After all the "please help" emails from urban gents around the country, I decided it had to be done– A Mini Style Guide for Tall and Husky Men. Husky sounds lame huh, okay umm… thick, big-boned, idk… big? Yeah, that's what they usually call it right, okay, so–

Note: It was hard to find good picture examples on the internet, so it took awhile to create pictures etc etc, and some of the pictures aren't exactly of "big" men, but they give you the idea. I'll try to visit a store with one of my big and or tall friends to show more precise pictures.

Like I've told many who have emailed me about the issue of finding clothes that fit their physique- the first thing you should do is find someone famous, who is about your size, and has a pretty good sense of style. For the tall you may want to use LeBron James, Will Smith, or Tom Brady as examples. For big guys you may want to use men like Cedric the Entertainer, Michael Knight (from Project Runway), or Joey Fatone (how he dresses more recently).

And it's also very very very important that you guys try clothes on– I know it's probably a pain in the ass, but it's a necessary evil if you want to look your best. I also suggest that you plan your shopping trips– go on a day like Tuesday or Wednesday… maybe even a Monday- on days that are slow so that the salespeople will pay more attention to you. Those are the days that they're in a more relaxed mood as well, so they're more friendly and chill oppose to being up-tight and slightly stressed. Which equals them being more willing to kind of act as your personal shopper, stores like Nordstrom are perfect for this treatment.

So you're a bigger guy- portly is probably the politically correct term. First thing first–be confident. You may feel a little self conscious about the extra pounds, but at this moment you have to deal with it so get comfortable with yourself and who you are. If you want to change then that's fine, but you have to dress your body for the moment. Now your problem areas are probably your stomach and maybe your… behind (booty, yanno lol). So you have to focus on masking those parts of the body and choosee clothing that will give you a slimming effect and more proportionate look.

Styles to focus on: cardigans, button-ups, dark denim jeans, vest, jackets, suits with side vents, layers, dark colors, pleated pants (no flat fronts unless well tailored), the combination of a light button up or polo and dark sweater or cardigan- gives the allusion of slimmer, and the mixture of textures to give your body a better proportion.

For Suits: always always always get suits with side vents and pants with pleats. Vented jackets gives you room and makes your rear look smaller- this is especially important for men with wide hips. It's not a pleasant sight to see men with suit jackets on and its hugging their backfat. Pleated pants give your thighs more room and makes your body more proportionate. Flat front pants are okay if you are moderately thick and your stomach is relatively small (it may have a slightly slimming effect). You have to invest in suits with vents and you have to get them tailored- its sooooo worth it. Your figure its not regular size so you can NOT just wear clothing, mainly formal wear like suits, straight off the rack.

For Big Hips: if you hold most of your weight on the bottom half of your body, there are a couple of things you can do to help balance your shape. Wear these combinations: dark solid bottoms with patterned, dark bottoms with textured tops. The textured and patterned tops will even out your proportion and re-focus the eye to your top area, taking away the attention from your hips. Wear suits with vents (look at the suit area for more information).

For Big Stomachs: You basically do the opposite of the men with big hips… you wear combinations of dark solid tops and textured bottoms (like corduroy) or light bottoms (like khakis).

 

 

As a tall guy you have to be aware of how long and short your layered looks are. You shouldn't have a sweater that ends at your waist with an extra long button-up. If tucked out your shirt should end at the red line or it should be tucked in- which is the neatest.
 

Focus on the Basics, here's The Urban Gentleman List of Basics. These are the items every man, especially the big and tall, should definitely have in your wardrobe- they should be quality (the highest quality you can afford) and you should definitely get them professionally tailored.

Those items are the core of your wardrobe and I want to stress the fact that all of these items, except of the vest and cardigan should be tailored– yes the dress shirt and jeans and khakis should be tailored. Be careful when tailoring though, make sure the item is exactly how you want it before you give them the final "yes".