Men like to shop as much as women, but they’re not as good at it. As men, we often tend to overestimate or underestimate ourselves, but rarely pay attention to things right in front of us. So, we’ll see a great outfit online and buy it without giving thought to whether it fits us or not. And when it arrives, well, let’s say many of us regret trying it on. This may be one reason why we often see guys walking around in expensive outfits that don’t fit them well. The problem isn’t that the khakis pants are a bad piece of clothing. It is more likely a problem of you failing to create outfits around your body type. But don’t worry. You don’t have to build up a perfect male physique like a Greek god. Just stay in shape, and check out these tips to ensure your outfit looks sharp and fits well: 

First Things First  

Healthy skepticism needs ramping up when you are online. Even more so when you are shopping for clothes online. You may see an outfit that looks great on a model, but there are several very good reasons not to add it to your cart right away. For one thing, most models have some form of fitness regiment to ensure they look good in photos. And at the same time, there’s no end to the wonders that photoshop can accomplish. The size guides are confusing as well, and you may not always be ordering the size you think you’re ordering.  

All of these can often play a huge role in an outfit not looking quite on-point. So make sure you’re good on these before ordering or buying any outfits. After that, you can start looking at clothes based on your body type. Everybody is different, which means a holistic approach to buying outfits won’t work with every body type. But there are a few ways to narrow down your options if you give preference to your body type instead of the outfit. Here are few ways to do this: 

The Upward Triangle 

Many men often accumulate more fat around their waist and hips. This can often increase with age and can present a problem when dressing up. With the lower part of their torso broader than the top part, the body forms a rough triangle with its base at your waist and the point under your chin. There is no such thing as a bad body. But with a body type like that, you want to consider both shape and balance. Here are some types of clothes that will generally look good on you: 

• More color or detail along the chest or shoulders.  
• A patterned blazer tailored to your body.  
• Structured jackets can help square up your upper torso.  
• Get a slimmer fit with a tailored single-breasted suit.  

Of course, you’re free to experiment with other outfits as well. But the ones above will serve as a good foundation to start with. However, with an upward triangle body type, be sure to avoid the following: 

• Avoid loud and bright colors.  
• Skinny jeans or tapering fits.  
• Fitted tee-shirts or polo shirts.  

The Downward Triangle  

This is another triangular male body type, but the triangle is inverted. It has its base along your shoulders and tapers off at your belly button. This is a body type often seen in people serious about fitness and lifting weights. In most cases, the broader shoulders and chest as well as the narrower waist are the result of working out hard and making sacrifices about what you eat. However, most people aren’t that athletically inclined, which is why you may find it difficult to find clothes off-the-rack that fit you well. But with a toned body to flaunt, here are a few primary ideas on which to build outfits around: 

• Slim-fitting tee shirts and polo shirts, but not too tight.  
• Horizontal stripes can accentuate your narrow waist and broader chest. 
• Regular V-neck shirts can make your chest look more toned.  
• Jackets with a slimmer fit to accentuate your build even when it is covered up.  

However, just because you have a great body does not mean you can automatically wear anything you want. If anything, you need to be even pickier about what you wear. Avoid clothes that are too tight, that don’t leave your skin room to breathe, or have plunging necklines that make your chest look narrower than it actually is. Above all, don’t show up on a dinner date in athletic shorts and a basketball shirt. Look classier.  

The Rectangle 

Rectangular body types are the ones you see on taller and thinner men. The shoulders have more or less the same width as the waist and hips, giving the torso a rectangular shape. That means your clothing should center around creating a subtle taper from your shoulders to your waist. Here are a few types of clothes to check out: 

• Structured suits and jackets tailored to be slimmer around the waist.  
• Graphic tee collections with funky designs will look great on your body type.

• Horizontal stripes and clothes with details along the chest and shoulder.  
• Layering tee-shirts with a button-down is a timeless casual look.  

The only thing you need to avoid with this body type is clothing that adds nothing to what you already have. A rectangular body is still relatively fit in terms of body fat. So, you can forget rectangular suits with the same shape as you and instead opt for clothes with more structure. These will add more size to your upper torso and give a pleasing and slimming effect.