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Big and Tall Men's wear!
The fable of ALL MEN being created equal!
Did you know that every REAL man wears up to a size 38 waisted pair of pants and a shirt with a 16½" neck?
It seems that the sizing book most clothing manufacturer's use is missing the back half. It apparently stops and so does fashion stop at size 38 pants. Why does the garment industry not look around at the regular population? Look and see that there are men out in the ‘real world' that are bigger and taller then the cookie cutter patterns the designers are using.
Ostensibly every man over a certain size doesn't have or has lost all sense of fashion and the desire to dress well. Very few men's wear designers can be more than the "average size" because otherwise they would be creating clothes with empathy for the tall and big guy.
The limited availability of decent clothes is actually a major issue that the tall and big man has to content with. It's not as easy as "...I'm going away this weekend I need a new pair of pants and a shirt" and then stop on the way home from work at the department store and pick them up. It becomes a whole agonizing, sometimes embarrassing ordeal. Heaven forbid that the man with a 50" waist and 35" inseam wanting a great looking pair of jeans.
In most cases the department store carries dozens of racks of wear-ables in the ‘average' sizes filled to overflowing and one rack and shelf of bigger sized shapeless stuff that all just looks like fat persons clothes. Having to stop at every mall in town with the same results can be devastating to the morale of anyone.
For the ones living in metropolitan areas there are stores that deal exclusively for the big and tall man. Shopping there the over 6' business man doesn't need to walk with his regular length tie flapping around mid-chest. No they actually come in x-long, xx-long, up to 67"in length; long enough that even the tallest guy needs to watch that his tie doesn't get zipped into his fly. These stores usually carry everything from suits to casual, to sports wear, to underwear, and socks. In some cases they even sell shoes and slippers too, up to a size 20 in quadruple E width. However it seems that the king sized man also needs a king sized wallet to shop in some of those specialty stores as most everything they carry is surcharged.
Predominantly on-line warehouse shopping becomes the norm. Here too most everything is available, but at more affordable prices. The draw back is that the sizing needs to be very accurate to assure proper fit and also the shipping and handling charges will have to be built into the cost.
There is however another avenue that the special sized man can take and that is to have his clothes made from scratch by the neighborhood tailor. These personalized clothes are not a cheap way out either, but they at least assure that the clothes are well made, will fit just right and follow the fashion too.
One question however doesn't seem to have a readily available answer. Why is big and tall men's wear, dumped under one umbrella? Each special size has its own need. Regardless, really tall and slender, tall and wide or just wide, proper fitting clothes make the man; they give a man confidence to become successful at work or in his personal life.
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Photos by www.sxc.hu
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- Author
Astride Knighted, thank you for taking a look and for commenting.
regards Zsuzsy
I have found that it's easier to get odd sizes online. Amazon usually has the odd sizes on the items they stock and sell themselves.
There's a rule of thumb that seems to work well with fitting off the rack clothes. It goes something like this... Order Tall sizes if you are 6’2” or taller, and you chest size is greater than your waist size. Order “big” sizes if you are under 6’2” and your waist size exceeds your chest size....It's always worked well for me.
There are more tips for big and tall guys clothes at http://big-tall-clothing-guide.com/
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I don't agree that the nice fashionable clothes should not be available in larger sizes. Not everyone fits into the cookie cutter set-ups. Because a man has a size 46" waist and a 40" inseam he should not have to wear farmer Joe's coveralls (unless that's what he wants to wear...)
Clothes have to be made to fit the bodies not the other way around.
(my opinion)
Thank you for taking a look and for commenting Sir Greek.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Fashion companies stop at size 38 out of Christian Charity to their fellow man. I know this for a fact, because I am in a constant stage of dieting in order to get into a size 38 once more and I am told that this is doing me a great deal of good, healthwise.
- Author
MightyMom! I've been dealing with this sizing problem for many years. I refuse to see why the garment companies can't see that there is really no difference in making clothes a 2X or a 5X or give an extra couple of inches for the inseam. Most out of the ordinary size clothing already has a surcharge on them... most are not complaining about that
It sure is not easy
Glad you came by for a visit. regards Zsuzsy
My husband has this problem, too. Appreciate your sensitivity to the fashion needs of "non-standard" people.
