Fitted Dress Shirts?

Psychoholic · 12-10-2006, 11:20 AM

Clothes shopping has it's ups and downs for me.

For the most part I'm happy that I can wear jeans that they actually sell at normal stores now (albeit with less variety than some waifishly thin wearer of a 32/32 - who have dozens of different things to choose from), and being a 95% of the time in jeans and t-shirt kinda guy, I rarely find myself trying to find button up shirts (mechanic style shirts excluded).

I have had pretty good luck with just XL shirts in the button up variety, but forget finding one that I can button the collar on. And the one shirt I own that fits my neck and arms is clearly built for a gorilla that is 8' tall (the armpits come about 4" from my belt and there is easily at least a foot around the middle that I have to fold and tuck in the back while I wear a suit - I look like a 7 year old wearing daddy's shirt). I need to have it tailored pretty bad.

So Friday I am out doing some clothes shopping for something to wear to a christmas party on saturday, and I can't find a damned thing that looks right on me. XL collared 'polo' style shirts look like they are painted on me, but XXL looks like a tent, I didn't see any shirts on the racks that I felt I would either a) look good in b) be caught dead wearing. So I went to the Mens Wearhouse and explained my problem to one of the salesmen. He measured my neck and my arms, and my chest and said 'well, you've got a 3-4X neck, and a 1x-2x body - what you need is a fitted shirt.'
'A what?'
'Let me show you.'

So he shows me that they actually do make shirts for dudes that don't weigh 400+ lbs that have a 19+" neck! They could stand to take about 6" out of the middle ($12 to tailor I discovered), but it fits, and I am stoked knowing now what to look for, it opens up a whole new realm of posibilities and I don't have to look like a 'schlub' when I take my lovely wife out.

They also told me that they can custom make me shirts for $90, which isn't really that bad considering how odd shaped I am. I think I might treat myself to a few of those after the first of the year.

Any body else have this joyous problem?

**A.FreeRadical** · 12-10-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psychoholic

... he shows me that they actually do make shirts for dudes that don't weigh 400+ lbs that have a 19+" neck! They could stand to take about 6" out of the middle ($12 to tailor I discovered), but it fits, and I am stoked knowing now what to look for, it opens up a whole new realm of posibilities and I don't have to look like a 'schlub' when I take my lovely wife out.

They also told me that they can custom make me shirts for $90, which isn't really that bad considering how odd shaped I am. I think I might treat myself to a few of those after the first of the year.

Any body else have this joyous problem?

Like you, I don't wear dress shirts very often. Most of mine are 16.5" neck which is now too small. These shirts all fit me when I had a 39" waist 2.5 years ago. Now my waist is a half inch shy of the 32". When I was in my late 30s and early 40s I had all of my shirts tailored for the V shape I had then (and have once again.

)

Yes, I am going to go the tailored route for 3 or 4 dress shirts this year. Once I get to my 32" destination I will also have my pants tailored as well. (Waist taken in and the seat of the pants taken out if necessary.)

No one has referred to me as waifish before this. hahahaha! j/k

*

**BigZeke** · 12-10-2006, 05:51 PM

Wearing 32 pants is waifer thin? Jeez. I better start eating more because I wear 33s

Psychoholic · 12-10-2006, 05:58 PM

To a guy with a 40-38" waist, yes, 32's are waifish.

Ok, so maybe not, but I do see lots of dudes who can't weigh more than a buck thirty with far more choices (I guess when you are built like an anorexic girl, designers can make shit for you just as easily).

**BigZeke** · 12-10-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psychoholic

To a guy with a 40-38" waist, yes, 32's are waifish.

Ok, so maybe not, but I do see lots of dudes who can't weigh more than a buck thirty with far more choices (I guess when you are built like an anorexic girl, designers can make shit for you just as easily).

Well, I may wear 33s but I definitely don't weigh a buck thirty and clothes shopping can be quite the hassle. Often times pants that fit my waist don't fit my legs and pants that fit my legs don't fit my waist. Luckily I've found some "baggy fit" 33s that give me more room than normal pants do, I can't even get normal cut jeans up past mid thighs.

