The art of Camouflage : Clothes Make the Man Closer to the Image of What He’d Like to Be.

Big man, tall man, short man, thin man, athletic man: body type plays a sizable role in determining what style of clothing suits a man best.

Most guys who have studied themselves in a mirror have figured out that the horizontal stripes make them look wider, while darker hues make them look slimmer. Yet there’s a host of more subtle trompe l’oeil that can be accomplished through clothes. The cut of a suit, the collar spread of the shirt, the pattern on a tie, even the style of one’s shoes all help camouflage shortcomings and accentuate strong points.

Here, Orange County tailors and menswear retailers share their tips for flattering the male figure:

Tall Man

“A tall, trim man can wear almost anything--if he can find his size,” says David Heil, co-owner of David Rickey & Co., a men’s custom clothier in Costa Mesa. David Rickey routinely dresses basketball stars who tower above the seven-foot mark.

First among the fashion faux pas committed by tall men is wearing clothes that are too small. Should a tall man’s trousers not break properly at the feet or his shirt sleeves not reach all the way down to the wrists, he can look like a kid who’s outgrown his Sunday clothes.

Finding a coat that fits correctly is an especially tall order.

“A coat should cut the torso in half from the shoulders to the ground,” Heil says. A man should be able to touch the bottom of the edge of his jacket by holding his hands at his sides and curling his fingers. The coat should cover his seat.

“A coat doesn’t have to do all of these things, but it should meet at least two of the requirements,” Heil says. Sometimes (a tall man’s) arms are too long, so they make the coat longer to look in proportion. It’s always better to have a slightly longer coat than one that’s too short.”

A slightly longer pant is also better than a pair that’s too short.

“The worse thing is to have flood pants,” Heil says.

A tall man can wear most suit styles, although a three-button suit will help cut him down to size. A slightly fuller fit tends to flatter the tall man over a too-tight look, lest he look like a beanpole. Patterns with subtle horizontal stripes and plaids are also recommended.

Big Man

Finding clothes that fit properly can make all the difference in a large man’s appearance. Garments that pull will make him look larger than he is, while some of the oversized looks made popular by Armani also add inches.

“If a suit is too tight it will show all of the lumps. If it’s too big he’ll look frumpy,” Heil says.

Most fashion experts say a fitted, single-breasted jacket with a low button stance is an ideal look for the big man.

“A one-button jacket gives a longer gorge. The V-shape jacket makes a guy look thinner and heightens his curb appeal,” Heil says.

The three-button jackets now in vogue will only make a big guy look stuffed into the garment, Heil says. Contrary to what many think, a large man also looks good in a double-breasted jacket, as long as it fits correctly.

“A double-breasted coat hides a lot of excess weight,” Heil says.

Patterns on his suits and shirts should have vertical stripes--the up-and-down lines make a big man look thinner, says Bob Lindberg, owner of AJ & Co. Big and Tall in Tustin. Plaids and other square-shaped patterns tend to make him look heavier and shorter.

The large man should avoid shirts with wide-spread collars; they can make his face look fuller, Heil says. A collar with a narrow or medium spread is preferred. And don’t overlook the feet--slip-on or buckle shoes will make wide feet look narrower.

With the right clothes, “a heavy guy can look 20 to 30 pounds lighter,” Heil says.

Athletic Man

Athletic types who have increased their muscle mass through long hours of weightlifting often make a rude discovery when it’s time to buy a suit: The off-the-rack styles don’t fit an athletic build.

Manufacturers make suits with a six-inch drop from coat to pant size; thus a size 42 coat comes with a 36 pant.

“If a man doesn’t fall within those narrow parameters he has problems,” says Michael Renzi, president of Renzi Custom Gallery, a men’s custom clothier in Newport Beach. An athletic guy typically has a broad chest and small waist, so he finds that either the pants are too big or the coat is too small. A tailor who isn’t restricted by size can solve the problem.

Renzi often steers his athletic customers to English-style suits with modestly padded shoulders and narrow waists, the hourglass silhouette sported by Prince Charles. Broad shouldered men do not require the kind of wide-shouldered suits that were all the rage a few years ago--they only make such men look heavier.

Vertical stripes on shirts tend to balance out an athletic man’s proportions by making his shoulders appear narrower, while pleated pants also help correct an exaggerated V shape. Garments should never be too loose or full, lest others mistake those hard-earned muscles for fat.

Short Man

If he’s not careful, a short man can easily be overwhelmed by his clothes. Suits and sport coats with relaxed, baggy cuts can make him look like a kid wearing his dad’s suit.

“If the shorter, smaller man wears something too big, it makes him look worse,” says Al Martin, owner of Jockey Club Ltd., a menswear store specializing in short sizes in Santa Ana and Rowland Heights.

Coats should be properly fitted. If a man stands with his hands at his sides, the bottom of the coat should reach to approximately the middle of the palm.

“The worst thing is if he gets a coat that’s too long,” Martin says. “He has short legs to begin with, and (a long coat) makes him look like he has no legs at all.”

Men 5-foot-5 and under should opt for extra-short coats.

Most short men prefer plain-front pants over the trendier pleated trouser because they don’t make them look like they’re drowning in material.

“Pleated pants make up only 40% of our business, whereas 85% of pants are pleated in the regular market,” Martin says.

He also recommends dress shirts with sleeves that are short enough (usually a 30- to 31-inch sleeve instead of a standard 32- or 33-inch sleeve) so they don’t “billow up their forearms.”

Vertical lines on suits and shirts help elongate the short man’s figure.

“Stay away from big patterns--they’re overpowering,” Martin says. “A small pattern may repeat only once or twice on a small man, versus three or four times on a larger man.”

Thin Man

To widen a thin man’s appearance, stay away from vertical lines, says Renzi.

Thin men should stay away from narrow pin-striped suits; they only make them look more slender. Coats should have padded shoulders to add breadth.

Fabrics can make a big difference in a thin man’s appearance. Plaid materials add inches, as do any fabrics with heavier textures such as linen for summer and woven wools for winter. Shirts with medium to wide spread collars are recommended because they add fullness to the face.

Thin men should also avoid a “delicate shoe” like an Italian slip-on, according to Renzi, but choose a heavier shoe with a strong sole.

Tall

* Suit coat extends past palms, covers seat

* Three-button suit

* Fuller fit; subtle horizontal stripes or plaids

Athletic

* English-style suits, modestly padded shoulders, narrow waist

* Vertical stripes

* Pleated pants

Big

* Fitted, single-breasted jacket; low button stance

* Vertical stripes, collars with narrow or medium spread

Short

* Extra-short coats and plain-front pants

* Dress shirts with 30- to 31-inch sleeves

* Vertical lines

Thin

* Coats with padded shoulders

* Plaid materials and textured fabrics

* Shirts with medium to wide spread collars