Fix Your Body In the Gym

Problem: You're short.

Solution: Long pants and solid-colored shirts in lighter shades. An absence of distracting colors and patterns takes the focus off your body, allowing you to appear taller. Avoid horizontal stripes-they'll make you look stocky.

Biggest mistake: A black-and-red striped T-shirt and black shorts.

Problem: Skinny legs.

Solution: Cotton shorts that end mid-thigh. Shorts that are too long or too short emphasize your toothpicks.

Biggest mistake: Baggy Bermudas.

Problem: You're very tall.

Solution: Horizontal stripes. Best bet: A multi-colored, long-sleeved rugby shirt. It'll emphasize the width of your body, not the height. For the lower body, stick with long pants.

Biggest mistake: A tank top and short shorts. You'll be all body and no clothes.

Problem: Narrow shoulders.

Solution: Light-colored, short-sleeved T-shirts with raglan sleeves. (The sleeves extend in one piece to the neckline.) They enhance shoulder width. Baseball shirts will create the illusion that your shoulders are bigger than they actually are. Dark shorts or long pants also help-they narrow the hips and broaden the shoulders.

Biggest mistake: A tank top, unless you are deliberately going in for the undernourished look.

Problem: Beer belly.

Solution: Dark colors. They are slimming. Stick with black, dark blue and deep shades of grey for shirts, in lightweight materials that wick moisture. Choose shorts two shades lighter than your shirt; the lighter hue will draw people's attention down and away from your gut. Shorts with white vertical side stripes will make you look even leaner.

Biggest mistake: A white, tight-fitting warm-up suit-unless you're planning on singing Staying Alive.