The Best Best Big and Tall Men’s Clothing and Brands

The Best Best Big and Tall Men’s Clothing and Brands - The Manual

The Best Best Big and Tall Men’s Clothing and Brands - The Manual
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019: Best Men's Clothing & Accessory Deals - Business Insider
Crime Report: 5 men shoplift 75 clothing items in 2-minute spree - Los Angeles Times
Sew Queer class in D.C. is all about breaking gender rules for clothing - Washington Post

The Best Best Big and Tall Men’s Clothing and Brands - The Manual

Posted: 23 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT

Despite the life portrayed by all the beautiful people you follow on Instagram, not all of us are flexing our biceps on the Mediterranean, flaunting our abs in the Hamptons, or brandishing our sleek, tanned bodies on a beach this summer. In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control released at the end of 2018 shows that "mean weight, waist circumference, and BMI (body mass index) in adults have increased over the past 18 years. Conversely, mean height did not change in many demographic subgroups and, in some groups, was lower."

The good news is that a growing faction of the men's apparel industry is churning out clothes that look good on larger frames while still keeping up with current trends. In the past few years, it's even recognized that there's a difference between "big" and "tall," treating clothing proportions differently and appropriately.

One point, though: After doing the research for this story, we do need to do a callout. While brands may be following through on their commitment to making larger sizes, they are not always representing the demographics in their online imagery. It just would be awesome for a big guy to be able to really see himself represented on the page.

Thorn & Co.

Combatant Gentlemen Thorn & Co. Nanostretch Signature Fit Suit

royal blue nanostretch signature fit suit — Combat Gent

Thorn & Co. is a brand-new collection from e-commerce retailer Combatant Gentlemen. The line specifically addresses the fit and style needs of bigger men because it was created by a big and tall guy, Scott Wicken, the brand's Fashion Expert and Content Director. The grouping includes three style offerings — business, casual, and short sleeve — all at an approachable price, ranging from $55-$280, and in sizes up to 4XL. This classic suit has all the bells and whistles of modern tailored clothing, including an easy-to-care-for-and-wear wool, polyester, and spandex blend with four-way stretch and liquid-resistant protection.

The Foundry

JCPenney The Foundry Bomber Jacket

Besides The Foundry casual collection, JCPenney also commits to the market with collections from Shaquille O'Neal XLG, Dockers, licensed sports fan gear, and classics from the retailer's own Stafford collection. We like this classic bomber in a 100% cotton stretch because it can you double duty as a casual warm-up thrown on with sweats or jeans and dressed-up for a casual office when paired with a collared shirt and trousers.

MVP Collections

MVP Collections Striped Sleeve Sweatshirt

MVP Collections was founded by a literal MVP, Mo Vaughn, former three-time Major League Baseball All-Star, who won the 1995 Most Valuable Player award when he was with the Boston Red Sox. This minimalistic Crystal White sweatshirt is made from luxurious 100 percent cotton French Terry. Keep it clean, pairing with white denim, or let it be the balance to something a little more colorful like the brand's destruct wash moto shorts.

ASOS

ASOS Design Tall Skinny Cargo Pants

A great casual alternative to jeans with a spare silhouette, these cargo pants feature a grid check pattern and are a soft cotton blend with a bit of stretch for easy movement and fit. They're great for the office and perfect for a night out on the town. Just don't get carried away with stuffing those pockets.

L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean Sunwashed Canvas Shirt

This cool, breezy shirt is perfect for a summer Friday in the office that transitions into a weekend escape. It's pre-washed 100% cotton, so it's super soft right out the package and features the fine craftsmanship you'd expect from any L.L. Bean product, including triple needle-stitching on the shoulder and durable double-needle stitching throughout, as well as rugged buttons — carefully stitched to stay put — and button-through patch pockets.

Bonobos

Bonobos Stretch Weekday Warrior Dress Pants

Bonobos built its reputation on great pants so you'll want a pair of these for every day of the week. In fact, they've already thought of that, featuring colors like Monday Blue, Tuesday Black (shown), Thursday True Khaki, etc. — the day of the week is even embroidered on the inside waistband. Won't that make mornings easier? They're a cotton blend with 3% stretch.

