I Pit Giant Americans (weak)

The BBQ Pit
1

Note: I am, of course, American. Korean-American, that is.

There’s a few threads going on right now concerning obesity and other weight issues, but that’s not really what I’m here about. My fellow slight-framed folk, do you ever find yourself in a clothing store only to realize that the fantastic shirt you spotted in the window would only fit you if they released a tweenie version? That’s what I’m here about: fashion discrimination against the willowy, lanky, or otherwise famished-looking.

I understand, of course, that this is probably not as much a problem for slender gals as it is for guys. For me, I was weighing in at 120 to 124lbs since my junior year of high school. When shopping in Arkansas, my only choices were among belts three to four slots too big; giant, tent-like dress shirts; and maybe 2 styles of jeans that would be available (in the entire state) in my waist size. Why, yes, I did shop for belts in the kids section at JC Penny :smiley:

All my life, I grew up just accepting the fact that I was too small. I needed to get bigger in order to look fashionable. But then, during one hot summer, I discovered the truth! Americans are just, on average, too big!

How did I discover this? By traveling, of course! I set off for Korea for the first time during college, and you cannot imagine my surprise at the shopping options suddenly made available. Abruptly, shirts that fit! Pants that emphasize what little buns I have! A whole deluge of clothes tailored for men of slight-frame. By the time I came back, I knew that I’d return again if only just to buy more shirts. And a suit, perhaps. Because the people at Men’s Wearhouse in Arkansas tailor-made my suit gigantic on me, for whatever reason.

But now, as I inch closer to the date of my return to America, I dread those clothing stores. I know I’ll want to find some new looks eventually, and what then? It’ll be like repeating high school mall shopping all over again.

I pit you, average giant American. You and your 6’1" hulkishly shouldered frame!

2

You needn’t go as far as Korea to get clothes that fit. Apparently Montreal will do nicely, as evinced by my (6’2", only slightly hulking) inability to find shirts that fit in the menswear department at Simons.

3

Cue the waaaahmbulance. :rolleyes:

Joe

4

It must be different for chicks. I don’t think I’m a big guy, but I wear L or XL. I always wonder where really huge dudes find decent shirts.

On edit: Oh, the OP is a dude. “Tweenie” threw me off, I thought that was a girl thing.

5

Agreed. I’m rather on the short side for guys (5’9"-5’10") and I wear an XXL in some brands. That just boggles my mind.

6

I Where a 36x36 pant. 215lbs 6’4”

I admit, I need to loose about 10 lbs.

Couldn’t for the life of me find a 36” long dress pant in this COUNTY.

Hah. I was told by three shops that I would have to order online for a 36 length. Never used to have that problem.

Works both ways.

7

Is “tweenie” for girls? I thought it just referred to adolescents in general before they become teenagers.

For the larger guys out there, has it been getting any easier to find stuff your size in regular clothing stores lately?

To be honest, whenever I look for clothes back in the States, I can find endless stacks of 34 to 42" waist pants, for example. But try to find anything below 30 and you’re asking for trouble.

8

I hate to say it, but living in Arkansas probably doesn’t help you if you are shopping for smaller sizes. It’s probably easier to find smaller sizes in the northeast or west coast because people aren’t as big. And in Korea, lots of people will be your size. Although with better nutrition, Koreans are approaching American heights if not their weights.

The other thing, one you hit about 30, your metabolism will probably change and you will probably throw on some alarming amount of weight. I weighed about 135 pounds until I was 25 or so, got pretty fat around 35 and recently managed to get a bit thinner with around a normal/fat BMI.

9

It does. If you’re a chick.

10

Well don’t go gettin’ your shorts all bunched up. Life isn’t all peaches and cream up here! There are plenty of problems us big guys have too. Cars. You can drive any one and I have to see if its got enough head and leg room.(little around the middle too) Just being big is a pain sometimes. Your always in the way, no place to hide in a crowded room. Blend in with the crowd? O, hell no! Not happening with me. Stick out like a sore thumb. Bars? Oh joy! Some drunk joker with a Napoleon complex has decided he’s going to lay me out! Great ! Slap his narrow ass to the ground and your a big fat bully. Let it slide?, I’m a pussy. You gonna let that sucker talk to you like that? I could go on and on but I won’t.

The neighbors wife is always prettier…

11

That’s funny, as I wear a size 36 waist and while shopping for jeans and dress pants this past weekend, I was shocked to find that many stores, including Limited/Express for Men, don’t carry a man’s waist above 34. I think of myself as a VERY average-sized guy, and now I’m wondering if I’m secretly obese and have some severe case of body dysmorphia.

12

Haha! I guess that’s true. It’d be even rougher here in Korea. I’ve heard tell that a lot of people have trouble finding clothes big enough for them here.

Kalibakthegreat, I think it must be an Arkansan thing, then. Come to think of it, I think I had an easier time finding clothes in New York City than in Arkansas, too. Finding below a 32 in my area was HELL.

13

My sister used to work at Aeropostale and she told me that 36 (which is my waist size as well) is the beginning of the “irregular” sizes.

14

I was thinking about it, and maybe it has to do with the general lack of diversity in clothing stores in Arkansas. For example, I’ve never heard of Simons, and there’s no Macy’s or anything that I know of in Arkansas. Within the 50 mile radius of my home town, there are the following chain clothing stores:

Belks
JC Penny
K-Mart
Wal-Mart
Target
Dillards
and…
uh…

To be honest, I can’t name any others. In some of the places not quite so rural, I believe I can find stores like Old Navy, Wet Seal, Hot Topic, and not much else. I’m sure I’m just unable to remember them, though.

15

My ideal is 29" x 32". They don’t exist, that’s why I need a belt… Shirts, I just gave up on. Baggy shirts it is. Although, boys’ sizes provide some relief, if they can be found of “non-disposable-in-six-months” quality.

Never had the nerve to try this, but some of the stuff in Juniors’ might fit me… :frowning:

16

You’ll like Old Navy, the clothes there look to be quite nice. They remind me of some of the brands of my youth.

17

I have to agree with the OP that American sizes have expanded right along with Americans. I’m not sure it’s as true for mens’ clothes, which go by actual measurements, but…

I’m not a small person. I’m about 5’5", I weigh about 130ish. 34D, smallish waist, wide load below. :wink: I routinely wear a small shirt, sometimes even an extra small, and a size eight pant, six skirt or dress.

When I was a teenager mumblemumbletwentysomethingmumblemumble years ago, and weighed ten or fifteen pounds less, I routinely wore a medium shirt and a size *ten * pant, *eight * skirt or dress.

I certainly haven’t gotten smaller, why have my clothes allegedly gotten smaller? And if they’re making shirts to fit me and calling them extra small, what the hell are *actual * extra small people supposed to wear?

18

The SDMB has convinced me that no clothes have successfully fit anyone ever.

19

Also, this. Same height, minus 25lbs. I usually end up wearing too-short 34x34 pants because 34x36 is a bitch to find.

20

You can get that chest into a small?!

I have the opposite issue and similar measurements - 34D. Fairly small waist and reasonable hips (size six or eight in pants). I find myself in large shirts and large jackets to get things zipped/buttoned or pulled over my boobage.

For about six minutes in 1989 I was a “perfect size six” in designer clothes. I could pull anything from a really good designer off the rack and it would fit like it had been made for me. Even then, I could not go into Target or the Gap and have the same experience. I’d be in a four…or an eight. Or everything would just fit wrong.

I’ve come to believe sizing is random.