"Slim fit" shirts - why?

[rogerzilla]

Most of the shirts in  the brand I used to buy have gone "slim fit".  This is no good as they make me look like The Incredible Hulk, with the buttons under strain across my chest (the gut isn't so much of a problem).  I only have something like a 39" chest!  Who are these supposed to fit?  Ferrets and stoats?  I thought we were all fat bastards in the UK...

[pcolbeck]

18 year old snake hipped youths. You are not the target market (and neither am I).

[redshift]

It's the same as female clothing that makes no account of anything other than starving waifs who live on lettuce and do no bloody exercise.  Not only are we supposed to have no fat, but also no muscle development either, with the result that modern clothing is designed for skeletons.  Gunther von Hagens' displays would look fantastic in them, but sadly the world is full of unfashionable people like us.

[Biggsy]

I'm glad slim is in because I'm fed up of things being too short.  Normal XL t-shirts look silly on a bean pole, but that's what I need for the length.  "Slim fit" should be good even for fat tall people if the biggest size is XXXXXXL.

[RichForrest]

My new work shirts came the other day.
18" collar's fine, but I'd likely fit twice in the rest of it. It's like a bloody cycling cape!!
The people must think that as you have a thick neck you must be a fat bugger.

[plum]

While we're at it why have retailers started displaying shirts on racks fully buttoned up with the sleeves rolled up to the shoulders like they've come off extras in Grease?

Shopping for shirts last week was such a mission. Go to a rack, find my size, undo the buttons, roll down the sleeves, oh hang on it's a bit small, find the next size, buttons, sleeves, rinse, repeat. End up with piles of shirts just dumped on a counter because no way am I putting them back like I found them.

[Notsototalnewbie]

Rob.

He will only wear slim fit shirts for work; anything else looks baggy on him. He's a beanpole.

[Peter]

Classic exploitation - use less material and charge for the saving!

[Andrij]

I can just about manage 'slim fit' shirts (yes, I know, hard to believe) but usually avoid them.

This thread reminded me of some trousers I tried on once - they were labelled something along the lines of 'athletic fit'.  Hah!  I couldn't get the trousers past my thighs!  The only 'athletes' who could wear those trousers would be marathon runners.

I'd love to be able to afford to have my clothes made to measure.

[Jurek]

Rob.

He will only wear slim fit shirts for work; anything else looks baggy on him. He's a beanpole.

Are you saying that he has to run round in circles in the shower in order to get wet?

[Ray 6701]

Just over 9 stone with 10% body fat & can just about squeeze into a slim fit shirt.  But its a tight fit

[Notsototalnewbie]

Rob.

He will only wear slim fit shirts for work; anything else looks baggy on him. He's a beanpole.

Are you saying that he has to run round in circles in the shower in order to get wet?

Yep.

[DrMekon]

I'm glad slim is in because I'm fed up of things being too short.  Normal XL t-shirts look silly on a bean pole, but that's what I need for the length.  "Slim fit" should be good even fat tall people if the biggest size is XXXXXXL.

This. My shirts have to be slim fit or they billow like sails. I wish there was slim fit cycling gear that wasnt ricockulously expensive. Even the pro fit stuff I have is too loose or too short.

[rogerzilla]

Just over 9 stone with 10% body fat & can just about squeeze into a slim fit shirt.  But its a tight fit

Try it when you're 12.5 stone with 18% body fat!  It's not the fat that's the problem though; it's my ribcage where it's tightest.