3 Ways to Match Your Style to Your Body Type

Style is the man. Young people often think that finding your style amounts to a series of resolutions that you have to stick to. But the older you get, you realize that style usually chooses you, not the other way around. The car you drive, the liquor you drink, the places you travel to – almost every decision you make reflects back on the person you have become. The same goes for clothes. Your grown-up wardrobe will say a lot about the type of guy you have become. Just make sure the suits, pants, and jackets you pick out fit your body type, so that the style you cultivate comes naturally, but also comfortably.

1. Body Types

Chances are, if you go to a personal trainer, he might advise you to structure your workout according to your body type, which Bodybuilding.com breaks down into three categories – ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Let’s go in order: Ectomorphs, who tend to be skinnier, often have problems getting swole. Mesomorphs are fit and muscled, your natural athlete. Endomorphs gain weight easily, but can also pack on muscle if they stick to the right workout. These classifications are a good start to determining what physique you’re working with. After you figure that out, you can sculpt your body the way you want it to look. (Ectomorphs can torch fat without too much problem, for instance, so carving out a six-pack might be easier than getting tree-trunk-sized triceps, like endomorphs.) And you’ll be able to pick clothes that complement your body.

2. Style Rules

No matter what your body type is, though, all guys should be aware of some common mistakes to avoid. These might include wearing shorts too often, donning sneakers with suits and tuxes, rocking knee-high socks on the golf links, and dressing the

same no matter if you’re at a bar or a cocktail party. After you figure out what not to do, key into the fine-points of the fashion you naturally drift toward. Do you love hats? Are you all about the surfer look? Where do you come down on that great deciding issue, man bun or millennial mullet? Develop your style, and don’t be afraid to edit. Let’s say you love Levi’s jeans. Get all the Levi’s jeans your heart desires, but choose the model that molds best to your lower-body proportions. A guy with chicken-legs might go with the slim fit. A guy who does squats every morning might elect for the athletic fit. The list goes on. But the point is this: Know your body and dress appropriately for it.

Perhaps the cardinal sin of all men’s style mistakes is to wear ill-fitting clothing. Never, ever, ever should your pants sling loose around your hips. You’re not in high school anymore. If you’ve gained weight since high school, that’s okay – so long as you dress appropriately. And if you started balding, or your gym routine isn’t burning off those stubborn love handles, that’s also okay – so long as you don’t wear tight clothes and don’t sport that most desperate of hairstyles, the comb-over.