Short Shrifted

I’ve talked before about the dearth of shopping options when I lived in the Back Woods (Maine): Gap and Salvation Army. But what about those of you that dwell in Flyover Country? A reader from Kansas just checked in with Short Shrifted to share his go-to regional chain store:

I though I’d pass along a shopping tip for all my fellow readers here in flyover country (KS, OK, NE, AR, MO, TX, TN, MS): Half of Half Price. They buy out department store remainders (lots of items from Macy’s) and returns, and I’ve had very good luck finding suits and slacks that are properly sized for me (38 chest, 33 waist).

And cheap!

I’ve paid $100 for a black Alfani wool suit, $29 each for a 38 Short grey wool pinstripe Ralph Lauren blazer and some perfectly hemmed Tasso Ella tan merino wool slacks, and today’s coup — a pair of Kenneth Cole black wool slacks, size 33, and hemmed just right, for $5. That’s with daily discount: email list membership took the $19 tag price way down.

Because much of their merchandise consists of returns, caveat emptor applies. But check back often, because guys our size can find clothes that fit. They run sales constantly, and I’m always getting updates. And if you see something you like, buy it, because they move stock quickly.

Take care, and keep up the great work on the blog.

–CF
5-foot-4, 150 lbs

Thanks CF. Sounds like a solid lead — and super-cheap to boot. Wish we had one of those in NYC…

Can any other Mid/Southwest dwellers vouch for Half of Half Price?

What other options exist in that part of the country for men under 5-foot-9?

Consider tuning in to The Little Couple tonight (Feb 9) at 10PM EST on TLC.

In the episode “Three Shops and a Baby Doc,” the male lead in this reality show makes a shopping trip to Jimmy Au’s, the Beverly Hills specialty-clothing store for men 5′8″ and under (Read about my own trip to Jimmy Au’s here). The episode will be re-aired a few hours later at 1 AM (Feb 10), and again on Feb. 16 at 6 AM and Feb. 17 at 7 PM.

For those curious about the Jimmy Au’s experience, this could really be worth checking out.

Bill, the character in the show, has Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, “a rare disorder of bone growth that results in dwarfism,” according to Wikipedia. I point it out for this reason: Bill is under 4-feet tall and may have certain “skeletal abnormalities” that are “characteristic” of SDC. Meaning he has some very different fit issues than anything I’ve ever talked about on Short Shrifted — or presumably the majority of Short Shrifted readers.

Just wanted you to know that his experience is outside the realm of my usual area of coverage.

That said, since there are so few web resources for short people, I try to be as inclusive as possible here. My focus with this blog skews toward people most like me (male, 5′5″, skinny) if for no other reason than it’s easiest to write what you know. But I shop the men’s, women’s, and children’s sections. I’m open to advice and fit solutions from everyone of short stature: athletic or hefty men, dykes, transgender, cross-dressers, folks with dwarfism. And I’m happiest when someone — of any size, background, gender, body type, or political bent — gleans something useful here at Short Shrifted.

If you watch it, let me know what you think. I don’t have cable!