Mens Figure Flattery Guide: Tall

Q:  I have been dressing my 6′10" husband for 11 years and am at a loss as to what he can wear!  Can you help me dress this tall man? I see NBA players wearing designer duds, but darned if I can find anything to fit my basketball player. 

A: Fear not; tall men have plenty of wardrobe options. Like with the “plump” men question before, dressing a tall man is just a matter of proportion and emphasis.  Oh, and NBA players may wear designer clothing, but that doesn’t mean they are dressed well.  If you want to take your style cues from a pro, follow in the 6’4” Tom Brady’s footsteps. 

Suits
Avoid suits with more than three buttons.  I’ll go crazy if I see another 4 or 5 button suit on an athlete.  The answer to the extra long torso is not more buttons; it’s a higher cut lapel.  A two button suit on a tall man can look great if the lapel is cut higher to compensate.  Also, don’t get a suit with a lot of padding in the shoulders.  They aren’t shoulder pads, and you’re not an NFL linebacker.  As for sleeves, keep the amount of cuff you show to a minimum, but still show a sliver.

Tops
Widen your thin torso with your shirts.  Look for lighter colors.  Dark colors narrow your silhouette; light colors widen it.  Wear diagonal or horizontal stripes (but don’t go crazy), wear a pocket square with a jacket or blazer and wear your belt (not wearing a belt is stylish and a good tip for shorter men, but tall men need the width) regardless of the kind of pants you have on.

Pants
Make sure your pants are well fitted, not too skinny, not too loose.  DO NOT wear baggy slacks—they’re unflatttering.  And have a generous break on your pants, allowing the pants to hit your shoes. For more casual wear, these tips also apply.  Like with the slacks, have a generous break on chinos and jeans.  And don’t get skinny fit jeans; get a pair of straight leg jeans.

Accessories
Look for normal or slightly slim ties, under 3.5” at the widest point.  Don’t wear extra-slim ties; tall men usually have long, thin torsos and you want to widen your torso with a wider tie.  Also, you may find that the short end of your tie doesn’t quite reach the loop (the part on the back of the tie that holds the short end in place).  If that’s the case, simply ask your tailor to resew the loop higher. It’s fairly easy and should be cheap to do. 

Can’t find the perfect fit? Get a tailor.
Find a great tailor and let him work.  Fit may be a problem for tall guys.  An extra-large shirt fits nicely in the torso, but it’s too wide in the shoulder.  A large shirt fits better in the shoulder, but then you get screwed on the torso.  The answer?  Buy the shirt that fits in the shoulder (this is ALWAYS the correct way to find the right fit for a shirt) and have the tailor take in the sides.

Have a great tip about what to wear to flatter a tall physique?  Share it with us in the comments!

Pictured: Tom Brady, courtesy of  Tom Brady’s Official Website.

6 comments July 30th, 2008

Figure Flattery Guide: What to Wear to Flatter a Large Bust

How do you best dress to flatter your bustline?  Elongate your upper body, both your torso and your neck, while subtly showing your curves.  You can help balance a large bustline by wearing wide trousers or skirts that flare at the hem.  To tastefully show off your curves while elongating your torso, look for open neck tops, soft styles that drape over your curves, and tops with subtle vertical lines.  Here’s what to look for to flatter your bustline:

Jackets & Coats
Single breasted styles
Semifitted styles
Styles that button right under the bustline
Jackets without pocket detailing
Single breasted boxy jackets

The boxiness of this single breasted blazer adds to the tailored feel, while the low stance complements a large bust.
Pictured: Single Button Jacket | $42.99 (sale) at Gap. 

Tops
Styles that subtly reveal cleavage
Simple styles without much embellishment
Open-neck tops, such as v-necklines and scoop necklines, and sweetheart necklines.
Wrap styles
Long sleeves that flare below the elbow
Long, vertical, and narrow collars

This tunic features an open neckline, vertical detailing, and sleeves–all flattering for women with a large bust.
Pictured: Slub Cotton Tunic Top | $50 at J Crew.


Skirts & Dresses
Semifitted styles with open necklines
Wrap dresses
Shirtdresses
Dropped waist dresses
Narrow skirts that flare at the hem

The open neckline subtly shows off your curves, while the silk drapes over your body.  The flared skirt helps to counterbalance your upper body.
Pictured: Silk Wrap Dress | $130 at Banana Republic.

