GQ - Slim Cut Dress Shirts (GTFO)

[tiger02]

Originally Posted by j

Can anyone explain this in terms of economics? Why doesn't some relatively well-respected company come out with medium quality (like say Polo blue label-level, something made in HK of reasonably good fabric), truly slim fit shirts?

It seems like a huge market that's going begging. Or maybe it just seems that way on here...
Didn't someone recommend here after Katrina that we put all the newly homeless, jobless folk to work sewing decent shirts? I still think that was a great idea.

 

[billyhoyle]

Originally Posted by tiger02

Didn't someone recommend here after Katrina that we put all the newly homeless, jobless folk to work sewing decent shirts? I still think that was a great idea.

how kind of you

 

[antirabbit]

Borelli at N.M. or Luciano Barbera (loehmans had them for $20.00 a few weeks ago, they are very slim with very high arm holes, me likes alot).

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by j

It seems like a huge market that's going begging. Or maybe it just seems that way on here...

probably because the typical male clothing consumer has it ingrained into his psyche that a roomy shirt feels more comfortable than a close fitting one. the same reason lots of men wear suits a size too big, because that roominess seems "comfortable"

 

[JBZ]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

probably because the typical male clothing consumer has it ingrained into his psyche that a roomy shirt feels more comfortable than a close fitting one. the same reason lots of men wear suits a size too big, because that roominess seems "comfortable"

I agree with this. Also, I think it may be harder to do an off the rack slim fit shirt well. I have a couple of the polo slim fits, and I find that they don't fit me that well in that they just feel "tight" in a couple of areas. Thus, you could see the average consumer purchasing one of these and being turned off by the fit. I do have a Hugo Boss slim fit which fits very well, but the full retail price was well north of $100.

Brooks Brothers does do a slim fit which might fit j's criteria (third world made, but decent quality). However, most of their shirt stock is non-iron, which many here either don't prefer or outright detest.

 

[ruben]

If slim cuts are so rare, what do people around here wear?
Like underneath a sweater, do you settle for a big shirt or is there something better?

 

[gamelan]

i can't imagine i'm the only one but if i know that i'll be purchasing a shirt for casual wear, i'll usually size down knowing full well that i'll never be able to wear a tie with the shirt.

for dress shirts, CT has the best slim fit for me where the neck, chest and waist all look decent when i need to wear a tie. and i'm fairly thick (5' 10" - 190lbs). for those rail thin members, i imagine that MTM would be the only way to go.

-Jeff

 

[billyhoyle]

Originally Posted by JBZ

Brooks Brothers does do a slim fit which might fit j's criteria (third world made, but decent quality). However, most of their shirt stock is non-iron, which many here either don't prefer or outright detest.

i have some of these. they fit okay. i'm 6' 2" and 180 lbs. the slim fit isnt that slim fitting for me, but if it were, i probably couldnt get away with wearing it to work. the dude in the GQ slides looks stylish (imo), but that look doesnt always fly in the business world.

 

[DMcG]

Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo

Very happy w/ the Custom Regent though.

I picked up a Custom Regent at a Polo outlet store and its great. Especially for $20. Of course they only had one in my size.

I haven't tried the Ben Sherman sport shirts (S, M, L etc. sizing) but their "tailored" shirts (with actual neck and sleeve measurements) fit me very well and can be picked up for $35 at Nordstrom Rack. The bodies are shorter than most shirts but for me are just long enough to tuck in.

 

[GreyFlannelMan]

Club Monaco has dress shirts in a slim cut. I received one as a Christmas gift, and was really pleasantly surprised with it, as I'm not too familiar with that store.

(That said, it will fill a casual role in my wardrobe.)

 

[Jovan]

Originally Posted by billyhoyle

i have some of these. they fit okay. i'm 6' 2" and 180 lbs. the slim fit isnt that slim fitting for me, but if it were, i probably couldnt get away with wearing it to work. the dude in the GQ slides looks stylish (imo), but that look doesnt always fly in the business world.
I seriously doubt they'd reprimand you for wearing a shirt that fits.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Hugo BOSS Selection
I'm wearing one today after a fellow poster notified the Manhattan folks about a HB sale at Filene's Basement. I purchased two pieces (salmon and pink stripes). High arm holes, decent quality fabrics, and trim waist. I wouldn't pay retail, but perfectly nice at BR prices...

 

[Bandwagonesque]

Originally Posted by j

It seems like a huge market that's going begging. Or maybe it just seems that way on here...

The last time I was at Banana Republic, I was there looking for their "Slim Fit" shirts, which according to their website should be even slimmer than the "Fitted" line they put out (still a little baggy on me). Unfortunately, the "Slim Fit" shirts have not made it north of the border.

Anyway, when discussing the issue of why all of BRs shirts are not fitted, the manager, who was on the roundish side (and wears BR fitted shirts) told me that most men, even those who would look really good in a slim fit shirt, tend to shy away for fear of them being "too tight", "not comfortable" or "feminine" looking on them. Instead they go for the "classic fitting" shirts and don't even bother to try on the fitted shirts.

 

[vanity]

Looking at those pictures again, I don't think you could sit at a desk comfortably in those shirts. Especially not with any shoulder or arm muscle. You'd tear it out.

HULKSTER STYLE

 

[knowsnothin]

I'd be willing to bet that the reason the shirts look so slim and fitted is because all of the excess fabric is taken up by clips or pins in the back of the shirts.

This is the multi-billion dollar fashion industry. Just think for a moment. Does anyone "really" believe that a model just takes a shirt off the rack, puts it on, and it fits perfectly? Maybe in fantasy land, but not in GQ, or any other fashion magazine. In fact, not anywhere in America where people are advertising a product for sale.

Years ago, I had a friend in the advertising business tell me exactly how many boxes of corn flakes she had to go through to find enough "perfect" corn flakes to fill one bowl for a commerical. Its the same for every product. Its the "magic" of advertising. Being angry because you see a shirt in GQ that fits the model better than any shirt you own fits you is the same as watching "I Dream of Jeannie" and being angry that you don't have a beautiful female genie like that at home.