How to dress if you're a larger guy

Above is a video I recently filmed with some tips on how to dress if you're a larger guy, and I thought I'd expand further on it for this blog post. 

Yes, it's harder to find clothes that fit well when you're a larger guy but it doesn't mean to say you can't look good, there's just a few more things to pay attention to. Whatever size you are fit is important, and possibly even more so when you're large.

I hope this post is helpful, and if you have any questions or would like to go shopping if you're a larger guy then drop me a line. 

Use accessories at either end of your body not in the middle - your waist is most likely to be your widest part, so avoid contrasting belts or ones with big buckles. Instead wear great glasses or sunglasses, a pendant necklace, a scarf, a hat, colourful trainers or contrasting shoes / boots. You can also spend more on accessories as it won't matter if you gain or lose weight. If you want to make your face look less round, then wear angular frames (square or rectangle) and if you have a beard, trim it at the sides to reduce the width of your face. Wear scarves hanging down or tied loosely to create vertical lines.

Picture from Pinterest

Wear darker colours - especially on top if you're bigger in this area as most men who are larger will be. Darker colours will diminish the area and if your legs are particularly slim compared to your top, then you could wear lighter coloured jeans or trousers to balance it out. Darker colours don't mean just black and navy though, you could also try dark forest green, deep burgundy, brown or aubergine. 

'Jackson' worker shirt - Levi's Big & Tall - £75

Wear mid to heavy weight fabrics - I know this is trickier to do, especially as larger guys tend to run hot, but if you can get a fabric with a bit of weight and drape to it then it won't cling as much and will skim over your curves. Smoother fabrics will tend to be better than those with a lot of texture to them which could add bulk. You may also find you get a better fit with fabrics with stretch in them - not to mention being more comfortable! It's easy to look good wearing a suit as Jonah Hill is here, but you could create a similar smart casual look with a button down shirt, navy jersey blazer, dark jeans and black trainers. 

Jonah Hill image from GQ

Watch the fit of your jeans - if you're short and big, make sure the pockets aren't too low, and wear more of a tapered or slim fit. I had a client awhile ago who was a 40" waist and 30" inside leg - he was delighted to find he could wear slim leg jeans and they looked loads better on him than the regular cut, which made him look short and wide. If your legs are much shorter than your body then go easy on the turn ups, either keep them small - no more than an inch, or don't wear them at all - otherwise your legs will look much shorter. I'm not sure how tall this guy is but I like the tapered fit of his jeans which look modern and flattering.

Follow carpe_dmg on Instagram

Wear shirts, overshirts and jackets with pocket details at chest - and avoid them at the waist/hip area. You don't need to add any extra layers to your stomach area, so bring the attention away from it and up to the chest - it'll also bulk out the chest which in turn will make the stomach look smaller. This could also be done with colour blocking at shoulder / chest area eg: a t-shirt or sweater with a lighter, brighter colour on top and darker colour at tummy. 

Image from Machomoda

 
Don't wear stuff tucked in - and leave jackets open if possible. As I already mentioned, your widest part is probably your stomach, so if you're tucking things in it's going to draw a horizontal line across that area which will only emphasise it. Jackets left open will give you the vertical lines you're looking for and not create a "pouch" like this bomber jacket might if James Corden had done it up. If you need to go for a more formal look, then either wear a blazer or wear similar colours on top and bottom and a belt that doesn't stand out too much. eg: white shirt and beige trousers with a sand coloured belt, or navy shirt and trousers with a black or dark brown belt (tone to your shoes).

Image from Pinterest

Wear layers to create vertical lines - as I mentioned in the video, vertical lines visually cut you in half making you look taller and slimmer. This coat is a great example, as is the khaki shirt above, layered over a darker shirt and jeans. Simple styles like this overcoat are very flattering to keep the eye running up and down the body and it stops at the point where your legs are slimmer. Bigger sizes usually get longer as well, so if you need the width but not height, make sure you get jackets and coats tailored at the cuffs so they're the correct length - fabric hanging down to your finger tips is never a good look, no matter what size you are. 

Black overcoat - Boohoo-man - £50 

Need some help to get your outfits together? If you keep meaning to lose weight but realistically know it's not gonna happen, then click the button below to book in for a shopping trip so you can feel good in what you wear NOW, instead of waiting for a day that might never come.

"Having dithered for ages about updating my wardrobe I finally got my act together and decided to do something about it.

A day spent shopping with Sarah is a great investment. Prior to meeting we chatted on the phone and I filled in a questionaire which helped her to plan a range of clothes for me to try at a number of different shops. Her notebook was crammed with ideas and suggestions she wanted to try out.

The day was fun, informative and most importantly I walked away with a range of new clothes / outfits I love. The following day Sarah sent me a document with a list of outfits I could put together with both my new clothes and items from my existing wardrobe.

When the time comes I won’t hesitate to ask for Sarah’s help again."

Did you like this post? Then have a look at these ones too:

5 x ways to style wide leg trousers

Where to shop for clothes for shorter guys