27 comments July 3rd, 2008

How To: Dress Ten Pounds Lighter

The key to dressing ten pounds thinner has much to do with a good magic trick.  Like a magician that uses misdirection to compel his audience to look where he wants them to, you can visually create a slimming, elongated vertical line for the eye to follow.  However, you don’t need to be a magician to look like you’ve shed pounds.  To look like you’re ten pounds thinner without so much as a trip to the gym, try:

Wearing What Fits: Fit is the #1 determinant of whether you look poor or polished.  For good fit that flatters, look for clothes that skim your body.  Body-hugging clothes, or those that pull at the buttons, only draw attention to problem spots.  Before you wear something out of the house, make sure that nothing is puckering or pulling. And when in doubt, go one size up.  The looser fitting clothing will encourage others to ask the golden question: “Have you lost weight?”

Pictured: Theory Domina Above Dress | $275 at Shopbop.

2 comments August 31st, 2006

Top 5: Unflattering Pieces for Women with Curves

Curves. All women have ones they want to emphasize and others they’d prefer to downplay. But how do you know you’re not downplaying the good curves and highlighting the bad ones?

While most people won’t tell you if you’ve made an unflattering choice, we here at Omiru know that a good friend never lies. Unless you’re a six-foot tall model with a washboard stomach and legs for days, we suggest you stay away from the following:

#1. Expectant mother tops. We know a tall, slender woman who got asked if she was expecting…when she wasn’t. The culprit? You guessed it–the awful Expectant Mother Top. Stay away from pieces that tent out under the bust, especially those with extraneous, bulky fabric.

(Photo Credit: Active Endeavors)

#2. Shants, gauchos and culottes. They hit at the widest part of the calf, making your legs look shorter and fatter.

 (Photo Credit: Blush)

#3. Overly tight microfiber or spandex. We don’t think this looks flattering, ever–even on a slender bod. We do, however, think it looks slutty.

(Photo Credit: Arden B.)

#4. Crop tops. They spotlight the "pooch" above the groin, especially when sitting down (like the model below).

(Photo Credit: Victoria’s Secret)

#5. Tea-length skirts. Refer to #2. Instead, try to aim for a longer skirt, or try our favorite length: just below the knee.

(Photo Credit: J. Crew)

2 comments February 15th, 2006

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Flat Bottom

Create the illusion of a curvier bottom.

• Pants with contoured yokes.
• Medium wide contoured belts.
• Rear pockets add curves.
• Rear detailing.
• Full skirts.

• Bottoms made of clingy fabrics.
• Bias cut bottoms.
• Very low rise pants.
• Baggy styles.
• Jeans without rear pockets.
• Severe pencil skirts.

1 comment May 19th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Bottom Heavy

Elongate your figure while visually balancing your hips and shoulders. Subtly show your curves.

• Drapey fabrics.
• Diagonal lines.
• Dark colored bottoms.
• Tonal outfits with darker shades on the bottom.
• Outfits that skim over your curves.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long coats: three-fourths and seven-eighths lengths lengths.
  • Vertical detailing above the waist.
  • Nipped-waist, tailored jackets that hit at hipbone length.
  • A-line styles.
  • Loose, straight cuts.
  • Coats that flare at the waist.
  • Slender lapels.
  • Set-in sleeves.
  • Slight shoulder padding.
  • Slanted pockets minimize hips.
  • Snug jean jackets.
  • Biker jackets.
  • Boxy jackets.

• Tops
  • Fitted tops that float over your hips and bottom.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Deep V-necklines.
  • Wide necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Dark colored bottoms.
  • Slightly lower-waisted bottoms.
  • Bottoms with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • If you wear a waistband, it should be no longer than 1” high.
  • Straight-legged, flat-front pants.
  • Well-tailored pants with wider legs.
  • Slight flare (boot cut shape) at ankle is flattering.
  • Remove side pockets from pants for a leaner look.
  • Jeans with a slightly lower rise.
  • Dark denim is more flattering.
  • Back pockets on jeans.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Skirts with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • Moderate A-line shapes.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Draped styles.
  • Tapered knee-length skirts.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Matching dress and jacket sets.
  • Show skin: shoulders, cleavage, or arms.
  • Horizontal detailing on top.
  • Open necklines.
  • Dresses with plain bottom halves.
  • Vertical detailing.

Swimsuits

• Dark colored bottoms, especially when contrasted with a lighter top.
• Embellishment above the waistline to draw the eye upwards.

