Sartorial Secrets To Looking Slimmer

Effortlessly erase the festive flab, using tailoring tromp l’oeil to slim down your silhouette.
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in Capote (2005).

Looking a bit plump right about now, good sir? Don’t beat yourself up. Many of us put on a little extra physical insulation during the winter months and the festive season does provide ample opportunities for culinary and liquid over-indulgence. You could fix things by eating sensibly and doing a bit more exercise, but you’ll need to look elsewhere for advice on that course of action. (Consult one of those magazines with an image of a muscular, shirtless fellow on the cover, promising six-pack abs in four weeks.) Instead, allow us to suggest several ways in which clever dressing can help create the illusion of svelteness in even the paunchiest man.

When it comes to tailoring, pinstripe-patterned cloth is the plump chap’s best pal. The vertical lines create a sense of length and draw the eye up and down, rather than across and out. Avoid large checks, as these will only serve to make the body appear broader. A small all-over pattern such as a fine houndstooth or subtle glen plaid would be a far more prudent selection.

    Published

    January 2022

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