Former President Donald Trump is reportedly using suits with heavily padded shoulders to conceal his weight, but according to a menswear expert, the strategy is not entirely successful. Derek Guy, a fashion analyst known for his insights on men’s attire, shared his observations in a thread on X, pointing out that Trump’s tailoring choices are aimed at transforming his rectangular figure into a more traditionally masculine V-shape.
“Trump’s tailoring is done in a way to conceal his weight,” Guy wrote, explaining that the heavily padded shoulders are intended to create a more flattering silhouette. However, he noted that there are limitations to how much padding can achieve this effect. “You can only extend the shoulder so much before it starts to collapse,” Guy added. “Think of what would happen if you extended the shoulder line on a t-shirt or dress shirt—it would just flop on you.”
To illustrate his point, Guy shared a photo showing Trump’s shoulder pads caving in as he sits down, highlighting the limitations of the padded design. “The downside of a heavily padded, extended shoulder is that artifice is revealed when you sit like this. Not much you can do about this,” Guy observed. He explained that while padded coats might look impressive when one is standing still, they tend to appear unnatural when the wearer moves or sits, especially if the shoulders are pitched forward.
Guy went on to suggest that Trump might benefit from opting for a softer, sloping shoulder design. He humorously compared the former president’s body type to that of a bottle of Palmolive, implying that a different tailoring approach could better suit Trump’s physique.
The critique underscores the challenges of using fashion to alter one’s appearance, particularly when it comes to tailoring that is meant to mask body shape. While padded shoulders can create a certain visual effect, as Guy pointed out, the results can sometimes backfire, revealing rather than concealing the intended artifice.