• Stiff fabrics.
• Oversized prints.
• Horizontal patterns.
• Shiny fabrics or thick textures.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Double breasted styles.
  • Bulky flap and patch pockets.
  • Narrow-belted styles.
  • Bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • Tops that don’t cover the hips.
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Boxy shapes.
  • Cinched waists.
  • Detailing at the shirt hem.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Bottoms with lots of detailing: pleats, gathers, back details, back pockets, prints, etc.
  • Extremely high-waisted styles.
  • Extremely low-waisted styles.
  • Wide-legged pants.
  • Bell bottoms.
  • Drawstring pants.
  • Tapered styles.
  • Cropped pants.
  • Tight legs.
  • Small back pockets.
  • Widely spaced back pockets.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Pockets: slanted, flap, or patch.
  • Pleated skirts.
  • Bias cut fabrics.
  • Hem detailing.
  • Severe flared skirts.
  • Horizontal detailing.
  • Dresses that cinch the waist.
  • Bunching at waist.
  • Stiff fabrics.
  • Detailing below the waistline.
  • Severely voluminous skirts.

Swimsuits

• Bottoms that are too small.
• Skirted suits that end at your widest part.

1 comment May 18th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Short Waisted

Visually lower your waistline and re-direct attention towards your face or legs.

• Monochromatic and tonal outfits.
• Vertical lines above the waist.
• Narrow belts at the hipline.
• Narrow belts that match the color of your top.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long jackets: hipbone, below the hips, three-quarters, and seven-eighths styles.
  • Single breasted styles.
  • High armholes.
  • Narrow lapels tapering to the waist.
  • Some shoulder padding.
  • One or two button closures.
  • Deep V necklines.
  • Jean jackets that hit at the top of the hips.
  • Biker jackets.

• Tops
  • Long tops that end below your natural waistline.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Deep V necklines.
  • High armholes.
  • Princess seams.
  • Tabbed collars.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Wear pants slightly long and with a heel for added leg length.
  • Low-waisted bottoms.
  • Flat front styles.
  • Jeans with a longer rise.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Straight shapes with a dropped waistline.
  • Styles without waistbands.
  • Fluid fabrics.
  • Empire waist styles.
  • Straight sheaths.
  • Coat dresses.
  • Deep V-necklines.
  • Verticals on the torso.

• Suits
  • Long jackets, which should reach below the waist or longer.
  • Fluid fabrics.
  • Narrow pants.
  • Short skirts.

• Swimsuits
  • Two piece suits with bottoms that hit below your natural waistline.
  • Strong verticals on the torso.
  • High necklines.
  • Darker side panels.

• Belts at the waistline or above.
• Wide waistbands or belts.
• Any horizontal lines at the waist.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Double breasted styles.
  • Flap or patch pockets.
  • Wide collars.
  • High round necklines.
  • Belted styles.
  • Bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • Overembellished styles.
  • Anything cinched at the waist.
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Cropped styles.
  • Waistbands, especially those that sit at your natural waist.
  • Off-the-shoulder styles.

• Pants & Jeans
  • High-waisted bottoms.
  • Cropped pants.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Dresses with waistline details.
  • Wide waistbands.
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Contrast color belts.
  • Horizontal lines at natural waistline or above.
  • Stiff fabrics.

• Suits
  • Cropped jacket tops.

• Swimsuits
  • High waisted bikini bottoms.
  • Horizontal detailing on the torso.

22 comments May 17th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Long Waisted

Visually raise your waistline and create the illusion of longer legs.

• Anything that visually raises your waistline.
• Short tops over long bottoms.

• Jackets & Coats
  • High-belted styles.
  • Empire-waisted styles.
  • Cropped styles.
  • Medium length semi-fitted styles.
  • Styles that taper above your natural waistline.
  • Cropped jean jackets.
  • Cropped biker jackets.
  • Snug-fitting bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Off-the-shoulder styles.
  • Tucked-in styles with a raised waistline.
  • Horizontal detailing: yokes, wide collars, square necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
  • High-waisted bottoms.
  • Slim legged pants.
  • Pants without cuffs.
  • Straight-leg jeans that hit near your natural waist.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Straight styles.
  • Off-center slits make legs look longer.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Single pleats in soft, fluid fabrics.
  • Empire waist styles.
  • Coat dresses.
  • Semifitted sheath dresses.
  • A-line dresses.
  • Fitted styles that nip in above your natural waistline.
  • Detailing above the waist.
  • Horizontals on the torso.

• Suits
  • Pick skirts over pants, as they help obscure the exact point where your torso ends and legs begin.
  • Narrow bottoms.
  • Cropped jackets.

• Swimsuits
  • Two-piece suits or one-piece suits made for long torsos.
  • Tankinis.
  • Horizontal detailing on the torso.
  • Higher leg cuts.

• Accessories
  • Belts placed above waist level.
  • Belts that match your bottoms.
  • Slim, elevating shoes that match bottoms.
  • Pantyhose that matches shoes and bottoms.

