Dress Shirt Problem

[zpb101]

So, I needed some new dress shirts and have been wanting to try the Jos a Bank Traveler non-wrinkle shirt. I've heard pretty good things (here too) and *surprise* they were having a sale (always a damm sale there).

So, I'm a pretty big guy. A little over 6'2'', 225 pounds. 18/36 shirt. So, the normal shirt sizes go up to 17.5 - then you're big and tall. Whatever, I'll be big and tall. So, I picked up two shirts and was on my way. I know - I should have tried them on but, since I just got measured again - and it was what I thought it would be - I didn't.

So, I get home and open one up. Here's the problem. (btw - the shirt doesn't say 18/36 tall or anything - just 18/36) I put on the shirt and it comes almost to my knees. I look like a little kid wearing his dad's shirt as an art smock. It's at least 6-8 inches longer (and I think too long) than any of my other (admittedly cheaper) dress shirts. I can't wear the shirt like this - I think it would look like I was wearing depends with that much shirt tucked in.

So, is this a problem I'm going to have with high-end shirts? Am I going to have to get them like this and have them tailored? I'd rather not have have every new shirt tailored. Are there other NICE, non-wrinkle shirts that actually don't wrinkle that I don't have to be 6'8'' or 500 pounds if I have an 18 inch neck?

Thanks.

 

[Cuttingboard]

I bought several Banks Traveler non-wrinkle dress shirts and when I put them on I had the same problem as you, looked like I was wearing a dress. I kept one of the shirts because I needed it immediately and returned the others. Since then, I buy nothing but Brooks Brothers and Charles Tyrwhitt wrinkle-free slim fit dress shirts. Charles Tyrwhitt has dress shirts that go up to 20-38 in all kinds of colors fabrics and styles. Very good quality shirt maker and they're always running sales. They're based in London but have a store in NYC and their shipping is really fast. Order a half size larger in the neck that you normally would. Here's the link: Charles Tyrwhitt Dress Shirts

 

[Austin]

Unfortunately, with your unusual size requirements, it's best to try it on before you buy. Brooks Brothers has your size in non-wrinkle.

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/men/miracleshirt.tem

If you have a BB locally, you may want to check them out. Otherwise, you may consider custom shirts. Good luck.

 

[Suzuki]

You can easily have the hem shortened by a tailor - just know what this will cost you and factor it into the price.

 

[Obsessed]

Unfortunately, with your unusual size requirements, it's best to try it on before you buy. Brooks Brothers has your size in non-wrinkle.

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/men/miracleshirt.tem

If you have a BB locally, you may want to check them out. Otherwise, you may consider custom shirts. Good luck.

The Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts are excellent.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but with an 18" neck you might want to try the slim fit. I'm about your height and have about 15 non-muscle pounds on you, and they fit me. The guy at the store told me that the bigger neck sizes in the regular fit are designed for, uh, heavier guys. I didn't believe him at first, but it's true. Good luck.

 

[thirdeye]

Unfortunately, with your unusual size requirements, it's best to try it on before you buy. Brooks Brothers has your size in non-wrinkle.

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/men/miracleshirt.tem

If you have a BB locally, you may want to check them out. Otherwise, you may consider custom shirts. Good luck.

I run into the same problem with my size. "unusual size requirements" as Andrew stated and I've gone with Brooks Brothers for awhile now. You'll find they have just what you need and they are a decent quality shirt.

I'm just glad we can't be all little shavers, right Andrew...

 

[DocMustang]

Believe it or not there is not that much difference in price between buying the High end (Brooks Bros., Jos Banks) and taking it one step up and having your dress shirts made to measure. There are numerous online tailors, mostly located overseas who will make high quality shirts for little money. Other than that you are likely to need the tails trimmed by a tailor or find a vendor that has your size in a fitted shirt.

 

[neilxvx]

Unfortunately, with your unusual size requirements, it's best to try it on before you buy. Brooks Brothers has your size in non-wrinkle.

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/men/miracleshirt.tem

If you have a BB locally, you may want to check them out. Otherwise, you may consider custom shirts. Good luck.

I've never heard of Brooks Bros, but those look really nice.

Unfortunately, at my work, they make us wear these long sleeve button up shirts. The shirts are cheap, and crappy. They look nice for about two weeks, then the fabric and materials start to wear--even with dry cleaning only. The worst part is that our general manager [I won't say anything about him even though I really want to] won't let us wear anything but these. We have to pay for them--15 bucks. That's a cheap price, but the quality is terrible. They are embroided with our logo [Audi] and they just plain sucks.

The worst part, is that these shirts don't fit worth a single flying ****. I'm tall, and thin, about 6'1" and 165 pounds. The shirts poof out in the back so much that I look like a hunch back... or something. So I have to invest more money in these crappy terrible shirts.

So myself and a few coworkers are putting together a group buy of our own custom made and custom embroided shirts. That that G.M!!!

</rant>

Anyway, it is most definitely worth it to get your shirts tailored. If you're going to invest on buying nice things to look nice, then don't do it halfway, go the extra mile and it will make you look nicer, and feel like you look nice, which also makes you look nicer! It's honestly just SO worth it to make your shirts fit.

 

[zpb101]

Alright. Thanks for the advice. Glad I'm not a complete freak of nature. I'd rather be able to grab something wearable without having it tailored. I do have a Brooks Brothers here. I was wary of the prices but, Bank shirt + tailoring might be = to a BB shirt.

Thanks again.

