Why doesn’t Rishi Sunak buy suits that fit? Menswear expert is ‘baffled’ by the 5ft6in Prime Minister’s attempt to look trendy with his ankle-skimming tailoring (and says the noughties want their trousers back!)
Rishi Sunak wears suits that are too short because he is held hostage to ’90s menswear trends, a leading men’s fashion guru has said.
Derek Guy – who lives in California and writes the fashion blog Die, Workwear – said the Prime Minister was “trend conscious” but “a little behind the times.”
However, he dismissed conspiracy theories that the 5ft-6in politician chooses shorts to make himself look taller, saying it was purely a matter of “fashion.”
In a forensic analysis of Sunak’s fashion choices for his 460,000 Twitter followers, Guy said, “I find it baffling how the richest British prime minister in history could live just a stone’s throw from Savile Row, the greatest concentration of skilled tailors , and ended up paying $2k for an MTM suit with sleeves and pants 2-4 ‘too short.’
The fashion pundit picked up on claims from his followers that Mr Sunak was trying to disguise his short stature or opting for children’s sizes to ‘dodge VAT’.
The Prime Minister has never been known to skimp on fashion, having previously been seen in £3,500 suits from Bloomsbury tailor Henry Herbert, £490 Prada shoes and a £795 Reiss coat.
Rishi Sunak (seen in Whitehall) has become known for his ankle-skimming trousers and jackets with sleeves that seem too short
Mr. Sunak reveals his shorts while speaking to Gordon Ramsay on Zoom during the pandemic
Mr Guy said he was ‘baffled’ by Mr Sunak’s fashion crimes as he lives so close to Savile Row
He continued: “Lots of conspiracy theories about why Sunak wears such shorts and sleeves, but my theory is simple…
‘Sunak is a vaguely trend-conscious man, but just a little behind the times. He wears Palm Angels flip-flops, Common Projects sneakers, form-fitting chinos, etc.
“I don’t think he has a grand theory about how short sleeves and pants make him look taller.
“He’s just used to wearing trendy things and that’s why he wears menswear trends from the early 2000s.
‘It’s not uncommon to see rich guys wearing such shrunken suits. In fact, this is the dominant silhouette when visiting the center of a large city.
‘A lot of guys wear tight, cropped pants, short jackets, bad sleeves. . . men of all stripes. It’s the fashion.’
Mr Guy, who has written for Esquire and the Financial Times, later suggested that fashion wise Mr Sunak had been overshadowed by US President Joe Biden, whose ‘ready-made’ suits fit better, despite probably being were much cheaper.
“It would be better if he just put on a longer coat and then drop the node and then wear slightly fuller pants.” I mean, he lives in London. It would be very easy for him to get a really good suit,” he told Times Radio.
“Ironically, I think outfits like this make a man look very middle-aged, since it’s a 20-year trend and young people wear baggier clothes.”
Guy’s assessment of the Tory leader was in stark contrast to the praise he recently heaped on King Felipe of Spain at the Wimbledon final.
Mr Sunak showed off a more casual ensemble outside Downing Street last year
Mr Guy scotched conspiracy theories the 5ft-6in politician opts for shorts to make himself look taller, saying it was purely a matter of ‘fashion’
The monarch, who watched his compatriot Carlos Alcaraz come through a five-set thriller with Novak Djokovic on Center Court, was spotted wearing a light gray suit jacket over a white checked shirt, paired with black slacks and a navy and white patterned tie.
Guy was clearly a fan of the Spanish king’s collection of suits, saying the 55-year-old king looked ‘amazing’ and that it was ‘very rare to see this level of tailoring these days, even among the rich’.
He wrote: ‘King Felipe always looks great and it seems all his suits are cut by the same tailor.
Some basic points: 1. Collar is always tight around the neck 2. Don’t pull anything. Things hang neatly 3. Lapel ends about half way from collar to shoulder bone (nice proportion).’
Roll-up lapels also add to Felipe’s look, while a slight curve of a jacket’s lapels suggests “really fine tailoring,” according to Mr. Guy.
He also praised his coat’s “quarters,” referring to how the front of a coat, below the buttons, sit, saying that the king’s quarters “sweep away, creating a more dynamic line.”
Despite his penchant for a sleek suit, the Prime Minister is regularly spotted in more casual attire. Here he is seen wearing his Stanford University jersey and sweatpants from premium athletic brand Reigning Champ in 2021
Mr Sunak dons his favorite £46 dark gray Everlane hoodie while practicing a speech in 2021
The politician also chooses bespoke shirts from Italian brand The The Traveling Artisan, made by elderly seamstresses in Veneto (pictured in September 2021)
Mr Sunak wore a £3,500 bespoke suit last year from Bloomsbury tailor Henry Herbert
However, other pundits disagree with Guy’s assessment of Sunak’s fashion sense – not least in contrast to his notoriously scruffy predecessor, Boris Johnson.
Despite his love of a smart suit, the Prime Minister is regularly spotted in more casual attire, including hoodies, cardigans and – in one case while he was writing the 2021 budget – a pair of £90 plastic slippers.
Celebrity stylist Lucas Armitage previously told FEMAIL, “Politicians aren’t known for owning the best wardrobes, yes Boris, I’m looking at you, but Rishi is always extremely well presented.”
Armitage said the prime minister’s wife, Akshata Murthy, daughter of one of India’s richest men, could be behind his stylish looks.
Ms Murthy runs a fashion label and can no doubt advise the MP on his sense of style and tailoring.
Mr Armitage said that the key to Mr. Sunak’s appearance seems to be “clever tricks” used by expensive tailors.
His fashion choices have sometimes raised eyebrows, such as when he wore a pair of £490 Prada shoes while visiting a building site in Teesside.
Mr Sunak wore a paid £95 plastic slider while preparing the 2021 budget
Mr Sunak in a trendy £795 travel jacket to go ice skating with his daughter at the Natural History Museum last year
Mr Sunak became an unlikely fashion icon in Japan when he wore a pair of bright red socks emblazoned with the Japanese Prime Minister’s baseball team during a visit earlier this year.
The Prime Minister regularly wears a dark blue suit, which comes from chic tailor Henry Herbert, whose services start at a whopping £1,295.
The pieces, described online as “true to the highest standards of traditional Savile Row tailoring,” are made with fabrics sourced from mills in England and Scotland.
Celebrity stylist Rochelle White agreed, revealing, “I feel like Rishi’s style for shorts is a mix of comfort and style.
“I think he’s very aware of his body and what works well for him and builds that into his appearance.
‘The shorts are practical for everyday use and more comfortable. They help elongate his legs and body.”