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Sweaters for Short Men: Fit Check + Buying Guide

Published on September 25, 2021 by Brock McGoff · Clothing and Style May contain affiliate links (what's this?)

This guide to sweaters for shorter men will help you stay warm and looking sharp throughout fall, winter and all the way into spring.

Table of Contents

  • Types of Sweaters
  • How a Sweater Should Fit
  • Common Fit Problems for Shorter Men
  • Where to Buy Sweaters for Shorter Guys
  • Questions About Sweaters for Short Men

Sweaters for Short Men

The right sweater can help you layer up for fall, stay warm during winter, and keep it stylish in spring.

 

If you’re reading this during fall or winter, it’s probably getting cold out there. That means you’re reaching for your favorite sweater all the time.

But does it fit right?

In our in-depth guide, we’re going to cover everything you need to know to rock a sweater with confidence and style.

Types of Sweaters

Whether it’s a wool quarter zip, a cotton crew, or a knitted cardigan, a great sweater is a secret weapon in a well-dressed man’s closet.

Typically made from wool and cotton, the most common sweaters are v-neck, quarter zips, and crew neck.

Popular sweater types
The 3 most popular types of sweaters

There’s no need to have a full stable of sweaters at your disposal. Some guys make sweaters their go-to, and if that’s you, pick up a few different colors and different styles.

But even if you’re not a sweater fanatic, you can’t go wrong with a few classic, versatile sweaters to layer in fall, winter, and spring.

One of our favorite things about sweaters is how well they complement other items in your wardrobe. You can wear a sweater on its own, but we think they’re even better as middle and outer layers.

Putting a sweater over a button-up shirt is a classic smart casual look that isn’t going out of style any time soon.

But no amount of variety in your sweater game is going to make a difference if your sweaters make you look like a swamp-monster. That’s right, they have to fit. Even ugly Christmas sweaters look great when they fit well.

As you know, the hardest thing about finding the right sweater is getting a great fit for us shorter guys. Here’s a breakdown of how things should look when you find the perfect sweater.

How a Sweater Should Fit

When it fits right, a sweater is one of the more flattering items a guy can wear.

When it fits wrong, it’s a disaster.

How a sweater should fit

More important than your favorite style and favorite color is the fit. Nail this critical first step and everything else will go smoothly.

The Neck

You want the neck of your sweater to be fairly narrow. Not neck-chokingly narrow, but enough so that you won’t be exposing a ton of shirt around the collar.

The neck should fit over your head and leave a little room for the collar of a button-up to pop up and say hello.

Gray sweater with leather jacket
Instagram: @thegentwithin

If you can see the shoulders or the beginning of the back panel, the neck opening is too wide.

A big issue we’ve seen for shorter gents is the deep v in v-neck sweaters.

When you try on your sweater, make sure you’re not getting something that’s exposing two or three buttons.

Brock wearing brown sweater

Pro tip: Sweaters are delicate creatures. If you hang them, they’ll stretch out along the shoulders and will never fit well again.

Fold them up and keep them in a drawer 😉

The Shoulders

Shoulders, shoulders, shoulders. Hopefully, you’re familiar with how shirts and jackets should fit in the shoulders. It’s the same story with sweaters.

See Also: Outerwear for Shorter Men (In-Depth Guide)

Only the best tailors can alter this part of the sweater, and when they do, it’ll cost you probably just as much as what you bought your sweater for. Save your self the time and hassle and do it right the first time.

Banana Republic crew neck sweater raglans sleeves
Note: some sweaters have raglans sleeves (no shoulder seam); in this case, just make sure there isn’t excess fabric hanging off your shoulder. The above example fits well.

Make sure the shoulder seam falls right at the tip of your shoulder bone. The seam shouldn’t be ending at the edge of your shoulder muscle. This look is never good, especially for shorter guys.

The Chest

How do you like your shirts? Slim fit? Traditional?

Whichever route you choose, you want to hit a balance that looks like it was fitted to your body. Not too tight, not too loose.

Brown cotton sweater

When you go to try on a sweater, you may find that they’re roomier in the chest. Most sweaters are made to be worn over shirts, so you actually want that extra space (just a little).

If you’re swimming in extra fabric around your arms, wrists, and armpits, you’re fighting a losing battle.

When the fit is right, you won’t find any excess material, and you also won’t see tension lines running horizontally.

Of course, for those of you guys who’ve been pumping iron lately, a few tension lines here and there never hurt anyone.

The Stomach

This is the part that gets most of us guys. You have to pay close attention to how your sweater fits around the torso.

Many sweaters have an elastic waistband that cinches in, and if you have extra fabric, you’re looking at major frump-factor. You’ll get a muffin-top effect that’s not flattering at all.

Brock wearing layers
Real life doesn’t look like a fashion photo shoot, so don’t worry if you’re sweater doesn’t look perfectly flat and clean against your stomach.

Go too far in the other direction, and you’re in trouble again. Because sweaters are made with thinner fabrics, especially wool and cashmere, going too tight will cause the button details to show through.

