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Backgrounder

A Short List of Facts about Men 5’9” & Under

 

 

• 50% of U.S. males are less than 5’8½” tall and 20% of U.S. males are less than 5’6” tall. 
• Ready to wear clothing is generally designed for men over 5’8” tall.  Case in point:  ready to wear trousers and denim are only readily available in inseams 30” and longer.  Shorter inseams of 29”are only somewhat available in the “Short & Stout” category (waists of 34” or greater).   Thus, there is a gap in the retail clothing market for fit males under 5’8” tall. 
• Considering that approximately 50% of American males under 5’8” and between the ages of 22-54 are in good physical condition, approximately 14 million shorter, slimmer men may be underserved by the American apparel industry. 
• Ill-fitting, oversized clothing may exacerbate the unique problems of shorter men.  For example, statistics show that shorter men:
• Earn Lower Wages.  For example, the average 6’ worker earns a $160,000 dollars more, over a 30-year period, than his 5’8” counterpart.  That amounts to about $800 more, per inch, per year. 
• Are Not Promoted.  Taller men are more quickly promoted professionally because shorter men are often not taken as seriously in the workplace as their taller coworkers.  
• Date Less.  Shorter men experience fewer romantic opportunities.  Statistically, taller men marry sooner and date earlier in life.  Importantly, among youths, greater success in dating was experienced by shorter boys who were able to select their own clothes.

 

• However, well-dressed and stylish shorter men seem to experience equal success as their taller counterparts.  Consider these prominent celebrities under 5’9”:
• 5’7” - Jon Stewart, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
• 5’6”- Bono (U2), Elijah Wood, Sean Astin
• 5’5” & Under - Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, David Spade, & Prince (5’2”) 

 

·        Sources:     US Census Bureau, 2000,  AND

o       www.ShortSupport.org

o       http://www.healthierliving.org/health/sizes.html

o       http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040405fa_fact

o       http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/tahb/2000/00000027/00000004/art00007

o       http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/h/hu/human_height.htm

o       www.celebheights.com