Body shape

Men’s body types, and what follows from yours

A body type is not a size. It is how your shoulders, waist and hips compare, and it decides where a jacket should end, how a trouser should fall and which details help the line instead of fighting it.

Trapezoid body typeShoulders a little wider than the waist, with the chest and hips in balance. Most cuts work; the job is to keep the line you already have.

Rectangle body typeShoulders, waist and hips close to the same width, with little taper. Clean and even; the job is to give the frame some shape at the top.

Inverted triangle body typeShoulders and chest clearly wider than the waist and hips – often an athletic build. The job is to balance the top, not to add to it.

Triangle body typeNarrower, often sloping shoulders, with the body fuller through the waist and hips. The job is to add at the top and keep the lower half quiet.

Oval body typeFullest through the middle, with the shoulders and hips narrower than the waist. The job is a long, unbroken line from shoulder to shoe.

How to find your body type

Stand in front of a mirror in a fitted T-shirt and compare three widths: your shoulders, your waist and your hips. The quiz asks the same thing with pictures, and puts your build together with your colours and your style.

Find your body shape

Body shapes

Men’s styles