Male body types · Oval
Oval Body Shape (Men)
The oval body shape in men carries most of its width through the middle: the waist is as wide as, or wider than, the shoulders and hips, with a rounded stomach and slimmer arms and legs. It’s one of the five male body types. Here’s how to tell if you’re an oval, and the clothes and outfits that suit it.
Your male body type
Full result on the male body type calculator →What is an oval body shape?
An oval shape body is round through the middle. The waist is the widest part of the torso, or close to it, while the shoulders and hips are narrower or similar in width, and the arms and legs are often slim by comparison. From the front, the outline curves out from the chest to the stomach and back in towards the hips, like an oval.
The oval body shape male type is one of the five male body types, alongside trapezoid, inverted triangle, rectangle and triangle. It’s more common with age, as men tend to store more weight around the stomach. In women, the same outline is called the apple body shape.
Signs you have an oval body shape
These are the most common signs of an oval body shape in men, or a male oval body shape as it’s sometimes called:
- Your waist is your widest measurement, or within about 5% of your shoulders.
- You gain weight around the stomach first, while arms and legs stay slimmer.
- Shirts and tops pull or feel tightest across the middle, even when they fit the shoulders.
- Waistbands roll or dig in, and belts at the natural waist feel uncomfortable.
Oval vs rectangle vs trapezoid body shape
How to dress an oval body shape (male)
Clothes for an oval body shape male should create a long, clean vertical line and avoid drawing attention to the middle.
- Shirts: regular or tailored fits with a little room at the stomach; darker solids and fine vertical stripes. Untucked shirts with a straight hem work for casual wear.
- Jackets: single-breasted with one or two buttons, worn open, to make a long V down the front. Light structure in the shoulders adds balance.
- Trousers: mid-rise with a little stretch, straight leg. Braces instead of a belt avoid cutting the body at the widest point.
- Avoid: very slim shirts that pull at the buttons, horizontal stripes across the middle, and tight belts.
Oval body shape outfits for men
A note on health
An oval shape describes where you carry weight, not whether you’re healthy. Weight carried around the middle is more closely linked to health risk than weight on the hips, though, so it’s worth checking your waist to hip ratio or waist to height ratio, and speaking to a doctor if you’re concerned.
Frequently asked questions
Is an oval body shape the same as an apple body shape?
They describe the same outline: width carried through the middle. Oval is the term used for men, and apple is the term used for women, so a man looking up the apple body shape is usually an oval.
What clothes are best for an oval body shape male?
Choose clothes that make a long vertical line: darker solid shirts with a little room at the stomach, single-breasted jackets worn open, and mid-rise straight trousers with stretch. Skip tight shirts, horizontal stripes across the middle and tight belts.
What jeans are best for an oval body shape?
Mid-rise jeans with some stretch and a straight leg work best for men with an oval body shape. They sit comfortably under the stomach, avoid digging in, and the straight leg balances a fuller middle. Skip very low-rise and skinny styles.