Ben Sherman: Rocking the mod look
The first time I tried on a shirt at Ben Sherman, I was shocked to discover that the sleeves were too short. Too short?! At my height, I’d hardly ever had that problem before. But I soon realized that the fit was, in fact, perfect. I had gotten so used to the feeling of sleeves being too long for me that when I actually put on something that fit properly, it felt uncomfortable.
But it’s not just short men that wear their sleeves too long these days, according to The Sartorialist. “Most men in America wear their shirt’s sleeves with way too much extra length in the arms.” Check out this illustrated observation where he points out that “wearing your shirt sleeves at the proper length gives a very subtle illusion that makes a person look taller and more lanky.” You gotta give it to the Brits on this one.
1960s London gave the world a wealth of great music. Along with The Who, The Kinks and all the other forgotten foot soldiers of the British Invasion, that time and place also gave birth to some equally memorable fashion — some of it absurd, some timeless. Carnaby Street’s Ben Sherman was one of the primary wellsprings of Mod fashion, pioneering the Oxford button-down, turning out snazzy and extremely tailored shirts and the like.
The Fit: Today, Ben Sherman has three cuts: Carnaby (relaxed), Mod (slim), and Soho (super slim). Check out their sizing chart for details on your size in each cut. For slim, short guys, you’ll want to go Mod or Soho (Though I’m wondering if they’ve discontinued the Soho line. They had none in their US flagship store when I was there this weekend and I didn’t see any in their online store. Does anyone know?). Not only are they slim fitting, but the bottom of the shirt hangs very short. I’m surprised that this (presumably tall) model is able to tuck it in! And the sleeves are a perfect length (also, the cuffs are often short with helps with the appearance of proportionality). Short men with bigger shoulders, broader chests or more bulky torsos will want the Carnaby fit, which is just about as short in the sleeves and the hemline but broader across the shoulders and much more roomy in the chest and waist.
Link: Ben Sherman
