Metrosexual? Did I pass out and wake up in 2001?
I’m 40, for the record.
The last metrosexual held in captivity died in 2005 (or 2007?).
Too bad they couldn’t seem to get them to mate. I hear they are encountering the same issue with Hipsters held in captivity. Something about the curled mustaches getting caught in suspenders or something. Hopefully they stuff some so future societies can view them.
Have you ever measured them? This guy at Esquire did and found that a nominal 36" waist pant actually ranged from 37" at H&M to a whopping 41" at Old Navy.
It’s not perfect for us short smaller folk either.
Pants - most brands I need a 29 waist and 29 inseam, some a 30 waist will do. Finding anything 29 inseam is well nigh impossible and 29 waist is almost as difficult unless I go to the kids section.
Yes, the trim cut is mildly snug on the shoulders, upper arms and chest, but others are not only baggy about the midsection, the bottom of the arm opening would come below mid-chest. Ever since I was young and spent a lot of my High School wrestling career bridging with my neck to keep from being pinned (again) getting shirts that fit my neck has meant baggy elsewhere.
The best I ever did in clothes was shopping at Uniqlo in Japan when visiting my son there. Did get a salesman at Nordstroms who knew what brands to put me in though that did pretty well (just shortening the legs some) … so another vote for Nordstroms.
Me three… or four or whatever.
I’m 34 years old, 5’9" and about 160 pounds, and even with the current trend of clothes that are made to fit, about 75% of the time a medium shirt makes me look like a child trying on his parents clothes so i end up buying smalls. I always wonder “what the hell do the guys that are actually small wear?”, wait… am i small, i always thought i was at least medium… dammit.
I too deplore the “skinny” trend. I see guys all the time wearing suits that make them look like Peewee Herman. WTF? And the same with shirts.
I’m pretty thin (6’2", about 165 pounds) but even I have found that some brands of clothes just look ridiculous. I’ve found a few that are acceptable.
For nice dress shirts, Brooks Brothers shirts are the same as they ever were. They also have a “slim fit” size that really is cut for thin men, and doesn’t give that Peewee Herman look.
For everyday shirts (mostly buttondowns, in my case), Land’s End is fine. I have a bunch of their shirts (I think they’re called “Hyde Park” or something like that).
But I can’t shop at J. Crew, or Bloomingdale’s, or anywhere that’s sort of fashionable. Just doesn’t work. So I wear the same kind of clothes I’ve worn since high school.
Funny, I had dinner with my sister the other night, who’s about the same age (we’re in our fifties). She commented that everything I was wearing could have been bought in 1968. Or 1978. Or 1988, etc. I was wearing Levi’s, a blue button-down shirt, a corduroy sport jacket, and Clark’s desert boots. I was a bit horrified to realize that she was absolutely right.
I never think to check Brooks Brothers or Lands End. There’s a BB outlet not far from me, too.
FYI, for others, check out this Nautica website showing all the “slim fit” shirts.
I like his comments:
He’s so right. Was bunch of bologna that is, intentionally trying to fool people into feeling better about their pant size.
You might try Penney’s; they usually have at least some 29 inseam in both jeans and slacks. Sears is hopeless, as is the Levi outlet store locally.
Oh, I’ve definitely noticed it too. I get that fashion trends change over time, etc. But it seems like my choices are Pee-Wee Herman, or Grampa Simpson, with very little half-way decent middle ground. I want to look sharp, but not like I’m trying to dress “young”.
So now you’re on the right track – you have been trained to actually try on your clothes before you buy them. (I buy my stuff on-line and know I may have to send it back.) And it’s not even just fit – it’s whether the color and style are flattering too.
There’s a simple, easy solution here, Sparky: nudism.
No you fool, no! Let go of your spite! Spite leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate (via a roundabout route) leads to the dark side! And do you know what falling to the dark side leads to?
…
Getting played by Hayden Christensen.
Crisis resolved.
I returned the 3 shirts, then stopped by JC Penney on the way out and bought a shirt by Izod. Got home and tried it on and am happy to report that it fits perfectly.
Next crisis: why are belt holes spaced so far apart?
It’s bad enough that a woman’s size 00 is roughly equivalent to a size 6 from forty years ago. At least it’s an arbitrary unitless measurement. A “thirty six inch waist” pair of pants being almost 15% off is taking vanity to a whole new level.
Belt holes? Are those the things you use to contain the pants holder-upper?
Ha ha! Suck it, women! Men can still shop easier!
To that last bit, that spikey thing on the swiss army knife all men are issued at birth? That’s a belt hole puncher.
Oh, ha! I thought you were talking about belt loops on your pants. I couldn’t figure out why you were calling them belt holes.
Time for me to hit the sack.
Please don’t generalize. I’m a woman and sparky! has my sympathy.
FWIW, I’m short of stature and short-waisted. On me, most women’s slacks/jeans have “excess” fabric at the waist that bunches up. I found out that size 16 boys’ jeans, preferably “boot leg” or “loose fit”, fit me quite well.
Heh. I am a male youngest of five with three older sisters. It took me years to realize why so many of my shirts buttoned the other way. They fit fine.
Anyone remember Levi’s “Come Back! Please come back!” ads a couple of decades ago?
Levi’s could never quite figure it out the a woman’s butt was NOT the same shape as a man’s.
When the boomers grew up and bought real clothes, they were stuck with their over-priced work clothes.
In desperation, they came up with “relaxed fit” “Classic 501’s”. The ads were aimed at the long-gone boomer market: hey look! Now we can fit your fat ass! You can finally be cool again with REAL LEVI’s!
In the late 60’s Levi Strauss and Co. went from being good quality farm and factory wear to being so chic among the “rebel” youth. They allowed Macy’s to sell them. Not Sears or Penney’s.
There was a Federal suit resulting in a Consent Decree whereby they would stop their anti-competitive practices (including extreme price fixing).
In 1985 I did a contract job there. The chatter was "yeah, this place is going down the tubes, but - JUST WAIT until the Consent Decree expires - then we can go back to price gouging, and the young people will all come back (the rich ones!), and it’ll be like 1969 again!.
I did another job there from 1986-89. No more Consent Decree, but… something’s wrong! the young folks are NOT flocking back! The high-end stores don’t want exclusive rights anymore.
Loved it.