Shirts for short men with a belly or broad shoulders
Size the shirt for your chest and shoulders, then check the body length: on a shorter, broader man, the right size often runs long, so choose a straight-hem or shorter-cut shirt that ends at mid-fly when worn untucked.
Fit the widest point first
A belly or broad shoulders set the minimum size: if the chest or shoulder pulls, nothing else will look right. Choose the smallest size whose chest leaves enough room over your build.
That size is often long for a shorter man, because each size up adds length too. That is the trade-off to manage.
Then manage the length
Untucked shirts should end around mid-fly. Look for straight hems or shorter body lengths in the size that fits your chest; a long curved tail on a short frame shortens the legs.
Sleeves will also run long in a bigger size; check sleeve reach, not just the sleeve figure.
Cuts and fabrics that help
A regular or relaxed cut that falls straight from the chest skims a belly better than a slim cut that grips it. Matte fabrics with some weight drape better than thin, shiny ones. Darker, solid colours and vertical detail, such as a placket, keep the line long.
Questions
What shirt style suits a short man with a belly?
- A regular or relaxed cut that falls straight from the chest, in a size chosen for the chest, with a body length that ends around mid-fly when untucked.
Should short men tuck in their shirts?
- Tucking with a mid-rise trouser lengthens the leg line. Untucked works when the shirt ends around mid-fly; longer than that shortens the legs.