Too much detail coming through the sweater just looks clunky and doesn’t provide that clean, smooth surface that great sweaters provide.

Smart casual layers

Slim but not skinny is your best bet. A bit of extra room around the stomach so you can layer up, but nothing more.

The Hips

Sweaters are one of our favorite recommendations for building great style for shorter guys because they’re usually cut with a slight taper.

ASKET Merino Wool Sweater
ASKET Merino Wool Sweater

Most sweaters have some sort of elastic toward the hem. This should hug around your hips, but not squeeze at all. If it’s pressing in, you’re risking that muffin effect we mentioned earlier.

If it’s too loose, the hem will be apart from your waist. That’s a hallmark look of an old sweater that’s gone through the wash one too many times or a sweater that just doesn’t fit. Either way, you want to avoid it.

Sweater Length

With shirts, if it’s too long you can always tuck it in.

J.Crew vest with chukka boots
Instagram: @thegentwithin

But have you ever seen anyone with a tucked-in sweater?

That’s what we thought. I mean, you can tuck a sweater in if the fabric is very fine (like a extrafine Merino wool turtleneck), but most guys don’t do this.

Amazon Goodthreads Outfit 3
You can tuck in your extrafine Merino wool sweaters, but you’ll usually wear them untucked.

Make sure your sweater falls past the waist of your pants, the hem sitting mid-fly. If your sweater goes below your fly, you’re inventing a new style and we wish you the best of luck.

In our opinion, that’s far too long. Mid-fly, however, is perfect.

Ben wearing Under 510
Under 510 Crew Neck Sweatshirt

Sweaters adjust themselves throughout the day, so if you’re just hitting mid-fly when you pull your sweater all the way down, chances are it’ll rise up above your waistband when you start moving.

If that’s the case, your sweater is too short, though us shorter guys rarely run into that problem.

Sweater Sleeves

Keep the sleeves with just enough room to fit over a shirt, but stay away from anything you’d consider baggy.

The best-fitting sleeve will end right at the wrist. An inch either way isn’t a deal-breaker for any sweater, but anything more than that, and you’ve got the wrong fit.

You certainly don’t want the sleeves to fall on your hands, and if you find yourself folding the sleeves, you’re better off finding another fit. Over time, the elastic will wear out and you’ll be left with a sloppy looking garment.

For us watch-fans out there, your sleeves should just cover your timepiece (we know, it’s hard not showing that beauty off).

Brock in sweater and socks
You can always fold or push your sleeve up a bit to show off your favorite watch 😉

If you get it just right, the ideal look is showing a bit of shirt cuff and wristwatch, all tucked neatly under the sweater. For this look to work, you have to get your fits down perfectly. When you get it, you’ll know you’ve mastered the art of fit.

Either that or Mercury is in retrograde and the groundhog saw its own shadow.

Common Fit Problems for Shorter Men

When you go into the mall, you’ll see that every major retailer makes men’s sweaters. So what do you do when you’re designing a line of clothing that’s meant to fit over 300 million people?

You just take the average build and cater to it.

The average guy in the US is 5’9” and 195lbs. If that sounds like you, then walk into any retail store and pick up as many sweaters as you want. Go crazy!

But if you’re a different build, you’ll have a harder time finding sweaters that fit well right off the rack.

Goodthreads Puffer Jacket front
Off-the-rack cardigan and puffer jacket from Amazon Goodthreads

Tailoring knitwear is notoriously difficult to do, so while getting your threads trimmed up is a good option with shirts and pants, your sweater is a different story.

Us short guys usually run into these problems when trying on sweaters:

The Sleeves Are Too Long

There’s no covering this one up. When the sleeves are too long, it looks like you borrowed something out of your dad’s closet and you’re trying to make it work.

Mott and Bow Crew Liam Sweater
Typical off-the-rack S or XS on my 5’6″ frame 🤦🏻‍♂️

You can get the sleeves shortened, but it’ll cost a pretty penny. It’s better to get the right fit out of the gate.

The Torso Is Too Long

You can ignore the warning signs all you want, but if the torso is too long, extra fabric will just pool up around your waist. This just adds visual pounds to your frame when a great fit actually slims your profile down.

Many tailors won’t even attempt to hem up a sweater’s length, no matter how much cash you wave at them (well, that’s not true—but it depends on how much cash you’ve got).

The Shoulders Are Too Wide

Again, when the shoulders are too wide, you’re running into that “hand-me-down” territory. Even if people don’t consciously notice, it’s harder to give someone full respect when they’re wearing something that makes them look like a kid.

When the shoulders are too big, the whole fit is off. Go back to the rack and keep hunting.

Where to Buy Sweaters for Shorter Guys

At The Modest Man, we’ve tried on our fair share of sweaters. Some of our favorites are:

Ash & Erie

Ash & Erie makes shorter length v-neck, crew neck and quarter zip sweaters, perfect for shorter men (here’s my full review).

