I'm talking about regular street clothes here. It seems that over the last few years most retailers have done away with athletic fit dress shirts and pants with less than 30 inch waist lines.
I'm starting a new job and have been shopping for clothes. The main issue has been finding pants that fit. I'm average height but I have muscular legs and upper body with a very narrow waist. Any pants with a waist over 28" are too loose and bunch up under my belt. I've tried shopping the kids section and found some of the larger sizes fit me well. the problem is they aren't exactly the most stylish and seem not to be put together as well as adult pants.
I have the same problem with dress shirts. A regular cut shirt, that fits my shoulders and upper back, leaves so much extra fabric around my waist it's silly. I can still find a few athletic cut shirts but the selection is really small.
So where do you guys shop for clothes? Any online retailers or retail stores that cater to athletes or thinner men?
Thanks
I read somrthing the other day about Levi's-it seems that they are now making 501's to fit heavier people. I mean, really-wearing something like that was incentive for remaining fit! WTF are they thinking?? I used to be able to find athletic-cut shirts, but now the department stores only carry looser-fitting shirts.
My problem is mostly in the length of my torso. Luckily, good shirts seem to be made a bit longer these days, so I don't need to go into the "tall" sizes like I used to. There was a time when a person who wears a 42 long jacket could find a good selection in the big&tall stores, but not today. I go in there today looking for a shirt in L-T, and all I find are racks and racks of XXXL-T, 5X, etc. Maybe a few XL-T, but that's about it.
I think that you may need to bring your stuff to a tailor for alterations. Buy what looks good, then have the waist taken in.
More than anything, it sounds like you need a good tailor/seamstress who doesn't charge an arm and a leg for alterations. This is speaking as someone who has never had a pant or dress shirt that didn't need to have the sleeves/leg shortened considerably.
If you lived in Vancouver (Canada) like I do, I would steer you toward the many Asian shopping malls, since they carry clothing lines that would probably fit you better. Maybe you could look at clothing lines designed by Japanese or other Asian designers (but not specifically designed for the American market)?
I get most of my clothes are Target. I have "business casual" dress codes though, so I just need some khakis and Polo-type shirts. I can find odd sizes there, because like you have already noticed, manufacturers are making clothes to fit FAT people now, rather than thin people.
It's really kinda sad, they will go out of their way to make people feel good in clothes just cuz they are fat, and leave everyone else out to dry.
Whatever pays the bills I guess........ Those discount stores often have weirdo sizes too, Marshall's, Ross, etc. Make sure the pants have the same length legs though, LOL.........
Time to pay a bit more, and get fit by a good tailor. I usually wear off-the-rack 33s to fit my thighs and a$$ but then they take the waist in a good 2 inches. I'm talking pants at $200 each, it is worth it.
I do know that Levis does make all of their jeans in size 28 waist and that many of their styles are cut smaller than the tag indicates. The Gap also makes pants in smaller sizes. As for shirts I'm with you on this one. Seems many stores have removed size small from their run. I guess we really are a Supersized McCountry.
I've been thinking the same thing but thought I was alone here. It does seem that even clothes of the same size are getting bigger. I guess companies think people will buy their brand if they can fit into a smaller size. It's really crazy. We really have become a society about feelings with no self responsability.
Yupp, it's totally true. Take a classic pair of jeans, normal old size that you always wear, then go get some more expensive brand of same size. It's not cuz they are cut differently, it's the actual size being bigger. I bet things fit about 2 inches larger than they used to for pants. Shirts are a loss cause, size small is still like me swimming in the darn thing.
I am 5'4" with a 28" inseam and 28-29" waist. I buy both my jeans and casual slacks in the boys dept. Mostly Polo size 16, although 14's fit too. For dress pants I have to go high end, $150+. Bannan Republic does have few things in their men section that fit.
Shoes are the same thing. I have a size 7 foot in dress shoes and have to go to the boys dept at specialty shoe stores. Sometimes I can find mens shoes in my size but they usually require a sole insert to reduce the tox box area.
