Clothes shopping

[fhunter]

I haven't posted here for some time on anything serious, or at least something on topic to the boards.
So first of all. RANT ALERT.
I am going to post about clothes, or more exactly about sizes. Ok, I know, that I am built like a bean pole (being 182cm tall and weighting only about 62kg tends to make one look this way).
But, to the point..
I was going to find a nice pair of shorts and a t-shirt (something either androgynous or at least not screaming "male"). Simple, right?
I thought the same way, before I tried. In the evening, after work, with a girl friend in tow (as I do not trust my fashion sense) I went shopping.
It was six shops and about 3 hours later , that we discovered:
* I am size "S" on the bottom, or even XS, depending on the country that made clothes. Something between S-M on top, closer to S.
* There is almost no S/XS sized shorts. After I mistakenly almost took a skirt, with the S label and joked about that to a friend... she, by that time as frustrated, as was I, said, that it would have solved a lot of our problems, and said, that she would have quicker dressed me as a female.
* In one shop, after asking, if there is something, smaller than an the size I wsa holding... I was suggested to go to the female side. Ok no problem for me, I do not mind as long as it is not overly feminine, but that almost caused a hissy fit from a friend. After trying womans shorts... Looks like I have extra equipment, that interferes with proper fit, that, and I do not have underwear that goes that low.


Yes, I got a pair of shorts after that trip. It is just that I still think - why is this such a big problem to find something in my size, that fits?

[AtomicMush]

I have been wearing womens shorts for years, way before the boys were ripped from their sack. I like the idea of shorter shorts, and not looking like a gansta NBA star. I have worn womens undies for a while, too, and they fit even better after the excess baggage was removed. I still have an empty scrotum, which I want removed. I have learned to wear womens bikini bottoms as undies. They hold the floppy junk up and out of the way, and still allow for the important part, that I dress straight down, a comfy position for me, and rather nice appearance.

I do not consider myself cross-dressing, as I am only wearing clothes that fit me, and look nice. I have also learned that womens shoes are much more comfy, and have found styles from tennies to dress, that are not the least bit feminine. My saying, if it fits, wear it!

[Jesus]

You might want to look in the boys' section of the clothing store. A lot of teenage boys shoot up in height before they begin to gain weight. At age 14 I was 184 cm and weighed only 61 kg. I was neither the tallest, nor the skinniest boy in my class. I was the same height and only 2 kg heavier when I got married at age 28. Clothes were hard to find, but certainly not impossible.

Marrying a woman whose hobby is cooking took care of my low weight problem. I now have a high weight problem....

[Paolo]

Being a loose 32" waist now, I have problems finding pants and shorts, escpecially at discount stores. Plenty of 36" and higher, though.

[Danya]

I have a woman friend who often buys clothes in the children's department, simply because that's what fits her small frame. At times, she wears teenage male clothing, too.

As a teen and into my 20s, bean pole described me perfectly. I always had problems finding clothes that fit well. Because of that, I hated clothes shopping. Back then, my weight was 58 kg and my height was 178 cm.

[MacTheWolf]

Being a loose 32" waist now, I have problems finding pants and shorts, escpecially at discount stores. Plenty of 36" and higher, though.

I had a 32 waist - circa 3400 BCE. Now it's closer to 40

[StefanIsMe]

Not sure if I should make a new topic for this? It relates to clothes shopping, though.

I have a BIG problem with clothes shopping, and it aint size.

I refuse to have logos, company names, or goofy, stupid shit on my clothes. Pants are easy; I can find great quality un- or barely-branded pants and shorts.

Shirts? Much harder. Unless I want broad stripes or a plain, CHEAP t-shirt, its very hard to find one without some university name on it (if you didn't go to it, why the HELL would you wear it?), sports team name (hate sports, and wouldn't feel the need to advertise one if I did like a sport), or, by far the worst, emblazoned with those supposedly premium name brands like Hollister, Aeropostal, etc. Fuck that. PAY me to advertise your bullshit, sometimes-better-made-but-certainly-not-always, grossly-inflated-priced SHIT and MAYBE I'll wear it.

Hats? Even harder! I wear (always) a simple cap when outside, ball-cap. But NOT a farmer ball-cap; you know the type... big, huge, tall front "forehead extender' in front with a tractor name on it; I like the soft front ones with no 'stiffening' (which only is used to make the advertisement stand out).

but even the simple, non-stiffened ones tend to have a beer lable, stupid saying, or company name on them. ARGH!!! It took me two days and several stores to find my latest lid.

