Any guy over 20 years old has probably tried on a ton of different t-shirts. As a 5’6″ man, I’ve only found a handful that really fit me and that I feel comfortable wearing.
The main problem is length and proportion. Most “small” t-shirts are still too long for our torsos, so they hang down past the belt line. You’ve probably mastered all of the little tricks – tucking the front of your shirt in behind your belt, keeping your hands in your pockets to hold the sides of your shirt up – you know what I’m talking about.
The good news is, there are three brands who make t-shirts that looks great on men of modest height, and they’re all relatively inexpensive.
American Apparel
Oddly enough, I’ve found that the American Apparel small and medium sizes both fit me pretty well. The are slightly different, though, and my favorite t-shirt is actually an AA medium that I accidentally shrunk in the dryer. Check it out:
American Apparel Medium (Shrunk)
The small size also fits well, assuming you don’t shrink it in the wash, but it’s more snug than the medium (good motivation to stay in shape…).
American Apparel Small T-Shirt
You can get these in the store (I’m sure there’s an American Apparel around you..just look for giant posters of mostly nude models and neon colors) or online. Also, you can order graphic AA tees like the ones I’m wearing in the pics from Threadless.com.
Utility (from Target)
The only clothes I buy at Target are undershirts, socks and boxers. I’m not “above” shopping there. I’ve just never found the normal fit problems we deal with at any store are exacerbated at mass market stores like Target, Walmart, etc.
My little sister, however, got me this Target t-shirt a couple of years ago, and it’s been one of my favorite tees every since. As you can see, it doesn’t fit quite as well as the American Apparel shirts, but it is slightly more comfortable:
Utility Medium T-Shirt
Shortees
As you may know, The Modest Man and Shortees are buds. We both want to help short men find better fitting clothes. Seth from Shortees was nice enough to send me a free shirt when I first started this blog (you can check out my review right here) and he’s even been known to give away free shirts to my readers. Here’s a photo of me wearing a plain black Shortees t-shirt so you can get an idea of how they fit:
Shortees Medium T-Shirt
As I mentioned in my Shortees review, my only problem with the t-shirt is that it’s too wide at the opening, which causes it too flare out around the waist. Because of this, it looks great from the front but kind of odd from the side. Still, though, Shortees t-shirts are great for short men.
I hope this article helps you find the perfect t-shirt. It’s such a basic staple of any man’s wardrobe, and I think we can all appreciate a comfortable t-shirt that fits perfectly.
If you thought this was helpful, please let me know! I love getting emails from you guys. Also, if you know of some other brands that are great for short men, share the knowledge by leaving a comment below.
Stick with AA small t-shirt. It conforms to your body better than medium. Also, I saw your Indochino blazer and IMO you can probably still suppress the body and slim down the sleeves a bit. I’m just like you, smaller by 2 inches, trying to get my clothes to fit me better.
Thanks for the feedback. I agree…that small AA is a great fit. They make XS and XXS too. About the blazer, I’m getting the sleeves shortened a little and will probably adjust my size (Indochino saves this in your account settings) to bring in the bicep and wrist a tiny bit.
Overall though, it’s a great fit and value for under $200.
-B
I’m so stoked that I found your blog…. One of my coworkers has been threatening to take me shopping for a good pair of jeans, after seeing that my 501s were getting a little worn. I just started looking at the different brands and actually found that STF 501s are a good fit for the shorter man. I’m 5’3 and have worn 501s forever, good to know that I was in the know, without knowing…..
Back to the t-shirts, I’ve got a pretty big chest, so most of the shirts I buy are the athletic cut. I have found that Target v-neck athletic cuts t-shirts fit me very well and they don’t cost a fortune. You do have to look close when you buy them, to make sure the side seams are straight.
Thanks for all the great information. Will be adding you to my favorites!
Kevin
Kevin,
Thanks so much for the comment! What was your experience like with the STFs? I’ve been thinking about buying a pair, although I have to say that the shrinking process is a little daunting for a lot of people (Andrew over at Primer Mag did a great post about this recently).
I’ll check out those Target v-necks when I get a chance. You might like the Shortees shirts, as they are made for a more athletic shape, but they do cost $20 each.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the site!
-B
I’m about 5’6″ 170-175 lbs and t shirts from jcrew, Size medium or Polo, size small, fit just about perfectly. I have a couple American apparel t shirts that I bought in Paris out of sheer need but they are skin tight on me. I actually buy most of my shirts and sweaters from jcrew and they all fit pretty well, yet I haven’t seen you mention jcrew at all.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your comment. I think the reason the J. Crew stuff fits well on you, while the American Apparel stuff fits better on me, is because you have about 40 pounds on me. In my experience, J. Crew shirts are too long and/or baggy (in general). I do, however, like some of their shorts, as they tend to carry shorter inseams. I recommend a couple of pairs in my eBook.
I also included J. Crew on my list of the best clothing stores for short men.
-Brock
Try being 5’7 and 215 lbs. I need an XL to fit my chest/stomach, and they’re usually WAY too long. Granted, I’ve lost about 40 lbs, and was wearing a 2X. That journey continues, but I’ll check out some of the recommendations to find better fitting tees.
Hey Bryan,
Congratulations on the weight loss so far. Keep it up! As far as finding better tees, have you checked out Shortees?
-B