Key Pieces

“Being one of the more athletic body shapes, Trapezoids should take full advantage of the sportswear-inspired look dominating menswear at the moment,” says Tony Cook, Menswear Editor at FarFetch.

“Try pairing slim-fitting tailored trousers with fine-knit jumpers, sneakers and techy items for an all over modern approach to showcasing your slim frame.”

The Inverted Triangle

Is your celebrity lookalike Johnny Bravo? If so, it’s time for some home truths (and to quit staring at yourself in the mirror).

Men with a chest and shoulders significantly broader than their waist and hips are – although likely no strangers to a barbell and in pretty good shape – still technically off-kilter and so can benefit from a few fit fixes to bring them closer to a Trapezoid’s proportions.

Your main aim here is to add bulk to your midriff and lower body, while slimming down the size of your upper torso slightly.

Try Wearing:

• Horizontal stripes. Particularly from the chest down, as they’ll broaden your comparatively narrow waist.
• Regular V-neck T-shirts. Note that we’re specifying ‘regular’ here – extreme V-neck tees have no place in your wardrobe unless you earn your crust appearing in a Shore-related reality TV show. Regular V-necks narrow your chest slightly while drawing the eye down and away from the broadest part of your frame.
• Slim-fit shirts. But remember to size up – chances are you have a body you’ve worked hard for, so celebrate the fact by showing it off without screaming about it.
• Straight-leg trousers and jeans. Many slim fits will work, too, but nut-crunchingly skinny legwear only serves to accentuate your slimmer lower half, giving the appearance that you skip leg day. Even if you don’t.
• Patterned legwear. Placing the party firmly at the bottom of your look with camo shorts or checked trousers distracts from your comparatively broad upper torso.

Definitely Avoid:

• Structured tailoring. Suit jackets and blazers with shoulder padding and wide (especially peak) lapels will only emphasise your mass up top. Steer towards unstructured silhouettes to streamline your frame instead.
• Scoop necklines, as well as prints, colour pops and/or detailing on the shoulders – all of which will focus attention on your wide shoulders and negatively skew your look’s balance.

Key Pieces

“For the inverted triangle shape, slightly stretchable cottons or fine wools work well,” says Cook.