Are Your Shirt Sleeves Too Long? Here's How to Fix Them

Thanks to Ash & Erie for sponsoring this video! Check them out here: ashanderie.com...
And here's the green check shirt I'm wearing: ashanderie.com...
And the chinos: ashanderie.com...
Being a shorter than average guy can be huge advantage. For example, I’ve always had plenty of leg room on a plane. Hide and seek? Good luck finding me.
But below average stature does present a few problems in life… It can hard to see the stage at concerts. And when that cute girl at the library asks for your help reaching her favorite book, you have to say “sure thing” even though you’re not 100% sure that you can reach it.
And of course, you realize that pretty much all shirt sleeves are too long for your arms. The problem is, most clothes simply aren’t designed for shorter men. And it’s especially problematic with button up shirts, like casual button downs and dress shirts.
Like yeah, a sweatshirt’s sleeves might be a little long, but it’s not as big of a deal with such a casual piece. If your button up’s sleeves are too long, it really ruins the look, even if the rest of the fit is on point.
It kinda makes you look like a kid wearing his dad’s work clothes. Now, I’m 5’6” with shoes on, so I’m intimately familiar with this problem AND the solutions. By the end of this video, you’ll know how to prevent overly long sleeves altogether when you buy new shirts, and how to fix this annoying issue on all shirts you already own.
#mensfashion #fashionhacks #styletips
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🧍🏻My Sizes
I'm 5'6" with shoes on and about 125 lbs after dinner. I have a 35" chest; I usually wear XS tops and 28x28 pants (or 28x30 cuffed).
My best suit jacket size is 34 Short, but even 34S needs alterations (mostly shortening of the sleeves and jacket), so my best-fitting suits are custom.
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Contains affiliate links // Stay stylish!

[@TxmmyBeats]

Tailoring your clothes really is a cheat code and money well spent. Just took my suit and dress shirt to the tailor yesterday 🙏🏻

[@BrockMcGoff]

Agreed!

[@kevinong1735]

Or just go custom. I actually saved money by going custom with suits and dress shirts. I saved around $400 with bespoke suits; plus, you get to choose no vent, single vent, double vent, button one, button two, button three, double-breast, surgeon cuffs, lapel width, added ticket pocket, fabric material, and lining colors! One is relegated to what is available when buying “off the rack”. 😞

[@kevinong1735]

Before retiring from being a detective, I would often wear my dress shirts with sleeves rolled up just below my elbows and my collar left undone with a loose tie. I hated wearing garters since they constricted my arms. The look worked for me, especially when outfitted with a tan leather shoulder holster, tan badge holder clip, a walnut belt and a pair of walnut dress shoes. I received a lot of compliments from both coworkers and the public. In fact, I was stopped once by a citizen, who praised my ensemble and asked to take a photo of me! I suppose you could call it, for lack of a better term, “disprezzo dell'investigatore”! 😎

[@leftbas65]

Love, love, love getting my shirts tailored.

[@SiddhantSahu2903]

I started getting my Jeans hemmed after I started following Brock . Whatever I know about clothing and fashion is all because of him . My fashion mentor 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻…

[@BrockMcGoff]

🙏💪🏻

[@EffortlessGentTV]

i second the sleeve garters! i have a pair that comes in handy when wearing a dress shirt + sport coat and I haven't had the sleeves adjusted yet. With sleeve garters sometimes you just don't have to

[@BrockMcGoff]

Good idea re: having a pair on hand for emergencies. I might get some too!

[@williamb.northcutt9096]

Great video. I am 5’-9” and 160 lbs. I have a problem with shirts being too baggy. I am going to take them to a tailor and have the width taken in. Thanks for your suggestions. Ben Northcutt Birmingham, AL

[@BrockMcGoff]

Let me know how it goes!

[@chuuu4610]

Not a short guy- am a short girl. When I went to Uniqlo in Japan, and they have custom suit fitting and alteration services for pretty cheap!

[@mohsin8824]

Appreciate this!!! Love from INDIA 🤝

[@JesusMorales-jw5ri]

Good info Brock, my favorite videos from you have always been the ones addressing shorter guys. Two details about Ash & Erie clothing that seem to be standard are 1:) Cuffs on all button up shirts are 1 button/not adjustable and 2:) Almost all of their jeans are low rise except the few straight fit options they sell. The cuffs are often either too tight to wear a watch with or too loose, so an adjustable cuff would probably fix this. I could move or add a button myself, but I shop with them so that I can avoid having to do any alterations. I like the jeans, but as you’ve often pointed out, low rise jeans aren’t the best choice for guys with shorter legs. Plus, I just don’t like the fit and feel of low rise jeans. I’ve pointed these two details out to them as potential things they could change to improve on some of the surveys they periodically send out, but perhaps I’m in the minority. Maybe they’ll listen to you if you agree with me.

[@BrockMcGoff]

Thank you, sir! I think that's good feedback re: sleeve cuffs. I agree that their slim fit pants have a lower rise. My preference is for a a longer rise, especially these days as I wear slightly more relaxed fits. I will say, Ash & Erie's straight fit chinos have a higher rise, and they fit me perfectly (I'm wearing them in this video, actually). I think they're a much better cut than their slim chinos, at least for my build.

