By Farah Averill

Unfortunately, not all men are born tall and handsome with naturally built physiques. Nevertheless, while you may not have won the genetic lottery, clothing and grooming choices can go a long way in helping you make the best of what you've inherited. This week, we're focusing on fashion tips for skinny and fat men because both skinny and chunky men can alter their wardrobes in order to flatter their body types and feel more confident in their skin. All you have to do is know yourself.

Many men spend a lot of time dieting and working out to achieve a slimmer physique, all while harboring serious envy for their skinny counterparts who can eat whatever they please without gaining an ounce. Because society tends to equate being lean with being attractive, it's easy to forget that being too thin is a real problem that some individuals face. When it comes to fashion, just as overweight individuals find it tough to buy clothes that are flattering for a larger body, super-slim people experience difficulty finding clothes that fit well and complement their smaller frames.

One way to bulk up is to join a gym and start lifting weights, alongside eating more protein and other foods that will add muscle mass to a bony body. However, don't worry if you hate exercise or can't seem to fit it into your day, because we've put together a collection of fashion tips for skinny men that will help you create the visual illusion of being larger than you truly are.

Buy blazers with small shoulder padding
To make your upper body look more muscular, purchase blazers with light shoulder padding. Be warned that bigger is not better here, as small shoulder pads will give your back and chest a visual boost, but massive padding will make you seem like a small boy lost in a man's jacket in addition to cheapening your look, even if your blazer is pricey.

Avoid slim-fitting shirts
Avoiding slim-fitting dress shirts and T-shirts is an important fashion tip for skinny men. Instead, opt for tops that come away slightly from your midsection, as these will hide a small ribcage. Don't buy your tops too large, though, as too much extra fabric will make you seem like you’re swimming in your shirt. In addition, avoid clingy fabrics. Check the labels on your tops to make sure they don’t contain too much elastic.

Tailor your blazers
Only wear single- or double-breasted blazers and make sure to tailor them so they fit properly throughout your entire body. Avoid any loose fabric under the arms or in the shoulder area. Also, a key fashion tip for skinny men is to keep consistency in your tops and bottoms, so don’t wear oversize blazers or sweaters with fitted pants (or vice versa) or your thin frame will be glaringly apparent.

Wear jackets at the right length
When it comes to jackets, make sure they all fall right under your buttocks. A shorter jacket will emphasize your height as well as your skinny waist, arms and legs. A longer jacket, on the other hand, can make you look like a blanket-covered stick.

Wear flat-front pants
Your pants should have a classic cut and remain simple with a flat front. Go for straight-leg or slightly boot-cut shapes and steer clear of tapered trousers or skinny jeans. Pockets also add a bit more volume to your shape, as do pleats and cuffs, but wear pants with the latter two features only when they’re in fashion. Don't be afraid to wear pants with lines or patterns because these add volume, although you’ll want to banish pinstripes from your closet as they will make you look like a beanpole.

Choose bulky fabrics
Choosing bulkier fabrics for all your clothes is an important fashion tip for skinny men. When in style, thick corduroy pants can beef up your legs. During the colder months, skip out on trends like fitted, grandpa-style cardigans in order to avoid resembling a schoolboy, and try chunky, knitted wool cardigans instead. As far as dress clothes go, select heavier wools for your suits and cotton dress shirts with a higher thread count. Whether you’re dressing up or down, always dress in layers as more clothes means you appear to have more mass.

Wear turtlenecks and crewnecks
When you’re a skinny man, wear turtleneck or crewneck sweaters in chillier weather. V-neck sweaters will expose your neck and thin features. Similarly, open-collared shirts won’t flatter you, so button up your dress shirts as much as possible. Pay attention to the collar when you’re buying dress shirts and pick ones that have spread collars as they will make the upper portion of your chest seem wider.

Unfortunately, not all men are born tall and handsome with naturally built physiques. Nevertheless, while you may not have won the genetic lottery, clothing and grooming choices can go a long way in helping you make the best of what you've inherited. This week, we're focusing on fashion tips for skinny and fat men because both skinny and chunky men can alter their wardrobes in order to flatter their body types and feel more confident in their skin. All you have to do is know yourself.

The best way to look great in the long-term when you’re overweight is to lose excess weight with the help of a proper diet and exercise program. Once you start dropping pounds, your clothes will fit better and your confidence will increase along with your motivation to try new fashions and styles.

