Being tall and slim is a dream, right? Well, not when it comes to finding clothes that fit and look good at the same time! Where a lot of men probably look at you and think you’ve got it all, we know there lies plenty of other clothing issues that the average height man will never need to consider. Fear not though, as we’ve got a few tricks up our extra-long sleeves for you….
Here we are going to run through everything you need to know about when it comes to dressing well as a tall man. It needn’t be as difficult as you might think…
The perfect length
The length of your clothing is incredibly important as a tall man and something that doesn’t come particularly easy. There will be a natural inclination to want to wear all your clothes extra-long. This likely comes down to those childhood moments where sleeve and trousers lengths were always at half-mast so to find anything that fits are nothing but a joy. A moment of; Look! I can wear clothes that fit, and I can even get them bigger than me if the need arises. However, we must not lose our senses and the general rules of fit and length constraints should still come into play.
Your sleeve length should come to your wrist bone or a little bit longer but never drop over the hands. Again, it’s tempting to choose longer length sleeves when opting for a made to measure shirt, just because you can but it rarely looks as great as it should.
Long legs
If you have longer legs than you do a long body, you may as well show them off. There’s nothing worse than a pair of trousers where the rise is too low (The rise is basically the crotch length put as a more charming term). Trying to disguise the length of your legs can have the opposite effect.
Also choose tapered trousers and opt for ones that are not too baggy nor too slim and they will gently hug your legs in the right places, meaning that the fabric won’t swim around your legs and ‘flap’ about. For those who don’t know what tapered means, it’s when the cut of your trousers gets ever so slightly narrower towards the bottom of your legs, meaning a more flattering cut that follows the natural line of your leg.
Choose Texture
Yeay for you, as shorter men struggle to wear chunky knits without looking like a cuddly teddy bear, where you can choose chunkier fabrics with more texture as you don’t need to worry that they’ll make you look ‘shorter’.
Roll necks look particularly great on tall men as they break up a long neck. Worn with a chunky coat, this can be a really nice casual look.
- CHUNKY KNITS IN MERINO WOOL THAT KEEP THEIR SHAPE
- ROLL NECKS IN FINER OR MORE CHUNKIER FABRICS
- LAYER, SO WEAR YOUR KNITWEAR WITH A SHIRT UNDERNEATH TO ADD MORE DEPTH
Long torso
If you have more of a long torso than you do long legs, things like knitwear and shirt lengths can be a royal pain and I’m sorry to have to say it but made to measure will be the only way to go. It will be a long-term, worthwhile investment though. Plus, your shirt will no longer become untucked the minute you’ve moved. Please avoid going up a few sizes to get the sleeves longer, it distorts everything around it and feels just darn right disappointing.
Layering
Layering will be your friend. Layering is when you wear several lighter weight items to make up a complete outfit that you can take off or add as you see fit and are ideal for our frequent weather changes.
The cut
Cut is vital when you’re tall, particularly as you can either land up looking like everything is flapping around you, with a suit that is trying to work out a shape for you, rather than looking like you have full control over the style and are really owning it. (A clear case of the clothes wearing you rather than vice versa). You want to look like you have shape, whether you’re a slender tall man or a chunkier tall man, the same rules apply here.
Never opt for baggy clothing to hide your shape, it only makes it worse. Shaped and slightly slim fit is the best way to make shape and to have control of the overall illusion you’re wishing to create.
Fabrics
Heavier fabrics tend to work best on tall men, as it adds more substance to your overall look. The last thing you’ll want are super fine fabrics that aren’t durable nor create a great shape for you.
Choosing anything from 10oz which is more on the lighter side to anything up to 13oz. Much heavier than that and you’ll be boiling hot!
8 key items every tall man should have in their wardrobe:
1- Chunky knitwear – you can pull it off (literally 😉 )
From roll necks to chunky knits you can definitely feel smug that you can wear these and look great.
2- Dark blue, smart jeans. The length of your jeans can be a bit longer than you’d wear a smart pair of trousers and worn with a pair of Oxford shoes or Chelsea boots can look really great on tall men.
3- Well tailored shirts
No more ill fitting shirts with short arm or body lengths. Have shirts made exactly the way you like them, and you’ll feel a million dollars.
4- Shorts that are thigh length
Too short and it’ll look like you’re wearing hot pants and too long and they look a bit ‘daggy. Cargo shorts are even worse!
5- Sports jackets
The fabric can be more textured or you can choose a classic navy blazer, as mixing and matching colours are really great for breaking up a tall body. Even if it’s a subtle shade change, for example a navy blazer with a pair of jeans will look great, then wear a shirt in a contrasting colour that makes the whole look come together but that doesn’t make you look longer by wearing all the same colour.
6- Coats
Coats that are cut just to below your bottom if you’re opting for a shirter more casual option and if you’re wanting an overcoat or raincoat style then those cut to the knee or just above look really stylish. Anything too long can make you run the risk of looking like the Grim reaper.
7- Beautifully cut suits
Either choose made to measure or bespoke. Start with a classic navy and charcoal with subtle texture and you can’t go far wrong. Choose shirts with stripes or texture so that your look isn’t too flat.
8- Trousers in a variety of colours.
Being tall means that you can wear lighter colours at the bottom. Choose neutrals, blues and richer colours. You can also choose heavier cloths such as flannels, twills and cords/
What clothes to avoid as a tall man
1- Anything boxy. That means anything not fitted, tapered or tailored.
2- Anything baggy. Never go up a few sizes to get those long sleeve lengths.
3- Any fabrics that are too bright, they rarely look good unless it’s a pocket square, scarf or funky shirt.
4- Flat fabrics that add no dimension to your look.
5- Going up sizes to get longer body or sleeve lengths. Always invest in clothes that will fit you perfectly.
(If I’ve missed anything, please ask away and I shall add to this.)
It will always be worthwhile to invest in your wardrobe and choose made to measure as clothes that are ‘off the peg’ will rarely suffice and by choosing made to measure you get the added bonus of having clothes that both look great and fit you to perfection.
Coming soon we will have made to measure polo shirts, T-shirts and knitwear added to our offering, so do stay tuned.
If you need any further style advice or would like to schedule your complimentary made to measure consultation with us here
