Overcoat length on shorter guy...

Curious, I'm 5'5" and just bought an overcoat (sleeves currently being tailored). It fits me very well in the chest/shoulders and really the whole way. It's single breasted and it's a 36R (I wear 38, but guess sizing down works fine with these?).

I am going to assume it's meant to be worn down to around knees, maybe a bit above for someone who was 5'10" or taller. However, being 5'5", it came down right past my knee joint, so about a few inches.

I wasn't sure if I should get it tailored or not in terms of length (the tailor said not to) so just let him do the sleeves for now.

I'm tempted to get it shortened so it's a few inches shorter, midknee or like above my knee. Should I do that? I assume the answer might be yes since on a shorter guy long coats probably aren't the best.

They didn't have any S other than that 38, so went with it since couldn't find any overcoats that size at Nordstrom either.

Now, say I do get it tailored... is a regular a different than a short in terms of the button placement and what not? Will it look off if it's a couple inches shorter? Also, while I don't think it was, are the proportions actually longer as well?

I have a feeling S really isn't much different uptop anyway... since it'd cost them more money to produce, so I assume they literally just cut the bottom slightly shorter and the rest of the coat is the same. Could be wrong though.

It sounds to me as though the length is about right. The bottom of the overcoat should be at the bottom of the knees or even a bit lower. The longer the overcoat, the taller it makes you look, although you don't want it so long that it drags on the ground when you are walking up or down stairs.

I think that shortening it a bit might be a good idea.

It may depend more on your overall proportions. If you are very slim, and therefore appear tall when standing alone, it might not matter, though the fit of the jacket should also be slim. I think standard or heavier people do not look taller when they wear long coats - more dwarfed by the coat than elongated.

the difference between S and R are the sleeve and coat hem lengths. i would definitely shorten it, or it'll make your legs look nonexistent, especially when wearing trousers that aren't so slim.

Okay, thanks everyone. So, seems since the difference isn't something that cutting off a few inches won't throw things out of proportion, maybe I'll go about doing it. I guess I'll see once I get it back after sleeves are hemmed.

I'm a pretty slim guy, wanna start working out again though (however, with clothes on you can't tell that my stomach isn't well-defined). When I stand alone I don't necessarily look short at all, ssince I'm proportioned and what not. It's just in comparison to other people/things.

So, if that's the case, maybe the coat length won't matter too much? It was fairly slim fitting from what I remember, fit well on shoulders, had nice V shape too it down to my waist and just stayed fitting nicely on down...

Thanks for help. It's good to know I might be able to go either way and if decide to shorten won't be throwing things out of proportion.

is it slim fitting in the arms? is it tapered at the sides so it gives you a bit of definition around the waist? no offense, but i don't think you're proportioned as well as you think (in other words, you're not as model-like as you think! but don't worry, most people aren't). at a 38" chest for 5'5" you will look a bit bigger on top (unless, of course, you are smaller than you actually think, and you're actually <38"). i think a standard 38" chest is for someone that's at least 5'10" or so, if they want to look like zoolander. this is not to say that clothes can't mask or camouflage your shape, but if your eyes are as untrained as i think they are, then the coat is probably pretty loose and boxy (at least according to SF standards). without any photographs to judge off of, here are some simple presumptive tests for a "good fit" of sorts: make sure that the sleeves taper well down the arms, so that at the end you don't have a wizard sleeve, but so it's well fitted and has just enough room for a jacket sleeve or french cuff or what have you. make sure there is a slight nip at the waist as well, to give you a slight hourglass shape and thereby making you appear a bit slimmer. have you tried sizing down to a 36 to see if it fit? anyway best of luck. you should post pictures of you wearing it though, that would give a lot better sense of how it fits and what should be corrected

I've never seen an overcoat in a short. Do they not exist, or do stores just not stock them?

I suggest having a tailor, other than the dept. store person, take a look at it. My guess is that having it shortened will improve the look. Think about the short guys you see wearing very long shorts in the summer and how awful it looks. I think a too long coat could have the same effect. Of course I could be wrong but my guess is that the coat might be too long.

Originally Posted by Taxler

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I've never seen an overcoat in a short. Do they not exist, or do stores just not stock them?

They exist, but are rarer, since many "shorts" put up with a regular overcoat in a way they wouldn't with a regular jacket.

Originally Posted by Qasimkhan

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It sounds to me as though the length is about right. The bottom of the overcoat should be at the bottom of the knees or even a bit lower. The longer the overcoat, the taller it makes you look, although you don't want it so long that it drags on the ground when you are walking up or down stairs.
What are you talking about? That's completely wrong. The shorter it is, the more length it shows in your legs.

Originally Posted by haganah

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What are you talking about? That's completely wrong. The shorter it is, the more length it shows in your legs.
This is so true.

If the coat ends above your knees, it appears to cut you in half. The long sweeping lines of a coat that ends below your knees make you look taller.

Originally Posted by haganah

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What are you talking about? That's completely wrong. The shorter it is, the more length it shows in your legs.

Originally Posted by Qasimkhan

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If the coat ends above your knees, it appears to cut you in half. The long sweeping lines of a coat that ends below your knees make you look taller.
Your logic is that it's better to lose all sense of proportions and shorten your legs so that you can appear to be cut in three quarters. It makes you look shorter brah.

Originally Posted by Qasimkhan

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If the coat ends above your knees, it appears to cut you in half. The long sweeping lines of a coat that ends below your knees make you look taller.

-1. this is wrong.

Originally Posted by haganah

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Your logic is that it's better to lose all sense of proportions and shorten your legs so that you can appear to be cut in three quarters. It makes you look shorter brah.

+1. this is correct.

Seems we got two different trains of thought going here. I personally do think it'd look better a bit shorter, so will try bringing it to a tailor (outside just the dept. store) and see what he says. I'll probably end up shortening it though.