I am 5 foot 8, 129pounds and a 28inch waist (still need a belt) and agree with others that Bannan Republic does make suff to fit. Also buy cheaper stuff and pay a taylor
BR has a lot of clothes for slimmer dudes. They are a bit pricier than Target, but most of the stuff I've gotten through the years has held up well. I fit well in the "Gavin" pants - no pleats and slim cut. Skinny dudes look so awkward in pleats. For fatties only!
I'm talking about regular street clothes here. It seems that over the last few years most retailers have done away with athletic fit dress shirts and pants with less than 30 inch waist lines.
I'm starting a new job and have been shopping for clothes. The main issue has been finding pants that fit. I'm average height but I have muscular legs and upper body with a very narrow waist. Any pants with a waist over 28" are too loose and bunch up under my belt. I've tried shopping the kids section and found some of the larger sizes fit me well. the problem is they aren't exactly the most stylish and seem not to be put together as well as adult pants.
I have the same problem with dress shirts. A regular cut shirt, that fits my shoulders and upper back, leaves so much extra fabric around my waist it's silly. I can still find a few athletic cut shirts but the selection is really small.
So where do you guys shop for clothes? Any online retailers or retail stores that cater to athletes or thinner men?
Thanks
For business casual Levi's dockers has a pleated pant with cuffs that are a little bigger in the thigh for the given waist size - great fit if others fit too tight in the thigh (and butt too). Athletic cut shirts....."fashion" dictates oversized shirts in america anyways....great for the fatties in the world to hide their gut - but those of us that are fit fall right into the concept of getting it to fit our neck/arm (dress shirt) and don;t worry about the rest - hey that way if you develop an Induran or Ulrich gut you can hide that too!
Check Land's End, Eddie Bauer or LL Bean. Mail order generally has a larger stock than bricks and morter. Myself, I wear a 31x34, which is not impossible to find but can be difficult. I have real trouble with long sleeve shirts, I need a Tall or the sleeves will be too short. If Talls are available they are usually only in large which I swim in. I have found these online stores more reliable for a M-Tall size.
Great, It looks like I have more potions than I thought...
I'll start looking around on line and check some of those shops as well.
It just seems funny. At 5' 9" and almost 150 pounds I don't view myself as so skinny that I shouldn't be able to buy clothes. I also fully inderstand that stores need to stock what sells and it's not their responsability to see that they have my size.
It sounds like there may be a business opportunity for someone who could pull it off. A line of clothes designed for people with more athletic builds than the average American. I'm sure larger athletes have the same problem because it seems to be more about proportions than actual size. They could advertise in gyms and places like this and sell online.
Anyway, enough rambling for now. Thanks for all the replies.
I'll start looking around on line and check some of those shops as well.
It just seems funny. At 5' 9" and almost 150 pounds I don't view myself as so skinny that I shouldn't be able to buy clothes. I also fully inderstand that stores need to stock what sells and it's not their responsability to see that they have my size.
It sounds like there may be a business opportunity for someone who could pull it off. A line of clothes designed for people with more athletic builds than the average American. I'm sure larger athletes have the same problem because it seems to be more about proportions than actual size. They could advertise in gyms and places like this and sell online.
Anyway, enough rambling for now. Thanks for all the replies.
I'm 6ft tall, weigh 155lb and race mostly crits and track, thus I have pretty big legs. I find that for jeans, Express for men fits me nicely. For buisness casual, you might want to try more designer stores, like Club Monaco, Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, etc. You'll spend more money, but find cloths that actually fits you better. Every now and then I luck out with Dockers. Also, DKNY has really nice slacks. As for shirts, try looking for those that have a cotton/lycra fit, since they tend to sag less in the arms and chest. Or if your in europe, just stock up in cloths there. I bought some shirts in November and they are by far my best fitting cloths. They even make me look like I have an upper body.
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