Who was it who said, "My weight is always perfect for my height... which varies." ? Similar to your "I'm not overweight just under tall" idea:-)
- Author
Glad to hear it about the suspenders C.W.
I think, but not absolutely sure, that you two are talking about something else entirely... ;[
And no, suspenders will not even be considered.
- Author
Compu-smart! My favorite saying has always been 'I'm not overweight I'm just under tall' that could work for you too Thanks for coming over for a visit.
regards Zsuzsy
- Author
C.W. Why would you want to avoid all that fun ? And just think of how well your pataloonies will fit after.
Suspenders are another choice... I know I know it was just a suggestion, you don't have to yell at me
just kidding zs
My ultimate goal is to be bigger! broader and stronger!
ps, Right! lol;)
Well Compu, that's ultimately up to you, isn't it?
Yeah, I know: "Shut-the-hell up!" Right? ;-)
I sure aint getting any taller but if and when i do get any bigger i know where to come:)
Thanks for the very good suggestion, Zsuzsy, but there's too much seamstress-type work involved in such a project - on ALL my pants?!?! I can sew, fairly well, but try to avoid it whenever possible.
- Author
LadyG.Thanks for coming by and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Zsuzsy Bee, I do the same things!! Then when men increase they can let it out again.
- Author
C.W. That sounds like a problem lot of men find in their clothes. There are very few companies that actually take that extra inch into account. This sizing dilemma started when stores began to stocked the even sizes only. A tip for when you do not want to wear a belt... just take in the waist band under the belt loops (or get someone to do it for you), then when the belt loops are sewn back on the seams are hidden.
Thanks for dropping in regards Zsuzsy
awww CW. I know what you mean. My husband wears his pants below his bely so it's kind of hard to find the correct length for that. Eithr they are high waters or dragging on the floor.
Great subject, Zsuzsy, not that I'm big OR tall. The problem for me is that men's pants always come in even sizes. I typically need either a 31 or a 33, but try finding those sizes. I did once, at a thrift store, but that's it. I have to buy the next size up and wear a belt.
Belts are uncomfortable...
OK, all through whining.
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Lady Guinevere! Thank you for taking a look. I know what you're saying about women clothes too but in my opinion it is already much easier to get large size clothes for women (maybe not so much extra tall) then it is for men.
regards Zsuzsy
You are right on! My first husband was over 6' tall but he was a bit wide too and my second husband is over 6' too and not as big around. To find clothes for them takes hours! I usually ask for cltohes for him at Christmas. There are no big and tall men shops around here! Yes, they cahrge double and sometime triple the price of regualr clothes for small men. I ama seamstress and it doesn't take but a few inches--not yards to make something longer for a taller man. I can't make men's clothes though--one the material is much more expensive and I don't have the space.
You can ad women to this too. I see some larger and taller women and wonder where they get their clothes!?
We are not all cookie cutter peole. God didn't make it that way so why should the fashin industry!
I hate all those commercials of women who are skinny and perfest-that is only like 20% of the total population--the rest of us are more round. Those models also give young girls the wrong impression.
- Author
Thanks C.S. for taking a look. I've dealt with these problems for more years then I want to remember in my tailorshop. This cookie cutter sizing is especially hard on the younger people as fashion really does stop at size 38... One of my favorite customers (who already in grade 8 was 6'4" with a 44" waist) used to say "I don't want to wear old farmer Joe's jeans I want 'Blue Notes' that fit me". From the time he started his after school job he came in and ordered a new pair of jeans to be made for him every month. It's slowly changing out there but it's still a mega ordeal to find good fitting clothes for anyone over the average sizings.
glad you came for a visit regards Zsuzsy
The world is wrapped up in generalizing everything and the unique individual suffers at it's hands. Great article here ZsuzsyBee. We need to get away from so much mass reproduction and closer to individuality. It would create unique jobs and a need for more of the skilled professions on the creativity. side. Great job. C.S.
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