 

[neilxvx]

Bank shirt + tailoring might be = to a BB shirt.

Thanks again.

Exactly. I think the BB shirst might actually be close enough to a tailored fit. They won't be perfect, they can't be, but they're probably close. But nothing fits as good as a fitted, tailored shirt.

 

[thebikingengineer]

For the kind of coin you're likely to be dropping on these shirts, custom is the way to go with your measurements. I'm in a similar boat, I'm built like a cyclist (imagine that) and need a 15" neck with a 34/35 sleeve and shoulders that are about 1" narrower than usual (due to a broken collarbone that didn't heal quite right). That's just enough oddity that tailoring isn't really possible.

You figure that a decent dress shirt costs about $50, with tailoring you're looking at ~$70-$75 and it might be kind of close in fit (for me anyway). For $65-$85 I can get a custom dress shirt made (at Men's Wearhouse usually) and not only will it fit me perfectly, they'll take it in and out as needed (my weight fluctuates 10-20 pounds depending on the season). I'll gladly pay the negligible cost difference to have shirts that consistently fit me and look good.

 

[Austin]

For the kind of coin you're likely to be dropping on these shirts, custom is the way to go with your measurements. I'm in a similar boat, I'm built like a cyclist (imagine that) and need a 15" neck with a 34/35 sleeve and shoulders that are about 1" narrower than usual (due to a broken collarbone that didn't heal quite right). That's just enough oddity that tailoring isn't really possible.

You figure that a decent dress shirt costs about $50, with tailoring you're looking at ~$70-$75 and it might be kind of close in fit (for me anyway). For $65-$85 I can get a custom dress shirt made (at Men's Wearhouse usually) and not only will it fit me perfectly, they'll take it in and out as needed (my weight fluctuates 10-20 pounds depending on the season). I'll gladly pay the negligible cost difference to have shirts that consistently fit me and look good.

I've never shopped at Mens warehouse. Do they produce quality shirts? How is the finish?

 

[Obsessed]

If you decide to go with Brooks Brothers, keep an eye out for sales. I think the normal price for the non-iron shirts is something like 3 for $199, but I've gotten them on sale sometimes for 25% off.

 

[neilxvx]

I've never shopped at Mens warehouse. Do they produce quality shirts? How is the finish?

Mens wearhouse has really nice slacks, I bet their shirts are just as nice.

 

[The Nid Hog]

If you decide to go with Brooks Brothers, keep an eye out for sales. I think the normal price for the non-iron shirts is something like 3 for $199, but I've gotten them on sale sometimes for 25% off.

They also have some excellent outlet stores. The ones that I've visited have a great selection and reasonable prices--not like the dregs and returns of their main stores thrown into a pile.

 

[schadowrider]

Mens wearhouse has really nice slacks, I bet their shirts are just as nice.

I find their dress shirts to be one of their strongest lines, plus they have a great selection in French Cuffs (which is my preference).

BUT my next round of dress shirts will be customs: we have quite a few excellent tailors here in town, and if you buy 4 or 5 at once, the price is supposedly fairly reasonable (not much more than a BB...). Didn't know Mens Wearhouse offered that, so I'll definitely look into having them done there as well.

 

[zpb101]

Can you get custom shirts in the super no-iron greatness? I'm rating the shirts by 1. fit, 2. non-ironability.

 

[mk-ultra]

For the kind of coin you're likely to be dropping on these shirts, custom is the way to go with your measurements. I'm in a similar boat, I'm built like a cyclist (imagine that) and need a 15" neck with a 34/35 sleeve and shoulders that are about 1" narrower than usual (due to a broken collarbone that didn't heal quite right). That's just enough oddity that tailoring isn't really possible.

You figure that a decent dress shirt costs about $50, with tailoring you're looking at ~$70-$75 and it might be kind of close in fit (for me anyway). For $65-$85 I can get a custom dress shirt made (at Men's Wearhouse usually) and not only will it fit me perfectly, they'll take it in and out as needed (my weight fluctuates 10-20 pounds depending on the season). I'll gladly pay the negligible cost difference to have shirts that consistently fit me and look good.

Sometimes custom is the way to go. Back in the day when I used to dress up for work, I had all custom shirts because I was in between sizes. If I bought a shirt based on the neck size, it was way too big for me everywhere else. Some people are lucky enough to be able to buy standard sized shirts and have them fit very well. For the rest of us it is custom.

With a custom shirt, it will not only fit you properly, but you will have the collar that best suits your face, the colors and materials you want, the cuffs you want, buttons you want, pocket/no pocket, etc.

You will look absolutely stunning!

A decent men's clothing store or a tailor should be able to make these. Also, I believe I read in Esquire that J.C. Penny's make custom shirts, but I have never looked into it, so I could be wrong.

One last note: I was single at the time I was buying these shirts.

 

[Cuttingboard]

i've never shopped at mens warehouse. Do they produce quality shirts?

Not a fan of Mens Wharehouse, you should really check the Charles Tyrwhitt dress shirts in wrinkle free, they are not as big and baggy as most dress shirts and they carry slim in you need. They are running a sale right now, 4 shirts for $199 and you get to chose the cuff style. Great shirts!!! I'm always getting compliments on mine.

 

[GreatDane]

Brooks Brothers all the way, they're the only place I could get a shirt that fit when I was fat, and the only place that I can get shirts that fit now that I'm thin!

Of course, I'm 6'8", was 530 pounds, am now 265 pounds.