Body armor (10) to be worn on the torso of a person includes a front section (22) having ballistic paneling therein and a back section (32) having ballistic paneling therein. The body armor (10) further includes at least one side closure mechanism (50a, 50b) including a rearward section (60a, 60b) adapted to be grasped and pulled in a forward direction around the side of the torso to close the closure mechanism (50a, 50b) . The rearward section (60a, 60b) is in operative connection with a forward section (70a, 70b) of the side closure mechanism so that a portion (24,26) of the ballistic paneling of the front section moves in a rearward direction around the side of the torso of the person when the rearward (60a, 60b) section is pulled in a forward direction and overlaps a portion (34,36) of the ballistic paneling in the back section when the closure mechanism (50a, 50b) is in a closed position.