Our style experts answer your most pressing sartorial questions.

If you boil down most style advice, it amounts, essentially, to problem solving. And this week in our Style Questions column, that is exactly what we are in the business of doing. From a man with no trousers (and someone having trouble keeping them up), to a vertically challenged chap, read on to see our tailored solutions to our readers’ clothing queries.

If you have your own question, don’t hesitate to contact asky@mrporter.com or reach out to us on our social media channels.

I’m trying to work trousers into my day-to-day life, but I am yet to find a look that doesn’t appear too formal for casual events. What would you recommend?

From @beaucopeland, via Instagram

Thanks for getting in touch, @beaucopeland. Are we to assume that you are not a recovering nudist, as the phrasing of your question seems to imply, but are, in fact, referring to trousers as opposed to jeans? If so, we’re more than qualified to offer a little advice. If not, well, congratulations on finally deciding to wear trousers. Society applauds you. Now, back to the question at hand.

While it’s true that trousers – American readers, that’s what you’d call “pants” – are generally considered to be more formal than jeans, there are plenty of exceptions to the rule. Take chinos, for example. Forget their unwelcome reputation as the cornerstone of the much-maligned smart-casual look. They’re military in origin, only becoming part of the civilian wardrobe in the 1950s when soldiers returning from WWII began wearing them on college campuses. Why not channel the timeless Ivy League look with a pair of wide-legged chinos in sturdy cotton twill? You could do a lot worse than this pair from our in-house brand, Mr P., or these from the Americana-inspired Japanese brand Beams Plus. Worn with a pair of black high-top Chuck Taylors, they’re as far removed from Casual Friday as anything you’ll find in the denim department. Another option is the drawstring trouser, which you might like to think of as a halfway house between trousers and sweatpants. Of the many examples this season that are worth your consideration, we’d recommend these from Craig Green and Chimala.

Whatever you choose, be confident in the knowledge that the winds of fashion are firmly behind you. Over the past few seasons, sportswear and streetwear have grown in influence. Silhouettes are becoming softer, fabrics less rigid. The days of ubiquitous skinny jeans are numbered. In short, there’s never been a better time to let trousers into your life.

When is it appropriate to go belt-less when wearing a suit?

From @stevemadison617, via Instagram

It may be wise to answer this question in another way, by explaining when you should wear a belt with a suit. You should do this precisely never. Some people say that if your trousers have loops you should fill them. Some people say belts are a welcome opportunity to accessorise and to express your personality. Still more will tell you we are ruled by lizards in human suits. Folly is no respecter of rank.

When you buy a suit, it should fit. If your trousers don’t fit, you need to have them taken in or you need another pair of trousers. Consider it this way: having the waist of a pair of trousers taken in is considerably less expensive than purchasing a decent leather belt. Aside from anything else, money considerations or what not, wearing a belt with a suit unnecessarily bulks out your middle.

Any style tips for short people? What to avoid to not look short? What to adopt?

From @hassantl, via Instagram

As a general rule for shorter men, it’s worth sticking to Italian or Japanese brands, such as Boglioli or Beams. Their fits are generally smaller than their Scandinavian or American counterparts, so you will find that they are better suited to your stature. Getting the right fit is crucial to flattering your height. Trousers should fall on the ankle bone and shirt cuffs should never go past your wrist.

Oversized may be the overriding trend of the season – you can read our Journal feature on it here – but for those of us on the shorter side, purposefully bigger clothes can just make us look smaller. Workwear, however, which is also having a moment, is relatively easy to pull off whatever your height. Wardrobe staples, such as canvas jackets and chinos, should be fine as long as they fit properly. To add presence to a look and to make your frame appear a little larger, try something with stronger shoulders. A blazer is a good option, and Japanese brand Camoshita has some particularly good examples that strike the right balance between casual and sophisticated.

On the other hand, you’re welcome to disregard our advice entirely and wear exactly what you want, regardless of how short it makes you look. We could give you endless advice about how wearing a darker colour on the bottom and a lighter colour on top can draw the eye upwards and create a lengthening effect, or we could tell you to start a petition calling for wide-legged trousers to be banned, but such sartorial limitations are frankly dull, and there’s nothing stylish about that.

We live in an age where we can change almost anything about our appearance if we are not happy with it, but our height we are stuck with, and so fretting about it is futile. If you find yourself feeling conscious about your height, just think of Mr Kanye West. What Mr West lacks in height (he is about 5ft 6in), he more than makes up for in ego. We’re not suggesting you adopt a Yeezy level of braggadocio or develop a Napoleon complex, but being short is only as tall an issue as you decide to make it. So, to answer your question about what to adopt to not look short, the best answer we can give you is confidence, which you can get from wearing clothes you feel good in. The rest, as they say, will follow.

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