Dude, what body type are you?

What would be your first reaction to this question? Obviously, you would just look at yourself and say, thin, medium or heavy built. Nothing wrong in it.

But you might wonder, what does body type mean? Besides the common expression of body types, there are three body types - the endomorph, the mesomorph, and the ectomorph. Each individual, including yourself, is not bound to one category or the other. Body type depends on your genes, lifestyle, and health history. Body type can change from a thin, medium, heavy frame to healthy and well-built if you are active at the gym.

Let's understand the body types in brief. Further, we have added a few clothing tips for each body type at the end of this article. Did you know, body types influence choices in men's clothing?

• Ectomorph - This body type tends to be thin and struggles to gain weight, body fat or muscle. People falling in the category are also known as 'hard gainers' because they seldom gain weight in spite of a heavy diet. Ectomorphs are lean built, have long limbs, and small muscles. Here are some characteristics of ectomorph body type:

• Shoulders are narrower than hips.
• Fitted jeans generally feel loose around the bottom area. Forearms are small.
• The body tends to stay skinny.
• The body looks long and narrow.
• Gripping the wrist between the thumb and middle finger, the 2 fingers will overlap.
• They have trouble gaining weight - muscle and or fat.
• The circumference of the chest is 37 inches or less.

• Mesomorph - The build of this body type has the best of both body types. People falling in the category have wide shoulders, a narrow waist, relatively thin joints, and round muscle bellies. Here are some characteristics of mesomorph body type:

• Shoulders are roughly the same width as the hips.
• Fitted jeans generally feel snug, but not too tight, around the bottom area.
• Forearms are reasonably thick.
• The body tends to stay lean, yet somewhat muscular, by default.
• The body looks rugged and squarish in shape.
• Gripping the wrist between the thumb and middle finger, the 2 fingers barely touch.
• The body can gain or lose weight quite easily.
• The circumference of the chest is between 37-44 inches.

• Endomorph - This body type tends to gain weight and continue gaining it. The build is a bit wider than ectomorph or mesomorph. People with this body type have a thick ribcage, wide hips, and shorter limbs. Normally, they may have more muscle than other body types. Here are some characteristics of endomorph body type:

• Shoulders are wider than the hips.
• Fitted jeans generally feel tight around the bottom area.
• Forearms are thicker.
• The body tends to carry extra fat by default.
• The body appears round and soft.
• Gripping the wrist between a thumb and middle finger, the 2 fingers won't touch.
• Weight gain is fairly easy, but difficult to lose.
• The circumference of the chest is over 44 inches.

Body type is natural. You or no one in the world can transform it. So, it is good to enjoy what you have and put effort to stay healthy through healthy eating habits and exercising.

Before we end the article, here are clothing tips for each body type.

• Ectomorph -
  • Wear crew neck t-shirts or sweaters. Avoid v-neck.
  • Choose slim-fit or trim-fit suits.
  • Choose shirts that have wide collars.
  • Add visual weight by wearing bold patterns or contrasting colors.
  • Wear trousers with larger trouser cuffs.
  • Wear straight leg/boot cut jeans that fit well around the bottom area.
• Mesomorph -
  • Choose tops/shirts/T-shirts/jackets with wide shoulders, but slim fit at the waist.
  • Go for body-hugging T-shirts.
  • On dress shirts, a standard point collar will draw the eye vertically, small-medium sized pattern will make you look good.
  • Prefer straight-legged pants/trousers that will keep your shoulders streamlined and make them look balanced.

• Endomorph -
  • Wear clothes that are not overlapping or too tight.
  • Stick to vertical stripes, usually small prints/patterns.
  • Avoid large prints/patterns.
  • Choose regular or dress shirts with standard or low point collar.
  • For casual wear, go for V-neck tops.
  • For pants/trousers, avoid pleated trousers, go for a straight and relaxed fit.

That's it, Dudes! We hope you got the gist of body types and understood what is your body type. If you have any questions on dressing/styling do contact us and we will be glad to assist you.