Dress Your Body Type: Skinny

"To solve this problem, become a fan of European imports like Zara, H&M and Topman, which are skinny-body type- and budget- friendly."

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Regardless of the body type Mother Nature gave you, making the most of what you were given goes a long way to helping you look and feel more confident and attractive, both to yourself and to others. In the second installment of our Dress Your Body Type series, here we take a look at areas ranging from fashion to grooming in which skinny men can focus their efforts on to look their personal best. At the end of the article, you’ll also find a useful checklist that you can print out and take with you on your next shopping venture so that you’ll consistently come out of each store with pieces that are just right for you.

A skinny body type defined

Skinny body types are sometimes described as ectomorphic. Whether you’re tall, of average height or short, this kind of body is characterized by a light build, lean muscle, small joints, long limbs, a flat chest, and small shoulders. Ectomorphs typically also have a fast metabolism and find it difficult to gain weight, no matter what they eat or how many weights they lift.

Pros and cons of dressing a skinny body

A slim frame is significantly easier to dress than a large one simply because clothes hang better on thinner bodies. Another benefit of having a slender physique is that it’s easy for you to be in style because trendy clothing not only looks good on you, it’s made readily available to you by the fashion industry. And, if you’re into high-end apparel, your size is more frequently available in stores because your body shape is what designers prefer to dress (for both aesthetic and sample/pattern size reasons).

While there are obvious benefits to dressing a skinny body type, there remain, however, a few challenges. Notably, wearing ill-fitting clothes will result in coming off as a boy playing grown-up. A further and rather vexing problem this body type faces is finding clothes that fit at budget-friendly mass retailers, which -- in America -- frequently size up (offering sizes up to 3XL). To solve this problem, become a fan of European imports like Zara, H&M, and Topman, which are skinny-body type- and budget- friendly.

dress your body type: the guide

Fit

No matter what your body type, proper-fitting clothes are vital to being a well-dressed man. Though a frequent mistake made by men with skinny body types is wearing oversize clothing in an effort to bulk up visually, skinny men actually benefit from having their clothes tailored more than any other body type. Hunting down a reputable tailor and taking all recent purchases to him will ensure you're showing off your frame to its best advantage.

When deciding what to buy in the first place, favor body-skimming dress shirts and tees that permit some movement in the fabric (look for “Slim Fit” models at your mass retailer). Check the label on your tops too, avoiding anything that contains elastic as these garments tend to stick too closely to your body rather than gliding over it. For a similar reason, skinny jeans should also be banished from your closet as they will either make you look malnourished or like you're wearing leggings -- neither of which is attractive in the least. When it comes to denim, stick with straight-leg or slim-fit boot cut jeans instead.

What advice do we have regarding hairstyles, colors and patterns? Dress Your Body Type: Skinny continues... Next Page >>

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