Limitless XL

Limitless XL Jungle Print Shirt

This jungle print is on-trend for the season, but it's dark hues and classic silhouette mean you'll be wearing it for a while. Wear it with dark jeans or throw on under a khaki suit for dressy summer affairs. Though it comes in up to a size 7XL, it still features a modern fit, hugging the body a bit closer.

Levi's

DXL Levi's 502 Taper Fit Jeans

Classic five-pocket jeans from a classic denim brand, these Levi's offer a tapered fit that's complementary to most guys' bodies. They also feature a bit of stretch for comfort and ease of movement. They're perfect to throw on with a sport coat for the office or a classic white T-shirt on the weekend.

Lands' End

Lands' End Comfort-First Mesh Polo Shirt

This polo shirt is so simple and classic you'll want to get one in every color. No embroidered animals to confuse the issue (in fact, you can easily have this one monogrammed), Lands' End keeps the focus on a cotton and spandex blend for comfort in a shirt that's hefty and practically indestructible. It's garment-washed, so feels great right out of the box, and features a tradition, relaxed fit.

Kenneth Cole

Men's Wearhouse Awearness Kenneth Cole Awear Tech Suit Separates Coat

Kenneth Cole's new Awear-Tech collection is building in the kind of high-tech performance fabrics and treatments that you'd expect from something out of an outdoor catalog. This wool-blend jacket features technology that is triggered by your body temperature to either warm or cool itself, depending on the situation, speeding evaporation and cooling itself when you sweat and retaining heat when you need it. It also absorbs odor molecules that are removed when cleaned. Stretch mesh fabric is integrated throughout to ensure maximum mobility and comfort. It's a classic jacket, but go ahead and grab the separate pants and vest for a complete suit option.

Still not sure what's going to work for you and your body? Sign up for The Winston Box and let their stylists make the decisions for you! Choose from Trendy, Casual, Classic or a mix of styles. Subscribers receive a monthly curated package based on their size, style profile and the current season.

Editors' Recommendations

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019: Best Men's Clothing & Accessory Deals - Business Insider

Posted: 19 Jul 2019 02:33 PM PDT

Nordstrom is currently holding its biggest sale of the year, where customers can shop thousands of deals across the entire site. From July 19 through August 4, Nordstrom shoppers can rack up huge savings in categories like fashion, home, and beauty — on August 5, the prices will go back up.

Clothing is the most shopped category during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale simply because the deals are that good. You can save on everything from dress shirts and suits for the office to lightweight chinos for summer and fleece jackets for winter. But by the last days of the sale, many of the best deals will be sold out, so you should buy sooner rather than later.

In addition to rare deals on many of your favorite men's clothing brands (Patagonia, The North Face, Nike, Theory, etc.), deals on accessories like backpacks, watches, sunglasses, and belts are also some of the best they'll be all year. To help you shop the Anniversary Sale, we rounded up 30 of the best deals on men's clothing and accessories below.

For more deals on menswear check out the best sneakers on sale and the best dress shoes and boots up for discounts. You can also browse other Nordstrom Anniversary Sale deals for each of the following categories:

Shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale now. Check out our picks for the best deals on men's clothing and accessories, below:

Crime Report: 5 men shoplift 75 clothing items in 2-minute spree - Los Angeles Times

Posted: 24 Jul 2019 01:51 PM PDT

July 17

Burglary: 2300 block of Conle Way, La Cañada. Sometime between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. someone smashed a window on a rear door of a house to gain access and ransack it. Immediately identified by a resident as missing was a safe containing U.S. currency, checkbooks and personal documents. Other items may also have been stolen, pending an inventory by the residents. It appeared a bed comforter had been used to drag the safe and some scratches were found on the home's wood flooring.

July 18

Grand theft: 4600 block of Vineta Avenue, La Cañada. A man who had not received an expected shipment of two pairs of Bower hockey skates learned when he inquired with the seller that they had been delivered to his home on July 5 by the U.S. Postal Service.

