Where does a large man buy casual clothes in London?
March 15, 2017 3:52 AM   Subscribe

Where can a man with a waistline over 44 inches buy attractive, comfortable, durable casual clothes in London? I am a large man who cycles and walks a fair bit, and my wardrobe tends toward the Professor Brothers style: sportcoat, casual button-up shirt, durable trousers.

I recently shammed my way into London Cycle Chic in a raincoat and shirt both of which I picked up in Amsterdam last year, and I realised that there were more big&tall options in normal department stores in the Netherlands (possibly due to the generally taller demographic there).

I tend to wear out the inner thigh of all my trousers before anything else, due to how often I cycle and walk (as well as my thighs rubbing together more just due to my geometry). I recently found that the Veltuff lined action trousers in a 46R seem to fit most of my criteria (nice pockets, durable, unobtrusive) but they have a gaudy logo on the right thigh and I wouldn't mind something with a gusset in the crotch. Unfortunately the only place I can buy Veltuff is via online wholesalers who charge me an eye-wartering retailer's account fee of some sort.

I tend to prefer to walk in to places and try things on, as sizes are such a disaster for my lumpy body shape, but I often find myself giving in and buying things that are a tad too snug anyway just because it's the shop's idea of a "3XL" and I'm not going to do any better.

It seems like all the large men in the UK wear tailored suits, high-vis workwear, or branded football jerseys. Where does a big guy just get casual dad-wear?
posted by rum-soaked space hobo to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (14 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Standard M+S sizing goes up to 44" (real world measurement probably an inch or two greater than that given size inflation) even before you go looking in their specific “big+tall” ranges. They may not always have stock in store in the largest sizes, but you might find something you like in store & order online?

M+S style pretty much epitomises that Dad-turned-college-lecturer look :)
posted by pharm at 4:23 AM on March 15, 2017


Oh wait, you said over 44". Well, hopefully the B+T section of M+S still applies! Plus, given size inflation their ordinary range might too, depending on whether that’s a measured ‘over 44"’ or one based on ‘I buy clothes that claim to be 46" (say)’ one...
posted by pharm at 4:37 AM on March 15, 2017


Response by poster: I find the absolute barrier to be 44 everywhere. Most shops also have a psychological barrier to that leading 4, meaning you have to do a week-long haggling session to even try on the 44s.

I've tried to give M&S my custom. I really have! Unfortunately their big&tall trousers are either the "slacks made of tissue with a razor-sharp crease" variety or (I am not making this up) "Big and Tall Slim Fit Jeans". Why the deuce would I want to emphasise my gut by squashing my lower half into "slim fit" anything?
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:47 AM on March 15, 2017


Fashion is a killer! (my cycling thighs mean that I don’t fit into slim fit anything, so I sympathise...) I’m out of ideas then. Anyone else?
posted by pharm at 5:04 AM on March 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: If you're willing to do online, one of the UK plus size ladybrands I buy from is always sending me marketing stuff for Bad Rhino, which is apparently an equivalent site for dudes. I cannot vouch for it other than to say it exists, though.
posted by terretu at 5:13 AM on March 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


Best answer: You might have some luck with High & Mighty
posted by skybluepink at 7:05 AM on March 15, 2017


Response by poster: Oooh, High&Mighty does seem to have a lot of tweed blazers, which are definitely my bag! I'll have to dig deeper in their collection after work!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 7:16 AM on March 15, 2017


Response by poster: Thanks for the tip about Bad Rhino. They have too many pre-stressed jeans for my taste, but I am tempted by one of the cargo trousers...
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 7:16 AM on March 15, 2017


My husband is 6'5" high and has been variously mighty in the past, and is still wearing some High & Mighty clothes he inherited when his 6'7" dad died 20 years ago. So that's an indication of their quality.
posted by altolinguistic at 12:48 PM on March 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Rochester Clothing, a part of the US DXL chain, is generally high quality but rather expensive. The aforementioned High&Mighty and Bad Rhino are okay, as is Jacamo, which has a shop on Oxford Street.
posted by Jabberwocky at 7:35 AM on March 16, 2017


Response by poster: Interesting! I notice that a lot of the entries from High&Mighty are also in the Jacamo catalogue, and the interface is rather familiar...
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 9:34 AM on March 16, 2017


Response by poster: While in the area just now, I noticed that OSM list the jacamo site as High & Mighty so this seems ideal for a visit once Sunday trading hours start!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 4:22 AM on March 19, 2017


Response by poster: I went to the old High&Mighty spot, and found it closed. Jacamo down the road is clearly High&Mighty stock, though, and the ground floor is a women's clothing shop called Simply Be. It was good to be able to try on things in my size! I'll have to check back as stock rotates!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 5:12 AM on March 20, 2017


For some reason Facebook has started advertising Jacamo at me at every opportunity. Advert claims all sizes from S -> 5XL (whatever that is) catered for, so it’s obviously a market opening they’re going for.
posted by pharm at 9:22 AM on May 28, 2017


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