Male fashion and clothing - tips, questions, ideas, etc

[Captain Maltese]

Let's talk clothing, guys. For men. Since there are women too who enjoy both wearing it and seeing it on others, this thread wasn't put in the Lords Only area - anyone can reply.

A question to start this off with. At what point is a shirt too wide around the bell that it is reasonable to call the shirt too big?

[Crazy]

Obviously the shirt is too big at the waist if you can tuck a fold.  Clothes should fit well,  and the looser the shirt, the heavier you will look. 

The main awkwardness would be in the shirt pocket,  which should be proudly displayed on your chest,  not too low or too far outside.

[Captain Maltese]

Tuck a fold, hmm? You mean pressing the front together and a fold appears? I have a fold on this shirt here that is 2-3 inches.

[Nico]

Anything too loose will make a person look heavy. Heavier than they are, at times. Too tight fitting clothes really hide nothing. So, I'd say you have to find the happy medium, so to speak.

I wouldn't tug a shirt into the pants too often, it tends to make a person look small and round.

Personally, I'd say everything that's at least two numbers too big... it considered too big in my book.

[Ryven]

If you're looking at a shirt, a t-shirt especially, you want to make sure the shoulder seam actually sits on your shoulder.  If it droops down onto your arm, the shirt is too big.  The shirt should not be skin tight, but it should not be so loose that it has a lot of flow when you move.  It's a shirt, not a muumuu.

[Rider of Wind]

Clothes that fit the wearer comfortably and well, will make them look best. If you're uncomfortable in a shirt, most of the time you'll just look uncomfortable.

But that's no excuse to look sloppy either. I second the description of where the seam of the sleeve should be. A shirt should make a straight line across the shoulders from sleeve seam to sleeve seam and should hit right at the shoulder. Like so:



EDIT: And that's almost a bit lower toward the arm for my personal preferences. But very suited to the model's body type.

[Captain Maltese]

Rider. Are those arm sleeves too long for the guy's arms or just right?

[Braioch]

Anything too loose will make a person look heavy. Heavier than they are, at times. Too tight fitting clothes really hide nothing. So, I'd say you have to find the happy medium, so to speak.

I wouldn't tug a shirt into the pants too often, it tends to make a person look small and round.

Personally, I'd say everything that's at least two numbers too big... it considered too big in my book.

Yeah, tucking in the shirt in the pants is generally not too good unless you have a jacket that you put over it. Otherwise it shortens your torso to the eye, and that's a stuttering image to the brain lol

As for the picture, I'd say they're a bit too long, but not so much that it's too much, just not my preferred length. I like my short sleeves to be about just past halfway down my upper arm. It gives a good visual of how long and proportionate I am.

As for tightness, well, it all depends.

If it's ripping quickly from wear, too tight in my book. Also, if it takes you a two man team, two tubs of butter and an hour to get into the outfit, also too tight. You also don't want to look like you're part of the Shrine Circus by wearing a billowing cloud. For tightness I would advise what is comfortable, casual button ups are good, even standard tees, enough to accent what you have.

For length, ehh, it doesn't go far past my hips/top of my jeans, otherwise you're moving into small dress area.

Also, horizontal stripes, avoid them unless you're a twig...>.>

[Captain Maltese]

Lots of good specific advice! Thank you guys!


Long arm shirt sleeves. My personal nemesis; I've speculated often enough that my arms might be an inch too short. Because now that my torso can fit into even a Medium shirt, many of the shirts and jackets I try on STILL have too long arms. I would get them fitted if I had the budget for it, but sadly I don't. Ideally the edge of the sleeve should end just above the thumb's upper knuckle when the arm rests downward, right? So you'll flash your watch nicely when you move the arm horizontally? I find myself folding the whole cuff up to wear it backwards, some times when the shirt is way cool otherwise.

[consortium11]

Try sleeve holders/armbands for shirts worn under a jacket... they allow you to gather up the excess material around the upper arms thus maintaining the correct arm length.

