Where to buy Suits, Chinos, Sweaters, and more… for the shorter crowd.
About the author: Brock is the founder and editor of The Modest Man, which he started to help men under 5’8″ dress better and feel more confident about themselves. When he’s not writing, you can find Brock practicing jiu-jitsu or making breakfast for dinner.
We live in a world (country?) of mass-manufactured, oversized clothing. Even guys who are dead average in terms of height and weight have a hard time finding stuff that fits. But it’s a nightmare for us men who are super short/tall/skinny/heavy.
I’m 5’6”/130 lbs, and believe you me: almost nothing fits properly off the rack.
Everything needs alterations, which is why waiting for sales is that much more important for us non-average men. We have to save our hard-earned cash to pay that tailor tax, you know? Over the years, I’ve found a few go-to stores with items that work for the smaller men. In no particular order, here are my all-time favorites:
Chinos: Banana Republic
I love BR chinos. They have a variety of fits, but the Aidens are my personal favorites. They’re kind of like the J. Crew 484s but with more taper below the knee. With waists and inseams starting at 28″, most should be able to get away without too much extra tailoring. Not only do these chinos fit great, but they’re always on sale, so don’t pay full retail. For those who prefer/need a little more room in the seat and legs, give the Emerson a shot.
Merino Sweaters: Express
It’s not exactly hard to find slim fit Merino wool v-neck sweaters these days, but my go-to source is Express. They’re slim. Real slim. Even the arms are nice and tapered, which is great for smaller guys. Plus they’re available down to XS, even in many brick and mortar stores, and they’re usually on sale (typically a buy-one-get-one-half-off sort of deal). Express doesn’t make the highest quality stuff, but their sweaters do seem to keep their shape and hold up nicely (compared to, say, H&M).
Shoes & Boots: Allen Edmonds
I’m not saying that all short men have small feet (joke, anyone?), but my non-scientific, completely anecdotal research suggests a positive correlation between height and foot size. Me? I wear a US 7 in most brands. And I die a little inside everytime I discover a cool new boutique shoemaker that doesn’t produce anything below size 8.
Allen Edmonds is one of the few shoe companies that sells high quality, but still affordable (if only once or twice a year) dress shoes in smaller sizes. And for that, I commend them. AE offers most of their collection down to size 7 (even the Dalton as seen above). They usually carry around 40 styles in size 6, and they even stock some casual styles in size 5. They also take custom orders for extra small sizes that aren’t regularly manufactured (for an extra $75).
Button Up Shirts: Peter Manning
Peter Manning shirts are the only off the rack button ups I’ve ever worn that didn’t need alterations. That’s because they are made specifically for men 5’8” and under. There are only a handful of clothing companies focusing on shorter men, and Peter Manning is one of them. They make classic American sportswear – sweaters, chinos, jeans, polos, button ups, etc. They aren’t the cheapest option, but hey, think of all the money you’re saving on alterations. They only have one showroom (in Brooklyn), but shipping and returns are free in the U.S., so you can try them out risk free.
Shorts: ASOS
ASOS carries a bunch of different brands, but I’m talking about their house brand (aptly named “ASOS”). They offer several cuts/lengths for shorts, my favorite being the mid-length “skinny” chino short. They’re the only shorts I’ve found that have enough taper for my slim legs (substantially slimmer than J. Crew Stantons). I know what you’re thinking: “Does this guy even lift?” Well,maybe I should hit the squat rack. But for now I’m going to double up on my ASOS chino shorts while they’re on sale.
Socks: Viccel
For the most part, socks are two-sizes-fit-all, which sucks if you have small feet. Most dress socks that “fit shoe size 8-12” are too big for anyone with smaller than average feet. The heel sits up near your ankle, and “over the calf” pretty much means “over the knee”. It took some serious hunting, but I found some great socks for small feet. Whatever your budget, there are options. My favorite happens to be one of the most affordable options – Viccel. Based in Turkey, this online sock maker offers socks in pretty much any combination of material/color/size you could imagine. Their website looks like it was created by a middle school computer science class, circa 1994, but I promise they’re legit.
Suits & Dress Shirts: Made to Measure
When it comes to fit, my best shirts and suits are made-to-measure. Simple as that. Online MTM isn’t for everyone, and it’s a process riddled with pitfalls. But once you nail down your measurements and build a relationship with a good MTM company, you won’t go back. Thing is, I could buy Charles Tyrwhitt or J. Crew shirts on sale and get them altered, but it ends up costing the same or more as a decent made-to-measure shirt plus a trip to the tailor. For me, MTM is the way to go. If you’re sick of having all of your dress shirts tailored, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
There are many made-to-measure companies and plenty of reviews for each of them, so do your homework before committing to one. For suits, my go-to is Dragon Inside. They offer full construction at a relatively affordable price. More importantly, they actually look at your self-submitted measurements and let you know if they recommend any adjustments. This kind of dedication and customer support is crucial for getting made-to-measure right.
