TIPS SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALLER OUTSIZE MEN

Few outsize clothing makers make clothes for shorter men under 5' 5", so smaller men are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding a really good outsize fashion look. That said, as our fashion team outline, there are ways to give a taller effect to your appearance. They also have drawn up tips on how you can look your best by watching what you wear and how you wear it.

How to appear Taller

The following are some simple yet often overlooked tips that can help you appear taller:
1. Maintaining good posture is key. Sit with your back straight, and stand as tall as you can. A slouched stance will not only make you look shorter but you will also appear insecure.

2. Small men look better with short hair from a general fashion point of view. Long hair hides your neck and 'sinks' your head into your chest and shoulders, making it look as if you have no neck

3. Try to stay fit if you can. Bigger bellies give a more rounded, shorter looking profile, whereas having some muscle (such as built, defined shoulders) can help add some height to your overall frame.

Look for specialist 'smaller size' outsize retailers

The best way to start is to go to our men's pages and see what styles and sizes they carry. You should never be afraid to email and ask the salesperson if they can make special orders for shorter men or if they offer custom-made clothing.

General fashion advice for small outsize men

Wear vertical stripes
Anything that makes your body look longer is good. Vertical stripes in clothing can help extend the look of your shorter body. Patterns such as pinstripe, chalkstripe and herringbone also offer that "vertical" effect. Do not undo the effect by wearing checkered shirts.

Wear one colour
Wearing a shirt and trousers in the same colour will prevent breaks in your top-to-bottom, natural whole body look, and as a result will give the illusion that you're taller.

Go for dark shades & light fabrics
Dark colors, especially black, have a slimming effect and help shorter men look longer. The same goes for light and medium weight fabrics. Heavier fabrics, on the other hand, tend to make you look bulkier and shorter.

Make sure your clothes fit.
It's important that your clothes, even if outsize, fit perfectly. Loose clothing can make you look short, so go for a fit that is trim rather than baggy.

Shoes
One way to look taller is to wear height-increasing footwear or apparatuses such as lifts, insoles, elevator shoes, and shoes with thicker soles. These can all easily add a couple of inches to your height. When shopping for shoes, stick to bulkier styles so that your feet don't look too small. Don't wear bright socks, as this will draw attention to your bigger shoes !

Blazers and jackets
Don't wear jackets or cardigans with more than three buttons because they will draw unwanted attention to your shorter upper body. Make sure that your blazers and jackets fall slightly below your buttocks, as this will make your body look longer. While you should try to avoid double-breasted suits, if you do choose to wear one, do up all the buttons (including the lower ones), as this will give you a longer look.
If you are wearing a sports jacket, make sure there's as little contrast between your jacket and trousers as possible, to maintain the natural vertical lines. Center and side vents also add the effect of a prolonged vertical line.

Shirts and tops
In terms of sweaters and T-shirts, V-necks can help make your torso look longer. Turtlenecks, on the other hand, can make you look short, as they conceal your neck in the same way as long hair does.
Look for semi-fitted shirts in order to avoid excess fabric when tucking them in and opt for point collars instead of spreads. Finally, keep in mind that tucking in casual and t-shirts can place the emphasis on your legs and torso, which might make you look shorter.

Trousers
Do not wear your trousers too high;- wear them just above your hips as too high they make your upper body look short. At the same time avoid wearing low-rise jeans(even if they are 'fashionable'), as they make legs look shorter than they already are.
Avoid any kind of puckering around the waist, from tucking in your shirts or having full pockets, as it will make you look wider and hence, shorter.
Your trousers should be sitting slightly lower on your shoes than average, to help make your legs look longer by covering your socks properly.
Avoid turn-ups if possible. If you do decide to wear them, have your tailor hem them slightly narrower than normal (that is, 1 inch instead of the usual 1½ to 2 inches). Finally, keep in mind that trousers with no pleats or a single pleat are more flattering than multiple pleats.

Accessories
Shorter outsize men should avoid bow ties. Instead, they should wear narrower ties; solid, and regimental and diagonal patterns work best.
Wear a belt rather than braces, and if you pick one that hasn't got holes the chances are that you will get a better, more exact adjusted look around your waist, avoiding the puckered look.

fashion advice for smaller outsize men on looking taller and on correct clothing choice