The Essential Guide to Looking Stylish In Big and Tall Clothing (Part 2)

Welcome to the style guide for big and tall clothing, where those who are of a not-so-average height and/or weight can dress like the best.

Continuing from where we left off, here are more tips to having you look at your absolute best.

Patterns, shades and texture

Lighter shades will tend to put less emphasis on your height, so you can go for mid-blues, browns or greys rather than black or very dark shades. This is particularly helpful when thinking about suits. For trousers and tops, khaki, camel and pastel shades are a good choice

Vertical stripes will emphasize height, whereas plain colors and checks will not. Horizontal stripes will emphasize width, so these are a great casual option for T shirts and polo shirts. Formal shirts are uncommon in horizontal stripes, but any additional detailing such as a pocket, logo or monogram will break up an expanse of plain color.


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Suits

Double breasted suits work well to increase the appearance of width on a taller man. Choosing a traditional three-button suit rather than a two-button or one-button suit can also de-emphasize height, although at the moment two button suits are very popular.

Tops

As well as thinking about color and pattern, consider length and style when choosing tops. A collar will cover a longer neck and break up the vertical line of the body. Formal shirts with wider, cut back collars can help (typical in British styles rather than long, thin button down collars often seen on US shirts) as can casual shirts with a collar such as polo shirts.

Tops should fit well around the shoulders and chest to get the basic width right. If shirts tend to fit well at the top but still look baggy around the waist, consider a slim fit which is often available for both formal and polo shirts. If not tucked into trousers, tops should end comfortably below the top of the trousers and avoid showing a gaping length of back if you bend over forwards.

Trousers

Overall, consider your profile and outfit. Looser fitting (not baggy!) trousers in shades that are not too strong or dark will reduce the impact of your height. Pleated trousers break up the shape and can create an impression of being wider and less tall, although at present, pleats are generally restricted to smarter workwear.

For casual trousers in denim or thicker cotton (e.g. chinos), a wider opening at the bottom (e.g. 'boot cut' styles) can also provide more width and disguise very large feet. However, with very soft fabrics like fine wool suits, a straight cut coupled with narrow calves can result in fabric flapping around when you walk, making the trousers look too short. In these cases, a very slightly tapered leg may help. This could be done as an adjustment after buying an off-the-rack suit.