Resources for bigger guys?

[bigjppop]

Years ago I was a fairly regular reader, still NOT knowledgeable, but life got in the way and I haven't visited the site in awhile. I've spent some time digging through the search function for resources for us bigger guys and haven't seem to have had much luck. Are my search skills just poor or is this not a topic that is discussed much here. I recently turned 40 and am a bigger guy, 6' and around 235 (and NOT what you'd call the "athletic type") and I'd like to start dressing better. I live in Germany but do most of my shopping online, usually from US stores since I have a good hook up for shipping.

If there are any threads/articles that you could point me to, I'd really appreciate it, or maybe brands that I should be focusing my attention on. I work a regular office job where a suit is very appropriate but business casual gets the job done most days. I'll keep doing more reading here but anything to get me started would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Noblekostas]

Check out a guy called muscular style on YouTube! Small channel but he shares your pain! Might have something for you

 

[JFWR]

Hugo Jacomet and his wife did a great video on style tips for robust gentlemen. This man is elegance personified, and I greatly enjoy his talks. He's also remarkably friendly and will personally respond to your comments.

 

[dieworkwear]

Ethan Newton runs a store in Japan called Bryceland's. He has a larger build and has written a bit about how to dress for that body type. Unfortunately, I can't find the posts at the moment, but you may be able to dig around through a Google search.

There's also a thread on here called What Are You Wearing Today. If you stay on top of that thread, you may find posters here who have a similar build as you. Sometimes they disclose the brands they're wearing; sometimes they don't. Most people are pretty friendly, so if you just message them, you can get some suggestions. There are other threads, too. Some dedicated to how to dress casually, etc.

@DavidLane is one of my favorite posters on here and he has a larger build. I think he dresses in a way that looks contemporary and relevant, but also classic. I would check his outfits. He's posted both tailored clothing outfits and casual outfits, all of which are always excellent.

From what I've seen, larger guys benefit from custom tailoring. I think as you move further out from more common builds, the harder it is to find off the rack suits that fit well. From what I understand, a larger guy will need a longer front balance on his coats, but made-to-measure can't always adequately accommodate that depending on their block patterns. I'm not as sanguine about custom tailoring as some on this board, but I do think that the quickest way to build a good wardrobe is to track down a good custom tailor, if you can afford one. I don't know the tailoring scene that well in Germany, but Bernhard Roetzel and Torsten have written a bit about custom tailors there. Both have blogs (Torsten runs Sartorial Notes; Roetzel has stuff everywhere). Again, both are very friendly people, so if you message them, they may be able to recommend good tailors.

 

[Viatu]

These links should help. I'm a big guy too. I buy regularly from Luxire and I have tailor, Sartoria Pastena.

 

[bigjppop]

These are some incredibly helpful replies; thank you for taking the time. I'll look them all up and see what I can learn.

 

[DavidLane]

Geez, I am humbled, thank you Derek @dieworkwear I would echo what is written above, I have tried to find places that still carry numerical chest sizes vs alpha. Places like O'Connell's have a ridiculous supply of goods in nearly every OTR size imaginable, most of which are by chest size. Plus you can call them and ask questions, they are great guys and know clothing.

If you can afford a custom/bespoke suit I would go that route and stick with a solid navy or gray to start with no eccentric details for a first commission. Focus on fit, balance, and silhouette. Find a tailor who's work you like and let the tailor make most of the decisions on your first piece. Keep it simple.

I have and continue to use Luxire as well, but it took quite a few iterations to get a fit I was happy with, and they were all based on garments made by other tailors.

Here is the link to Ethan's article:

 

[classicalthunde]

I'm about the same proportions as Ethan, and for the past several years have been focused on learning how to dress better (both at work and on the weekends), its a work in progress but below are just some stream of conscious notes of things that have helped me:

Big lessons learned:
- the fundamentals of putting together a cohesive outfit (color combos, tones, textures, etc.) are largely the same whether your big or small. Mark Cho has some good YouTube/instagram clips on this on his Armoury channel where he will style certain pieces together and explain the rationale, I've found these very helpful.
- I've created a GoogleDrive folder of outfits that I see here and on instagram that I like, and then try to reverse engineer them when possible. copying is easier than creating, and after a while at some point it'll just click
- one of my biggest earlier mistakes was wearing bigger, baggier clothing to try and hide my size and body imperfections...in the end it just made me look even bigger. Don't rule something out simply cause it is described as 'slim'...measure your current best fitting items (shirts: chest, waist, arm, length; trousers: waist, hips, rise, inseam, outseam, width at knee and hem) and then use that as a base line going forward. Size up or down as necessary
- its better to buy a few nice things that fit and look great, then a bunch of so-so stuff

