Shirts and Blazers for big-armed women

December 1, 2010 4:24 PM

Where can I find blazers and button-up shirts which fit over my sizeable arms?

I'm a reasonably serious rock climber and so have relatively muscular arms for a woman. I'm usually a size 6-8 in clothes where arm size doesn't matter.

A few years ago, I fit into Banana Republic's easy-care button-up shirts (size 6) and I have a formal blazer from the same era from them (size 8). Both fit well on my arms yet are not terribly baggy over my chest, shoulders, and stomach.

I need more of both items. I tried on increasing sizes last week at BR until my arms fit--it was a size 14 before I could even get my arms in the sleeves, and they still were rather tight. At that size the rest of it just hangs on me and looks terrible. The lack of fit even in the shoulders means tailoring isn't really feasible (the cost of fixing up a shoulder seam would mean it's cheaper just to get things straight up custom made).

So, I come you, o mefites-- where can I find button up shirts (easy care only, irons can collectively go jump in a lake) and blazers in a similar style to Banana, but that fit my arms as well as my torso? Who runs big through the arms but not so big through the chest+waist?

I'd prefer to just buy off the rack, if at all possible, but if you think the answer is "get things custom made"-- well how the heck do I do that? I have a tailor who will take in pants and do other adjustments, but he won't create new things from scratch. How do I find someone who will create entirely new items for me?

posted by nat to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

Response by poster: I'm in Boston, but I travel to Chicago, SF, and Denver not infrequently.
posted by nat at 4:41 PM on December 1, 2010

You may be best off purchasing a blouse that fits in the arms, and finding a tailor that can fit the rest of it to you. Or, custom shirts, like stoneweaver suggests.
posted by 6:1 at 4:46 PM on December 1, 2010

We've had good luck with men's custom shirts with this guy from Hong Kong, he travels around the U.S.. I would hope there is an equivalent for women?
posted by 6:1 at 4:52 PM on December 1, 2010

(I take that back, he may not be from Hong Kong--not sure why I thought he was).
posted by 6:1 at 4:54 PM on December 1, 2010

I've had good luck (as a man, former rock climber, and generally un-American-shaped person) with Maxwell's, the one from HK. They're in SF frequently.
posted by kcm at 5:04 PM on December 1, 2010

H & M cater to really slim fit shirts for men (who generally have bigger arms than ladies of your size). I'm a 6-8 and like to get these shirts for a "classic" look (I don't like the frequently thinner fabric of ladies shirts). They would probably have wide arms and yet a slim body fit.

YMMV, but perhaps you can try this option with stores that cater to slim men, before going the tailor option?
posted by shazzam! at 5:15 PM on December 1, 2010

yeah, depending on your chest size, slim fitting mens shirts might serve you better. you might also check fashion spreads of some of the bigger armed ladies (kelly ripa, jennifer aniston, madonna, tennis players) and see what they're wearing.
posted by nadawi at 5:30 PM on December 1, 2010

Consider getting a couple of nice, versatile jackets either off the shelf which you get tailored to fit you or else custom made. Then give shirts a miss and wear nice tops with some stretch or some nice knitwear underneath - both will accommodates your arms more easily.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:13 AM on December 2, 2010

For shirts, get the slim fit men's shirts as people above have suggested and take them to a tailor to have some darts put in them to make them more woman-shaped (i.e. to make them fit over your bust but then come in slightly to your belly as opposed to being boxy like a mens shirt).

For blazers, you could buy solid basic colors off rack and see if a tailor will remove and replace the sleeves only for you.
posted by WeekendJen at 8:27 AM on December 2, 2010