Since there’s no reason to put off looking good until you reach your goal weight, we’ve put together a few fashion tips to help you make the most of your shape right now and create a slimmer-looking physique.
Ensure your clothes aren’t too tight

Your clothes should fit perfectly. Garments that are too tight will reveal all the lumps and bumps you’d rather not draw attention to. On the other hand, while very loose clothing will hide your problem areas, it will also make you look larger than you actually are. Take care when shopping to choose pieces that skim over your body and smooth out its surface.

Don’t wear tops with sloped shoulders
Avoid tops with naturally sloped shoulders as these tend to draw the eye down to your midsection. Instead, check to make sure that all your tops have slightly squared shoulders as these will concentrate others’ attention on your body to your chest and face.

Don’t wear bold patterns
Avoid loud or bold patterns as they will make you stand out in addition to drawing attention to the upper half of your body. One pattern you should wear, however, is vertical lines; they create optical continuity and will help elongate the look of your body. Dark, solid colors are also your new best friend as they are an instant figure fixer and will make you seem 10 pounds thinner.

Wear low-rise bottoms
Instead of wearing trousers and jeans that hit at your waist, invest in low-rise bottoms that sit on your hips. Low-rise trousers have a shorter distance between the top of the waistband and the crotch of your pants than regular trousers. Also, ensure that the waistband of your pants is large enough to accommodate your midsection so that your belly does not stick out over your pants. A stomach that protrudes over your pants lengthens your torso and shortens your legs -- not exactly the most attractive combination. Rotund individuals should also avoid pants with pleats as they will make your pelvic area look bigger.

Empty your pockets
Don’t carry around excess baggage. Emptying your pockets of unnecessary items like bulky cell phones, overstuffed wallets and electronic devices will take the focus off a large midsection. On your pants, have any bulky side pockets sewn shut or removed by a good tailor. Doing so won’t cost much and it will make your hips appear smaller.

Wear V-neck shirts
V-necks are a great way to create the illusion of a slimmer neckline, particularly if you have a double chin, as they place emphasis on your chest area instead of on your neck. When it comes to dress shirts, choose ones with very pointed collars to focus others’ attention on your face. Avoid turtlenecks completely as they will make your neck disappear, meaning that you’ll look shorter and, therefore, bigger.

Wear three-button blazers
Avoid one- and two-button blazers. Instead, go for blazers with three buttons. They are just as classic as two-button blazers, but they will elongate your body and make you appear taller and, therefore, thinner. As well, always leave the top button on your blazer undone as it will stop your clothes from pulling, particularly in the area around your middle, and consequently, your movement will seem less restricted.

Stand up straight
It’s a tried-and-true tip: Work on your posture. Standing up as straight as possible will make you look like you just dropped 10 to 15 pounds and will also make you feel and act more confident -- a trait that most people find quite attractive. To appear even slimmer, buy shoes with a small heel of about half an inch to one inch.

Avoid bulky blazers
Avoiding bulky fabrics means that chunky wool sweaters are a big no-no. To stay warm in the winter, go crazy for cashmere as it provides warmth without adding bulk to your figure. Or, try a dress shirt and V-neck sweater vest combination as the sweater vest will keep you warm while also smoothing out your midsection and love handles. For suits, choose softer wools so that the fabric is as thin as possible. Invest in high-quality, lightweight wool suits if you can afford them as these will be the most flattering suits for your body and you’ll feel and look like a million bucks when you put them on.

Wear pants with a longer hem
Wear your pants long to seem taller and thinner. They should hit almost at the ground to really lengthen your body. If you’re wearing shoes with a heel, the bottom of your pants should hit about a quarter to a half inch above the heel, no more.

WHAT TO WEAR
Whatever your body type, play up your best features and de-emphasize those you don’t love quite as much. Dress to flatter your shape, but don’t try too hard as you don’t want to look like a bald man who uses a comb-over to hide his flaws -- only to emphasize his problem areas.

The Short Man
Don’ts:
• Don’t wear a longer suit jacket. It just makes your legs look shorter.
• Don’t wear fat ties and wide lapels; keep it slim.
The 5 Tips Every Short Man Should Know
1) Be honest with yourself. Admit you’re short and buy short-length suits.
2) A pant leg with very little break will help you look taller.
3) Show some cuff to lengthen the look of your arms.
4) A peak lapel helps elongate your physique.
5) A lower button stance creates long lines, and that essentially stretches you out.
A Belt Makes You Look Shorter…
The more pared-down you are, the taller you’ll appear. So ditch the belt. Going beltless looks cool, and if your suit fits properly, your pants will stay in place.
Short Man, Slim Shoe
You don’t want to look like you’ve got weights around your ankles. Wear slender shoes.