T-Shirts: Threadmason
It doesn’t get much more basic than the t-shirt. But even with the basics, fit matters, and short men have once again been short shrifted. Until now. Funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign, Threadmason has created a proprietary sizing system to the king of clothing staples, the solid tee. This system allows for different shirt lengths, which solves a huge problem for shorter men. You may not know this, but the vast majority of shirts are too long for men under 5’8”. I’m 5’6”, and almost every t-shirt I’ve ever worn has been at least two inches too long. I bought a Threadmason tee during their Kickstarter campaign, and it’s the best t-shirt I own, hands down. One of the more expensive too, but worth it to me. Full review right here. UPDATE: Looks like these guys are no longer in business. Dang.
Anything else? Now that Brock has shared some of his favorite clothes for svelte gents, make any additions you might have in the comments. For more from TheModestMan, head to the website, or like them on Facebook.
5’7″ Thank you for all of the tips. I really appreciate that there is someone out there looking for stuff that might actually fit me .
5’7″ here. I have no trouble finding clothes that fit from any brand. The one exception is socks. My secret? Women’s socks. Added benefit: Women have more no-show options.
At 5’7″ 160, I haven’t had difficulty finding clothes that fit at all. 30×30 pants are a pretty common size and most slim fit smalls from all brands fit well.
Just shop where Tom Haverford shops: Brooks Brothers for Boys.
Couldn’t agree more.
In 2010 I emailed my local shop about having Allen Edmonds’ black tie shoe made in an off-the-chart size and was told “Yes, for a additional fee of $125.00, the Copley could be made in a size 14 AA”.
Their Rediscover America sale is imminent and I could use one more pair of poor weather shoes. How can I secure the $75 upcharge mentioned in this writeup?
5′ 4″ 125lbs here – for anything up top search for “chopped” on dappered and buy – (Uniqlo) – for anything on the bottom BR – inseams upto 28 – although they are inconsistent so I get inseam 30 and get them altered.
What about for short women? My girlfriend is just under 5′ tall and a Junior’s XS or size 0, but she obviously doesn’t want to wear Junior styles (not to mention that the fit isn’t really meant for a woman’s body).
This probably isn’t the ideal place to ask, but I’m hoping some of you know.
“I wear a US 7 in most brands. And I die a little inside everytime I discover a cool new boutique shoemaker that doesn’t produce anything below size 8.”
Man, it’s not just the boutique shoemakers. There are plenty of mainstream brands that stop at size 8 too. And trying to find smaller than a size 8 to try on in-person is the worst.
Gap also has 28″ inseam on their pants, albeit, they’re also inconsistent. I’ve received 1 pair that measure 27″ but it actually didn’t bother me.
Ditto on the ‘chopped’ keyword since it actually works in our favor.
Smaller guys should consider looking not just at the women’s section for certain items (socks, gloves), but also at the kid’s sizes for other things. I’m usually safe in men’s sizes but I’ve also had a fleece jacket, a parka, and a pair of running shoes that were kid’s sizes. If I were smaller than a 36R, I’d probably try kid’s suits and blazers from Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren (or just the extra small sizes from Suitsupply) before I took the risk of online MTM.
The added benefit of buying kid’s sizes is that they tend to cost about 2/3 of comparable men’s sizes.
You’re very welcome. Us short gents have to stick together!
Great idea… can’t believe I’ve never tried this.
Yeah that’s true. Most DSWs don’t stock anything below 8 (at least where I live).
Try their online customer support chat. I confirmed this charge with one of their reps a few weeks ago.
That’s good to hear. I’m jealous. I think a lot of brands make their smaller sizes for the 5’7″-5’8″ range. If you’re short (under 5’8″) AND very slim, many S/XS are still too long (like all outerwear from J. Crew).
Nice writeup. Thanks for the tips.
Also, how is the quality of the Peter Manning clothing? And do you have any experience with the sweatpants? I cannot find a pair of sweatpants that isnt ridiculously huge on me, (5’7″ 155).
5′ 3″ and have spent a small fortune on tailoring suits and pants.
I’ve been hoping for a while for an article like this to show up on dappered. Thanks!
I have a few things from the boys/teens department. Never tried a boys size suit, but I’m pretty comfortable with MTM at this point.
SS does have some great options for short/slim men.
Quality is good. I’ve worn two button ups pretty consistently (all summer), and they’re not showing any signs of wear. I’d say it’s what you should expect for the price.
Yeah I spend as much (or more) on tailoring as I do on new clothes.
Glad you liked the post!
