"slim fit" vs "fitted" dress shirts - whats the difference?

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Nvidiaguy07

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
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Just went shopping for clothes, in the past I've bought slim fit because i have a 30" waist and hate having my shirt baggin all over the place.

Today i tried on both slim fit and fitted and barely notcied a difference. To be honest the fitted fit a little snugger so i ended up going with that.

Which is supposed to be bigger?

FYI i have a broader chest and shoulders and a small waist. i usually buy a size 16-16.5 neck and 34-35 length on the sleeves.
 
dbk

dbk

Lifer
Apr 23, 2004
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it depends on the store.. e.g. express has modern fit and fitted the latter being tighter
 
Zebo

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
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Slim fit is straight down for pencil necks. Fitted is tapered more for guys with muscles and small waist.


BTW Dillards is having some crazy sale right now.. polos & Cremeaux 75% off. I picked up 11 shirts, 5 shorts a new swim trunks for under $400.
 
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mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
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fitted isn't really all that fitted

truth be told, chubby guys look best in over-the-counter clothes as they are made to tailor to their featureless bodies.

I look like a freaking tent, needing a big shirt to fit my shoulders and back into but if I fail to tuck in my shirt, it looks like a poncho, but even tucked in it has so many rolls I look like a fool.
 
PieIsAwesome

PieIsAwesome

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Feb 11, 2007
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mizzou said:
fitted isn't really all that fitted

truth be told, chubby guys look best in over-the-counter clothes as they are made to tailor to their featureless bodies.

I look like a freaking tent, needing a big shirt to fit my shoulders and back into but if I fail to tuck in my shirt, it looks like a poncho, but even tucked in it has so many rolls I look like a fool.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this. I'm going to update my wardrobe soon and I need to find where all the Asian people get their clothes from.
 
Nvidiaguy07

Nvidiaguy07

Platinum Member
Feb 22, 2008
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dbk said:
it depends on the store.. e.g. express has modern fit and fitted the latter being tighter
Click to expand...

I have a few "fitted" shirts from express, and compared to my DKNY "slim fit" shirt it seems baggier, but a few of my other fitted shirts fit exactly the same as the "slim fit"

I guess everyones different and theyll use slim fit and fitted however they like. Sucks having to try one of each on everytime, i always feel bad making a mess out of a nicely wrapped dress shirt.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
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It depends on the brand. The measures across brands really don't match up, so you need to figure out what fits you and stick with that.

I have very broad shoulders and a large neck, so I like Brooks Brothers regular fit and John W. Nordstrom traditional fit. I also don't wear shirts to work that hug my body like I'm still back in NJ, though. Just a regular fit - not too slim, not like a tent.
 
L

LittleNemoNES

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
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Some info:
In my experience Tommy Hilfiger clothing is for fat people, CK for average guys, Macy's Alfani brand has a lot of fitted clothing, which works well for my athlete build.
'Nana Republic also has clothing for slimmer folks.
 
silverpig

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
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Nvidiaguy07 said:
I have a few "fitted" shirts from express, and compared to my DKNY "slim fit" shirt it seems baggier, but a few of my other fitted shirts fit exactly the same as the "slim fit"

I guess everyones different and theyll use slim fit and fitted however they like. Sucks having to try one of each on everytime, i always feel bad making a mess out of a nicely wrapped dress shirt.
Click to expand...

I'm in a similar boat, but not quite as bad. I'm 6'3" and find that medium dress shirts fit horizontally well, but need a large to cover the length properly. Of course, a large makes me look like batman flying between buildings.

From now on, I'm going to get shirts tailor made. It actually costs less for a tailor made shirt than for a designer dress shirt, and trust me, a shirt that fits well will look much better than an expensive Italian shirt that billows out everywhere.
 
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TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
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dbk said:
it depends on the store.. e.g. express has modern fit and fitted the latter being tighter
Click to expand...

My issue with those express modern/fitted shirts is that they're so fucking short. When I tuck them I only get like a 1" tuck, if that.
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,916
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According to GQ this month, slim fit is the new fashion trend. "Blousing" of dress shirts is considered a big no-no...your shirt should have no slack in it.

Jeans are following the same trend. Personally, I don't mind the shirts, but I'll be damned if I'm going to wear jeans that look like leggings from Flashdance.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
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Fritzo said:
According to GQ this month, slim fit is the new fashion trend. "Blousing" of dress shirts is considered a big no-no...your shirt should have no slack in it.

Jeans are following the same trend. Personally, I don't mind the shirts, but I'll be damned if I'm going to wear jeans that look like leggings from Flashdance.
Click to expand...

It really depends on the time and place, though, doesn't it? Is this thread about "going out" shirts or dressing for work?

I don't think I could be taken seriously wearing slim fit shirts to work. The environment is way too old school and rigid.

Agreed on the jeans, though. Straight leg is fine, but I don't want that shit painted on me. IMHO, it looks ridiculous on men (unless I loosen up that term) and I just can't see how it'd be comfortable.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
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TheVrolok said:
My issue with those express modern/fitted shirts is that they're so fucking short. When I tuck them I only get like a 1" tuck, if that.
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Pretty sure they're cutting those shirts to be worn out, not tucked in. That or they cut for shorter people. Banana Republic does it, heard they did it to reach a target demo - asian men.

Is express still printing the food lion on their polos? That turned me off from shopping there for casual stuff.
 
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yllus

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
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With a 30" waist you're a perfect candidate for a slim-fit shirt that's tucked in and not bloused. Take a look at GQ's Suit Your Shape.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
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Hacp said:
I love how they skip the average 5'10 guy who weighs 160-180 pounds.
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I love how they have the 5'8" guy as short, and go out of their way to find him clothes.

Not sure who at GQ wasn't paying attention, but the average Italian is 5'9" and many designs and labels of suits happen to come from there. Maybe I'm just lucky because I'm about that height and have your "typical" Italian proportions (broad shoulders and chest, 34/35" waist), but the Italian labels (preferably the ones actually made there) tend to fit me off the rack.

Doesn't need to be a $2200 gucci suit, either. I can generally pick something up in 40/41R or 42R/S, depending on label, and get really lucky with the fit. The last Italian-made suit I bought was an off-label, size 42, and the only things I had to do was shorten the sleeves and the waist slightly.

If you're 5'8" it is NOT hard to find fitting clothes. Unless you have a really super narrow frame, maybe.
 
Demo24

Demo24

Diamond Member
Aug 5, 2004
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mizzou said:
fitted isn't really all that fitted

truth be told, chubby guys look best in over-the-counter clothes as they are made to tailor to their featureless bodies.

I look like a freaking tent, needing a big shirt to fit my shoulders and back into but if I fail to tuck in my shirt, it looks like a poncho, but even tucked in it has so many rolls I look like a fool.
Click to expand...


Same story for me. Broad shoulders + large pects = tent. And it's not like they are fat and I could work them off, all muscle so they aren't going anywhere. I dislike wearing button up shirts for this reason as they seem to 'tent' the most.
 
TehMac

TehMac

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2006
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Hacp said:
Slim fit is for skinny people. Fitted is for buff people.
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I guess that explains why the slim fits at Banana Republic were too small for me.

That, and I'm really tired of how they all seem to be made to be exclusively tucked in!
 
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