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Practical advice

What to Wear if You Are Skinny

Not all of us are packed with muscles, so it was only logical to find solutions for skinny people. This article is for you, all of those who weren’t lucky in the genetic lottery.

First of all, let’s define a skinny body. In anatomical terms, these bodies are named ectomorphic. Slim waist, lean muscle, small wrists, long limbs and small shoulders. Many of these guy find it almost impossible to put on muscular mass, no matter what and how much they eat, or how hard they work in the gym. This is because of the metabolism, which is very fast.

Skinny guys, though, are in a great advantage in respect to other body type people, because most designers prefer slender models to more muscular ones. If a skinny guy is into high end apparel, he doesn’t have to search far, because it is what designers prefer to dress.

The biggest drawback is that if you get it wrong, you will look like a little boy playing grown up. This is where this article comes in handy, and hopefully spares you from making such mistakes.

So, let’s see:

Check your padding…

Shoulder one, of course. Because this is available mostly in blazers, buy blazers with some added shoulder padding. I should warn you that you shouldn’t overdo it, because big padding makes you look like the 10 year old kid who has found his dad’s blazer stashed in the closet.

Light padding is the right one, because it will give your chest and back a visual boost, and if your posture is correct (not hunched back and shoulders), it will widen your shoulders.

photo:www.instablogsimages.com

Check this guy out. He is in the middle between skinny and well built, and his blazers suits him perfectly.

Don’t mistake the jacket for the trench coat

The proper length for jackets is just under the buttocks. A shorter jacket will highlight your skinny features : waist, arms and legs.

A longer jacket can make you look like a sheet of paper in a trench coat. Just look at the guy below (he isn’t that skinny, but imagine him skinnier, it’s not that difficult)

photo:www.comparestoreprices.co.uk

Avoid skinny shirts and T-shirts

Fitted is OK, skinny is a no-no. Skinny will only make your small ribcage stand out. Instead, you should opt for fabric that allows some movement in your midsection. On the other hand, shirts that are too large will make you look like you’re swimming in your own suit.

Wear flat front pants
Straight leg and slightly boot cut work very well on skinny men.

photo:www.getfrank.co.nz

Just make sure that you stay as far away from drainpipe and skinny jeans. Another practical advice is to buy jeans with pockets and cuffs, because those add volume to the jeans.

Tailor your blazers

Wear single or double breasted blazers. Avoid any loose fabric under the arms or in the shoulder area (see what I have stressed in avoiding skinny shirts  chapter).

Also, a key fashion tip for skinny men is to keep continuity in your tops and bottoms, so don’t wear oversize blazers or sweaters with fitted pants (or vice versa) or your thin frame will stand out like a black cat on a snowy day.

Heavier fabrics are always a good choice

During colder days wear chunky clothes, like knitted cardigans. Just look at the guy below, just one item of apparel (the cardigan) is making him bulkier, simply because of the fabric:

Also, another great tip is to use layering (put on more clothes, and make sure that each one is visible). Doing so, it will appear that you have more mass.

So, to all skinny guys, don’t feel sorry for yourself, go and put these advices into practice. I guarantee that you will feel better with your new apparel, and your confidence will rocket sky high.

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George Lavas

George is dedicated to fashion and style for men. Based in the UK, George enjoys writing about lifestyle and fashion from both sides of the pond. George created BeStylish.org to help readers create a strong sense of style with minimum effort believing that everyone can look and feel good, all day, every day.

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