**Ikaika** · 12-10-2006, 06:26 PM

I have a tough time too. I have a 45-46" chest and a 33" waist...imagine the look on the poor salesman's face when I go to find a suit. The fact that my traps exist also cause collars on dress shirts to basically tickle my ears.

Psychoholic · 12-10-2006, 08:41 PM

You guys definitely have the same problem (looks like to a greater degree).

I guess the problem is that most folks these days are either exactly square (chest and waist are the same size) or are twice as thick around the navel as around the nipples, so shirts are built for both of those ends instead of the middle.

12-10-2006, 11:20 AM	#1
Psychoholic IronMass Donator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 582 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 21	Fitted Dress Shirts? Clothes shopping has it's ups and downs for me. For the most part I'm happy that I can wear jeans that they actually sell at normal stores now (albeit with less variety than some waifishly thin wearer of a 32/32 - who have dozens of different things to choose from), and being a 95% of the time in jeans and t-shirt kinda guy, I rarely find myself trying to find button up shirts (mechanic style shirts excluded). I have had pretty good luck with just XL shirts in the button up variety, but forget finding one that I can button the collar on. And the one shirt I own that fits my neck and arms is clearly built for a gorilla that is 8' tall (the armpits come about 4" from my belt and there is easily at least a foot around the middle that I have to fold and tuck in the back while I wear a suit - I look like a 7 year old wearing daddy's shirt). I need to have it tailored pretty bad. So Friday I am out doing some clothes shopping for something to wear to a christmas party on saturday, and I can't find a damned thing that looks right on me. XL collared 'polo' style shirts look like they are painted on me, but XXL looks like a tent, I didn't see any shirts on the racks that I felt I would either a) look good in b) be caught dead wearing. So I went to the Mens Wearhouse and explained my problem to one of the salesmen. He measured my neck and my arms, and my chest and said 'well, you've got a 3-4X neck, and a 1x-2x body - what you need is a fitted shirt.' 'A what?' 'Let me show you.' So he shows me that they actually do make shirts for dudes that don't weigh 400+ lbs that have a 19+" neck! They could stand to take about 6" out of the middle ($12 to tailor I discovered), but it fits, and I am stoked knowing now what to look for, it opens up a whole new realm of posibilities and I don't have to look like a 'schlub' when I take my lovely wife out. They also told me that they can custom make me shirts for $90, which isn't really that bad considering how odd shaped I am. I think I might treat myself to a few of those after the first of the year. Any body else have this joyous problem? __________________ My IMPC Log: http://www.ironmass.com/f37/psychoho...log-13160.html

12-10-2006, 05:51 PM	#3
BigZeke Bringing Lat Flares Back Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hell Raisin' and Girl Chasin' Posts: 2,327 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 71	Wearing 32 pants is waifer thin? Jeez. I better start eating more because I wear 33s __________________ Eat like a horse. Lift like a demon. Sleep like the dead. Only cheat on girls, never on your workouts My Workout Journal "I like the color red because it's a fire. And I see myself as always being on fire." -- Arnold Schwarzenegger

12-10-2006, 05:58 PM	#4
Psychoholic IronMass Donator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 582 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 21	To a guy with a 40-38" waist, yes, 32's are waifish. Ok, so maybe not, but I do see lots of dudes who can't weigh more than a buck thirty with far more choices (I guess when you are built like an anorexic girl, designers can make shit for you just as easily). __________________ My IMPC Log: http://www.ironmass.com/f37/psychoho...log-13160.html

12-10-2006, 06:26 PM	#6
Ikaika resident degen Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,845 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 220	I have a tough time too. I have a 45-46" chest and a 33" waist...imagine the look on the poor salesman's face when I go to find a suit. The fact that my traps exist also cause collars on dress shirts to basically tickle my ears. __________________ No supplement can make up for the lack of a strong work ethic.

12-10-2006, 08:41 PM	#7
Psychoholic IronMass Donator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 582 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 21	You guys definitely have the same problem (looks like to a greater degree). I guess the problem is that most folks these days are either exactly square (chest and waist are the same size) or are twice as thick around the navel as around the nipples, so shirts are built for both of those ends instead of the middle. __________________ My IMPC Log: http://www.ironmass.com/f37/psychoho...log-13160.html

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