July 19

Vehicle burglary: 3100 block of Foothill Boulevard, La Crescenta. Sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight someone entered a locked 2017 Mercedes C 350e that had been left parked in an apartment complex lot and stole its radio, a pair of Prada sunglasses, a pair of Gucci sunglasses, a yoga mat and a CD case containing miscellaneous CDs. No signs of forcible entry were found.

Petty theft: 3100 block of Foothill Boulevard, La Crescenta. A dark blue mountain bike that had been left in a bike stall unlocked was taken sometime between noon on July 17 and 2 p.m. on July 18.

July 20

Theft by false pretenses: 800 block of Green Lane, La Cañada. A female reported being scammed while attempting to return an item she'd ordered from a company. Using Google, she searched online for a phone number associated with the retailer's customer service department and called what she believed to be the correct number. The person who answered the phone told her that in order to verify her account she would have to purchase several gift cards using the same debit card she had used to make the original purchase, then photograph the back of those cards and text the photos to the bogus customer service rep. Realizing afterward she had been the victim of a scam, she reported it to the sheriff's station.

July 21

Vandalism: 2600 Foothill Boulevard, La Crescenta. Sometime between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. someone made three scrapes on the right passenger door of a 2003 Lexus C 430 that had been left in a parking lot by its owner.

Grand theft: 600 block of Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada. A store employee roported that on July 19 at 5:12 p.m. five black males, all appearing to be in their 20s, entered the retail outlet through its rear door together, then grabbed clothing items and exited the store together at 5:14 p.m. without attempting to pay for any of the goods. Stolen were 30 pairs of True Religion jeans, 30 pairs of True Religion shirts, 10 miscellaneous T-shirts and five baseball-style caps.

Compiled from reports on file at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station.

Sew Queer class in D.C. is all about breaking gender rules for clothing - Washington Post

Posted: 23 Jul 2019 01:49 PM PDT

July 23 at 4:47 PM

One by one, the students pulled pieces of clothing out of their bags, displaying the outfits they hoped to salvage: A green skirt. A burnt-orange floral dress. A black-striped tunic. All pocket-less, all designed for beauty over utility.

Then, the worst offense of all: A navy blue skirt with two front pockets. Or so it seemed.

"Oh, it's got fake pockets!" said Molly Stratton, the 33-year-old class instructor. The two apparent pockets were sewn shut.

"The worst," said Jesse Meadows, fanning herself in a seat across the room.

"We don't get to carry things," said Kristen Menichelli, sitting at the same table.

The five students gathered in this sweltering workshop space in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington last week to fill a void in women's clothing: pockets. Frustrated by skirts, dresses and pants with no place for carrying anything, they resolved to learn how to sew in pockets themselves.

WJesse Meadows, 29, who identifies as non-binary, traces the pattern for pockets she will later sew into a dress she brought to the Sew Queer class held at the Lemon Collective in Washington, DC. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

The lesson was part of a series of classes called "Sew Queer," which Stratton launched last year in the hopes of helping people in the queer community adjust their clothing to better fit their gender.

A growing number of people nationwide identify as genders other than male or female, but most of the clothing industry continues to design its apparel along a rigid gender binary: men's or women's. While some brands and stores have popped up with a focus on gender-neutral or gender-fluid clothing, these options are often expensive, said Stratton, who identifies as non-binary and transmasculine.

Transgender people frequently struggle to find clothes that fit, Stratton said. Men's suits tend to run too narrow in the hips or tight in the chest for transgender men. Men's pants might run too long, or men's shoes too big. The opposite can be true for transgender women shopping in women's clothing sections. And sending clothes to a tailor can be pricey and out of reach for many in the community.

"A lot of clothes are cut for a specific idea of a body, not for a specific person," Stratton said.

But Stratton's class is not just about catering to the transgender or genderqueer community — it's about giving people the tools they need to tailor their clothing to their body type and lifestyle and not to the ideal of what a man or woman should look like.

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These gender differences are deeply entrenched in clothing styles in the West and appear even for children as young as toddlers, said Jo Paoletti, a professor at the University of Maryland at College Park whose research focuses on gender differences in American fashion. Paoletti studied children's winter coats from the early 1950s, for example, and found that the boys' coats had pockets but the girls' coats didn't.

