What if Carhartt and 2(x)ist had a baby?
June 2, 2014 5:55 PM Subscribe
I need new clothes, and I would like, for once, clothes that look good. Significant bonus points if they signal modesty and I can do some physical work in them.
Hi,
I'm a man in possession of a medium build body with a prominent ass, and I'd like to dress more flatteringly. The catch is that my style tends strongly towards working clothes, and I'm a big fan of sturdily constructed, durable clothes. Think oiled cotton and plaid button-downs. With respect to cut, however, I'd like to show off the goods a bit more and stop owning only shirts that blouse when tucked in. I'm not fashionably rail thin, given my love affair with potatoes and beer, but I neither have a gut. Basically, I want outfits suitable for seducing Walt Whitman.
What brands and search terms should I use in finding my dream wardrobe? Do you have any relevant advice I haven't specified? I can spend some money, but I certainly can't afford (or do myself) the work to alter everything I wear.
Hi,
I'm a man in possession of a medium build body with a prominent ass, and I'd like to dress more flatteringly. The catch is that my style tends strongly towards working clothes, and I'm a big fan of sturdily constructed, durable clothes. Think oiled cotton and plaid button-downs. With respect to cut, however, I'd like to show off the goods a bit more and stop owning only shirts that blouse when tucked in. I'm not fashionably rail thin, given my love affair with potatoes and beer, but I neither have a gut. Basically, I want outfits suitable for seducing Walt Whitman.
What brands and search terms should I use in finding my dream wardrobe? Do you have any relevant advice I haven't specified? I can spend some money, but I certainly can't afford (or do myself) the work to alter everything I wear.
Try the Riggs line of pants from Wrangler, they're super durable with a nice fitted cut. In fact, I'm going to order a couple more pairs right now, having worn my older ones into the ground over the last couple years of hard use.
posted by contraption at 6:38 PM on June 2, 2014
posted by contraption at 6:38 PM on June 2, 2014
My Whitmanesque friends wear Bonobos. Not sure how sturdy the pants are, but I do know they're all about flattering the man ass.
posted by roger ackroyd at 6:57 PM on June 2, 2014
posted by roger ackroyd at 6:57 PM on June 2, 2014
Best answer: Carhartt actually made waves (or perhaps more accurately, ripples of puzzled laughter) a few year back, when they did a "tailored" offshoot. As someone who grew up in the middle of for-real workwear country, these items struck me as rather goofy, but since they literally answer your question, I thought they should be mentioned.
Most of the major brands with a history of supplying rugged clothes (Woolrich, Pendleton, etc.) have streamlined their cuts at least slightly, in recent times, in order to appeal to younger, trendier fans. For instance, I have a windbreaker/raincoat thing from Woolrich in a trim and flattering cut. L.L. Bean offers many of their mainline products in a "slim" fit, alongside their more billowy "traditional." I've found these to be just about perfect for my own medium-ish build. (Can't help with the butt thing, as mine is only "standard," at best.) Their "signature" brand goes even a bit trimmer, too. Land's End has a "tailored" option for most of their products; I find their exhaustive product dimension guidelines (usually available in PDF, for each product) to be very helpful in nailing fit. I am especially pleased with their waxed cotton jacket, which is a fantastic bargain and hits a really nice sweet spot between roomy and trim.
On the pricier end, various Japanese companies have made something of a fetish of vintage American work and military garb, combining obsessive replication with more modern profiles and occasional whimsy. Sounds like a bit of a hassle, though. And Brooks Brothers, while generally "dressy," has always had a foot in the world of flannels/field-wear. Their version of the "slim" cut is one of my personal favorites (they do an "extra slim," too.)
Nthing that altering an existing shirt can be accomplished for < $20, depending on how much needs to be done (and the local tailor landscape, obviously).
posted by credible hulk at 9:04 PM on June 2, 2014
Most of the major brands with a history of supplying rugged clothes (Woolrich, Pendleton, etc.) have streamlined their cuts at least slightly, in recent times, in order to appeal to younger, trendier fans. For instance, I have a windbreaker/raincoat thing from Woolrich in a trim and flattering cut. L.L. Bean offers many of their mainline products in a "slim" fit, alongside their more billowy "traditional." I've found these to be just about perfect for my own medium-ish build. (Can't help with the butt thing, as mine is only "standard," at best.) Their "signature" brand goes even a bit trimmer, too. Land's End has a "tailored" option for most of their products; I find their exhaustive product dimension guidelines (usually available in PDF, for each product) to be very helpful in nailing fit. I am especially pleased with their waxed cotton jacket, which is a fantastic bargain and hits a really nice sweet spot between roomy and trim.
On the pricier end, various Japanese companies have made something of a fetish of vintage American work and military garb, combining obsessive replication with more modern profiles and occasional whimsy. Sounds like a bit of a hassle, though. And Brooks Brothers, while generally "dressy," has always had a foot in the world of flannels/field-wear. Their version of the "slim" cut is one of my personal favorites (they do an "extra slim," too.)
Nthing that altering an existing shirt can be accomplished for < $20, depending on how much needs to be done (and the local tailor landscape, obviously).
posted by credible hulk at 9:04 PM on June 2, 2014
Seconding Duluth!
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:02 AM on June 3, 2014
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:02 AM on June 3, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by plinth at 6:13 PM on June 2, 2014 [3 favorites]