There is no clear cut one-size-fits-all when it comes to fashion. Sure, some elastic waisted sweats may be the exception, but as a rule of thumb these aren’t generally considered weekday attire. It is prudent to know your measurements when shopping for clothing, but an often overlooked aspect of finding a great fit is knowing your body type.  

Here’s how to steer clear of making the same mistakes:  KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE. It really is that simple. Once you’re aware of your body type, you can begin to plan styles around looks that work for it. We’ll run down a few of the most common to get you started. 

• The Rectangular Type: This body type is characterized by shoulder, waist, and hip measurements that are similar. The resulting illusion makes you look taller and thinner than you really are. This can be a plus for some, but things can get ill-fitting quickly if you’re choosing the wrong type of clothing. Your best bet is to widen the hip area to match the shoulders while highlighting the legs. Slim fit, tapered, pants work well here. Also, this body type benefits most from a tailored suit.

• The Triangular Type: Triangular body types come equipped with a wider hip to waist ratio. This presents a challenge as slim or tapered pants may accentuate the hips and cause a billowing effect that clashes with the dress shirt. Since shoulder pads are out – and yes, they are out – your best bet is to streamline your silhouette. Do this by opting for straight leg trousers and fitted dress shirts.

• The Oval Type: Oval types aren’t necessarily rounded, but they are wider at the waist with measurements at the shoulders and hips being roughly the same. The key here is to prevent spillover. Straight leg, relaxed fit, and plain front trousers are going to be your best line of defense against this.

As we mentioned before, these are just preliminary guidelines to get you thinking about your body type. In no way, shape, or form are these suggestions set in stone. Maybe you’re a trapezoid type characterized by broad shoulders and a stout, muscular, midsection. Or maybe you fall into the inverted triangle category with thin shoulders that taper down into a pinched waist. Maybe you’re somewhere in between. The goal here isn’t to tell you how to dress yourself, but instead, to give you an idea why certain styles you love on paper may not work for you as is and how you can tweak them to fit your specific body type.

At Original Stitch, we offer a fully customizable collection (yes, even the collar type!) of premium quality shirts. Customers can create a shirt completely unique to them. Our high-quality yarns are hand-selected from and tailored in Japan to be extra resistant to wear and tear while maintaining a softer feel than regular button-up shirts.