I tried to explain this to a 24 year old at work. He could NOT, for the life of him, understand 'what my problem is'. He is CONVINCED, utterly, that his dumbass Holister shirt (which he proudly reminded me cost him 65 dollars) is a very well made, very long lasting piece of clothing that he likes because it shows off his 'good taste' in clothing lines, his 'girls' (chicks at the clubs) think the company's stuff is cool (why? Because they are utter sheep, hypnotized by advertisements? No, couldn't be), etc. etc. etc.

For that same 65 bucks I get two thick, GOOD quality T-shirts (plain), and a half-decently made but nice, modern looking golf shirt that the kid said looked 'great'.

Gah... am I talking like my father already? I'm only in my fortys!!

[nullorchis]

I found plain no logo no words t shirts in a lot of different colors at walmart. Some with one pocket, some with no pockets.
Go to a hat shop that adds custom printing on hats. You can buy just a plain hat there.

[devi]

I was never tall but being of a different build too for a long time I'd get my jeans from the boy's section: 18husky, I think. Junior huskies work pretty good too. Shorts never looked right on me since my knees are kind of way too low somehow. My thigh's are kind of thick too so most jeans won't fit me and shorts just don't seem to fit right either. Lately at the second hand store, I found a pair of Maurice's orchid boot cut (women's) jeans that seem pretty alright. For shirts, I basically usually just wear loose "daddy" shirts and oversize t-shirts. Lot's of women do this too. The shirts I wear go way below my crotch and I've always kind of thought that I could actually get away with wearing them without any pants or shorts in public. But I just don't dare. At least not to most places anyway.

[StefanIsMe]

Go to a hat shop that adds custom printing on hats. You can buy just a plain hat there.

Dude... excellent point. Thanks. Why the hell didn't I think of this?

Color me Duh

[artisticlicense]

Dude... excellent point. Thanks. Why the hell didn't I think of this?

Color me Duh

With you on the labels etc.
Don't know if you have Dollar General stores where you are, but I found lots of no-label items there.
They are all made in China, with no desernable/exterior labeling. The T-shirts had the rubbery-print "size/content" labeling inside the 'collar' that washes off in the washing machine; or comes off in the dryer (bit of a hasel). Otherwise, they seem well-made; no problems so far with loose stitching, loose snaps/buttons.
I found 4 simple Adult ball-caps of different colors, pocket T's (Men's small), and no-pocket and pocket shorts (Boys; extra-large), good-quality nylon-strap flip-flops.
All were on sale 60%-off. End-of-summer Sale?

[Paolo]

What aggravates me is varying sizes in brands.

In OP, I have to get 34.
In WM Faded Glory, a 32 literally falls off me.
I have some odd 30's, too, that are fine.
In Levis, 32 is just right.
I got a pair of new jeans to wear to the MOM tonight, and they're 33, in yet another brand name, Wrangler I think.
Yet Wrangler shorts in 32 are OK.
My black JCP dress pants are a 32, a bit tight but OK.

Always try it on, no matter what the label says.
The last pair of 31's I found, were tight. I got a 32 in that brand. They were not 32 when I measured them with a tape, either! Took 'em back.

[Graf v Eierdorf]

fhunter, I have not idea how the clothes shopping situation looks in St.P. or what's fashionable there at the moment or in your circles, but in my own experience...:

Having a slim but big-boned build (and fairly muscular thighs from bicycling all the time), finding fashionable shorts with a slim fit is always an ordeal for me ... when the waist fits, their so tight on my thighs that they look like sausages or something ... so most of the styles I like to look at (=mostly very slim-fitting) are impossible for me to wear (without going to a tailor or something). All the corresponding brands make shorts for people with toothpicks for legs -- but that might actually be just what you need.

So try things by Red Collar Project, Dr. Denim, Cheap Monday, Selected, etc. if you see them in St.P. ... or anything else even vaguely "hipsterish" that comes from Scandinavia or northern Europe. They all make lots of stuff with like 27, 28 inch waists and really thin legs. Or mail order from Top Shop / Topman, Asos, etc. ...

(...and forgive me if you've already tried all that or if it's obvious or if all this stuff costs a fortune where you are...)

[Mac]

It is so difficult to find clothes that fit properly anymore. Most of them are made so big and baggy that they are uncomfortable.

[kristoff]

It is so difficult to find clothes that fit properly anymore. Most of them are made so big and baggy that they are uncomfortable.

They are terrible. It is hard to show off my wide, flat ass. Damn...