diff --git a/src/matrix/render.clj b/src/matrix/render.clj
index c701923..cafa381 100644
--- a/src/matrix/render.clj
+++ b/src/matrix/render.clj
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@
 (defn draw-row
   "Takes a seq of strs and a max length and draws a row.
    Optionally takes a left and right to surround with"
-  ([seq max-len add-bar]
-   (let [fmt-str (str "%" max-len "s")]
+  ([seq max-col-lens add-bar]
+   (let [mk-fmt-str #(str "%" (nth max-col-lens %) "s")]
      (->> seq
-          (map (partial format fmt-str))
+          (map-indexed #(format (mk-fmt-str %1) %2))
           ((if add-bar
              (partial add-before-last "│")
              identity))
@@ -49,20 +49,34 @@
        (map count)
        (apply max 0)))
 
+(defn str-len
+  "Returns the length of a value as a string"
+  [s]
+  (count (str s)))
+
 (defn max-str-len-matrix
   "Returns the maximum length of the stringified elements of the matrix"
   [m]
   (apply max (map max-str-len m)))
 
+(defn matrix-col-lens
+  "Returns the maximum length of each column of a matrix"
+  [m]
+  (for [col (range 0 (matrix-width m))]
+    (->> m
+         (map #(get % col))
+         (map str-len)
+         (apply max))))
+
 ; could do latex, but what's the point
 (defn pretty-matrix-rows
   "Make a list of fancy display strings of the rows given matrix"
   ([m] (pretty-matrix-rows m false))
   ([m add-bar]
-   (let [max-len (max-str-len-matrix m)
+   (let [max-col-lens (matrix-col-lens m)
          width   (matrix-width m)
-         row-len (+ (- width 1) (* max-len width))
-         middle  (map #(draw-row % max-len add-bar "┃ " " ┃") m)
+         row-len (+ (- width 1) (reduce + max-col-lens))
+         middle  (map #(draw-row % max-col-lens add-bar "┃ " " ┃") m)
          space   (apply str (repeat (+ (if add-bar 2 0) row-len) " "))]
      (concat [(str "┏ " space " ┓")]
              middle
@@ -198,4 +212,4 @@
        :add  (pretty-add  inner))))
   ([op _] (with-inc-row-indices op)))
 
-;TODO: better row formatting (each column is only as wide as the longest in the column)
+;DONE: better row formatting (each column is only as wide as the longest in the column)