Every man wants to feel well-dressed. Today, everything seems permitted, and there are no longer any fixed style guidelines. Nevertheless, there are a few timeless tips on how a man should dress to leave an elegant yet modern impression. At the same time, there are a few special considerations that tall men should keep in mind, which we as manufacturers of shirts for tall men naturally want to address in particular.
The following suggestions follow a rather classic style, but ultimately your own personality should always be reflected in the way you dress. Therefore, these tips can only be well-intentioned suggestions. Try them out to see how you feel as a tall man, and ask those around you what suits you...
Tip 1: Less is often more - especially for tall men
For men, restraint in fashion often pays off. This is especially true for tall men, who stand out simply because of their height. If you combine height with loud color combinations or extravagant clothing, the first impression becomes very attention-seeking - this should really be carefully considered.
The fact that less is often more can be seen with jeans - dark blue, not-too-loose jeans suit most men much better than washed-out or frayed models. And as a combination, a classic solid-colored polo shirt or t-shirt is often better than wildly printed or lettered variants.
Fashion changes very quickly, and every season has the latest trend. However, you often look much more contemporary and stylish in classic, rather calm combinations than in the fashion that currently seems to be en vogue. And the latest trends are already "out" in the coming season - therefore, it's worth investing your money initially in the classics, which will keep you well-dressed for years. This doesn't mean, of course, that you can't occasionally get a trendy piece of clothing - if it really suits you, and you can possibly accept not wearing it the following year.
Tip 2: Eyes open when buying a suit
Anyone wearing a well-fitting suit has already won the first impression. A simple model made of dark, quality fabric, single-breasted, two or three buttons on the lapel - you can hardly go wrong with this.
And even if it sounds boring - navy blue, light and dark gray combined with white or light blue shirts - if the cut fits, a man comes across as very timelessly elegant - which of course doesn't mean that colored shirts can't also look good with a suit.
When trying on a suit, make sure that it fits really well, especially at the shoulders. Alterations to the chest, waist, and sleeves are relatively easy for a tailor to make afterwards, but changing the shoulder area is very complex.
Tall men should ensure that the jacket doesn't look too bulky - something slightly tighter at the waist works well for tall men, so the jacket doesn't look like a square of fabric - otherwise, it can easily look very overwhelming on tall men. A 3-button lapel, on the other hand, shortens the appearance - so tall men can wear this well. But a classic 2-button lapel also suits most tall men well.
Tall men should be careful with vertical stripes on suits - as beautiful as a pinstripe suit is, it makes tall men appear even taller than they already are - unless the stripes are very subtle.
When choosing fabric, it often suits tall men quite well if the fabrics have a small pattern - Herringbone Twill or other fine patterns break up the otherwise large fabric areas and thus appear less imposing on tall men than purely smooth fabrics.
Although single-breasted suits are more classic and modern, tall men can also afford a suit with a double-breasted jacket - if anyone can wear this rather old-fashioned cut stylishly, it's a tall man.
Furthermore, tall men can also wear another rather old-fashioned garment - a vest. This looks very elegant on long bodies.
And of course, as a tall man, you should ensure that the suit is cut long enough - especially at the legs and sleeves, the suit must not be too short for tall people, because otherwise it looks like it has shrunk on the body of a tall man, who then appears very gangly. Fortunately, adjusting sleeves and legs to the right length is an easy task for a tailor. When choosing trouser length, make sure they rest just above the instep at the front - if they're too long, the trousers will bunch up at the bottom when standing.
Tip 3: The smart casual look for the office isn't that difficult
Not only on Casual Friday, but increasingly on other days as well, the dress code is no longer a suit - but "Smart Casual". However, there's often uncertainty here - what should you wear to still make a well-groomed impression?
The combination of solid-colored, not-too-loose trousers (whether made of wool, cotton, or jeans) with a color-contrasted but also solid-colored sweater always looks very good.
For tall men, sweaters with crew necks often look better than models with V-necks - because these make for a longer neck - which doesn't usually look as attractive on tall men.
Under the sweater, you wear a rather classic shirt - and the perfect Smart Casual look is complete. The shirt doesn't need to be solid-colored, but can also be subtly striped or checkered - only overly loud patterns should be avoided.
If you also have a dark blue blazer ready in the office "for emergencies," you can attend almost any meeting at short notice with this casual look (possibly without the sweater) and still be elegantly dressed.
Tip 4: A beautiful dress shirt makes an impression - if it's long enough
Men's shirts made of beautiful, high-quality fabrics, carefully crafted - these make a good impression. Tall men should naturally ensure that the shirt is sufficiently long - both at the sleeves and in body length. A shirt that hangs halfway out of the trousers because it's not long enough should not be worn. You can find great men's shirts with extra length from us - RIESENHEMD Hamburg specializes in shirts for tall men.
Also make sure that the shirt is nicely ironed. Especially for special occasions, hand ironing is often appropriate - because the shirt simply looks better than when machine-pressed by the cleaners. You can also find tips on ironing shirts in our blog article: Properly ironing and storing shirts.
Since shirts play a major role both with suits and in the Smart Casual look - invest in beautiful shirts. And if you still want to or must wear a tie - make sure that the combination of suit, tie, and shirt matches in color. Less is more, avoid "loud" color combinations - which also applies to the tie itself. By the way, tall men can wear somewhat wider ties very well due to their height (although thinner ties are currently more fashionable). And a wide knot (Windsor type) also suits a tall man very well.
Tip 5: Don't neglect footwear and belts
Many men forget that shoes are an important part of their appearance. Therefore, shoes should above all be well-maintained and clean. Of course, high-quality men's shoes made of fine leather look very good with suits - but sneakers, docksides, or loafers also have their place and can be combined very well with the respective clothing depending on the situation.
Tall men should ensure that they wear belts instead of suspenders - this visually divides the long body a little and supports the break between shirt and trousers.
Ideally, shoes and belts are coordinated in color and material.
Tip 6: Many small details support the stylish overall impression
There are many small details that men shouldn't neglect if they value a cool, stylish overall impression, regardless of height.
First, something self-evident - make sure your clothing is clean and intact - holes, worn shirt collars, shiny sleeves, and stains cast a poor light on the wearer.
If you wear a tie - the length must be right. Even for tall men, the tip of the tie should always slightly cover the belt buckle. Also make sure that the button placket of the shirt goes straight down into the trousers - if the shirt is "skewed" to the left or right, this looks extremely unfortunate.
A well-groomed appearance, on the other hand, always leaves a good impression. Clean and well-groomed hands, a proper haircut - these things are definitely noticed by others. And: A man should smell subtle but good. Find a fragrance that you like and use it daily (but in moderation).
Tip 7: Kindness and a smile - this suits every man, regardless of height
All these tips just listed contribute to an elegant aura in our opinion. If you combine this with kindness and a smile - then you'll remain positively in people's memories for a long time!
