Help me find clothes that fit correctly
August 18, 2010 4:02 PM Subscribe
I'm a tall (6'3"), somewhat slim (200lbs) man, and I'm having a hard time finding clothes that fit appropriately. Any recommendations on where I should shop?
For the most part, my shirts need to be XL to fit through the shoulders and for the arm length, but most XL's are designed to cover a XL belly too. Even T-Shirts are a bit baggy. I'd like something more fitted, but there aren't many places that have such clothes.
Pants are also a bit of a problem. I generally wear a 34 waist and my ideal length would be 35, but it seems most pants go from 34 to 36. Pants aren't quite as difficult to find though.
I live in Seattle, so I do have access to a pretty decent variety of stores. I'm not looking for suits, but something more casual (Seattle is quite casual, and I am in IT), but I still want to look nice. I'd rather not have to get everything custom tailored, but I understand that might be a necessity.
Any help would be appreciated.
For the most part, my shirts need to be XL to fit through the shoulders and for the arm length, but most XL's are designed to cover a XL belly too. Even T-Shirts are a bit baggy. I'd like something more fitted, but there aren't many places that have such clothes.
Pants are also a bit of a problem. I generally wear a 34 waist and my ideal length would be 35, but it seems most pants go from 34 to 36. Pants aren't quite as difficult to find though.
I live in Seattle, so I do have access to a pretty decent variety of stores. I'm not looking for suits, but something more casual (Seattle is quite casual, and I am in IT), but I still want to look nice. I'd rather not have to get everything custom tailored, but I understand that might be a necessity.
Any help would be appreciated.
I'm also a tall guy (although not as slim -- 6'5" / 270 lbs) living in Seattle, and I still find myself going online for everything. Even higher end men's stores don't often sell slim-fitting shirts that are long enough in the sleeves, and if they do, you'll pay a premium for them.
I've had a lot of luck at Lands End for pants (Tailored Fit/flat front only, though) -- they will hem them at any length, or you can get them unhemmed and have a tailor do it. Their Tailored Fit shirts are solid for the price, but I find them a little blousy, so you might have a rough time with it. Still, for $29 on sale, you could afford thee $15 or so to have a tailor trim them up.
Other ideas:
-- The Lands End Canvas line is marvelous, but they don't have any tall sizes yet, so we're out of luck on that.
-- American Apparel stuff is always long enough for me, even though they're not tall sized. The have some nice Oxford shirts and v neck sweaters.
-- same for H&M -- their XLs are a little too slim for me and almost too short through the arms, so they'd probably be a good fit for you for blazers and shirts.
Also, check out tumblrs of fashion nerds with similar dimensions as you. I like C. Benjamin; he often writes about tall guy clothes and he sounds like he has pretty similar measurements as you.
posted by rossination at 4:19 PM on August 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've had a lot of luck at Lands End for pants (Tailored Fit/flat front only, though) -- they will hem them at any length, or you can get them unhemmed and have a tailor do it. Their Tailored Fit shirts are solid for the price, but I find them a little blousy, so you might have a rough time with it. Still, for $29 on sale, you could afford thee $15 or so to have a tailor trim them up.
Other ideas:
-- The Lands End Canvas line is marvelous, but they don't have any tall sizes yet, so we're out of luck on that.
-- American Apparel stuff is always long enough for me, even though they're not tall sized. The have some nice Oxford shirts and v neck sweaters.
-- same for H&M -- their XLs are a little too slim for me and almost too short through the arms, so they'd probably be a good fit for you for blazers and shirts.
Also, check out tumblrs of fashion nerds with similar dimensions as you. I like C. Benjamin; he often writes about tall guy clothes and he sounds like he has pretty similar measurements as you.
posted by rossination at 4:19 PM on August 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah, also seconding GuyZero that Banana Republic, Gap, and even Old Navy sell tall sizes, but only online.
posted by rossination at 4:19 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by rossination at 4:19 PM on August 18, 2010
Oh man, I feel your pain. I'm 6'2" and 185 pounds, with a crazy ape index.. My wingspan is around 6'6", so I've got these lanky arms, real broad shoulders and chest, and no gut. I need an XL sleeve to fit my arms and shoulders, but my body is like a medium-large.. It's really frustrating!
Anyways, two brands I've found that consistently fit my body type are GAP and J. Crew. Their "large" is the best of both worlds for me, and they fit my arms without having all kinds of material floating around my midsection, as is usually the case :P I imagine their stuff would work for you too..
posted by Glendale at 4:23 PM on August 18, 2010
Anyways, two brands I've found that consistently fit my body type are GAP and J. Crew. Their "large" is the best of both worlds for me, and they fit my arms without having all kinds of material floating around my midsection, as is usually the case :P I imagine their stuff would work for you too..
posted by Glendale at 4:23 PM on August 18, 2010
I've had good luck with the "fitted" button-down shirts from the Gap: their XL's fit me the same as an LT (large tall) would from any other place -- long arms, with no presumption that I'm as round as I am tall.
posted by astrochimp at 4:24 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by astrochimp at 4:24 PM on August 18, 2010
For casual shirts like t-shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies American Apparel is very good. Their shirts are cut slim and long. My boyfriend is your height and weight and has the same clothing issues, and he wears medium or large depending on the style.
posted by keep it under cover at 4:26 PM on August 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by keep it under cover at 4:26 PM on August 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
6'5, 180, in the same boat. I look for anything that has an LT or XLT size, but theyre few and far between. Kohls sometimes has those sizes, also make a semi-annual trip to the big and tall store, but theyre usually more on the "big" than the tall.
posted by T.D. Strange at 4:41 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by T.D. Strange at 4:41 PM on August 18, 2010
Yes, t-shirts suck for beanpoles, as creative alterations (like stitching along the side) seems more suitable for women.