[@jackdanila9893]

Yep, 5'6 here. I have this problem all the time. Both shirts and pants always have some extra lenght, which I can easily adjust on pants, but shirts? Gonna need a tailor for that, or I end up looking like the kid wearing his older brother's clothes haha. When I have enough money, I'm definitely getting everything custom made

[@Theo-ul8qm]

Tailoring is the obvious solution to this IMO, since sleeve length is pretty much the easiest and cheapest alteration a tailor can do. I would also say, though, that having shirt sleeves that are slightly too long is better than having them be too short. If the sleeve is maybe 1/2 inch too long, you just button the cuff and it stays in the right place. But if it's 1/2 inch too short, it can actually restrict your movement. So be careful to not get the tailor to cut too much length off of your sleeves 😁

[@PraetorianCuber]

I usually stitch the cuff buttons on a bit tighter around my wrist cause they're never the correct length, helps ensure that I show the right amount of shirt cuff on a jacket (and makes sure that my jackets sleeve lengths are tailored correctly)

[@peskypossum58]

The problem with shortening the sleeves at a tailor is that they often simply move the cuffs up without moving the placket and creating a new split. You then end up with a very short split which makes it near impossible to roll your sleeves up and also looks naff. I believe tailors can also shorten from the top where the sleeve joins the shoulder if there is sufficient material but that’s a very expensive alteration.

[@BrockMcGoff]

Good point, although it kind of depends on the tailor. Some can move the whole placket up. Shortening from the shoulder is gold standard but not really worth it for shirts (as opposed to jackets).

[@chrisb3902]

Great video Brock!!!

[@BrockMcGoff]

Glad you liked it!

[@thechef1010]

I need a solution for jacket sleeves, specifically leather, being too long

[@BrockMcGoff]

Tailoring, for sure. Just be sure to go to someone who has experience with leather jackets.

[@ghtcastagne]

Thanks for your advices, stay stylish..

[@BrockMcGoff]

You bet!

[@MartinParnham]

Weirdly, I get this problem all the time on sweaters, long sleeve polos, outerwear etc but hardly ever on button up or dress shirts. I thought I just had short arms!

[@BrockMcGoff]

Interesting! I have it on every kind of shirt 😅

[@Zidandy]

Great advice, here!

[@BrockMcGoff]

Glad it was helpful!

[@danielhakimi]

a lot of non-specialty brands, including Brooks Brothers and Charles Tyrwhitt, do 32-inch sleeve lengths off the rack in a variety of neck sizes / fits. They're also easier to visit and try on than the niche/specialty brands. generally: don't assume the worst. A lot of decent brands just happen to have ~33 inch sleeves, and sometimes they shrink, so it might not be as hard as you think to find something good off the rack.

[@ZoomZoom-ng6sn]

I'm 5'9" and 2 inch heeled boots still don't help me much in club concerts. I just try reserving tables these days. LOL.

[@BrockMcGoff]

That’s the way to go!

[@leebest1a470]

Great tips. 5’6”here, 134lb Tailoring will be my friend !

[@jamesfarnarkler]

Ash & Erie have some nice gear, however, I'm not a fan of cotton/polyester shirts. Are Peter Manning shirts a decent alternative?

[@BrockMcGoff]

Most of their shirts are cotton (like the one I’m wearing), other than the wrinkle-free collection. PM has similar options but I prefer the A&E fit.

[@successivedestinies7215]

Ash&Erie drives me crazy with those shirts and feels like I have to be a material expert now. I have many of their t-shirts and polos. I love Peter Manning's T-shirts and shirts much better. Under 5'10 has some good jeans and joggers, but their t-shirts and polo's are a tad longer in length.

[@danielsong7724]

My waist is very slim even for my shoulders and hips so shirts are always too wide which leads to very messy tucks. Any tips brock?

[@BrockMcGoff]

I’d buy “athletic” fit shirts that have more taper from the chest to waist. But also you can get your shirts taken in. Also try the “military tuck”.

[@danielsong7724]

Thanks

[@WanderlustmanC]

When you're tall all those problems are opposite. Bring back the long hair!

[@klausstock8020]

I'm tall, regular length doesn't work, so I buy shirts with longer arms. Now I have the same problem - with the longer length it's now too long! No issue with pants - the place where I buy the more "formal" outfits sells pants where the legs aren't finished yet. You need to get the legs "cut off" at a tailor, which adds a bit to the price, but you get the perfect length for your size and the shoes you'll be wearing.

[@Kermitnirmit]

Is there a solution for people who are skinny but with longer arms and smaller necks than average?

[@memofromessex]

You should buy more clothes from European or Japanese brands. They tend to be a lot smaller and less boxy.

[@davidfreeman8863]

New to Ash & Erie, but their shirt sleeve lengths for the Small size are 32. Doesn't help my 31 arms. A 32 length does not seem noteworthy vs standard brands. Peter Manning beats them in this.

[@TheBoostedDoge]

As a 5'6 guy with Chelsea boots on I think I've found my place

[@BlueShift24]

For me they are either too long or too short. I don’t really care anymore, since I wear my sleeves rolled up all the time anyway. 😅

[@AhsanKhan1998]

"..for as little as 50 dollars" I understand this video is for the Western audience but still.. damn you guys are buying 50$ shirts??? That's like a week's pay for some people here.

[@johnshukeireh5804]

Some of us have jobs. $50 is a good deal if it’s quality.

[@GeorgeGraves]

It seems all the youtube mens fasion channels are from short guys - not sure why.

[@BrockMcGoff]

Maybe not having an off the rack build forces you to learn about this stuff? Just a guess!

[@GeorgeGraves]

@@BrockMcGoff Then I would think that (not fitting off the rack) would apply to big and tall- and there would be equal or larger number of big/tall male fashion youtubers. Now if you said something along the lines that short guys have to work harder at how they look, I might agree????? Not sure.

[@BrockMcGoff]

@@GeorgeGraves well big and tall has been a category for decades, so big/tall guys do actually have plenty of options at any mall or department store (i.e., they don't have trouble finding clothes that flatter them). I think shorter guys are uniquely disadvantaged when it comes to menswear.