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Finding a Men's Dress Shirt that fits

adk

adk

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 11, 2005
1,937
21
Stuck in the middle with you
I don't wear dress shirts that often, but the ones that I own make me look like I borrowed them from my older brother.

I wear a 17 1/2" Neck with 35" sleeve - a size generally equated with a short, portly gentleman. The only problem is that I'm 6'2" and weigh 190 pounds and frankly, I look like crap in my dress shirts. They're too short on me so every time I sit down they become partially untucked, and the shirt is far too baggy around the middle.

Any ideas for finding a shirt that (a) fits and (b) isn't ludicrously expensive?
 
I recently bought some dress clothes for a wedding and I just went to JC Penny and they fitted me there. I bought a shirt, pants and a tie for about $80 :)
 
adk said:
I don't wear dress shirts that often, but the ones that I own make me look like I borrowed them from my older brother.

I wear a 17 1/2" Neck with 35" sleeve - a size generally equated with a short, portly gentleman. The only problem is that I'm 6'2" and weigh 190 pounds and frankly, I look like crap in my dress shirts. They're too short on me so every time I sit down they become partially untucked, and the shirt is far too baggy around the middle.

Any ideas for finding a shirt that (a) fits and (b) isn't ludicrously expensive?
Click to expand...

I like shirts from Joseph A. Bank pretty well. I wear 18/36 which counts as a "tall" size I think, and the shirts are very long. So much so they'd look ridiculous if not tucked in... but very useful for keeping them tucked in through the work day.

Of course, your size is not a "tall" size, but I get the feeling the shirts tend to be long, so you might give them a try.
 
Try fitted dress shirts. They're generally a bit more 'tucked in' looking around the middle. Not so baggy... at least, the Van Heusen's aren't.
 
melrose said:
Try fitted dress shirts. They're generally a bit more 'tucked in' looking around the middle. Not so baggy... at least, the Van Heusen's aren't.
Click to expand...

+1 that.

That way you can get a Large that will give you some choices for sleeves and neck sizes while not looking like you are wearing your brother's/dad's clothes.

That is what I do.
 
Dress shirts (as opposed to sport shirts) are by definition fitted in terms of neck size and sleeve lengths. Sport shirts are S M L XL (or simple numerical sizes as in Europe).

Making friends with a good tailor would be a big help.
 
might also want to try a big and tall store. they might have something thats longer for you.
 
Silencio said:
Dress shirts (as opposed to sport shirts) are by definition fitted in terms of neck size and sleeve lengths. Sport shirts are S M L XL (or simple numerical sizes as in Europe).

Making friends with a good tailor would be a big help.
Click to expand...

Tailor made/adjusted would be the best. But $$ :(
 
melrose said:
Try fitted dress shirts. They're generally a bit more 'tucked in' looking around the middle. Not so baggy... at least, the Van Heusen's aren't.
Click to expand...

But they're generally not long. I think the OP's problem is that he's tall with short arms (?) and a fairly large neck. Not sure.

I think this is a brand issue. Find a brand that makes shirts that fit, and continue buying from them. It's a matter of trying on lots of brands. There's no easy solution.
 
adk said:
I don't wear dress shirts that often, but the ones that I own make me look like I borrowed them from my older brother.
Click to expand...

You can have them custom made. Tailors in places like Vietnam work cheap and the Internet can connect you with them. There are a number of on-line custom clothing vendors. Cost is not much more than department store price. Try Google.

Mass produced off the rack clothing is "so 20th century", soon we all will go back to the way it used to be, pre-industrial revolution, custom made. In the old days a Tailor would have to measure you at many places and then adapt a pattern but now computer software can accept measurements of torso length, chest and waist, neck, bicep and wrist circumferences and then directly plot the pattern or even drive automated cutting machine.
 
Abstract said:
But they're generally not long. I think the OP's problem is that he's tall with short arms (?) and a fairly large neck. Not sure.
Click to expand...

Pretty much. I have an insanely long torso, short arms, and I'm decently slim. My shirts have the right arm length but are too short and are way too baggy in the middle. I've thought of going to a tailor, but that doesn't exactly sound affordable to me.
 
mkrishnan said:
My tailored shirts are about $100 each... but ho-mai-gott. They are so nice. I lust after more. :eek:
Click to expand...

Thats really the way to go, if you don't fit right in off the rack, then spend the extra and have them made. If you don't know any good tailors I believe Brooks Brothers has made to order shirts as well (not usually my style, but to each their own).
 
Abstract said:
But they're generally not long. I think the OP's problem is that he's tall with short arms (?) and a fairly large neck. Not sure.

I think this is a brand issue. Find a brand that makes shirts that fit, and continue buying from them. It's a matter of trying on lots of brands. There's no easy solution.
Click to expand...

adk said:
...and the shirt is far too baggy around the middle.
Click to expand...
;)

I thought you could get tall fitted shirts? Maybe I'm mistaken. It just seems like you'd be able to.
 
I did read that part of his post, but it's hard to find fitted shirts that are also really long. Clothing is usually cut for a particular size, not tall and skinny, nor short and fat. It's unfortunate, as most men don't fit the image of the supposedly "average" body height, weight, and build (5'8" to 5'10"/175 cm, 150-160 lbs, very little belly and body fat).

Also, I had always thought that fitted shirts were made so that they looked good even when not tucked into your trousers. If you wear it untucked, shorter is better. Not long. That's why they make casual collared shirts that only go halfway down the fly of your pants. You're not really supposed to wear business shirts untucked (looks messy), so rather than make them shorter, they make another line of button-up shirts for casual wear.

I may be mistaken though. I own one fitted shirt that's rather long (on me).
 
Abstract said:
I did read that part of his post, but it's hard to find fitted shirts that are also really long.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that - I never look for tall dress shirts (you can tell). It still strikes me as surprising though.. I mean, most tall people I know are thin... well, not fat.

In the second hand stores/consignment shops I've seen tall shirts that are fitted, but that can vary a lot depending geographical location (who buys what and donates it where).
 
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