Kathryn Fassett
A tall man has the challenge of dressing in a way that doesn’t emphasize his towering stature. A few visual tricks in your ensemble can help make you seem a more standard height. But tall is a nonspecific description of a person. A man’s height is only one consideration for how to dress, and so a tall man ought to also consider style tips for thinner men, larger men, or athletic men depending on the rest of your body size. No matter what shape you’re in, these 5 style tips for tall men will help you look universally stellar.
Whether you are standing as tall as Shaq or are 6’4 and appear as though you are towering amongst your counterparts, proportion is absolutely critical when dressing men of length. Barring the Dutch, paying attention to details to reduce perceived vertical lines will go along way to ensuring that you look dapper without seeming out of place or proportion. And the Dutch will probably have to pay attention too!
Courtesy of www.pinterest.com
1. Jacket Styles for Tall Men
When it comes to jackets, a tall man can make a safe bet with a two-button, single breasted selection. Thinner men can rock a double breasted jacket, but a wider or more athletically-shaped tall man would put too much emphasis on chest width with a double breast. Jackets should be looser and have a straight fit. If you have a trim physique you might be tempted to reach for a more tapered suit jacket, but taller men run the risk of looking squeezed into their clothing. A looser fit helps you look more natural. It’s a good idea to opt for a suit with two vents to help achieve that casual look.
If you find yourself in a pinch and your jacket is too short, your first step (if you can’t get to the tailor) is to add a watch. If that isn’t enough to offset the gap, cuffing the sleeves at the elbow can fix the problem for a casual gathering at least. This won’t be a good enough fix for more formal situations.
Courtesy of www.theidleman.com
2. Tips For Tailoring
Unless you are purchasing bespoke or made to measure clothing, most of the pieces a tall man can buy won’t fit properly. The most common areas where a tall man needs the help of a tailor is in the shirt waist (which will likely be too high) and in the sleeves and pant legs. There are some clothing brands that offer clothing designed for tall men, but these sizes often pigeonhole taller men into one body type. A good tailor can make the single biggest difference in your wardrobe than any other tool you could have.
3. Balancing Proportions
One theme we often visit on this blog is proportion. Proportion is important in every aspect of your ensemble, from your accessories to the patterns you choose. The idea is that you create a balanced look when your accessories are proportional to your body size and your patterns are varied in proportion. For a taller man, this can sometimes translate into larger patterns and a wider tie or thick watch to achieve a balanced look. If you are on the thinner side, this is not as great a look for you.
In every case, a faint pattern will always be a better option than a solid color. Solid colors have a tendency to emphasize the reality of your body situation. For short guys, solid colors make them look short. Taller guys look taller in solids. A subtle such as herringbone gives you a little bit of distraction. Vertical pinstripes, on the other hand, will make you seem even taller. This is the case with any vertically-oriented pattern.
Subtle patterns such as herringbone will allow your proportions to stay in check, and not elongate vertical lines too much. Courtesy of www.indochino.com
4. Fabrics and Textures for Tall Men
For the most part, a taller man can take advantage of any fabric or texture available. As with other considerations, larger men should avoid adding extra bulky fabrics while thinner men can pull these off with ease. Light weight fabrics make everybody look good. Textured fabrics can replace patterns with ease, although you should be ever mindful of avoiding vertically-oriented emphasis.
5. Fine Points and Accessories
A taller man should make a few restrictions on accessories. For example, suspenders are never a good option for a tall man because when people look at you, their eyes are naturally drawn up and down your chest, making you seem even taller. Ties will always need to be longer to reach your belt.
But when it comes to other accessories, such as the width of your tie or watch size, it’s more important to pay attention to proportion and your body size. Widespread collars make a man’s shoulders seem slightly more broad. This works to a taller man’s advantage and helps him look less imposing. At the other end of your ensemble, a wider cuff at your trouser break helps balance your legs and make them look less long. The same concept can be applied to your shirt cuffs.
To view The Dark Knot’s extensive range of extra long length ties, which are ideally suited for taller men, please click here.
Another suit detail to pay attention to, in this case to avoid, is contrast stitching. When a suit has decorative sewing in a color that stands out against the fabric, it can add a pop of panache to an ensemble. Unfortunately for our tall friends, these end up creating nice long lines of color. The results will make you look even taller than you are.
A widespread collar shirt can help accentuate perceived horizontal lines for taller men. Courtesy of www.mensfash.com
Bring It Together
Style tips for tall men are always hinged on the other attributes of your body. It’s important to understand proportion and to work with a good tailor to start with pieces that fit your body. Light fabrics and subtle micro-patterns will help a tall man seem shorter while flattering any body type underneath. Wider cuffs and a spread collar can add balance to your silhouette. These 5 style tips can help you build an array of wardrobe items to mix and match with ease.
And that’s a wrap for this one. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!
To view The Dark Knot’s extensive range of extra long length ties, which are ideally suited for taller men, please click here.