[DudelRok]

As a bigger guy my rules are a bit different. (And not just having a bit of a belly, my shoulders are a lot wider than the norm). For one, tucking in shirts tends to be a no-go. I'm not ashamed of my shape/size/whatever but tucking shirts in, for me, is bluntly not flattering at all. This also means one shirt size too big, or generally clothes a little less loose than the usual, is the standard.

Length to the waist should never completely cover your pants pocket but should slightly pass the waist. Short selves should also never touch the elbow, but be close to the elbow and long sleeves should, obviously, stop at the wrist. Cuffs help with that... I buy button downs with built in cuffs on the shirts to keep them from looking funny. A lot, lot, lot, of casual wear actually has the "sleeve button" nowadays.

Rider of Wind's example is a perfect example, really. Notice he keeps his hands in his pockets so you can see where his waist is, while also letting the shirt flow giving him a relaxed, comfortable and styling look.

[Captain Maltese]

I just noticed, or think I do... isn't that model very TALL? His torso just goes on and on as if he is 6'6'' or something.

Tucking in shirts is something I frequently do - because I really only wear shirts for three occasions. One is when I go clubbing; then I will wear a shirt like that model's (and then I will wear it like that too) or a long sleeved black or pinstriped one which I tuck into suit pants or similar. The other is for workplaces, and then it is definitely not cool - around here - to wear the shirt on the outside. If I wear a shirt at all at a workplace it is because I will dress to impress. The third is if I go high class, meaning white shirt and suit and for that it is meaningless to wear the shirt outside the pants.  I own arm bands but it makes the shirt warmer and it looks like you are working at a casino or something. Not visible inside a jacket, I know.

Any opinions on wearing a collared short sleeved open shirt outside a tee shirt? I have done that a few times.

[consortium11]

Any opinions on wearing a collared short sleeved open shirt outside a tee shirt? I have done that a few times.

Don't?

Perhaps I'm being harsh but an open shirt (long or short sleeve) over a t-shirt just screams teenage fashion to me... something that I'm sure we all did but that we generally grew out of at a pretty young age. If you are going for such a look it's probably best to replace the t-shirt with a vest and wear it very casually, as if you were wearing the shirt done up to begin with and undid it due to circumstances.

It's also worth noting that it's rarely a flattering look. By being open the inside edges of the shirt naturally frame your middle and as such draw the eye. If you've got a perfect body? Not an issue... but if you've got a perfect body anything that doesn't obscure it entirely basically works. If you've got some spare weight hanging around though? It emphasises that, draws the eye to it and, because of the way wearing a second layer can interfere with the hang of a t-shirt, can make even the most flattering t-shirts lose their impact. There's also an issue with, to use the colloquial term, moobs; while a shirt buttoned up holds the material together with an open shirt it often ends up "hanging" off the moobs (especially when walking/active) which is far from flattering.

[Braioch]

Don't?

Perhaps I'm being harsh but an open shirt (long or short sleeve) over a t-shirt just screams teenage fashion to me... something that I'm sure we all did but that we generally grew out of at a pretty young age. If you are going for such a look it's probably best to replace the t-shirt with a vest and wear it very casually, as if you were wearing the shirt done up to begin with and undid it due to circumstances.

I've done that actually.

I had a nice little red sweater vest (shup) that I used to wear over top a white dress button up shirt. I gave it a casual edge by pulling the sleeves up past the elbow and flairing the cuffs back. Sounds a bit off now that I read it, but the effect was really nice. Gave me a casual formal air with just a hint of 'fuck it,' fitting for me I think. ;D

[consortium11]

I've done that actually.

I had a nice little red sweater vest (shup) that I used to wear over top a white dress button up shirt. I gave it a casual edge by pulling the sleeves up past the elbow and flairing the cuffs back. Sounds a bit off now that I read it, but the effect was really nice. Gave me a casual formal air with just a hint of 'fuck it,' fitting for me I think. ;D

I'm a big fan of the "formal" worn casually.

