After the positive response I’ve had to my first email enquiry I thought I’d address some common style queries I see popping up all over the place. Therefore, welcome to the first post in an irregular feature I like to call the ‘Q&A Quickie’. Here, I’ll be answering all the common questions I’m asked on a near daily basis and investigating queries I see posted on message boards and forums all over the internet ( you’d be surprised at how many there actually are! )
Today, to get the ball rolling, I’ll be focusing on the classic issue of fitted shirts and, in particular, what the difference is between a regular cut and a tapered fit.
Classic
As you can probably tell simply by looking at the image, the classic shirt virtually forms a right angle between the arm and torso. It’s a slightly boxier construction than contemporary tailored shirts, but does have the advantage of accentuating the upper body by giving it a crisper shoulder-line and fuller torso.
Fitted
By contrast, ‘fitted’ shirts have sloping tapered edges. This creates a cinching effect around the abdominal area, freeing you from the excess fabric that usually accumulates by the stomach with classic cut shirts. It gives you a slimmer silhouette and helps create a cleaner line, especially when layering.
Personally, I’d recommend a tailored, slimmer fit for the majority of men. It simply provides a sleeker, more modern edge and appears flattering on a greater range of body types. Take a look at this video from Aaron Marino at Alpha M Image Consulting for his take on the subject:
I’ looking for shirts cut fuller in the stomach