• Anything that visually shortens your legs.
• Bottoms with loud patterns.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long jackets and coats.
  • Coats that belt at your natural waist.

• Tops
  • Long shirts.
  • Excessively fitted styles.
  • Long, narrow lapels.
  • Princess seams.
  • Vertical detailing.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Cropped pants.
  • Cuffed pants.
  • Low-waisted bottoms.
  • Tight pants.
  • Flared jeans.
  • Wide-legged styles.
  • Baggy styles.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Anything that calls attention to your natural waistline.
  • Horizontal patterns.
  • Hem detailing.
  • Belted styles.
  • Stiff fabrics.

• Suits
  • Long jackets.
  • Bottoms with hem detailing.

• Swimsuits
  • One piece suits that are too short in the torso.
  • Boy-cut shorts.

• Accessories
  • Belts placed below waist level.

4 comments May 16th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: No Waist

Create the illusion of a waist.

• Fitted tops and jackets.
• Nipped in waistlines.
• Contoured waistbands.

• Jackets & Coats

• Tailored styles that naturally flare out at the hips, creating the illusion of a waist.
• ¾ length coats with waist definition.

• Tops

• Fitted styles.
• Corset tops.
• Deep V-necklines.
• Wrap tops.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Flared skirts.
• Full skirts.
• Pencil skirts.
• Wrap dresses.
• Fitted dresses made of drapey materials.
• Dresses made of soft, delicate fabrics for movement.

• Accessories

• Thick belts, worn around the hips, to make the waist appear smaller by comparison.
• Thin belts give your waist some definition.

• Garments that are cut straight up and down with no waist definition.

• Jackets & Coats

• Double-breasted coats.
• Extremely cropped styles, such as bolero jackets.
• Trenchcoats.Straight-cut overcoats.

• Tops

• Baggy tops.
• Boxy tops and sweaters.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Shift dresses with no definition.

Add comment May 12th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Tummy

Direct attention away from your middle. Create the illusion of a long vertical line.

• Drapey fabrics.
• Monochromatic and tonal outfits.

• Jackets & Coats

• Semi-fitted styles.
• Straight-cut styles.
• Long styles: Jackets should reach at least below the derriere.
• Coats: mid-hip length or longer.
• Vertical detailing.
• Deep V-necklines.
• Single breasted styles.
• Tailored styles.
• Subtle A-line styles.
• High armholes and natural shoulders for a leaner look.
• Biker jackets.

• Tops

• Long tops.
• Semifitted styles that don’t tuck in.
• Empire-waist styles.
• V-necklines.
• Elongated ovals.
• Tunics.
• Cardigans.
• Untucked shirts.
• Vertical detailing.

• Pants & Jeans

• Flat-front or side zip bottoms.
• No pockets.
• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• No waistband is preferable.
• Jean styles that sit slightly lower than your natural waist.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• Styles without waistbands.
• Flat front skirts.
• Dark colors and flat textures.
• Dresses that obscure the waistline.
• Coat dresses.
• Subtle A-line shapes.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Dresses with matching jackets.
• Semifitted shift dresses.
• Vertical detailing.
• Open necklines.
• V-necklines.

• Suits

• Vertical detailing.
• Semifitted styles.

• Swimsuits

• Diagonal lines.
• Chevron patterns.
• Verticals: necklines, piping, patterns, seams.
• Lower necklines.
• Side shirring.
• Dark side panels.
• High Lycra content.

• Fabrics that cling.
• Bias cut fabrics.
• Excessively stiff fabrics.
• Highly defined waistlines.
• Belts.
• Cinched waistlines.
• Garments with detailing at the waistline—pockets or otherwise.

• Jackets & Coats

• Cropped styles.
• Bulky flap or patch pockets.
• Double breasted styles.
• Wide collars and lapels.
• Styles with belts.

• Tops

• Extremely fitted styles.
• Anything with horizontal detail across the middle.
• Tops with waistbands.
• Belted styles.
• Cropped styles.
• Excessive detailing.

• Pants & Jeans

• Bulky pockets.
• Contrasting color belts.
• High waisted styles.
• Pleats.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Anything that cinches the waist.
• Bias cuts.
• Pleats.
• Wrap styles.
• Front darts.
• Bulky, gathered styles.
• Front pockets.
• Belts.
• Stiff fabrics.

• Suits

• Horizontal detailing.
• Anything too tight.

• Swimsuits

• Anything that creates a horizontal line.
• Two piece suits that dig into your body.

Add comment May 11th, 2005