Suits for Short Men: The Style Tips

Looking for suits for short men?

I used to think short men can’t wait suit. I’ve tried a number of off-the-rack suits but they never look good on me. I gave up….

I knew I was never going to look 1% as good as Harvey Specter.

I was wrong…… there are suits for short men!! YES!

Short men have little to no room for error when they are dressing up.

A small detail can make you look even shorter than you are. However, good clothing can help you mask your height, and make you look at least inch or two taller.

What is the trick? Well, there is not one trick, but several. Stick to them, and you’ll always look sharp, no matter your height.

Suits for Short Men

Skinny and Slim Suit

The key to looking sharp is dressing in clothes that fit well with your frame. No matter if you are tall, short, or medium height, you want suit that is how they say, “tailor made for you”. What does that mean that you need lean suit, on that doesn’t exaggerate your proportions, something that happens with baggy clothes. That being said, you need skinny, or slim-fit suit, both of which will create an elongated silhouette and illusion of taller frame.

Custom Made Suit

If you spend a little more money, buying a custom made suit from the tailor’s is always the best option. You’ll end up with a suit that emphasises your classic lines, and makes you look sharp and well dressed.

The best way to get a streamlined look is by paying a visit to the tailor. Yes, it is more expensive, but it is well worth it. Or, you can always buy at the store, but ask your tailor to tweak the clothes to your measurement and proportions. For example, trouser legs should always be hemmed.

Some moments to pay attention to: your trousers should be slightly cropped. That means that the trousers should finish too high. You want the end of the trousers just above the ankle in a way to lengthen your legs and appearance.

Long Sleeves

There is a universal rule when it comes to suits and shirts, and that is that your suit should reveal just half an inch of shirt cuff. Shorter men can go more than that. In a way to extend your arms and appear longer, you can leave up to one or one and a half inch of your shirt cuff. Wear long sleeves and your arms will appear longer. Never, ever, let the sleeve hide the shirt.

Monochromatic Wardrobe

There is a rule that people love to repeat, wear monochromatic clothes, and never wear non-matching pants and jackets. Well, there are two ways to look at it. Yes, clothes in the same color make you look visually taller, since there is no break between your jacket and pants.

However, don’t take it for granted. You can spice it up, or switch it up from time to time. The trick is to stay within the same color family. You can wear gray jacket with gray pants, no matter if they are not the same design, pattern or shade. For example, a light single color gray pants go well with a tad darker jacket with pinstripes.

This is my suits for short men rule #1.

It is all in the Details

Once you get the big stuff right, like jacket, pants, shirts and so on, you need to pay attention to details. The details are tricky, and you must pay even extra attention to them. Oftentimes, a suit off the rack in S size does not come with the right proportion of details. What you want to look for is the following:

• Upper breast pocket of the suit should be over the front of your chest
• Lower pockets on the jacket need to be positioned above the hips
• If there is a vent on the back, it cannot rise higher than your waist
• Make sure lapels are in proportion with your torso. For example, skinnier lapels go with slender chest. I talked about this as well in my how to dress like Harvey Specter guide. 

Jackets and Buttons

You’ll often hear that short guys should never wear double-breasted jackets. And that is partly true. The reality is that you can make it work. However, as a rule of thumb, as a short guy, look for one-breasted suits and jackets. This way, you’ll create unbroken space on your torso. You can achieve the same thing with a 4 by 2 button configuration. Even with a double-breast jacket, if the configuration is 4 by 2, you still get that longer unbroken space.

Vertical Patterns

We mentioned previously that monochromatic colors are the way to go in suits. However, when you can find a vertically-oriented pattern, or pinstripes, always go for them, they are the perfect suits for short men. Patterns should be kept to minimal, but vertical patterns draw the viewer’s eye upward, and that is something you like as a short guy. Narrow herringbone is one of the best patterns for short guys.

If you need a better visual tip, I have a style tip for short men infographic that I created.

This guide is very useful if you’re looking to style suits for short men.

Summing up:

The best suits for short men is …. one that is tailored to your body. This means no off the rack suit….. Yes, this is true.