Full disclosure here; I'm an engineer. We are known for many things, but good fashion sense generally isn't among them. Of course there are engineers who dress fashionably, but it's probably a lower percentage than the norm. As a tall skinny man, I'm looking for good fashion tips on how to best select clothes for my build.
To get the thread started, here are some things I have come across that seem to be sound advice:
1- Wear clothes that fit you
I know, it's easier said than done. My jeans measurement is something like 31/36. Much of this site is devoted to trying to find places to overcome this challenge. I used to think wearing clothes that were baggy would help me look bulkier but the contrast speaks louder than the added girth. At the other extreme, don't wear tight-fitting clothes as they emphasize just how skinny you are.
2- Try boot-cut jeans
The slight flair at the bottom gives the impression that your legs are a little bigger than they are. It can also help make your feet look a bit smaller as many tall skinny people have long feet.
3- Wear layers
Layers add bulk without making you look like a kid who raided dad's closet
4- Wear suits and sports coats where you can
There are a few reasons for this. The first one is that most guys look good in a suit. If you can find a nice jacket for the situation, it's a pretty safe bet. Also, the nature of suits is that they are to be tailored, so if you can't find anything else that fits, you can usually still buy a suit. Sometimes the fitting can get pricey, though. I bought a suit on sale for a good price, but by the time they reconstructed the pants and took in the coat to it's bleeding limit, it was like paying full-price. But the suit looks great.
5- Small, thin watches and rings
I'm not much of an an accessory guy, but I'm married and I have a ring and a watch. If you have a really bulky ring, it makes your fingers look that much smaller. Watches can be awful, too, especially if, like me, you have to remove half the links in the band to get it to fit.
I would love to hear advice from other people. For example, which style of suit looks best on a lanky man? What patterns of cloth do you like to wear? Have you ever found a sweater that actually fit you?
