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Suggestions for upper end OTR dress shirts for tall and thin/athletic men?

Tastysushifish

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I am 35 years old, 6'4" - 6'5", 195 lbs. Neck is 16.5 - 17 and arms are 36-37. I have a muscular upper build from moderate weight lifting and a very trim abdomen with visible musculature.

I have pretty much buying exclusively Hugo Boss dress shirts over the past 6-7 years and probably have about 30 of them. I typically pick them up from Nordstrom or Boss directly when they are on sale in the $75-$125 range.

I have been buying them because I was told a long time ago that they are designed for European men with thinner frames as opposed to other brands that cater to Americans with rounder abdomens.

However, I have noticed a vast difference in both quality and fit of these *****. The sizing of these is very bizarre. Usually, sleeve length is not specified and you simply order these as a 17 slim or sharp fit. This usually results in a shirt that has arms that are a bit too short and a shirt that fits tight in the shoulders but billows in the abdomen (i.e., there is way too much material at the bottom of the shirt, again frustratingly seeming to accommodate people with protruding bellies). They also tend to be short and come untucked frequently and because of the way they button and the extra material at the bottom of the shirt are virtually impossible to wear untucked. Occasionally I have found a shirt that specifies an "XL" or 36/37 on the sizing, and these fit great. They are trim in the shoulders and waist, and the sleeves are the right length. But I almost never see these. Usually they are just sold by neck size only and i buy a 16.5 or 17 and hope for the best.

I have also noticed dramatically varying quality with the Boss shirts. The ones that tend to fit the best tend to have much better fabric quality. But I have no idea if I will get one of these or a billowy thin, stiff fabric shirt. I have heard that there is a difference between Hugo Boss shirts for US and European markets. But it is extremely confusing as there is no separate brand. The crappy shirts and the good ones both say "Hugo Boss."

Can somebody fill me in on the specifics of Hugo Boss shirts in terms of quality and fit and how to make sure I don't keep ordering duds from Nordstrom?

Also, can anybody recommend another brand for those of us unfortunate enough (I kid and count my blessings that this is the only problem I have) to be stuck with a tall "Ken doll" body? I think it's time to move on from Hugo Boss.

Target price range per shirt would be around $100-125.

I splurged and bought an Eton slim fit for $200 from Nordstrom and was very disappointed in the fit. Very billowy.
 

norMD

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I am built like you.

Either start with online mtm (luxire, proper cloth etc.) or try spier and Mackay extra slim.

Spier and Mackay also does online mtm.
 

Tastysushifish

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Thanks I will check them out.

I like the Mizzen and Main shirts due to no requirement for ironing or pressing, but am also frustratingly stuck between sizes with them.

The "tall" M+M size is absurd. You'd have to be about 6'7-6'8" for those shirts (which is what, like 0.1% of the population?). Sleeves and tail about 1.5-2" too long vs. about 1" too short with standard fit. Ugh.
 

comrade

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SF- affiliate Shop-the Finest in LA has a very large selection
of mostly Italian Slim and Extra Slim shirts at discount.
I do not know if their policy has changed, however, STF
did not offer cash refunds only credit or exchange.

 

Nobilis Animus

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I too have an athletic build (10 inch drop), although I'm slightly shorter than you.

Have you considered ordering from European makers? Specifically, Turnbull and Asser have a wide variety of excellent shirt fabrics and choices in the Classic line. They are also long enough that you will be able to tuck them in without any issues, or leave them open during the summer (one of their little secrets).

I find that their fit off-the-rack is so good that they are better than most bespoke makers. You can get sizing in both neck and sleeve, and the fit is slim through the body and arm with a high arm opening. If you get the finer cotton fabrics, it feels like you've never worn a shirt before - seriously, that good. Plus, they're made in England.

The downside is that they're slightly out of your budget. But I would seriously consider whether you're happier splashing money around on things you hate so much you're asking our advice about, or whether you'd rather not have a perfect dress shirt for any occasion. Your call.
 

RJNavarrete

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Bump. Are there any other recommendations for us athletic guys?
 

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