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Affordable Men's Style

Shopping in the kid’s section. Really.

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Ask A Woman:  Advice for the (very) vertically challenged shopper

If you’ve got a question that needs the female treatment, chances are you’re not the only one who wants to ask it. Beth is our source for the answers. From opinions on men’s style to decoding the sometimes mysterious ways of women, she’ll take on a different question every Thursday. And don’t worry, your identity will be protected too. Click here to get to know Beth, then get in touch with her by sending your question to: askawoman@dappered.com
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Hi Beth,

Over the past year, I have been transitioning from loose, baggy clothes to a much more form fitting wardrobe.  The issue I am having is that I’m 25 years old, 5’4″ and 120lbs.  It’s incredibly difficult to find clothes that fit unless I get absolutely everything tailored.

With the persuasion of a friend, I recently bought a kid’s sized polo from GAP and it fit perfectly.  Anything wrong with that?

– Young

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Hi Young,

First, let me tip my hat to you on transitioning from ill-fitting clothing to form-fitting clothing.  Way to go.  Seriously.  I mean, it’s not like you’ve discovered a cure to a life-threatening disease (or maybe you have, since I don’t know anything about you).   But you’ve learned how to look your best.  Which is great.  But not GREAT.  Get over yourself, man.

A word about tailoring–it’s awesome.   For those of you out there who can afford to get everything tailored to fit you perfectly, what a luxury.   Enjoy.   For the rest of us schlubs, it’s something to hope for.  Keep buying those lottery tickets.  A tailored garment is always going to look best on you.  Once you wear a tailored piece, you realize how much you have to compromise on fit when you buy off the rack.  We buy pants to fit our waists and never realize the butt is way too baggy.   We buy shirts to fit our shoulders and don’t see that the sleeves are too long.  Tailoring gives a perfect fit everywhere.  It is also expensive.  A couple years ago I bought a fabulous Jackie O-inspired jacket that fit my shoulders but was too boxy in the torso and waist.  The jacket cost me about $60.  The tailoring to get the fit right cost me $30.  You can see how that extra expense, on a regular basis, could become prohibitive.

Nap always had it tailored
This way! To the boy's department!

Now, onto your question.   Well, first we’re going to make a pit stop at Sex and the City.  Yes my friends, this is the second reference in a month.   I blame the readers–you people keep bringing up SATC topics, it’s like you want me to talk about it.  There’s an episode where Samantha dates a man much shorter than her, and she has a hard time dealing with it.  At one point during a date, he goes to the rest room, leaving his suit jacket behind.  Samantha spies the Bloomingdale’s label on the jacket and the following exchange occurs:

Samantha: You shop at the Boy’s Department.
Jeff: So what? The clothes fit me better, plus they’re cheaper.

Jeff and I are on the same page.  Who cares where you buy your clothes?  It’s not like buying them in the boys or kids department makes you short.  Is it better to buy and wear baggy clothes that do nothing to flatter you?  No.  Are you making some kind of point when you buy clothing from the men’s department that you’ll just have to spend a fortune to tailor down anyway?  No.  Plus, as Jeff points out, you’ll save money.

Incidentally, the first time I referenced SATC, it was Episode 1 of Season 3.  This time it’s Episode 2 of Season 3.  If this trend continues, in a couple weeks I’ll write a column about one of the following topics: seducing a masseuse, hiring a Russian maid who doesn’t approve of your sex life, being insecure about your thighs, or running into your ex’s very tall wife.  I’ll be waiting for your emails, fellas.

-Beth

Got a question for Beth? Send them to: askawoman@dappered.com

Comments

  1. Shopping in the boys department is one of those things I’ve heard of guys doing, but have never done myself.  Would be interesting to hear the results from those who have.

    As for the Sex and the City references, my male mind shuts down when I see those four words together in that order 🙂

  3. I had a friend in college who bought shirts in the boy’s department all the time, and he wasn’t even particularly small. They fit and they were cheaper, and nobody knew any different when he wore them.

