Anyone here have trouble finding clothes that are designed for trim/athletic built men? I’m 5’9" and 150 lbs. and have a heck of a time finding shirts (both dress and casual) that fit. Most of them have so much extra material around the stomach area that they look poofy. Same thing with pants. It’s tough finding them with a small enough waist and long enough inseam. Heck, you can find pants with a 40" waist and a 30" inseam easier than you can a 30" waist and 32" inseam!
I was wondering if anyone had any similar issues and found a store or clothing line that accomodates?
Sadly, I have been forced to shop in the boy’s department because my waist is less than 30". And pre-pubescent boys have crappy taste so I have a hard time finding a swimsuit that doesn’t have a flaming skull logo on it or some crap like that. sigh On the pro side, the clothes are way inexpensive by comparison. On the con side, I am a middle-aged lawyer. It can be a little embarrassing.
I have the same problem. I’m almost exactly the same specs as you just a little taller. I usually just wear mediums and it usually does the trick. Also how old are you? I guess age will determine where you get your clothes from.
“That’s what I was leaning toward, but was hoping there was a “Trim & Athletic” equivalent to the “Big & Tall” clothing lines.”
Some stores have trim or athletic lines. Gap comes to mind. For dress clothes, I think you either have to buy and tailor, or buy custom, which a lot of people here seem to do. If you do a search, there are a couple threads about custom shirts and that type of stuff.
The easy way is to just spend a lot more money on clothes and risk wearing something fashionable. Designer, european, or even better - european designer clothes are usually made for skinny people.
The cheapest choices I’ve found are:
Once you get past the gimmicky irono-hipster options, American apparel has tons of casual clothes (t-shirts and whatnot) that fit really well. Calvin Klein has a “Slim Fit” dress shirt that is cut closer in the waist, as well as Express - I think it’s called “Fitted”. Zara has tons of dress and casual clothes that are pretty reasonably priced.
Shopping online makes it much easier to find sizes in any style. Google product search is your friend. I liked it better when it was called froogle.
I would also look at H&M. They’re a Swedish (?) company, so most of their clothes are slimmer, and even better than that, they’re insanely cheap, compared to most other stores (a big plus for a starving college student). And I also second Express, although they are a bit pricier.
In the last couple of years Lululemon has started making men’s t-shirts that have a really nice cut for men with larger shoulders and smaller waists. Very flattering. Also for t-shirts - if you like t-shirts, Xtreme couture and Affliction both cut their t-shirts to fit the more athletic body.
For dress shirts I like Brooks Bros. They offer a slim cut. I don’t wear ties to work, so I can get a smaller neck size than I really need, which allows me to get the torso section to fit even better. Of course, I’d be screwed if I ever had to button my top button.
But I still have problems finding pants without special ordering them. I’m 6’0" 160lb and need a 31 waist with 33 or 34 inseam depending on the brand. Hardly any mainstream stores stock that size. It’s rather inconvenient for me that America is so fat.
i almost your same measurements, im just an inch and a half taller. i highly suggest hollister and banana republic. those are the only clothes that can fit me in terms of tees and dress shirts. their cut is a lot better suited for an athlete with a slender build, other companies cater to the typical obese american. as for pants, pretty much anywhere will do. levi’s makes so many different sizes, its hard to find one that doesnt work for you, dress pants you can easly get taylored.
Another thing to look for is someplace that carries “european” fit; these will usually have the greater “drop” (from shoulder to waist) that you’re looking for.
