Tener (buena) percha

[aleCcowaN]

This phrase is used to describe a person, generally a man, who doesn't necessarily have a handsome body but wears most sets of clothes as if he had it. It means, the person's body is good proportioned and well tailored clothes make him look very elegant and attractive.

I can't find an English equivalent. Believe me, that "having a good rack" that is mentioned in several sites is not it at all.

[Glen]

Just a shot in the dark aleC, but how about someone who is a sharp dresser or well turned-out or dressed to the hilt or a natty dresser or wears his clothes well or well fitted-out or ............ .

Sorry, that's all that come to mind at the moment, not being one of those myself:(

[Bobbert]

aleC,

Adding to what Glen wrote, a few that come to my mind that we say in English are:

He dresses very smart.
His clothes really make the man.
He stands out in his clothes.
His clothes suit him well.
His clothes bring out his best.
He dresses well for the occasion.
He picks the right clothes and knows how to wear 'em.

I hope some of these help!

[Rusty]

I like 'his clothes really make the man' because it kind of means that he isn't all that without the elegant clothing.

Dressed to the nines, but he's a five. (The second half is not part of the set phrase, but I added it to describe how I would rate the man without the smart (dapper) look.)

[pjt33]

One site I found in a quick search suggests "to have a good physique".

Oxford has

tiene muy buena percha, todo le queda bien she has a very good figure, everything looks good on her

(where I find it interesting that it's she). The second half of that is perhaps the more useful phrase given that the emphasis of the original phrase is on how the person makes clothes look rather than how they look.

[aleCcowaN]

Yes, that is more along the lines of the expression.

Thank you all for a family of valuable expressions on the same topic.

I would say that a person "con buena percha" has all the basic proportions and volumes so they make their clothes look good, what in turn makes them look good.

A man with "buena percha" is slim, has a flat belly but also a pretty flat chest, his shoulder line is wide -no matter under his garment his collarbones seem protuberant-, and his measures for chest-waist-hip is about 100-80-90 (40-32-36) or so, for a 1.80-1.85m height (around 6'). I mean, the man may be pretty thin, zero-pack, with pale greenish skin, a bit asymmetrical, with low nipples, but when he wears a suit he looks like he's a Greek god. Even clothes of a lesser quality look good on him and make him look good. That's the power of a "buena percha".

[Glen]

At the risk of sounding maybe a little over-blown, He cuts a dashing figure

[aleCcowaN]

Isn't this forum great? :)

I've found in the dictionary "cut a fine figure" and "cut a dash" : usually said of a male, to look good or elegant; people admire their appearance, usually because they are wearing attractive clothes.

Thank you Glen, and again, thank you everybody.

Here a possible dialogue mixing both languages:

- He cuts a fine figure...
- Es la percha [other person wearing the same clothes would look over-dressed/ugly/as in a disguise/not so swell]

[JPablo]

Bueno, pues añadiendo a todo lo dicho (o escrito)

DRAE (percha)

10. f. coloq. Figura o tipo de una persona, especialmente si es bueno y elegante. Con la percha que tiene, le sienta bien cualquier prenda.

http://dle.rae.es/?id=SXM0KKz|SXPgpYm

Oxford:

(persona, figura)

¡qué vestido más bonito! — no es el vestido, es la percha — what a lovely dress! — it's not the dress, it's the person wearing it

tiene muy buena percha, todo le queda bien — she has a very good figure, everything looks good on her

https://es.oxforddictionaries.com/translate/spanish-english/percha

Todo lo cual me recuerda a María Dolores Pradera (y otras) cantando: "Fiiina estampa, caballero... caballero de fina estampa..." etc., etc., etc., ;-)

Saludos cordiales.

[aleCcowaN]

[if] the person wearing it

tiene muy buena percha, todo le queda bienEs cierto, hay gente que tiene tan buena percha que un saco de arpillera, con tres agujeros para sacar los brazos y la cabeza, le queda bien.

saco de arpillera = burlap bag

[poli]

He looks good in a suit is a phrase I have heard.