‘Trump would benefit from a…’: Menswear writer reveals ‘surprising’ reason why former president wears shoulder pads
Derek Guy, a menswear writer, said that he doesn't intend to body shame anyone but “discuss how anyone can dress for their body type if they know a few tricks.”
An X user has explained why Donald Trump wears shoulder pads. The former president on some occasions has been pictured wearing what appears to be shoulder pads, and one such photo has now gone viral, with people wondering why he wears them.
In a post on X, Derek Guy, a Canadian menswear writer and commentator, explained that he does not intend to body shame anyone but only to “discuss how anyone can dress for their body type if they know a few tricks.” He went on to say that it “surprised” him because “Trump's tailoring is done in a way to conceal his weight." “His shoulders are relatively narrow compared to his waist, which gives his body a somewhat rectangular shape,” Guy said of the former president.
Guy explained in the thread that “the platonic male silhouette in classic Western aesthetic is a shoulder line that's broader than the waist, which creates a V-shaped figure.” He added that the former president’s suits have an extended shoulder because he does not have this silhouette naturally.
“However, you can only extend the shoulder so much before it starts to collapse. Think of what would happen if you extended the shoulder line on a t-shirt or dress shirt—it would just flop on you. This is why an extended shoulder needs a bit of structure, as you see here,” Guy wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“However, you can only extend the shoulder so much before it starts to collapse. Think of what would happen if you extended the shoulder line on a t-shirt or dress shirt—it would just flop on you. This is why an extended shoulder needs a bit of structure, as you see here,” Guy wrote.
{{/usCountry}}He added, “The softer the shoulder, and the more extended the line, the more collapsing will happen over time. Rubinacci, a well-regarded bespoke tailoring house in Naples, uses a 1.5 ply shoulder pad. You can see how the end of Mariano's shoulder is already starting to dip.”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “The softer the shoulder, and the more extended the line, the more collapsing will happen over time. Rubinacci, a well-regarded bespoke tailoring house in Naples, uses a 1.5 ply shoulder pad. You can see how the end of Mariano's shoulder is already starting to dip.”
{{/usCountry}}Guy also explained that a shoulder that is heavily padded “builds *up* the shoulder,” which makes the silhouette appear “more powerful, authoritative, and formal.” But what is not great about a heavily padded shoulder, he said, “is that artifice is revealed when you sit like this.”
{{/usCountry}}Guy also explained that a shoulder that is heavily padded “builds *up* the shoulder,” which makes the silhouette appear “more powerful, authoritative, and formal.” But what is not great about a heavily padded shoulder, he said, “is that artifice is revealed when you sit like this.”
{{/usCountry}}Guy wrote, “To me, Trump would benefit from a softer shoulder, partly because his natural shoulders are narrow but square. The more padding you add to this, the squarer the shoulder line. IMO, heavy padding is best for people with very sloped shoulders, not square ones.”
“Still, this issue of padding and extension is something everyone has to figure out for themselves when buying tailored jackets. Pay attention to the silhouette. Here is the same man in two different coats. Right has extension; left does not. IMO, he looks better on the right,” he added, sharing two photos.
Guy added that how much extension and padding is needed depends on a person’s body type and the “vibe” they wish to give off. He concluded, “I should add: while I think Trump would benefit from a softer shoulder, the more you extend his shoulder line, the more structure the jacket needs. Ralph Lauren likes a very extended shoulder and you can see how much padding he puts into his Purple Label tailoring.”
Who is Derek Guy?
Guy is a Canadian men's fashion industry writer and commentator, and is known as ‘the menswear guy’ on X. He became popular after the acquisition of X by Elon Musk, following which his account was promoted by the site's algorithmically curated ‘For You’ tab. Guy is known for having contributed pieces to The Washington Post, Esquire, and The Nation.
Guy was born to Vietnamese refugee parents in Vancouver. In the late 1960s, his family fled Saigon and crossed the border to Cambodia. They then went to Iran and Canada, and finally settled in the US as illegal immigrants. While Guy’s mother worked as a secretary, his father worked as a school janitor.
Guy’s interest in fashion developed in the 1990s as he grew up around people involved in the Lo Life subculture. He lives in San Francisco.