Ash and Erie fog grey knit sweater
Ash & Erie Fog Grey Knit Sweater

Their sweaters are what I would call “modern” fit. They’re slim but not nowhere near skinny. They work on most body types.

Under 510

Under 510 makes shorter length crew neck sweatshirts in a handful of versatile colors (here’s my full review).

Under510 French Terry Crew Sweatshirt Navy Blue
Under510 French Terry Crew Sweatshirt Navy Blue

Their sweaters aren’t quite as slim as Ash & Erie sweaters. They might be too relaxed on thin or skinny guys, but they’re perfect for bigger guys.

ASKET

ASKET has a unique sizing system that offers standard, longer and shorter lengths in all of their tops, including their sweaters (full review here).

Asket Cashmere Sweater
Asket Cashmere Sweater

The overall fit is great, and their shorter lengths are definitely short enough for guys under 5’6″. The quality and style are outstanding.

Uniqlo

Uniqlo doesn’t make knitwear specifically for shorter guys, but I’ve found that many of their knit tops are shorter in length, especially after a laundry cycle.

UNIQLO Men Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater
UNIQLO Men Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater

They also carry XS and sometimes XXS sizes, which is a nice touch. Plus, their sweaters are very affordable, so you’ll have plenty of leftover cash for alterations, if any are needed.

Peter Manning NYC

Peter Manning is another brand making clothes for shorter guys, including a range of sweaters.

Cotton Pullover Sweater 3

Their fits are modern (not slim, but not baggy) and geared toward a middle-of-the-road build.

Questions About Sweaters for Short Men

Here are the answers to some questions you may have about sweaters for shorter guys:

How should a sweater fit?

Fit is somewhat subjective based on your style, but we recommend that sweaters aren’t loose and that the sleeves and torsos aren’t too long.

As for the shoulders, make sure the shoulder seam falls right at the tip of your shoulder bone.

Can shorter guys wear any type of sweater?

Of course! Shorter gents can wear any type of sweater they want. The fit is much more important than the style.

Peter Manning vs. Ash & Erie vs. Under 510 Sweaters

The main difference between these brands is their prices, colors and types of sweaters. The fit is pretty similar (somewhat traditional fit, not super slim). For more details: Ash & Erie review / Under 510 review / PMNYC sweater fit

Clothing and Style Short Men's Fashion, sweaters

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About Brock McGoff

The Modest Man founder, Brock is an aspiring minimalist who enjoys working out, spending time with his family, discovering new brands and creating great content.

Background: Brock McGoff has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a professional background in digital marketing. He believes that men's fashion is just one facet of self-improvement, and he started The Modest Man to help regular guys feel more confident by improving their appearance.

An east coast native, Brock currently lives in Arizona with his wife and daughter. When he's not working, he spends time with family, training BJJ, reading/listening to books and podcasts, and unsuccessfully trying to decide which movie to stream.

Expertise: Brock has built a men's lifestyle YouTube channel with over 400k subscribers. He's also worked as the creative marketing manager in a men's apparel startup. Brock has been quoted in, mentioned by or featured in publications like Esquire, Huff Post, Men's Health, WWD and Forbes.

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Reader Interactions

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    Got questions? Want to share your opinion? Comment below!

  1. Alan Au says

    September 29, 2021 at 12:51 am

    If anyone is ever in Southern California, I invite you to visit Jimmy Au’s For Men 5’8″ and Under. We have sweaters in crewneck, v-neck, quarter-zip and cardigans in shorter sizes from XS to 3XL.

    And I would note, event the best tailors can’t fix sweaters if they don’t have experience with knitwear. I would also consider the reverse and find a knitter with tailoring/seamstering experience.

    Reply
    • Philip says

      October 13, 2021 at 2:52 am

      Would help if you guys had a website.

      Reply
  2. Stephen James says

    September 29, 2021 at 12:13 am

    One thing you can do for long sleeve length if you wear a button down shirt underneath, is just roll the end of the sweater back under the sleeve, so the cuffs do not show. I would not recommend this for sweaters my themselves though.

    Reply
  3. Rob says

    September 28, 2021 at 11:08 am

    Great article! I really wish there was an option for cardigans made for short guys. Every cardigan I try on in a store has sleeves that are too long for me. Maybe one of the short-guy companies will add that someday??

    Reply
  4. randy says

    September 25, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    I dropped down to 5-7 and found Uniqlo Merino wool and cashmere are a good fit for me. 166 pds and 67 yrs.

    Reply
  5. Chris says

    February 4, 2021 at 11:05 pm

    Do you have a link to the reddish/brownish sweater you are wearing in the photo of you writing n the book?

    Reply
    • Brock says

      February 8, 2021 at 7:39 pm

      It’s a cotton pullover from Peter Manning.

      Reply
  6. Edwin lopez says

    January 17, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    I really like the classic cardigans by Ca va de soi and N Peal. Neither is inexpensive but the fits for a short guy like me, 5’5 3/4″ are superb.

    Reply

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