Ditch Your Puffy Shirt, Opt for the Slim Fit

I mentioned sleeping bag-sized clothing in my blog on wool trench coats. The same rule applies for men’s dress shirts. For some strange reason, designers seem to think all men have size 42” chests and 42” waists, creating a very broad fit from top to bottom. That size shirt is called “full cut” and is only reserved for Jerry Seinfeld, a la “the Puffy Shirt” episode. There is a segment of the population who, although we might not be super fit, still has a need for a more tailored shirt, and jacket/coat for that matter.

Even men who are not quite my size (I’ve always had broader shoulders and a narrow waist, whether I work out or not… and it’s not all its cracked up to be… it makes shopping for clothes that fit properly, VERY hard) can benefit from slim fit clothing. Whether you are simply a slim guy with narrow shoulders and waist, or a guy with an “athletic” build (waist 5 or more inches narrower than your shoulders), the slim fit shirt is for you.

Brooks Brothers defines slim fit on their web site as the following:

• Our most tapered fit, it favors men with broader shoulders and/or slimmer waits.
• 5” trimmer in chest, 5” slimmer in waist than our Traditional Fit.
• Yoke is 1-3/4” deep at center back
• Yoke extends to natural shoulder line
• Trim armhole

The first thing you need to do, as always, is have yourself measured. Since you’re a follower of my blog, you’ve already done that, right! Getting measured is the only way to ensure you’re getting a proper fit. You need to measure your arm length and neck circumference since; those are the two measurements you need for buying a “fitted” shirt, one which isn’t simply S, M, L or XL. These shirts show measurements like 16” – 34/35, which is my size. Here is where the slim fit comes in. If I were to buy a traditional/full cut shirt with those measurements, I would be wearing a really baggy shirt since the chest and waist area of the shirt billow out around my narrow waist. By purchasing a slim fit or “modern” fit shirt as some are called, the body and waist are cut slimmer, resulting in a shirt that hugs my body more and gives a cleaner appearance.

There is a pretty good trick when shopping for shirts in stores which don’t carry slim fit or modern cut garments. When looking at full cut shirts, you can buy a shirt with a neck size that is a half or full inch smaller than your actual neck size IF, and only if, you don’t plan on buttoning your shirt collar. The result, in most cases, is a shirt that mimics an actual slim cut shirt. Pretty slick, huh? Remember, your arm length needs to be correct; otherwise you’ll end up looking like an idiot who shrunk his shirt in the dryer.

Here are some examples you can look for when shopping by yourself:

Kenneth Cole - $89.98

Brook Brothers - 3 for $199

Claiborne - $16.97 at Amazon.com

Hugo Boss - $86.90

Some final notes:
Your arm size may vary from one designer to another. Sometimes you’ll need a 34 inch arm, sometimes you’ll need a 35 inch and sometimes you’ll need a 34/35 inch. It really depends on the manufacturer. As with all things related to fit, learn how each designer cuts and measures their clothing to fit your body.

Lastly, you don’t have to break the bank to purchase clothing in general, or slim fitting clothing in particular. As I always state, you can find great deals at the discount retailers if you exercise a little patience. I often find great bargains at stores like SYMS, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Off Saks Fifth Avenue, Loehmann’s and Filene’s Basement. Sometimes your favorite designers will also have their own factory stores which offer discounts for discontinued or last season’s items as well.