Kathryn Fassett
Ready for a night out on the town but concerned about looking lanky? Discerning between clothing that can help reduce vertical lines and increase perceived horizontal lines can go a long way. In this detailed guide, we cover 7 style tips for thin & skinny men that will help you elevate your style game and stand out.
Thin men face a different set of challenges when it comes to finding a show-stopping look for a night out or a day with clients. Being thin is commonly paired to being tall when it comes to style tips, partly because some of the tips to accentuate these body types are the same and partly because making anybody look shorter is going to make them look wider. A tall and / or thin man will have trouble finding clothing off the rack that fit his shape appropriately.
Despite the difficulties tall and thin men face, it’s important to remember that many male models rock this body type and come up with some really inspiring fashion choices. Following these tips to maximize your assets can help you look your best. With that said, here is our guide to style tips for thin & skinny men.
1. Wear Clothes That Fit You
No matter who you are or what your body looks like, this piece of universal advice will always remain true for a timelessly well-dressed look: wear clothes that fit you. If you remember my previous post about style tips for larger men, this was the first piece of advice I gave there as well. The single most important thing you can do for your wardrobe today is find a good tailor and see him regularly.
For thin men specifically, clothing that is too big or too baggy will make you look even smaller and gives the impression that you are drowning in your clothes. For tall men, that’s often paired with extra ankle and wrist showing from too-short sleeves and pant legs. The time and expense to have a tailor make these changes will easily be worth it.
Tailored clothing will allow a thin man to look extremely dapper! Courtesy of www.menssuittips.com
2. Heavier Fabrics and Layering
To add more weight to your frame, add more weight to your frame! Flannel, corduroy, and heavier wool suits can build on your natural silhouette and make you larger. Adding layers is another way to appear larger, although it’s important to be strategic for comfort as well as for style. Too many bulky layers and not only will you look unnatural, you’ll feel very warm and uncomfortable as well. Layering up with lighter pieces gives you more airflow and helps you stay cooler while still giving the illusion of added size.
Textured Suits can add perceived width to a thinner man’s frame! Courtesy of www.gq.com
3. Patterns Create Movement
Solid colors have a slimming effect, and therefore aren’t the best choice for a thinner man to reach for. Thin men look better in patterns and have more flexibility than any other body type to try new things, match contrasting patterns, and generally add pizzazz with interesting patterns.
Patterns create movement and make the space they fill seem larger. A patterned suit, for example, will make a thin man look as though the suit takes up more space. When we look at a person wearing a busy pattern, it takes a little bit longer for our brain to explain to our eyes what is happening. That split second of neural communication gives us the impression that the person is larger.
With respect to specific patterns, horizontal stripes will provide your frame with a wider look, and could look particularly good with your shirts. Vertical stripes in general should be avoided, as they will accentuate your slimness further, drawing the observers attention in a vertical direction.
Patterns will help thinner men with perceived width! Courtesy of www.suitsupply.com
4. Suit Jackets
When choosing your jackets, it is best to opt for items with padded shoulders. The goal, when dressing up the slimmer man, is to accentuate your perceived width. By having more filled in shoulders, it will help provide you with that ideal and flattering ‘V’ shaped silhouette.
Skinny Lapels will also help to emphasize your proportions, as they will flow well naturally with your body type.
Double breasted jackets complement the skinny man perfectly, as they will help add width to your ensemble and perceived frame size.
A double breasted jacket helps flatter a thinner man’s frame! Courtesy of www.theidleman.com
5. Shirts
Contrary to popular opinion, you want to choose shirts that fit you well. Trying to wear baggier shirts to add perceived width is only going to make you look more skinny. Therefore, it is best to stick to fitted shirts, that don’t look too big or sloppy.
6. Pants
Your pants should flatter your body type, and hence slim fit pants will work well. Too tight, however, and you could end up looking like a stick. Additionally, cuffs can help break your silhouette and hence add perceived width to your look!
7. Accessories That Add Shape
A thinner man has a lot more flexibility in terms of accessories that add shape to his silhouette. While larger men need to stay away from adding more bulk to their frame, a thin man has freedom to and really ought to add contrast to his shape with a larger accessory.
Courtesy of www.pinterest.com
A bowtie or puffed pocket square can help make things more interesting and take eyes away from the width of your frame. Proportion is still important and there is a point where an accessory becomes too large, crossing into a clownish overall look. Proportion is also the reason that a thinner man looks much better in a skinny tie. A wide tie will make him look even more thin in comparison, while a skinny tie doesn’t over power him.
To view The Dark Knot’s range of stunning Skinny Silk Ties, please click here.
To view The Dark Knot’s range of exquisite Silk & Linen Pocket Squares, please click here.
Please feel free to view The Dark Knot’s beautiful range of Two Tonal Lapel Flowers & Three Tone Lapel Flowers that are ideal for thin men!
And that’s a wrap for this one! I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!