  5. Sure they knew the difference, he was probably wearing a polo with  the ninja turtles on the back…I Kid I kid

  6. My great grandfather apparently did his whole life because he was only 5 foot even. I’m glad I got tall genes on the other side of the family to average me out.

  7. I’m pretty average in height (5’9″) but very slender. I have occasionally flirted with the idea of shopping in the boys’ section for certain items. I actually did own a boy’s size XL (or maybe it was XXL?) parka from The North Face once, but of course, anyone familiar with the outdoor gear industry knows that TNF stuff always runs large. Their smalls fit like mediums, and I’m a solid small, so there wasn’t really anywhere else to go. It doesn’t hurt that, as mentioned, kid sizes tend to be between 1/2 to 2/3 the price of identical adult versions.

    I know some petite women who will occasionally get girl sizes of things. They encounter the problem, however, that girl sizes do not accommodate womanly curves. We men, at least, don’t have that particular problem.

  8. I am 5′ 9″ and 3/4 (15/16ths?) and play golf occasionally. Golf shirts always looked ridiculous on me because of there oversized shoulders and sleeves (I wear a small).  I found a boy’s XL Nike polo in the boy’s section at a Ross that fit perfectly (I am short-waisted so it even hung down the perfect length). 

    My only advice: do not let your brothers see the tag at your annual golf weekend.  After hearing about it for 72 holes (wow, that was a Big Boy drive!) it got pretty old.

  9. Wait a minute…. there, they’re, their over-sized shoulders (there it is)….

  10. I know more short(er) men who have a hard time dating tall(er) women than vice versa.

    But as my aunt always says, height only matters when you’re vertical, anyway.

  11. The Brooks Brothers boy’s “polo” (read: tennis shirt) in size XL are virtually identical, in all dimensions, to their men’s size small, regular cut.  Half the price.  Use a pair of scissors and remove the tag, if anyone asks, just say it was itchy. I think they’re 3 for $99 in the basic colors:

     http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=360&Product_Id=659516&Parent_Id=1036&default_color=NAVY&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=

  12. I used to buy boys dress shirts, but now most brands have “tailor fit” or such and carry XS. The problem with boys shirts is when getting the XL the width is ridiculous looking and they can still be too short. I’ve seen quite a few shirts by Naked and Famous in XS that are too small and short for me, so maybe that can work. Also Urban Outfitters XS is typically that way too.

  13. I know several guys who shop in the boys section, they spend a lot of time running and cycling and clothes intended to fit the average cut of guy just don’t fit them. For women 5’4″ and shorter who are very fit, I know a lot of them hunt the junior misses isle because a lot of stores tend to carry a more robust cut in their adult section. The other option is to shop for Italian clothes, because they all run about two sizes smaller than the typical American cut. I usually wear a medium polo, but for an Italian polo, I am either a large or XL. 

  14. Way to guys!!!!!! I wish boy sizes would fit me but I’m just too wide in the shoulders and arms. Very practical and put some extra money to splurge on other things.

  16. I have bought a few Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and Nike drifit shirts in the boys department.  They usually are cut better and a ton cheaper.  Slowly more and more cuts are getting tailored and it isn’t a big of an issue.  Another thing to do is find one or two brands that you know fit and stick to them.

  17. Anyone know anything about the quality, especially in outerwear?  Was just poking around the Brooks Brothers, LLBean and Lands End sites admiring jackets and remembered this thread.  Looking at size charts, it does in fact look like some Boys L are about the size of an XS and XL same as S at half or less of the cost.  Is this strategy only effective with polos/Ts where material quality is harder to compromise on?

  18. Well sure it’s OK as long as what you get doesn’t have Pokemon on it.  Go for the look.  Kids’ sections is just a size and fit.  If that’s his size and fit, go for it.

  20. Holy crap, i hope your subscibed to this post so you can see this. But i am James the third too and im that exact height..