If you’re a shorter man, it can sometimes feel like the fashion deck is stacked against you. Let’s face it, it’s hard to rock a killer style when most men’s clothing is designed for men 5’9” and above.

But, this doesn’t mean you can’t rock your own larger-than-life style to help you win at life, business, and in love.

It’s all about knowing key fashion and style hacks to make you look and feel your best, and even appear taller.

Here are our top style tips for short men to get you prepped to take on the world!

Top 10 Style Tips for Short Guys

1. Wear boots

Every short man should own at least one pair of badass boots. Besides adding an element of toughness to your outfit, boots can make you appear taller in two ways:

• The sole of the boot can add an extra inch to your height.
• Boots that reach the ankle create the illusion of longer legs.

2. Avoid loose or baggy clothes

While baggy or oversized clothing is comfortable and trendy, it’s not the best option for short guys.

The secret to short men’s fashion is a well-tailored silhouette, and baggy clothes just don’t give you that. Instead what it does is make you look wider, boxier, and even shorter!

If you want to appear taller, then opt for shirts and pants that fit your body well.

3. Go for monochromatic color schemes

One of the best ways to appear taller is to stick with monochromatic color schemes.

This means you should avoid creating a sharp contrast between your top and bottom – for example, pairing a white shirt with black pants.

If your outfit is more or less the same color, the eye travels in an unbroken line, adding visual height.

This doesn’t mean you need to dress in head-to-toe black or stick with a single color. Wearing a lighter and darker shade of the same color is also considered monochromatic and can make you look taller.

4. Have your clothes tailored

Like we’ve established, baggy or ill-fitting clothes are a no-no if you want to look taller. That’s why you should consider having your clothes custom-tailored to fit your body.

There’s no reason to sacrifice your style with pants or sleeves that are too long when these can easily be fixed.

While getting a tailor might sound expensive, it can be surprisingly affordable. Plus, you will be supporting a local business and salvaging clothes you would have otherwise thrown out.

5. Choose smaller prints

Choosing patterns and prints can be tricky for short men.

The general rule is to avoid large or oversized prints that overwhelm your stature.

Instead go for smaller or vertical lined prints that give the opposite effect. These types of prints can help elongate your upper half, making you look taller.

6. Wear accessories in proportion to your body

Accessories can bring the entire look together, but did you know the wrong ones can make you look shorter?

For example, chunky wrist watches, while considered masculine, can make your wrists look shorter.

Instead of buying watches that compete with the Big Ben, go for more modest-looking wrist watches that complement your body stature.

And it doesn’t stop at watches – wrist chains, belt buckles, and neck chains should also be moderate in size.

7. Choose hairstyles that make you look taller

Our list of style tips and hacks doesn’t stop with your outfit. You can also add more height to your appearance with your hairstyle choice.

A slicked-back hairstyle can look classy and put together, but it’s not going to do anything for you if you want to look taller. Instead, go for hairstyles that are voluminous and teased to look higher.

Some examples of such hairstyles are:

• Pompadour

The pompadour is a great hairstyle that adds some extra inches to your height. It is characterized by a large volume of hair swept away from the forehead adding vertical volume to your height.

• Quiff

The quiff is considered a hybrid between the pompadour and the high top. It can be tousled to perfection giving you an effortless look or it can be styled to appear sleeker.

• Undercut

The undercut, unlike the pompadour, doesn’t necessarily add volume up top – what it does is give the illusion of height.

By leaving the top part of your hair significantly longer than the lower part (thus the name undercut) you’re creating the illusion of a longer face with this look.

What’s more, the undercut can be incorporated into other different hairstyles and it looks good on most face shapes.

• High and tight

The high and tight acts in a similar way as the undercut. It is a variant of the army crew cut and it elongates your face making you appear taller.

8. Keep the interest up top

Another way you can get yourself to look visually taller is to draw attention to your top half.

You can do this either with shirts or with your accessories.

Hats like fedoras, ties with vertical stripes, patterned shirts, and glasses/sunglasses can add interest to your top half and make you appear more balanced and proportional.

9. Choose pants with a higher waistline

Make your legs look longer by going for pants with a higher waistline. This for many people might seem counterintuitive because a higher waistline can shorten your torso, but it can also give the illusion of longer legs.

That being said, buy pants that go up to your belly button or start just below it.

It’s also worth knowing that while you’re getting higher-waisted pants, you should also ensure they are fitted and tapered to prevent you from looking bottom-heavy.

10. Work on posture and body language

It’s not all about styling and fashion – everything still comes down to conveying the right body language and maintaining a good posture.

Body language can say a lot about a person, it can make you appear insecure and dismissable, or dominant and confident.

Remember to always keep your back straight and carry yourself with confidence. Have that #shortkingenergy and you’ll own whatever room you walk into regardless of your height.

Top 10 Short Men’s Style Icons

Popular culture is filled with powerful, well-dressed men who are also short. Here are some short celebrities you can turn to for more style inspiration:

1. Joe Rogan – 5’7″

Joe Rogan wears tailored tops and well-fitting pants to elongate his body and balance his stocky build.

2. Tom Cruise – 5’7″

Action movie star Tom Cruise is known to wear motorcycle boots, well-fitted pants and jackets, and his signature aviator sunglasses to make himself look taller.

3. Kendrick Lamar – 5’6″

The hip-hop star adds swag to his looks and even while he’s wearing bigger clothes, he uses monochromatic colors to add length to his body as well as interesting top pieces like brightly colored hats.

4. Al Pacino – 5’7″

Al Pacino had always favored hairstyles that give him volume and darker-looking outfits.

5. Bruce Lee – 5’7″

Bruce Lee was never one to shy away from patterned clothing but he kept the details small. And even though he loved to show off his abs he still made sure to wear flattering high-waisted pants that elongated his legs.

6. James Dean – 5’7″

James Dean probably popularized the biker look with his pompadour hairstyle and his love for tailored monochromatic outfits.

7. Bruno Mars – 5’5”

Bruno Mars’ style has evolved over the years but he still used the basic tips to make himself look taller. Wearing hats, keeping his hair high and voluminous, and wearing well-tailored and oftentimes monochromatic pieces.

8. Kevin Hart – 5’4”

Funnyman Kevin Hart likes to wear shoes that give him extra height as well as monochromatic colors. And while he likes jewelry, he keeps them moderate in size and they all look perfect for his stature.

9. Prince – 5’2”

Not everyone can be bold enough to pull off his brightly colored outfits. The late musical genius Prince stuck to the rule of using one color to create a single silhouette, and large voluminous hair to draw attention to his upper half.

10. Danny Trejo – 5’6”

Often depicted as the tough guy in films, Danny Trejo is way shorter than he seems. Maybe people fail to notice because of the way he carries himself, or maybe it’s how he sticks to dark colors to elongate his body.

Conclusion

Everybody deserves to have a fashion style that flatters them, regardless of their height.

The icing on the style cake is skincare and grooming products that are also specific to your skin/body’s needs.

That’s why at JESSE JIMZ, we’re all about equipping men to feel confident and put together in every situation.

Check out our complete collection of skincare and grooming products here!