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Clothing for a larger guy

Dylan Mays

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Basically I'm fairly new here and to giving a damn how I look overall. I'm about 6 ft 1 and 250 lb and I wear a 2x, so I'm a bit of a bigger guy, not huge, but I got some extra weight. I was wondering what would sort of help make me look a bit better. I've heard different things about what the pattern of your shirt can do and even things like your collar, so I'm hoping for some advice there. I'm also curious as to how my shirts should fit. should they be fitted like everyone else or should I let them be a little baggier? And then what about a suit?
So how should I dress to downplay my size?
 
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PhiPsi32

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Depends partly on your style of dress. Are you talking about suits, trousers and sport coat, or casual clothes? It also dependson your body type, triangle (smaller on top larger around the waist), block (square or rectangular torso), or inverted triangle (torso tapers down from shoulders to waist).
 
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Dylan Mays

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I was mostly thinking about casual clothes, I mostly wear button downs and polos. So that's my style. I'm more of a block. Though I could use some help on suits too.
 

PhiPsi32

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On suits, keep a traditional jacket length cut, long enough to reach the first knuckle when your arms are hanging at your sides, double vent, medium notched lapel, two button. Keep the suits dark in color navy, charcoal, etc. plain or with narrow vertical stripes. Big guys do better with small scale patterns if any. At 6'1", cuff your pants with no break.

The same is true for casual clothes. Avoid horizontal stripes or large scale patterns (big checks or plaids or stripes) that will accentuate your size. If you wear cords, stick to pin wales. Otherwise, you have plenty of options. Just make sure that you stay with a close fit (not tight, leave enough room for the shirts/pants to lay smoothly but not baggy either). A two button sport coat is great if you usually wear button front collared shirts. The sport coat will slim your torso, and the deeper gorge on a two button will draw attention up toward your face. If you live in a hot/humid summer climate consider a half-lined or unlined sport coat.
 

mensimageconsultant

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Keep the suits dark in color navy, charcoal, etc. plain or with narrow vertical stripes. Big guys do better with small scale patterns if any.

No, if anyone can pull off large-scale patterns, it's large people. But on jackets, they tend to make someone look bigger, which would not help the original poster. Mid-sized or some large plaids or checks (probably not so colorful) on casual shirts would distract from the upper body girth.
 

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