While a classic, well-crafted silhouette will be stylish on any businessman, savvy businessmen keep in touch with current fashion trends. For this spring, the new look is a much leaner silhouette than we’ve seen in several years. Designers are translating the current economic concerns into a sleek, streamlined look. It’s a movement toward a minimalist look, in keeping with the national desire for a fresh start in business, after the last few years of fiscal uncertainty.

This trend has led to softer shoulders and slightly shorter jackets, which lay flatter on the chest. Many trouser designers have eliminated front pleats and even cuffs, while dress shirts are tending toward a classic, old-school look. Technological developments in suit fabrics have translated to light-weight options that have greater ease, allowing comfort in a closer fit.

Accessories are also seeing changes. Shoes are taking slimmer lines to complement the current suit silhouettes. Most designers are crafting ties from three to three and a half inches wide.

As you keep an eye on these trends, remember to keep the larger picture in focus. Your ensemble should coordinate with your body type, personality, and business habits. When those are all in synch, your wardrobe choices will fit not just the current fashion ideas, but your lifestyle as well.

Mass-made clothing is, of necessity, sized for the masses. Dimensions are reduced to the most likely measurements and produced accordingly. While mass-made clothing may fit the greatest number of people, it can create an unappealing presentation for those without an “average” build. Rather than attempt to fit themselves into the average suit, those on the extremes of either height or girth, like anyone who wants options in their personal wardrobes, are best served by custom-fit clothing.

Follow these suit-selection tips according to your build:

For the taller gentleman, double-breasted suits add needed width, balancing out height. The same is true of pleats and cuffs on trousers. Paired with a high-quality cotton dress shirt with a small pattern and a striped tie, the ensemble makes height an asset rather than an inconvenience when sizing clothing.

Those blessed more with girth than height may find a single-breasted suit to be a better choice. This slims down the silhouette while enhancing the vertical. Striped shirts with a solid or patterned tie add length without emphasizing width, to create a pleasing ensemble.

Athletically built gentlemen must create a look that balances a thin waist with broad shoulders. This is accomplished through a slightly tapered jacket to slim the torso, paired with pleated trousers and a striped or solid shirt.