hips; flat-front pants are more slimming when it comes to your thighs and trunk. Top off your look with a 3-length jacket -- that big butt will quickly become just another part of your body.
Big belly
Camouflaging a big belly is the kind of knowledge almost every guy needs at some point in his life.
Well, here it is.
Opt for light fabrics, dark colors
Start by avoiding tweed, flannel and other heavy fabrics. Go with light, natural fabrics, and dress in dark, muted colors, or better yet, all in one color.
Wear undergarments
For business casual wear, opt for an undershirt and tuck it in. Then throw on a pullover or sweater. The undershirt keeps your belly in place, while the pullover creates that all-important (and quite slimming) vertical line for your figure (provided your pants fit nicely).
Avoid T-shirts in general
Baggy T-shirts only make you look bigger, and tight T-shirts emphasize your gut. Stick with long sleeves; they'll make your body look more proportional and "together."
Wear your pants at belly button level
If you wear them under your belly, you'll just draw attention to your gut.
Suit yourself
When it comes to suits, the experts are unfortunately not in agreement. Some believe that as long as it's tailored well, a double-breasted suit works. The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes, released by AskAndyAboutClothes.com, notes that a double-breasted suit's double row of buttons "cuts away thickness" in the eye of the viewer.
Other fashion websites and experts maintain that the looser fit of a single-breasted suit is the way to go for camouflaging that beer gut.
Ask for help
One thing is for certain: Work with a tailor or highly-trained sales rep to determine the suit cut that's right for you.
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