For a work wardrobe, I'd echo the advice from others above:
- custom tailoring for suits/sportscoats is definitely worth it if you can afford it, I dont think there is any OTR items that fit my body well without major work
- custom trousers can be a good idea for a few dressier staples (grey trousers, flannels, etc), I mainly stick to OTR or Luxire copies for chinos or cords and then have then altered by my local tailor to tweak the fit
- braces and single reverse pleat on trousers make life much more comfortable for suits/formal outfits, i feel it also tends to make things drape better
- I've found that heavier clothes drape better and smooth out your silhouette, I prefer 10-13oz for worsted stuff, and 16-18oz for tweeds
- I wear a sport coat the vast majority of the day in the office, I feel like it helps my silhouette and makes me look less "big" (although I'm not sure if this is just a mental trick)
- don't overlook impact of nice shoes!

some OTR stuff I have bought that works for me:
- Brooks Brothers regent-fit shirts, clark fit chinos and cords, madison and regent dress trousers
- Charles Tyrwhitt classic fit shirts
- Bills Khaki's M2 fit
- sweaters from O'Connells
- Spier and Mackay contemporary-fit jackets and trousers
- for denim 3sixteen SL and Naked and Famous Weird Guy fits
- Carhartt K87 t-shirts in a variety of solid colors (I fit into a standard large in these, which is like the first since middle school...)
- flannels from LL Bean and Vermont Flannel

 

[Viatu]

Not all big guys are the same. We are a very diverse group. But, I do think big guys should opt for substantial lapels (nothing under 11 cm. Personally I opt for 12 cm) on odd jackets, blazers, and suit jackets.

 

[classicalthunde]

Not all big guys are the same. We are a very diverse group. But, I do think big guys should opt for substantial lapels (nothing under 11 cm. Personally I opt for 12 cm) on odd jackets, blazers, and suit jackets.

agreed, the standard I've heard it should cover halfway to the shoulder seam

 

[koolhistorian]

You have already a lot of good advice, but I'll throw in some of my 2 euro cents - first of all, do not get obsessed by the weight factor and the slimming industry pressure! Yes, some weight loss will be great, but we are not all made skinny and models!

1. First of all, really know your measurements, you will see that you can fit in "slim fits" without some drastic modifications!
2. Go try different labels and variations - a 56 (euro) will vary from maker to maker. My tactic was (after a big weight loss) to go to big department stores and to try on different labels and to see the real fit - for example a british "slim fit" in shirts will translate in italian regular. Learn to read a label, mostly the drop game - i.e. the difference between your chest size and your waist size. Regional variations are made in patterns and labels by different makers - I wear a 34" waist (jeans) in Northern European market and 36" to 38" in Italian (depending on the regular vs slim fit).
3. Take care of the proportions - some cuts will be on the slim - short way, some will be on the more classical style. From my experience, brands that are catering the business crowd are more inclined towards fitting "classical" bodies, trendy ones more on the trends. Search instagram and youtube for brands that will use grey haired models - they will appeal to not so athletic customers. Also, big names will have fabric allowances that gives you the flexibility to alter the suit in order to fit.
4. You can shop online in Europe as well - Yoox can have great deals on very reputable Italian brands and they have a no frills return policy, ebay has some good vendors also! The main disadvantage of buying american is that you will look very american!
5. It is not all in the clothes game - shoes are as important as the clothes. Invest in good shoes, keep them well polished (to style forum standards). As Pierre Corthay was saying, the shoes are anchoring you to the ground!
6. Be consistent în your colours - start with grey and blues, move towards browns after you cover your basics. Capsule thinking is an ally for you. Chromatic consistency is as important as fit - read Simon Crompton's post about the italian background, it is a great analysis on how you can play with pattern and color.
7. Keep things "shipshape" - i.e. have a good grooming regimen (a good hair cut is as important as your suit's cut), learn how to press your pants, iron your shirts, touch up your jackets. If you are on the "bigger" side, do not be on the sloppy side! It might have some charm for Boris Johnson, but we are not all UK PM.

Hopefully it was useful for you, just do not rush and keep the spirit!

 

[Blake Stitched Blues]

I don't think he poasts much anymore but I always thought that @DonCologne was a magnificent dresser. There were poasters who would beseech him to consider moar taper on his pants but as this threak has illustrated above, there are few thngs more ridiculous than a fat man in slim trousers. None of this bothered the Don of course. He would simply eat another strudel and cheerfully carry on with his day.

 

[FlyingHorker]

I don't think he poasts much anymore but I always thought that @DonCologne was a magnificent dresser. There were poasters who would beseech him to consider moar taper on his pants but as this threak has illustrated above, there are few thngs more ridiculous than a fat man in slim trousers. None of this bothered the Don of course. He would simply eat another strudel and cheerfully carry on with his day.

Carguy from AAAC also looked great.

 

[compuccesory]

I don't think he poasts much anymore but I always thought that @DonCologne was a magnificent dresser. There were poasters who would beseech him to consider moar taper on his pants but as this threak has illustrated above, there are few thngs more ridiculous than a fat man in slim trousers. None of this bothered the Don of course. He would simply eat another strudel and cheerfully carry on with his day.

I have to agree, these look great.

I noticed that you will often find on Yoox suits from makers like Canali and Pal Zileri that are drop 4 or even drop 2. I don't really buy a lot of suits at in-person retail even before the pandemic so I have no idea, but are these strictly MtM/MtO or do retailers actually stock these? I can't imagine they do in the US, but maybe in EU markets?