What to change for your build

Broad / Muscular · Agbada

Stiff, heavy cloth stacks volume straight onto shoulders you already have. Choose soft-drape wool, silk-cotton or polished cotton so the garment falls rather than sits.

Ask for

• Deepen the armholes on the inner tunic by an inch or so for real movement.
• Set the outer sleeve fold at the wrist bone — any longer and the arms read heavier.
• Taper the inner top gently toward the waist so it does not box out.

Cloth

Light-to-medium polished cotton or a soft silk brocade. Skip stiff aso-oke.

Where I would go

• Tee Apparel — Lagos. Architectural cuts, lighter agbada cloth.
• KNF Couture — Lagos. Clean-drape ceremonial sets.

Broad / Muscular · Senator / Kaftan

Zero shoulder padding, a clean vertical placket, and a mid-height grandad collar. The shape should come from the cut, not from structure.

Ask for

• Generous side vents, six to eight inches, so it does not ride over the hips.
• Light waist suppression on the top — shaped, never clinging.
• Straight-leg trouser with a half-inch break.

Cloth

120s–140s wool, or a high-twist wool blend that holds its line in a warm hall.

Where I would go

• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Proportional separates and modern sets.
• Curban Place — London. Subtle-taper two-piece sets.

Broad / Muscular · Occasion Suit

Soft canvas or unstructured shoulders, a natural chest line, and a slightly wider lapel to balance the width you carry.

Ask for

• Let out the centre back seam for arm extension.
• Flat-front trousers with side adjusters rather than a belt.

Cloth

Tropical wool, hopsack, or a wool-linen blend for a British summer wedding.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Bespoke precision suiting.
• Soboye — London. Tailored occasion pieces.

Broad / Muscular · Dinner Jacket

A peak lapel cut slightly wider than standard reads as intent rather than bulk on a broad chest. One button, closed, with a clean chest and no ripple across the blade.

Ask for

• Peak lapel taken out to the shoulder line — a narrow lapel makes the chest look inflated.
• Extra room across the back blades, taken out of the centre seam, not the sides.
• Trousers with side adjusters and a single braid stripe; no belt loops on black tie.

Cloth

Matte midnight barathea or a mohair-wool blend. Nothing with sheen across the chest.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Structured evening tailoring.
• Soboye — London. Evening pieces with a soft shoulder.

Broad / Muscular · Aso-Ebi Set

You do not choose the cloth, so the only lever you have is the cut. Take the family lace or aso-oke and have it made as a straight, softly shaped top with no shoulder structure at all — stiff cloth plus a broad shoulder is where aso-ebi goes wrong.

Ask for

• No shoulder pad and no interlining across the chest — let the cloth sit flat on your own shoulder line.
• Deepen the armhole and finish it in plain cotton so lace does not saw at your arm all day.
• Gentle waist shaping through the back seam only, so the top does not box out over the hips.

Cloth

You are given the cloth. Control the lining: cotton, not acetate, and unlined through the body wherever the family will accept it.

Where I would go

• Tee Apparel — Lagos. Cutting supplied family cloth cleanly.
• Curban Place — London. Working with lace and aso-oke yardage.

Broad / Muscular · Lighter Reception Look

Drop all the structure. A short-sleeve kaftan or an unstructured overshirt in one tone, cut with room across the back so you can move — the second change should look easier than the first, not smaller.

Ask for

• Unlined body, side seams left generous through the chest and blades.
• Sleeve finished at the wrist bone or rolled cleanly above the elbow — nothing in between.
• Straight-leg trouser with a soft waistband and side adjusters.

Cloth

Irish linen, linen-cotton or a high-twist wool in a single quiet tone.

Where I would go

• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Relaxed reception separates.
• Soboye — London. Soft unstructured evening pieces.

Tall & Lean · Agbada

You carry heavy, textured cloth better than anyone. Use a wide sleeve drop to anchor all that vertical line.

Ask for

• Extend the outer wingspan by a couple of inches for a proper horizon.
• Land the inner tunic hem two inches above the kneecap.

Cloth

Structured aso-oke, heavy cording, damask.

Where I would go

• Lucky Enemuo Afrika — Lagos. Heavy ceremonial aso-oke and agbada.
• FAI World — Lagos. Statement silhouettes.

Tall & Lean · Senator / Kaftan

A high grandad collar and structured cuff give you presence. A slightly wider leg keeps the proportion honest.

Ask for

• A whisper of shoulder padding to square the frame off.
• No extreme taper — keep the leg opening at eight inches or more.

Cloth

Structured cotton damask or a medium-weight suiting wool.