At 5’8″ 160, I’m lucky to be just inside the normal range. However, I have a 28″ inseam, so I’ll have to check out Gap/BR’s pants, didn’t even realize they went that low.
Not sure if she’s petite or just short, but many of my exes have been in the under-100 lbs category, just over 5′” and size 0 – 00s. The only clothes they could consistently get to fit them were made for the Asian market. Maybe try Amazon looking for Korean clothes? They seem to be cut smaller for both men and women.
Ah the difference two inches makes…
That’s what she said
Wait… was I just set up?
We need a post for tall guys. A tailor can’t lengthen pants/jackets if the material just ain’t there. A lot to consider for shorter guys though; things I never realized. Has any of the shorter guys worn J Crew or JCF boy sizes? A lot of the staples seem similar to the men’s.
Great article. Now, can we expect an article for those of us 6′ 2″ and taller? You know, in the interest of equal time.
Thanks for this article. On the Vicell socks site, which weight of socks do you typically get to wear with dress shoes for work – winter weight or summer weight? And over-the-calf or mid-calf?
at 5’8″ 150-155lbs and pretty lean it is hard to fit into a lot of brands such as Banana Republic and Brooks Brothers without it billowing. The best fits I have found for merino sweaters is probably J. Crew Slim in size small (the sleeves are actually not too long). It is odd though because for various brands I can vary from an xs all the way to a medium
+1 for Tom.
I’m not short, or that skinny, but this was a very well written article. Excellent job, @TheModestMan:disqus.
6′ 6″ — How about some advice for the other half.
When JCF started offering tall sizes, I wanted to celebrate it as a holiday. I’m pretty sure it went unnoticed by most, though. Still would like to see a 36″ inseam though.
Brock, I didn’t know you used Dragon Inside. I’d like to know how they measure up to Lewis and Taylor, Ratio, and others you have used. The selection seems limited.
Yeah, they don’t go quite tall enough. Unlike say, a Banana Republic, the JCF only goes up to XL tall, 38 waist, 34 inseam, and 46 jacket. Literally all ONE SHORT of my sizes.
It would be great to have another version of this post for the Talls. Any good affordable pants that aren’t highwaters? Shirts that can’t also double as sails?
I like the summer weight over the calf. But I’m trying out some of their winter weight mid-calfs soon. Full review on my blog sometime in the next few weeks.
Thank you, sir.
I’ve only used them for suits and jackets, no shirts. I’ve tried pretty much every major MTM shirt company. My go-tos are Modern Tailor and Blank Label. Lewis and Taylor are also great.
But I’m sure Dragon Inside could make you a great-fitting shirt too.
Plus, once a year, you get to treat. yo. self.
I think it is time you did a full updated review of all the MTM shirt companies you have used. I just placed an order to Solosso and am hoping for the best.
ASOS skinny chino shorts have been my secret for like two years now. They’re amazing. There are two ‘tiers’ of them – one is more expensive and comes in navy and khaki, the other has a few more colors and runs much cheaper. The expensive ones are 100% worth the money – noticably better fabric and fit/finish. I bought two pairs of each color since they’re the only shorts that I’ve ever owned that fit my 5’7″ 135lb body perfectly.
Couldn’t agree more. Every other pair of shorts I’ve ever worn was too wide at the opening for my legs (among other fit problems).
The issues I’ve found with Brooks Brothers’ kids suiting/blazers is that the colors / fabrics / selection are extremely limited and dull. They also feel just a little too much like the low-armscye, ‘fit-as-many-body-types-as-possible’ jackets you find at Wal-Mart.
One other thing perhaps worth a look for gents with shoe sizes 7 and below: womens’ boots. I nabbed a gorgeous pair of very unisex dark suede chelsea boots at an Estate Sale the other day. They’re a Lands End womens size 8.5, which fits me like a perfect 6.5 mens size. Obviously hit+miss: avoid anything with a feminine silhouette, substantial heel, or cheap / synthetic leather.
I’m the same general dimensions – 5’8″ and 150ish and have no problem fitting in the standard brands slim fit mediums. Sleeves are the only exception but only by an inch or so and just end up rolling them up at work.
On the subject of shoes, I’m a 8 but the the shoe makeup makes a significant difference. Cap toe, mocs, contrasting edging, etc just just end up making us small of feet look smaller. I’m always shocked to read about guys buying some fancy cap toe shoe in size 6 or 7.
Heard good things about Solosso. Let me know how it turns out.
I used to work at Banana Republic, and they had (I assume still do) a good petite section
Thanks Brock
Hey guys, Zach from Peter Manning here. Thanks for the shout out Brock! Noticed you didn’t have a section on outerwear. We just launched our new Tribeca Field Jacket, which I’m particularly proud of. Also happy to field any questions you guys may have about Peter Manning!