A part of that is due to my job. It's a pretty formal office job where I'll be wearing a suit nearly every day with the occasional downgrade to smart-casual. What that means is that your wardrobe suddenly finds itself with a lot less t-shirts, jeans, hoodies etc and a lot more shirts, jumpers/sweaters, waiscoats, suit jackets and trousers, chinos (and other general "smart" trousers) etc, which in turn influences what you wear in a casual context. That said you rarely want to wear the same clothes you would for work when outside it... but you do start to combine the two. Expensive dress shirts with (fairly smart) jeans? A decent suit jacket over a decent polo? A formal shirt worn casually under a sleeveless jumper? All works for me.

We've finally had some nice weather in the UK so I'm in all out summer fashion mode at the moment. Linen trousers, light shirts (I generally dislike short-sleeved shirts these days so I go with a long sleeve well rolled up), a boating jacket combined with some deck shoes and occasionally a panama or straw hat... perfect.

[Captain Maltese]

....I don't even know what a boating jacket IS.

But the advice about dropping the shortsleeved shirt and teeshirt combo sounds wise. I started with that after seeing it on a few people and on the male clothesdolls in the clothes shops but it is entirely possible they were a good bit younger than me now I think about it. I am no longer worried about looking my age so it is possible I won't wear that combo again. Thanks for the tip.

How about pants leg length, guys? I keep getting barely used jeans from my (rather richer) brother and they are often an inch or two too long for me. I use to shorten them a bit but now I just fold in the edge so it won't touch the ground at least when I wear shoes.

[consortium11]

....I don't even know what a boating jacket IS.

Basically a striped blazer normally of loud colours, which was the traditional "club uniform" for many rowing/boating clubs in England (hence the name). Google image's shows quite a few.

But the advice about dropping the shortsleeved shirt and teeshirt combo sounds wise. I started with that after seeing it on a few people and on the male clothesdolls in the clothes shops but it is entirely possible they were a good bit younger than me now I think about it. I am no longer worried about looking my age so it is possible I won't wear that combo again. Thanks for the tip.

As always don't take any advice here as gospel. It could be that the look does work for you and in that case don't let me put you off. That said I'd start moving away from the look. For roughly the same effect try wearing the shirt with only a couple of buttons done up (generally in the middle); it maintains the casual appearance but is normally more flattering.

How about pants leg length, guys? I keep getting barely used jeans from my (rather richer) brother and they are often an inch or two too long for me. I use to shorten them a bit but now I just fold in the edge so it won't touch the ground at least when I wear shoes.

Length depends somewhat on what you're wearing, what environment you're in and notably what shoes you plan to combine them with. I tailor most of my suits to have the "perfect end" (as it's somewhat arrogantly known) with the end of the trouser sitting just over the laces on a standard formal shoe where as for my casual trousers and a few suits I have a more traditional "Medium break" or "Tailors end" which sits a little lower, covering the laces and much of the back of the heel. Nost formal shoes are relatively narrow meaning that a high trouser end doesn't look strange... but combining such tailoring with a (typically) wider casual shoe often looks either ridiculous or that you're trying too hard in a stereotypical "fashion student" type of way.

As for shortening/folding I'd generally shorten but obviously that takes more time...  although I do have to say I also have a soft spot for rolled up jeans (with the fold being on the outside).

[DudelRok]

Pants are annoying.

The should, usually, stop at the ankle or a little above/below. The primary thing is they should never 100% obscure your shoes and absolutely never-EVER touch the ground. Folding is easier but can also fall out especially if your pants aren't pressed when they are folded like that (creases help and all that). I typically hem, when I care enough to bother, but that's also because I know how to do that myself. There is the cheap and easy way of faking a hem, as well, by getting pant clips.