Nobody wants to look short. However, men like to look tall, muscular, and lean. This is a goal if you want to maximize your aesthetic. Unfortunately, common mistakes are being made that make men look short. I want to go over them with you today.
How you’re killing your vertical aesthetic
- Overweight. Being overweight means you will not look as tall in or out of your clothes. Carrying extra bulk in the midsection visually makes you look shorter.
- Big & baggy clothing. Oversized clothing will make you look short. Wear clothes that fit your body. Also, if your pants puddle at your ankle, you will look shorter.
- Cuffed pants. When pants are cuffed, the line down to your feet is broken. You need to maximize your vertical aesthetic and make sure you’re creating a clean line from your head to your toes. Anything that breaks that line needs to be eliminated.
- Bulky shoes. Look for shoes that have a more elongated toe box. The sole should also not be too chunky.
- Improper taper. If your pants are not tapered properly, you need to have your pants tapered slightly down to your ankle. The wider the ankle, the shorter you will look.
- Bright colors and bold patterns. If you want to wear a pattern, go for something small and subtle. You could also opt for a vertical stripe. Horizontal stripes, especially thick ones, will make you look super short. Also, avoid wearing colors that break up your body. For instance, don’t wear a light color on top and a dark color below, or vice versa. Opt for dark monochromatic looks.
- Super thick, fat belts. These belts will make you look short because they will cut your body. Beat-up belts are also not stylish. Anson Belts have no holes and feature a track system. You can mix and match belts and buckles. It’s all interchangeable.
- Untailored suits. A suit that has not been tailored will likely be big and boxy with too-long sleeves. These features will make you look short. To maximize your aesthetic, wear tailored clothing.
- Long jackets, sleeves, & shirts. Tailor your driving jacket or other jackets if you’re a shorter man. I had my driving jacket’s sleeves removed from the shoulder and lifted. I also had the jacket shortened about 3 in. It’s still a longer jacket, but it’s okay because it’s monochromatic, appropriately sized, and tailored. Also, any type of sleeves that are too long will throw off the proportions of your arms. Make sure that your sleeves expose a bit of tricep. The proper proportions will make your arms look the appropriate length. While on this topic, big and bulky watches will make your arms’ proportions off. The last point is whether a polo, t-shirt, tank top, or button-up, if your shirt passes your crotch or to the bottom of it, your proportions will be messed up. Your legs will look short.
- Too long shorts. The proper length should be about 2 in above your knee. 3 in is appropriate if you’re taller. If your shorts come down too long, just like shirts, your lower body will look short.