Brooks Brothers was designed for old, fat, rich, white men so you’ll have to tailor a lot of their items. Have you tried out BR’s Tailored Slim Fit options? I’m your size and they fit perfectly.
BR small merino sweaters (at least when I tried them a few years ago, still fit like a sack but maybe that has changed). They do not stock 36/s or x-small sizes in Canadian BR stores which sucks…38/s at BR is too boxy.
Brooks brothers Red Fleece line fits relatively well with tailoring – the light pink blazer I have in my profile pic is actually from there 36/s fits well after taking in the waist and sleeves – $40 extra 🙁
I still like Ludlow fit or Club Monaco Grant fit in 36/s more for blazers
Likewise, if you’re 5’8″ and overly broad/large (190lbs for me) nothing fits well in larger sizes, either. Without a bunch of tailoring, at least. I found that when I was smaller, the 155lbs-160lbs range at our height was a bit of a sweet spot.
Zach,
What temps is the Tribeca designed for? it looks fantastic but am wondering how it would work in 30 degree weather. It gets cold in the upper Midwest in the fall!
Surely there would be a weak positive correlation for feet and height. Negative would imply that tall people are more likely to have small feet.
Nicely written article, Brock! Great to see you featured on one of my favorite blogs! #theshortmansplight
Agreed. I’m pretty average height and build, but thanks to my what can only be accredited to successful DNA splicing 33 years ago, I am one of the rare humans gifted with “monkey arms”. End up sizing up in almost all long-sleeve shirts just to reach my wrist. Then have to tailor the crap out of them to avoid looking like a deflated blimp.
Also, Tom the Asian sizing trick seems legit. I live in here and all GAP and Uniqlo stuff is way slimmer. Like usually way too slim for me at 6′ and 168 lbs. (32×32). Could work for some. Just my 2¢.
Very well written and presented, Brock. I have checked out your web site, and the good advice given benefits guys of average height ( like me, 5’10”) too. You do a great job explaining why certain things make the difference, and on helping the reader focus on what matters most. Thanks for the helpful content!
handsome, slim asian men… rejoice. relax. this awesome article is for you.
Yup, meant to say positive, not negative. I swear, it’s impossible to proofread your own stuff.
Thanks for catching.
Joe, little help?
Thanks, Matt!
True. 38-34-46L are my sizes exactly and those are rarely in stock at JCF and almost never in Crew.
I’m exactly that size and a 38 inch chest but still have to size down to a small in most J Crew slim fit shirts and sweaters – despite the fact that they’re supposedly slim fit and a 38 should be a medium. I can’t imagine what smaller guys must go through trying to find stuff that fits from large retailers.
They must have slimmed down some because I just picked one up (size small) a week or so ago and it fit decently – not skin tight by any means but not overly billowy. I had to size down to a small though. As with J Crew, despite the fact that I’m a medium according to the size chart I have to size down to a small or things are too billowy.
AH YOU LUCKY MAN
Sudonihm,
The jacket is cotton and not insulated but is made from rugged canvas and has a cotton flannel lining. It would work great in 50/high 40 degree weather with a light sweater. Below that temperature I would recommend layering up more. I’m a big fan of layering and would think that throwing a heavier sweater and maybe a hoodie underneath would totally allow you to handle 30 degree weather. Thanks for the question!
Most of the models on the J. Crew website as well as other mass retailers fit into medium sizes and they are all above 6’0″ tall. One can only assume a small sizes fit guys from 6’0″ to 5’9″ and x-small for 5’8″ to 5’6″. Again this is taking into consideration that a person is average build and not too muscular or fat.
I want this jacket so bad. But which color…?
How about one of these for those of us between L and XL for shirts? While the pants may be less of an issue, finding a reasonable fitting t-shirt/sweater/button-down is near impossible. The threadmason tshirt in XL1A is likely the ballpark I am talking about, but $35+shipping+tax for a tshirt is unreal. Mossimo XLs crew neck tshirts at Target are the best I’ve found so far.
Thanks, great post! BR t-shirts (pima cotton) are also good quality and short. I am 5’6″ and 148lb and their Small fits me perfect, plus cheap too ($12 with 40% off). Colors are limited (gray, white, black), but I own at least 3 in each color and they have become my go to for t-shirts.
Thanks for the tip!
Threadmsaon is high compared to the Gap, but other companies are making $50-80 tees of high quality. Threadmason is very good quality and can be considered a dressier t-shirt. But yes, it might be tough to stock your drawer full of TMs.
5’2 here and I know how this feels really. I hate buying size 8s in mens shoes. Gotta try those Allen Edmond Daltons one day..
I’m a shorter but I don’t have slim legs by any means. So for shorts a bit more room is needed. Any suggestions there?
I agree here
Most 7″ shorts should fit you just fine, like anything from J. Crew or J. Crew Factory. Could also try Express or BR.