Where I would go

• Soboye — London. Adire and tailored structured sets.
• OAK Collection — Lagos. Long, clean ceremonial lines.

Tall & Lean · Occasion Suit

Double-breasted or three-piece adds depth. A ticket pocket and turn-ups break the vertical line in your favour.

Ask for

• Jacket length must fully cover the seat.
• Inch-and-a-half turn-ups to weight the hem.

Cloth

Flannel, heavy linen, or a textured tweed for autumn and winter dates.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Structured double-breasted suiting.
• Maye Tobs — Lagos. Considered occasion tailoring.

Tall & Lean · Dinner Jacket

A double-breasted or shawl-collar jacket with a visible waist stops the whole thing reading as a column. Depth beats slimness on your frame.

Ask for

• Jacket cut long enough to cover the seat — most off-the-peg evening jackets are two inches short on you.
• A cummerbund or low waistcoat to mark the waist and break the vertical.
• Sleeve set to show a half-inch of cuff, no more, or the arms read longer still.

Cloth

Midnight barathea in winter, or velvet with real weight for a December dinner.

Where I would go

• Soboye — London. Long, considered evening lines.
• KNF Couture — Lagos. Double-breasted evening cuts.

Tall & Lean · Aso-Ebi Set

Family cloth suits you: texture and pattern give your frame the horizontal weight it wants. Ask for the fuller version of whatever the family has agreed — the longer top, the wider sleeve, the four-piece rather than the two.

Ask for

• Top cut long, to mid-thigh, so the vertical is broken once rather than never.
• Wider sleeve or a proper sleeve drop if the cloth allows it.
• A visible waist — a wrapped or belted detail if the family style permits, or a shaped back seam if not.

Cloth

The cloth is given. Where you have a say, choose the heavier of the two options offered; weight hangs better on you.

Where I would go

• Lucky Enemuo Afrika — Lagos. Heavy aso-oke and family sets.
• FAI World — Lagos. Statement cuts from supplied cloth.

Tall & Lean · Lighter Reception Look

A relaxed set with weight at the hem, or a soft double-breasted overshirt. Avoid the slim single-tone kaftan — on your frame it reads as a column in a photograph taken across a room.

Ask for

• Wider leg opening, eight inches or more, with a turn-up or a weighted hem.
• Patch pockets and a chest pocket to give the front something to read.
• Top or overshirt cut long enough to cover the seat.

Cloth

Textured linen, a slubby linen-silk, or a light cotton damask — texture over sheen.

Where I would go

• Soboye — London. Long, relaxed reception pieces.
• OAK Collection — Lagos. Clean, generous evening separates.

Shorter / Compact · Agbada

One tone across agbada, tunic and trouser so nothing cuts you in half. Sleeve folds sit higher on the arm than tradition suggests.

Ask for

• Shorten the inner tunic to three inches above the kneecap.
• Scale the chest embroidery down — full-size motifs swallow a shorter torso.

Cloth

Monochrome silk-cotton or a fine polished cotton.

Where I would go

• Tee Apparel — Lagos. Scaled agbada embroidery.
• Curban Place — London. Proportional modern sets.

Shorter / Compact · Senator / Kaftan

Vertical lines and a hidden placket keep the eye travelling up. Nothing horizontal across the chest.

Ask for

• No break over the shoe — a continuous line from waist to floor.
• Slimmer sleeve, no excess at the cuff.

Cloth

Matte wool crepe or a smooth cotton twill.

Where I would go

• Curban Place — London. Proportional modern kaftans.
• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Well-judged separates.

Shorter / Compact · Occasion Suit

Single-breasted, two-button, with a slightly higher stance to lengthen the leg.

Ask for

• Jacket length cut to the thumb knuckle, not an inch longer.
• Trousers finished with no break.

Cloth

Smooth high-twist worsted wool in a single tone.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Clean single-breasted suiting.

Shorter / Compact · Dinner Jacket

One tone from collar to shoe, a shorter jacket, and a higher trouser waist. Black tie is the easiest place to buy height, as long as nothing cuts across you.

Ask for

• Jacket shortened to just cover the seat — no longer.
• Trousers cut at the natural waist so the leg starts higher; no break over the shoe.
• Shawl collar rather than a wide peak, kept narrow enough not to crowd the chest.

Cloth

Matte black or midnight barathea, single tone throughout, patent or highly polished shoes.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Precise evening proportion.
• Curban Place — London. Proportional evening tailoring.

Shorter / Compact · Aso-Ebi Set

Scale is the whole battle. The family cloth will have a pattern repeat sized for nobody in particular — have the tailor place it so the largest motif does not land across your middle, and keep the top shorter than the group standard.

