https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1807212095454474242
look at a photo where someone looks good in a t-shirt. what do you notice?
to me, there’s often a certain ratio between their torso and legs.
sometimes this is achieved by the person tucking in their t-shirt. sometimes the person in the photo is sitting down, so you can’t really tell what’s going on. but there’s always a specific ratio between torso and legs: slightly cropped torso, long legs.
sometimes a long t-shirt can look great, as long as its part of an intentional aesthetic. see rick owens, evan kinori, 90s hip hop aesthetics, skater style, etc.
but a lot of t-shirts are long simply bc the company needs to sell a lot of units. they can’t make the shirt shorter bc everyone wears low rise pants nowadays. yet, the t-shirt looks ugly when worn. brands know this, which is why they do this half-tuck in product shots.
in real life, you can tuck your t-shirt. but this doesn’t always work depending on your body type and aesthetic. if you’re doing a clean-cut aesthetic, then maybe tuck. but if you’re doing a punk outfit with a leather jacket, you don’t want to tuck. depends on the aesthetic!
on the lower-end of the market, where brands have to sell a lot of units to make money, we should reverse course: sell higher rise trousers and slightly shorter t-shirts. most people do not have enough aesthetic direction and will look better in these default options
alternatively, when you buy t-shirts, just pay attention to the silhouette you create when you put it on. what is the overall shape of the t-shirt. is it wide and short, thus creating a box shape? or is it thin and long, thus creating a rectangular shape?
does it look better tucked or untucked? think more about the shapes you’re creating on your body and the ratio between your torso and legs. which flatters you more?
if you think a shorter length flatters you more, but can’t find the length you want on the market, consider taking the t-shirt to a tailor to get it hemmed. however, before you commit, pin the hem up to see if it looks good. wear with jackets to see if it works with outerwear
be careful of going too short bc then your backside (and possibly booty crack) can show when you sit down.
takeaway: if you look at old photos and think that guy looks great in a t-shirt, but feel disappointed with how you look in tees, consider the difference in length
