87 hints what he must not choose. Such brazen plaids only make him
appear offensively aggressive in size. Long, fine lines, such as shown
in No. 88, give an impression of length and apparently lessen the width.

[Illustration: NO. 87]

Too long lines, however, are almost as undesirable as too short ones.
Over-tall, thin men sometimes make themselves look like telegraph poles
or flagstaffs by wearing short coats that expose in a graceless way the
whole length of their limbs. They suggest cranes and other fowl that
give the impression of being "all legs."

[Illustration: NO. 88]

When the legs are proportioned more like a stick of macaroni or a lead
pencil than the shapely limbs of an Adonis, they appear exceedingly
funny when surmounted by a short coat, such as pictured in No. 89. A
famous general in the Civil War did not despise cotton as a
fortification to protect him from the onslaught of the enemy. The
over-tall, thin man, who is not unsuggestive of a picket, should not be
ashamed to fortify himself with cotton or any other sort of padding that
intelligent tailors keep in stock. He should build his shoulders up a
bit and be generally, but most carefully and artistically, enlarged. His
coat should be lengthened, as in sketch go, to cut off just as much of
the longness of limb as can possibly be allowed without destroying
artistic proportions. The very tall, thin man who unthinkingly wears a
very short coat should be brave and never turn his back to his enemy.

[Illustration: NO. 89]