In short: do Rishi Sunak’s tiny trousers make him look slimmer?

Like Winston Churchill’s bowler hat and Margaret Thatcher’s bespoke skirt suit, Rishi Sunak’s image as Prime Minister seems destined to become synonymous with cropped trousers.

The slim-cut silhouette is reminiscent of mid-1990s indie bands and is said to be favored by the prime minister because he believes it helps him appear taller in photos. But according to Saville Row tailors, the tiny trousers may have unintentionally meant that the 5ft 6in Sunak is shorter.

Iordana Marin, a London tailor at JohnDana, explained: “Shorts are more like the Italian tailoring style that was popular four years ago. That cut wouldn’t suit Rishi Sunak.

“This is not for someone who is in a position of power. This cut is more for party wear, for a more fashionable person. For him, the length of the trousers should touch the shoes, and that doesn’t work for him.”

Another tailor at Hidalgo Brothers in Savile Row said Sunak’s ankle scrape may not do him any favors.

When asked if shorter pants could help people with vertical disabilities, they explained: “I don’t think necessarily. Yes, but they have to be narrower. Because if it’s short and wide, it actually makes you look slimmer. Short. That’s very important.”

The topic first hit the headlines in 2021 when the Prime Minister sat down to interview Gordon Ramsay, resulting in an embarrassing rise in his trousers.

At the time, Mr Sunak’s bespoke tailor Henry Herbert came to the Prime Minister’s defence. independent Shorts are a “more professional” look.

The sartorial dilemma resurfaced on Tuesday when The Sun’s political editor asked the Prime Minister about his apparent fashion faux pas.

Mr Sunak defended himself, replying: “I don’t think they are that short.”

When asked if he thought his style was fashionable, he added: “I don’t really like a lot of baggy stuff at the bottom of the ankle.”

Personal stylist Nick Hems agreed with the Prime Minister and called on critics to go easy on him.

“He follows trends and has his own personal style. People think wearing pants like this is a young man’s game, but it’s still a very common thing. It’s not uncommon to have a tailor alter your pants in this way.”