June 8th, 2011
Maybe you know how to buy the right clothes for your body type. And you’ve got a great tailor for alterations. Maybe you’ve even had some items custom-made.
But chances are, there are still occasions when you find yourself confronted with a major fit problem: a billowy, blousing shirt; new pants whose cuffs are dragging on the ground; a necktie you just can’t seem to tie short enough. I still wind up facing these sorts of problems every once in awhile. And it’s always last-minute — usually when I’m getting dressed for a wedding or a fancy dinner or event. All of a sudden it becomes horribly apparent that I misjudged the fit of something I recently bought or maybe I just hadn’t tried it on in ages.
In those situations you may feel like you’re totally out of luck (i.e. you’ve got either no time or money to buy something new, or, because of your height/build there are no suitable choices immediately available at local shops). However, there are still a few things you can try. Desperate, crazy things. But at that point, what have you got to lose?
DRESS SHIRTS THAT BLOUSE AROUND THE WAIST:
After tucking in your shirt tail, slide the ‘pleats’ gently around to the back. Do this fairly evenly on both sides. And don’t be too extreme about it — finesse is required. Excess folds and pleating may look more natural back there. In any case, they’ll be far less noticeable (and maybe even invisible — if you’re wearing a suit jacket or blazer).
SHIRT SLEEVES THAT ARE TOO LONG:
Roll up your sleeves. Obviously, this works best in an office-casual environment. But it could be possible to pull it off in a more formal situation if you work it right. It’s gotta look devil-may-care but actually be well thought out.
Fold back each cuffs a single time and button them in reverse, creating a sort of faux French cuff. This could work for a wedding, say, especially under a jacket since it’s be even less prominent.
Sleeve garters (sayeth The Trad) Once upon a time, these were ultra-common accessories — and not just for short men. Now it’s mostly barbershop quartets and blackjack dealers that wear them. But they are super easy to find online. And if you didn’t have time, you could quickly fashion a makeshift pair out of rubber bands or maybe even some hair scrunchies.
JACKET SLEEVES:
Push up the sleeves on your blazer or jacket — and then try not to move your arms too much so they don’t fall back down. See the pic of Elliott David executing this here.
TROUSERS:
Hike up your pants. You have to be careful here, for obvious reasons (*cough*). But most men wear their pants too low on their waists these days. Michael Levy of the Loveship is able to do this well.
Roll ‘em. Again, it’s gotta look nonchalant. And you run the risk of looking too highwater or informal. But it might be just the thing for a summer reunion or a beach wedding. Or it might come off as bike-messenger-chic. You’ve got nothing to lose.
NECKTIES:
Too many solutions to list here. Check out my 16 Ways to Shorten a Tie post from the wayback.
SHOES TOO BIG:
Cushioned insoles help. And just about any drug store carries Dr. Scholl’s.
Double up your socks. Similar deal, but this option is free, albeit warm and sweaty.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
You can shrink clothes in a washing machine, dryer, hotel bathtub, the sun. Here’s a link to one multi-fabric how-to. I’d love to hear of a better one.
A V-neck sweater hides all problems. Just about any fit problem above the waist (necktie too long or not tied properly, shirt sleeves too long, a billowing shirt waist, broken buttons, mustard stains on your chest, beer-induced paunch) can be tastefully and artfully hidden with a nice-fitting V-neck sweater. Invest in a few. You’ll be glad that you did.
SUPPLIES TO HAVE ON HAND:
These are some things that are relatively easy to carry with you that can be used to make quick repairs or emergency alterations on the fly, clean and care for your clothes, or are easy camouflage for common problems.
Travel sewing kit (incl scissors, needle & thread)
Safety pins (or paperclips… or even a staple gun!)
Hemless tape
Iron
Lint brush (and/or a garment brush)
Shoe polish and a rag
Sleeve garters (or rubber bands)
Cushioned insoles
Extra pair of socks
V-neck sweater
LINKS TO INFO ON SLEEVE GARTERS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeve_garter
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6632
http://www.jpressonline.com/accessories_arm_bands_detail.php?ix=0
http://www.cablecarclothiers.com/sleeve_garters.html
http://www.blueshire.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=5819&idcategory=84
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?82044-Sleeve-garters
http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/mensfurn/sleevegarter.html
http://www.etsy.com/listing/41274618/art-deco-sleeve-garters-black-and-silver
http://community.livejournal.com/steamfashion/827743.html
http://www.johnhelmer.com/prod.itml/icOid/108
So, those are my suggestions of desperate measures. Got any others? I’d love to hear your last-ditch fit solutions in the Comments. The more outlandish the better. But completely rational works too.
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