If you have the money for it, you can buy things big and get them tailored, but again, not so great for t-shirts (though it might be a possibility, if you really like a shirt).
posted by filthy light thief at 4:45 PM on August 18, 2010
If you have the money for it, you can buy things big and get them tailored, but again, not so great for t-shirts (though it might be a possibility, if you really like a shirt).
posted by filthy light thief at 4:45 PM on August 18, 2010
Kohls and JC Penny have pretty decent Big and Tall sections, but like T.D.Strange said above, it's mostly the Big. Sometimes you can find your size and check the fit. Then just order whatever colors you want online. Works for me anyway.
posted by sanka at 4:45 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by sanka at 4:45 PM on August 18, 2010
I (6'4", 220) get most of my shirts from Eddie Bauer. They have a lot of stuff available in tall sizes.
posted by ecurtz at 4:56 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by ecurtz at 4:56 PM on August 18, 2010
My boyfriend is a similar size to you, and he likes Nautica and Banana Republic for pants. Their outlet stores seem to carry the tall sizes. Nautica also carries a nice "slim fit" line of polo shirts.
posted by bayleaf at 7:49 PM on August 18, 2010
posted by bayleaf at 7:49 PM on August 18, 2010
Everything that Eddie Bauer sells, they also sell it in a tall size. Yeah, lots of their clothing you'll look like some east coast golfer mope but if you pick your spots you can find some timeless clothing ie nice styles, won't go out of style, high quality, etc and etc.
And american apparel, yep, their stuff runs long.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:46 AM on August 19, 2010
And american apparel, yep, their stuff runs long.
posted by dancestoblue at 12:46 AM on August 19, 2010
My husband is 6'4", 165. For very casual wear he has pretty good luck at Old Navy; their larger stores have a big range of sizes (in pants especially), their smaller ones you can look at stuff, find what you like, the order the appropriate size online. JC Penney carries a great range of Docker sizes.
My husband isn't as broad in the shoulders as you, sounds like, so I can't help with T-shirts, but many of the places mentioned above have the slimmer fits for button-downs which my husband prefers.
And I don't really think of hemming as "custom tailoring" ... hemming is just part of life (I say, as a 5'2" woman who has to get almost EVERYTHING hemmed). But the good news is, it's quite easy to learn to hem yourself, and you may have a friend who's a good sewer and doesn't mind hemming for you. I'm a decent sewer and don't mind hemming my own casual pants, but my good sewing friends have always been willing to pin up my dressy pants for me and return them a week alter hemmed. It takes 10 minutes. And it's not expensive to have done at the tailor, either, because there's not much to it, unlike fitting a jacket, say, or tailoring a shirt.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:22 AM on August 19, 2010
My husband isn't as broad in the shoulders as you, sounds like, so I can't help with T-shirts, but many of the places mentioned above have the slimmer fits for button-downs which my husband prefers.
And I don't really think of hemming as "custom tailoring" ... hemming is just part of life (I say, as a 5'2" woman who has to get almost EVERYTHING hemmed). But the good news is, it's quite easy to learn to hem yourself, and you may have a friend who's a good sewer and doesn't mind hemming for you. I'm a decent sewer and don't mind hemming my own casual pants, but my good sewing friends have always been willing to pin up my dressy pants for me and return them a week alter hemmed. It takes 10 minutes. And it's not expensive to have done at the tailor, either, because there's not much to it, unlike fitting a jacket, say, or tailoring a shirt.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:22 AM on August 19, 2010
6'5" and 175lbs here saying: get your t-shirts at American Apparel. If you need cheap dress shirts try Stafford's 'athletic fit' which is still a bit loose on me, but not horribly so, and would probably fit you perfectly. As for pants, grapesaresour has already linked to my last AskMe on the subject.
posted by komara at 8:15 AM on August 19, 2010
posted by komara at 8:15 AM on August 19, 2010
You and I the same size. I had great luck on recent shopping sprees. Here's what I bought...
Some of Macy's in store brands fit me great in XL or XXL casual shirt sizes = not too much torso girth from a "slim fit".
Lucky Brand Vintage Straight jeans or Gap Standard fit jeans.
Eddie Bauer and LLBean tall size shirts and jackets.
JCrew size XXL shirts.
Prana Zion pants.
posted by No Shmoobles at 3:39 PM on August 19, 2010
Some of Macy's in store brands fit me great in XL or XXL casual shirt sizes = not too much torso girth from a "slim fit".
Lucky Brand Vintage Straight jeans or Gap Standard fit jeans.
Eddie Bauer and LLBean tall size shirts and jackets.
JCrew size XXL shirts.
Prana Zion pants.
posted by No Shmoobles at 3:39 PM on August 19, 2010
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They have these sizes in the stores sometimes but online is more reliable in terms of selection.
posted by GuyZero at 4:06 PM on August 18, 2010