Where do muscular/broad-chested guys get their clothing?

August 17, 2007 4:08 PM

Where do muscular/broad-chested guys get their clothing?

I see lots of questions here asking where skinny guys get clothes that fit, but I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm no Mr. Universe, but if a shirt fits me around the chest and shoulders it hangs like a tent around my belly. Similarly, and jeans that fit my thighs and calves hand limp and unflattering in the seat. I'd like to find clothes that fit and flatter, preferably without having to spend a fortune at a tailor.

posted by lekvar to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 comments total)

Hollister or Abercrombie and Fitch. Shirts and tops tailored for guys with large chest/arms.
posted by fire&wings at 4:25 PM on August 17, 2007

Unless you are abnormally big, look at department stores and clothing stores for shirts that are marked "tapered fit" or something similar. Any department store with a full men's department should have what you need. (Dillard's, etc.)
posted by The Deej at 4:31 PM on August 17, 2007

It sounds like you have the same build as my boyfriend. Ben Sherman mod fit shirts work well for his body type -- a size L or XL fits his chest/shoulders, and then tapers in for the waist. (Ignore the fact that the models in the pictures seem to have a leaner body type overall.)
posted by scody at 4:33 PM on August 17, 2007

I have large calves (21' or so), and I hate loose/baggy pants. Levis boot-cut (517, I think) and 501 jeans tend to fit me well, but my idea of well-fitting may not be yours, and they still unavoidably catch on my calves and turn themselves inside out as I take them off, dumping out my pockets, which I hate.
posted by pullayup at 4:34 PM on August 17, 2007

I always shop at Kohls or JC Penny, since they always carry talls. Even if you aren't overly tall, the cut seems slimmer in the abdomen area. If you're looking for a suit, several places carry "athletic cut" jackets, which are a must. For dress shirts the only option is Casual Male. The only jeans I've found that fit my thighs are Levis Carpenter pants or Levis 569.
posted by sanka at 4:41 PM on August 17, 2007

Oh yeah, sanka, you bring up a good point. I'm not tall; 5'10" on a good day. I'm short and wide.
posted by lekvar at 4:42 PM on August 17, 2007

If you can stand price and the underage-softcore ads, you might like American Apparel brand t-shirts.
posted by pullayup at 4:43 PM on August 17, 2007

After running all around town trying to find a dress shirt, I found that the slim fit at Banana Republic fit perfectly.
posted by advicepig at 7:26 PM on August 17, 2007

After I dropped a lot of weight, I just started wearing tight-fitting shirts, a medium does well on me, my chest is I guess around 46"... might not be your style though. I've also had good luck with vintage clothes from the early sixties (ie not bellbottoms)
posted by glip at 7:40 PM on August 17, 2007

My tailor charges me $10 a shirt to taper the side seams. This might be cheaper than buying new shirts, and is not very expensive in and of itself.
posted by Comrade_robot at 6:50 AM on August 18, 2007