All across the world, short men have found themselves encountering the same problem for many years, that of being completely ignored by mainstream clothing brands when it comes to designing clothes specifically meant for them. These brands don’t keep their proportions in mind when designing clothes for shorter men. This leads to either the sleeves being too long, the trousers being too loose, and the entire ensemble appearing frumpy and poorly fitting for shorter men. But the truly surprising thing is that Uniqlo has emerged as a savior on the scene with a collection that is as practical as it is awesome.
The newest lineup from the prominent Japanese retailer heavily relies on cropped outerwear, clean silhouettes, relaxed trousers that aren’t baggy, and layering pieces that offer cool minimalist design. All of these items work extremely well for men of shorter to average height. It is worth mentioning that this collection isn’t specifically targeted towards shorter men but still manages to complement their statures and proportions quite nicely.
Perhaps Uniqlo’s most prominent and distinctive quality is reducing their jacket lengths. Traditional menswear jackets usually extend a bit too far below the hips, something that is painfully apparent on shorter men, making them look even smaller. However, the newer utility jackets and lightweight bombers in Uniqlo’s present collection circumvent that problem by going for more balanced cuts that form a more accentuated and sharper silhouette.
Uniqlo’s new and improved wide-leg trousers are also amazing in that they are wearable and comfortable for shorter men. Uniqlo has kept their trousers’ proportions structured and controlled and eschewed overexaggeration or oversizing. This ensures that these trousers fit well and comfortably on shorter frames as well.
The brand’s minimalist-style approach is another strength in their favor. They have gone for subtle textures, streamlined basics, and monochrome palettes, all of which combine to create cleaner and nicer vertical lines. This might be one of the oldest tricks in the book that works effectively to make shorter men appear more proportionate and taller than they actually are.
Affordability is also a major factor here, as Uniqlo is pretty accessible and affordable. This means that shorter men can pick and experiment with their clothes up without having to fret about the impact that it might have on their wallets. They might not be a luxury brand, but their aesthetics don’t actually fall too much behind.
Perhaps the most important and profound change that Uniqlo is going for is to shift away from aggressively oversized fashion in menswear and move towards items that are actually wearable and have comfortable proportions. By not ignoring shorter men, Uniqlo is boldly showing that they care and are a brand that these men can count on indubitably.
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