Below are a few important tips on selecting a suit for your particular body type. These tips will help you accentuate your positives and minimize your negatives.

The Short Man
Don’ts:
• Don’t wear a longer suit jacket. It just makes your legs look shorter.
• Don’t wear fat ties and wide lapels; keep it slim.
The 5 Tips Every Short Man Should Know
1) Be honest with yourself. Admit you’re short and buy short-length suits.
2) A pant leg with very little break will help you look taller.
3) Show some cuff to lengthen the look of your arms.
4) A peak lapel helps elongate your physique.
5) A lower button stance creates long lines, and that essentially stretches you out.
A Belt Makes You Look Shorter…
The more pared-down you are, the taller you’ll appear. So ditch the belt. Going beltless looks cool, and if your suit fits properly, your pants will stay in place.

Short Man, Slim Shoe
You don’t want to look like you’ve got weights around your ankles. Wear slender shoes

The Tall Man
Don’ts:
• Don’t buy suits with oversize, padded shoulders. They swallow you up, making you look frailer, not bigger.
• Don’t wear extra-slim ties. You need ties with a bit of width so they won’t appear to elongate your torso.

The 5 Tips Every Tall Man Should Know
1) Lighter colors add width to a narrow frame.
2) A two-button suit works great on a tall man—as long as the suit has relatively high-cut lapels.
3) Just because you’re tall doesn’t mean you need an extra-long suit size. Try on a long first.
4) Keep the amount of cuff you show to a minimum.
5) Ask for a decent amount of break in your trousers, so your long legs don’t look too long.
Tall Man, Rounded Shoe
Take a pass on those pointy dress shoes—you don’t want to make your feet look longer than they are. Opt instead for a slightly rounder toe, to help keep your foot size in check.

Divide and Conquer
When you’re tall, you want your clothes to play down your height—to keep things in proportion. Accessories that cut across your body, such as belts, quarter-folded pocket squares, and horizontally striped ties, help accomplish this.

The Large Man
Don’ts:
• Don’t wear a roomy suit. It doesn’t make you look slimmer—it makes you look sloppy.
• Don’t go untucked.
The 5 Tips Every Large Man Should Know
1) Wear a pocket square. It brings the focus to your chest, not your gut.
2) Keep your jacket buttoned unless you’re sitting down.
3) Wear a simple, elegant shirt. Avoid plaids and checks.
4) You can wear flat-front pants. They are engineered to be comfortable, even without pleats.
5) Avoid superskinny ties and lapels. Proportion with your torso is key.

Suspend Your Weight
Avoid having to choose between strapping your pants above or below your belly: Wear suspenders and float your waist.
Big Man, Solid Shoe
Choose shoes that have a substantial sole. You need something solid to anchor your weight.

The Athletic Man
Don’ts:
• Don’t wear peak lapels. Your chest and shoulders are broad enough—no need to accentuate them.
• Don’t wear a pocket square. It’s not necessary to call more attention to your already proud chest.

The 5 Tips Every Athletic Man Should Know
1) A solid build doesn’t mean your suit should be a size too large.
2) Two-button jackets sync up with the V shape of your torso.
3) Low-collar shirts work well with a thicker neck.
4) Your jacket will likely need to be taken in at the sides.
5) Yes, you can wear narrow-cut trousers. It’s your chest that needs room, not your ankles.
Fit Torso, Fitted Shirt
Look for shirts labeled “slim” or “athletic.” You don’t need excess fabric hanging off that toned midsection of yours.
Strong Man, Solid Shoe
You don’t want anything clunky on your feet, but you also don’t want to look like you’re wearing ballet flats.

Jeanine Poggi

Wearing a suit is one thing, but wearing one that fits perfectly is something else. Look at these details to make sure you buy the right one.

A well-made suit is not just a fashion statement. Some argue it's the sort of thing that can help determine how far up the corporate ladder you go--and whether you manage to stay on it during a period of layoffs.
Even before the financial markets went south, businessmen were trying to dress the part. Men's tailored categories, which include suits, suit separates and sport coats, grew 7% overall in 2007, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm. In the current climate, however, such items are essential--and you should pay serious attention to detail when shopping for them.