"There are all these expectations that we're very different creatures," Paoletti said. "Men are more practical, women are more decorative."

To Paoletti, a sewing class like Stratton's harks back to the 1960s, when teenage girls in the baby-boomer generation used the sewing skills they learned in home economics classes to make their own clothes, in the styles they wanted. Today, far fewer girls grow up learning how to use a sewing machine.

For some, the workshop was a way to reclaim a traditionally gendered skill — sewing — and use it to push back against the entrenched gender norms of clothing.

Stratton launched Sew Queer last year after struggling for years to find clothes that fit both his gender and his body type. Growing up in West Virginia, Stratton recalled, he shopped for adult clothing in bargain stores even as a child because he was too big to fit the children's sizes.

"I wore terrible T-shirts with the logo peeling off because it was what fit," he said.

Stratton often resorted to buying men's shirts and shoes because they fit his body better. Then he started realizing that the clothes fit his gender better, too. Last summer, he put all of his women's clothing in storage, cut his hair short and started asking people to call him by male pronouns.

Stratton also started following queer people on Instagram, including plus-size people who had felt left out of the mainstream clothing industry and developed their own style using clothes they had thrifted.

"Something about that gave me permission to start thinking about it, that I could be mad about clothing," he said.

He first launched Sew Queer as a series of 10 pop-up classes, on topics including mending and tailoring jeans, many of them held in his home. The classes were so popular that he decided to offer them for a second year. Last week's class, which cost $30 a student, was the first in this new space in Petworth.

Standing between four long tables, in a workshop space called the Lemon Collective, Stratton wore baggy men's jean shorts, a black-patterned men's T-shirt from Forever 21, and a sticker name tag that read "Mr. Molly, he/his." He gave each student a kit with a pocket template, chalk, a sliding tool, fabric scissors and "your best friend" — a seam ripper. The participants chose from various colored fabrics and used a sewing machine provided by Stratton.

Meadows, 29, carefully cut out a tear-shaped pocket from a floral fabric and pinned it to the open seam of the orange dress she had brought to class. Meadows, who identifies as non-binary but uses both female and gender-neutral pronouns, said that she doesn't wear dresses anymore but that she wanted to learn how to sew pockets into other clothing items, especially pants.

"I feel like I've been lied to my whole life wearing women's jeans," Meadows said. "You get a pair of men's jeans, and your whole hand fits in the pocket. Why? Why are they depriving us of this? It's a big metaphor for the patriarchy. The pockets."

Another participant, Katie Morris, 31, said she's tired of having to carry a purse on her shoulder at parties. "It looks like you have to leave," she said. At work, she doesn't want to have to take her purse into a meeting room down the hall just to carry everything she needs.

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Nicole Barba, 30, constantly wishes she had more pockets in the clothes she wears for her job at a Montessori school in the District. But she also came to the class because she wants to sew pockets for the children she babysits. When the kids are playing outside and find a feather or a shiny pebble on the ground, Barba said, the boys are much more likely than the girls to have pockets in which to put their new discoveries.

"I want their exploration to not be hindered," she said. "Girls are supposed to be more docile and not as exploratory as boys. I think that culture is changing now."

Stratton hopes that eventually classes like his won't be necessary — that men and women and transgender and non-binary people will be able to find an inclusive range of options in mainstream clothing stores. He said he sees sewing less as a hobby and more as a survival skill.

But for Stratton's friend Menichelli, a 32-year old woman who attended the class, the process of altering her own clothing is also empowering.

"I can go buy something and have it tailored by somebody, but I know I have the skills to do it myself," she said. "I can actually take that back."

Menichelli said she first learned how to sew from her grandmother, a seamstress. "I think my mom kind of rebelled against that and said, 'I'm not going to do that, that's too traditional, that's too feminine,' in the '80s and '90s. But I'm getting back into it."

Menichelli used her own sewing machine to stitch a succulent-printed piece of fabric to each side of her green skirt. And at the end of class, she tried on the final product. The openings were a bit lower than they should have been, but she didn't mind.

She slipped her hands in the pockets and twirled around.