Shorter men often wonder if they can pull off wearing a double-breasted suit or sport coat. There’s so much conflicting and inaccurate info around the web, so I want to clear this issue up once and for all.

Most “style gurus” tell shorter men to stay away from DB suits, lest you end up looking shorter and fatter than you really are.

There is some truth to this. If you wear a double-breasted suit that doesn’t fit well, it’s going to make you look really bad.

But the thing is, any suit that doesn’t fit well is going to look bad, even if it’s a plain old single-breasted suit.

Short men can rock DB suits like the best of them, but they have to follow three guidelines:

1. Your suit has to fit impeccably well
2. Keep the jacket cropped extra short
3. Go with four buttons (not six buttons)

I explain each of these guidelines in more detail in this video:

Here’s the thing: double-breasted suits aren’t as versatile or common as single-breasted suits, so you should only buy one if you already have your basic suit collection in place.

If you’ve got the staples (one navy and one grey single-breasted suit, at a minimum), feel free to expand your collection by adding a DB suit to the mix.

And if you need some inspiration, here are a few stylish modest men achieving baller status in their DB suits:

Of course, I had to include a picture of yours truly rocking a DB suit. This is the same suit I’m wearing in the above video, and I’m wearing it here for a summer wedding (hence no tie).

I hope this guide gives you the knowledge and courage to try on a double-breasted suit or jacket.

As always, share your thoughts or questions in the comments below!