Determine Your Horizontal Male Body Shape

Your horizontal body shape is the relationship between your chest, waist and hip-line. It is their relative proportion to each other that is important rather than their actual size.

Your horizontal body type is used to identify the clothing styles that will suit you best.  Although it is important to note that other factors can change some of these recommendations, such as face shape, neck and shoulder size and prominent features.

To do this assessment stand in front of a full length mirror. A long straight object such as a long ruler or a broom handle will also be useful to work out whether your hip-line is narrower, wider, or the same width as your chest. The easiest way to see this is to hold the ruler under your arm pit and rest it on your hip.

Combine the guidelines for your horizontal body shape with those for your vertical body shape.

Trapezoid

This is known as the perfect male body shape. You have a trapezoid body if...

• Your shoulders and chest are broad
  
  
• Your waist and hips are medium-narrow
  
  
• Your upper torso is bigger than your lower torso
  
  
• You are well-proportioned
  

Your body type is one of the easiest to dress, you can choose from the greatest variety of styles.

Inverted Triangle

You have an inverted triangle body shape if...

• Your shoulders and chest are broad
  
  
• Your shoulder, arm and chest muscles are well developed and bulky
  
  
• Your waist and hips are narrow
  
  
• Your upper body is significantly heavier than your lower body

Your main style aims are...

...to balance your lower body to your upper body, by wearing trousers with straight or wide legs. And to ensure your shirts, t-shirts and jackets fit well.

Rectangle

You have a rectangle body shape if...

• Your chest, hips and waist are about the same width
  
  
• Your torso shape is straight
  

Your main style aim is...

...to create the illusion of a trapezoid shape by choosing styles to emphasize your shoulders.

Triangle

You have a triangle body shape if...

• You are bottom heavy
  
  
• Your chest is narrower than your hips
  
  
• Your lower body is heavier than your upper body
  
  
• You probably also have a sloping shoulder line

Your main style aim is...

...to create the appearance of broader, squarer shoulders.

Do wear...

• Jackets with shoulder pads
  
• Jacket, shirt and t-shirts shoulder seams no wider than the edge of your shoulder
  

Oval

This body shape is also called an apple body shape. You have this shape if...

• Your overall appearance is round
  
  
• You have a large stomach

Your main style aims are...

...to create the appearance of a longer and slimmer torso.

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