In Depth: Anatomy Of A Well-Cut Suit
"Suits should be seen as investment pieces," says Michael Fisher, menswear editor at Stylesight, a trend-forecasting firm. "Just as men would do research before buying a new car, they should pay attention to the details of a suit, because it will be hanging in their closet for a while."

The most important quality of a good suit is a jacket that has a full canvas layer between the fabric and lining, says Michael Ostrove, senior vice president at men's retailer Paul Stuart. Cheaper suits have a lining that is fused or glued to the fabric. A more affordable option is half-canvas, where the designer only uses a layer in the more visible top portion of the jacket, but full canvas is best.

"Full canvas conforms better to the human body after multiple wears," Ostrove says." When the jacket is glued or fused it doesn't fit or wear as well." To test if the jacket is full-canvas, pinch the layers of fabric between the button holes. If you feel three layers it is full canvas, two layers is half canvas and one layer means the lining is fused or glued.

Also look under the collar of the jacket for a felt lining. "This allows the jacket to double as outerwear when it is cold and rainy," Fisher says. "It also helps the suit hold its shape around the neck."

Next, look at the tags for the thread count. The optimal thread count is a super 100 to 120, Ostrove advises. "The higher the number, the finer the yarn, which makes it more durable, soft and silky." But don't be tempted to go too high. Once you get into the 200s, the suit may look beautiful, but it becomes more fragile.

If you are buying a suit off the rack, avoid working buttons on the cuff of the jacket. "While they are a trademark of a made-to-wear suit, they make the jacket more costly and difficult to tailor," Fisher says. Also, the button should not be plastic; they crack easily in bad weather or from numerous trips to the dry cleaner. Opt for tortoise shell or enamel buttons instead.

When people in men's fashion talk about change, they usually talk about little things. Fits, fabrics, finishes — you know, little things that, depending on whether you are familiar with the oeuvre of Martin Margiela, may or may not matter to you all that much. But the kind of change we're talking about here, it's something different. Because in case you haven't noticed, the world as we know it is ending — politically, culturally, and, oh yes, economically — and a new one is aborting. One that demands the kind of ballsy style that was familiar to our grandfathers but lost for a generation; one that calls for renewed efforts to make a statement and get the details just right; one that requires that we dress every day as if we were going to get hired or fired or handpicked from obscurity to become a vice-presidential candidate, because, hell, that's just the kind of world we're living in now.

Fashion has always been a state of mind — an attitude that expresses itself in the details of how a man gets dressed — and with the ground shifting daily, it's time for a change of mind. It's time to embrace a new ideal, a new approach to dressing, and a few guidelines (nine of 'em) that will deliver us from the wilderness, our senses of self and style stronger than ever. Let's get started.

The suit's got to fit
You'd think that a lot of men would know this, but judging by how a lot of American men choose to wear their suits, you'd be wrong. Quick test: The jacket should sit close enough on the body that you can just barely slide your hand inside beneath the breast pocket. If you can slide in a fist, it's at least a size too big.

Respect the tie
Tuck in the shirt. Button the jacket. Get it right, all the time, every day, and look in the mirror before you leave the house.
Make a statement with something. (Perhaps your socks.)
Something on your person should always make a statement, and that statement should preferably be "Go to hell." Say it with socks, with a tie, or with a great pair of pants, and say it often.

Consider showing a little cuff
Mad Men killed the pocket square. Focus instead on showing just the right amount of shirt cuff (a half to one inch). This and a good watch or cuff links are all the flash you need.

Navy blue, not black
We know black is easy, but navy blue is easier, more versatile, and looks better against every skin type. Plus, it doesn't look brown under fluorescent lights. (Black does.)

Patterns: Mix. Don't match
It's only when you contrast the scale, texture, or color of different patterns that such combinations work.

If you wear a tuxedo, wear a tuxedo.
That means bow tie, cummerbund, and peak lapel. Everything else is negotiable, even the shoes.

A great jacket lets you get away with anything
It elevates everything else you're wearing and opens all kinds of doors. Which is why you should always have one with you?

