5 Male Body Shapes: How to Determine Yours and Style Accordingly

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Greetings to all the gentlemen out there. Do you know that there are 5 different male body shapes that most men fall under?

Have you ever noticed that you get more compliments, most likes on social media, or a few extra glances when you wear that particular shirt, T-shirt, or jacket? Have you wondered why you look your best in that one specific outfit?

You probably have worn something that compliments and balances your natural body shape. If you can identify which body type you fall under, and learn to dress accordingly, getting compliments could be your everyday thing.

The Five Body Shapes

The five main body types are rectangle, inverted triangle, trapezoid, triangle, and oval. As mentioned earlier, not all men fall under one of these types. This is a general categorization to make styling easier.

Knowing your body shape makes your shopping easy and you don’t have to spend a lot of time choosing the best suited outfit every day.

How to Determine Body Shape

There are three main measurements needed to determine one’s body shape.

Chest - The fullest part of the chest, usually below the armpits.
Waist - The smallest part of the torso, above the belly button.
Hip - The widest part of the buttocks, about 8” below the waistline.

These are the three main measurements needed to determine the body shape. However, the broadness of the shoulder and midsection are also considered for some body shapes.

Rectangle:

If your chest, waist, and hip sizes are almost equal you fall under the rectangle body shape. Since your shoulder is nearly the same width as your hip, you could enhance and add volume to your shoulders to avoid looking like a box.

Tom Cruise, Timothée Charlotte, and David Beckham are some celebrities who have rectangular bodies.

Styling Tips for Rectangle Body Shape

For a formal look, you can choose a tailored suit with shoulder pads or a shirt with the top two buttons left open to add volume to the shoulders.

For casuals, you may choose a crew neck, turtle neck, or any closed-neck t-shirt which will also enhance the shoulders. Layering works well for this body shape as you can create an illusion of a smaller waist, wider hip, and shoulder.

Inverted Triangle:

When you have a broader chest and shoulder compared to your waist and hip then you fall under this category. This is the least common body shape and there is a large difference between the shoulder and hip size.

Cris Pratt, Tom Hardy, Usain Bolt, etc. are some celebrities you can take inspiration from.

Styling Tips for Inverted Triangle Body Shape

Scoop and V necklines suit this shape best as they will cut the broadness of the shoulder. To add volume to your hip region, you can choose a jacket that ends near the hip or a simple double-breasted jacket. You can also leave the jacket open for a better outlook.

Shirts and T-shirts with horizontal stripes below the chest will also enhance the hips and waist. You can also wear high-raised pants to add volume to your hips and accentuate your waist.

Trapezoid

This body type resembles an inverted triangle; the shoulder and chest are broader than the waist and hip. However, the size difference is less compared to the inverted triangle shape.

Usually known as the average male body shape, most clothes are made to fit this shape. This makes your shopping even easier.

Some celebrities with trapezoid bodies are Daniel Craig, Dwayne Johnson, and Henry Cavill.

Styling Tips for Trapezoid Body Shape

You can experiment with almost all prints, patterns, necklines, lengths, etc. Clothing that is well-fitted to your body accentuates your natural look. If you choose to layer, avoid bulky outerwear, which can broaden your overall appearance.

Triangle

If your waist and hip are wider than your chest and shoulder then you come under the triangle body shape.

Jason Segal, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Seth Rogen are some celebrities with triangle body shapes.

Styling Tips for Triangle Body Shape

Add volume and enhance your shoulders with shoulder pads, wide lapels, etc. to balance the width of your waist and hip. Avoid jackets that end at the hip level as it can add volume to your hip and widen your overall outlook.

Single-breasted jackets work well for this shape. Wearing your coat buttoned down will balance out the width of the waist and hip. Avoid raglan shirts and T-shirts as they will narrow down your shoulders more.

For stripes, you can choose horizontal stripes near the chest area or vertical stripes all along the torso for a balanced look.

Oval

If the midsection of your torso is wider than the chest and hips you fall under this body shape. Since the midsection is wider it gives a more rounded appearance hence this body shape is popularly known as the apple shape. Here the waist is wider and less defined.

Jonah Hill and James Corden are some celebrities from which you can take styling references.

Styling Tips for Oval Body Shape

You may choose monochrome and darker shades for a thinner look. Small collars and lapels and full-sleeved shirts will also give a proportioned look.

If you choose to wear checks, you can choose vertical stripes, small checks, or small plaids, which will also give you a thinner look.

Understanding your body shape and styling yourself accordingly is the easiest way to get dressed up. These are some general styling tips for each body shape but you can experiment with some more styles and see if they suit you. Also, your body shape may vary if you lose a considerable amount of weight.

Please do comment if you find this article useful in determining your body type. I will be delighted if this article makes your everyday dressing up easier and reduces the time you spend shopping for suitable outfits. Also, post pictures of yourself in your newly styled outfit.

Until next time…