Ask for

• Top hemmed two to three inches shorter than the tailor's default, sat above the widest part of the hip.
• Pattern placement agreed before cutting — motif off the waistline, running vertically where possible.
• Trouser at the natural waist, no break over the shoe, in the closest tone to the top.

Cloth

The cloth is given. If there is a choice of colourway, take the quieter, smaller-patterned one; large repeats shorten you.

Where I would go

• Curban Place — London. Proportional cutting of supplied cloth.
• Tee Apparel — Lagos. Scaling pattern and embroidery to frame.

Shorter / Compact · Lighter Reception Look

One tone, top to shoe, in a light cloth — the reception is the easiest place on the day to buy height. A short kaftan or a trim overshirt worn out, nothing layered across the chest.

Ask for

• Top cut to the hip bone, no lower.
• Higher trouser waist so the leg starts sooner; no break at the shoe.
• Slim sleeve, finished at the wrist bone, no cuff bulk.

Cloth

Matte linen-cotton or a fine cotton in a single tone, no contrast trim or panelling.

Where I would go

• Curban Place — London. Proportional modern separates.
• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Well-judged relaxed sets.

Full-Figured · Agbada

The agbada is your strongest garment. Structured cloth holds an architectural box shape and drapes straight past the midsection.

Ask for

• Curved front hem on the inner top so it sits cleanly over the stomach.
• A wider tunic cut for breathability through a long day.

Cloth

Heavy corded cloth, structured damask, firm aso-oke.

Where I would go

• Lucky Enemuo Afrika — Lagos. Full-bodied ceremonial wear.
• Tee Apparel — Lagos. Structured agbada architecture.

Full-Figured · Senator / Kaftan

A central vertical placket anchors the look. Curved hems sit far better than a flat square cut.

Ask for

• Trousers at the natural waist with internal adjusters, never a tight belt.
• Deep side slits so you can sit comfortably for hours.

Cloth

Medium-weight wool crepe or a matte polished cotton.

Where I would go

• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Relaxed tailored kaftans.
• OAK Collection — Lagos. Generous, clean ceremonial cuts.

Full-Figured · Occasion Suit

Single-breasted with a lower button stance reads as a clean V rather than a squeeze.

Ask for

• Pleated trousers for comfort through the thigh and waist.
• A softer waistband construction.

Cloth

Matte, darker worsted wools — nothing with sheen.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Bespoke tailoring.
• Maye Tobs — Lagos. Occasion suiting with ease.

Full-Figured · Dinner Jacket

Single-breasted, one button, lower stance, with a long shawl or peak lapel running a deep V down the chest. A cummerbund does more for you than a waistcoat.

Ask for

• Button stance dropped so the lapel line runs long and open.
• A cummerbund rather than a low waistcoat — it covers the waistband without adding a horizontal.
• Pleated evening trousers on a soft waistband, sat at the natural waist.

Cloth

Matte midnight or black barathea, fully matte facings. Avoid satin panels across the front.

Where I would go

• KNF Couture — Lagos. Evening tailoring with ease.
• Maye Tobs — Lagos. Comfortable formal cuts.

Full-Figured · Aso-Ebi Set

Ask for the longer, straighter version of the family set. A curved hem and a full, straight-cut body take the cloth past the midsection instead of gripping it — and buy extra yardage, because corrections on supplied cloth are otherwise impossible.

Ask for

• Curved front hem on the top so it sits cleanly over the stomach.
• Full straight body with deep side slits, cut for a long day seated.
• Extra yardage ordered with the family purchase so the tailor has room to correct.

Cloth

The cloth is given. Where you can influence it, firmer cloth holds a shape past the midsection; soft clinging lace does not.

Where I would go

• Lucky Enemuo Afrika — Lagos. Full-bodied sets from family cloth.
• Maye Tobs — Lagos. Generous ceremonial cutting.

Full-Figured · Lighter Reception Look

A long, straight kaftan or overshirt with a central placket, worn out over a soft trouser. Nothing tucked, nothing belted at the waist — the aim is one uninterrupted plane in a light cloth.

Ask for

• Central vertical placket, curved hem, cut straight through the body.
• Pleated or forward-pleated trouser on a soft waistband at the natural waist.
• Deep side slits and an unlined body so you can sit and eat comfortably.

Cloth

Matte linen-cotton or a fine polished cotton in a mid-to-dark tone. No sheen, no clinging silk.

Where I would go

• OAK Collection — Lagos. Generous, clean relaxed cuts.
• Looks Like A Good Man — Lagos. Comfortable reception separates.