How long should your trousers be
The length of your trousers is everything. A half inch too long and you're instantly disreputable; a half inch too short and you're laughable. A one-inch kink in the front crease and you, my friend, are golden.

by Booth Moore, Los Angeles Times

NEW YORK — The clothes that designers showed for fall during New York Fashion Week, which ended Thursday, invoked the classics, but with interesting, modern ideas mixed in. Among the trends we think we'll see women wearing come September are these five.
MENSWEAR MASH-UP
Alexander Wang is the young New York designer everyone is watching right now, and his collection of sexy, deconstructed pinstripe suits set the tone for a season of creative menswear dressing for women. Among Wang's most memorable offerings: pinstripe pants with the waistband lopped off to expose a bare navel, and a morning jacket with the front removed and a bandeau left in its place.
For other designers, the trend was more about mixing hard and soft, tailored and ruffled in one outfit. Ralph Lauren paired a charcoal wool men's vest and "spat pants" that buttoned at the ankles with a romantic purple plaid blouse with puffed sleeves. Diane von Furstenberg put a rosette-embroidered bolero over a pinstripe suit with cropped, flared pants.
Designers put an emphasis on classic tailoring. In a logical extension of the boyfriend blazer and boyfriend sweater craze, Donna Karan described the oversized, man-styled coats in her DKNY collection as "boyfriend coats."
And it wasn't a fussy gown but a tuxedo that was the season's most viable evening option. The best? Phillip Lim's gold lame version and Vera Wang's charcoal wool jersey tuxedo jumpsuit.
BLACKOUT
Black is the new black. (We had to say it.) In a season when retailers and shoppers alike are pinching their pennies, there's a premium on clothes with added value. And so designers knew they couldn't go wrong with the classic, goes-with-everything color. The resurgence of black also reflects an attempt to cut through the clutter of fast, celebrity-fueled fashion in favor of a less complicated way of dressing.
For some designers, this meant showing black on black. At Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's line the Row, slouchy black tie-front silk trousers were paired with a black silk blouse buttoned all the way to the top, and a black leather shell was worn over a long-sleeved, black chiffon shirt, with black full-legged pants. Ralph Lauren layered a short, black tulle Deco beaded dress over a black cashmere turtleneck for a more understated evening look.
Donna Karan and Vera Wang presented entire collections that were almost all black, emphasizing texture and drape to bring out the richness. When it came to timelessness, you couldn't get much better than Derek Lam's plunge-front, long-sleeve silk jersey gown.
CAPED CRUSADERS
We started to see them on the streets this winter, but come fall you will be able to get your pick from nearly every New York designer. The cape came in a dozen permutations, from preppy sport to Russian czarina luxe.
Alexander Wang's camel-colored, ankle-sweeping cape had a military feel, while Zac Posen's camel-colored cape was shorter and sweeter, with an oversized collar.
Neither wind nor snow would ruffle Marc Jacobs' cape, in thick shearling with a bushy fur collar, which looked like it would be at home on a Bronte on the English moors, while Peter Som's cape, in deep blue broadtail with a fur hem, seemed suited for a snow princess.
Phillip Lim had capes and ponchos aplenty. His buff-colored blanket-checked cape was as suited to the hoof and hound set as it was to denizens of hip downtowns. Lim didn't forget the women who live in climates that rarely if ever get wind and snow. For them, he has a white Oxford cloth button-down cape shirt.
ART CLASS
Painting and collage are an endless well of inspiration for designers.
Proenza Schouler's collection conjured street art, particularly the splattery, graffiti-print jeans, the result of a new collaboration between designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez and J Brand jeans. Ralph Rucci worked with Kyoto gold leaf master Hiroto Rashusko on textiles, while the knits and color patch knit dresses at DKNY referenced the graphic style of the Bauhaus.
When it comes to collage, Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy have perfected the technique, presenting garments made from mixed materials for several seasons now. This time, they combined floral prints, tulle, lace, beads and pearls to make romantic rag dresses. In the Ohne Titel collection, Flora Gill and Alexa Adams' collage dresses combined black leather, crystals and mesh for a look that was more utilitarian but no less artistic.
TACTILE SENSATION
"Texture mixes, crushed cashmere, clouds of mohair." That was how Michael Kors summed up the tactile sensation of fall dressing. At his show, camel-colored cashmere coats and jackets had a rumpled, lived-in look reflecting a new kind of relaxed glamour.
Comfort dressing doesn't have to mean sweatpants (though there were some of those on the runways - in cashmere, of course). It can mean Kors' cowl-neck mohair sweater dress, Phillip Lim's merino wool poncho, Marc Jacobs' oversized fisherman's cable knit sweater, Rodarte's looped knit skirt or Oscar de la Renta's fuzzy-wuzzy shaggy white tunic.
It can also mean something entirely more dressed up, such as Jason Wu's pink, embroidered gauze ribbon dress, which resembled spun sugar, or Tory Burch's lavender feather skirt.