“A slim cotton polo shirt with a small percentage of spandex will allow stretch across a broad set of shoulders and chest while creating a tailored look around the waist. The smart collar detail styled a little undone will elongate the neck on broad frames, too.”

The Rectangle

Body more b-baller than brawler? Usually tall and thin, rectangular body shapes have shoulders roughly the same width as their waist and hips.

Since this can often appear samey, you’ll need to create an illusion of structure – using clothing to widen the shoulders while also adding the effect of a subtle taper from your top down.

Try Wearing:

• Horizontal stripes. Especially across your upper torso (think Breton short- and long-sleeved tees), as they’ll add brawn where there likely isn’t much.
• Structured tailoring that’s tweaked to suit you. Once you’ve found structured blazers and suit jackets that add size to your shoulders, have your tailor take them in slightly at the back to emphasise your waist.
• Layered looks. A button-down shirt and fine-gauge crew neck jumper is a no-fail pairing that’ll add instant bulk to your frame.
• Scarves. A neatly tied or draped scarf is an easy way to add a point of difference to your look, as well as flesh out your upper torso.
• Prints, colour pops and detailing across the chest and shoulders. Pops of brighter colours up top or details like epaulettes will expand the dimensions of your otherwise ramrod frame.

Definitely Avoid:

• Double-breasted jackets. Unsurprisingly, tailoring cut in the shape of a rectangle does little to nothing for rectangles. Try a single-breasted style with plenty of structure in the shoulders instead.

Key Pieces

“Creating a nipped-in silhouette across the middle of the body is both key and easy to achieve,” says Cook.

“For tailoring, make sure you opt for single-breasted styles. When off-duty, create shape by contrasting layers such as a shirt or a cardigan over a crisp white T-shirt or vest to create an extended V-shaped panel on the upper section of your body.”