First, why don't we have much inspo online? Few reasons: 1) Fashion industry doesn't include larger male models 2) Not many well-dressed men in general. So the subset of stylish, large guys who post online is small 3) A hidden reason: a problem with grading

Grading refers to how companies create paper patterns for new sizes. A pattern is like the architectural blueprint for any garment. A company will create a sample (typically in size 40) and then grade up and down to get the patterns for sizes 36, 38, 42, and 44.

Once you hit a certain size, you can't grade from a size 40 w/o throwing off proportions. You have to create a new pattern. Many companies don't do this bc it costs $. Combined with the slim-fit trend, this has led a lot of larger guys to have bad shopping experiences.

Dressing is also very personal and can bring out our insecurities. Whenever I tweet about a certain style (e.g. double-breasted suits or long coats), someone will say "can't wear that if you're big" or "can't wear that if you're short."

There is such a thing as dressing for your body type. But I feel that, bad shopping experiences and insecurity can lead a lot of guys to feel like they have to wear anonymous clothes. When someone says, "I don't think I can wear that," I hear, "I don't want to be perceived."

So how can you dress well if you're a larger dude? Let me introduce my buddy David, who is one of the best-dressed guys I know. He's a high school art teacher and leather craftsman who lives in Rochester, New York.

When David teaches, he wears tailored clothing. But since we live in a dressed-down world, he mostly relies on sport coats instead of suits. The tailoring here fits well: no puckering or pulling. Clean drape across the chest. Coat ends halfway btw collar & floor. Very classic!

He also wears suits for fun. Again, notice the proportions on this black corduroy suit: high-waisted trousers to lengthen the leg line (low-waisted trousers are unflattering on heavier men). Coat buttons comfortably. Lapel ends halfway btw collar and shoulder seam.

When you're a larger dude, tailoring often doesn't have enough cloth at the front. So when you look at yourself from the side, the front of the coat's hem will be higher than the back. This is bad. The hem should be even. Or the front can be lower than the back.

The other thing you'll notice is that David is not wearing super slim-fit pants. Slim-fit pants often create a disjointed silhouette from your torso to your legs. Hollande below looks like a popsicle stick. Akihito's silhouette is better bc the jacket flows into legs.

For casualwear, David relies on workwear. I think this is great bc it plays to his strengths. IMO, larger or athletically built guys often look better than very slim guys in their workwear. Their build works with the style. This is better than trying to squeeze into Saint Laurent

These sorts of casual fits are also great for his other job, working as a craftsman who makes custom leather watch straps. You need to dress for a lifestyle. But again, notice that the proportions fit him, and they're not overly slim. Combos are coherent and not wacky.

One of the nice things about having a wardrobe composed of tailoring and workwear is that you can easily mix and match. The sport coats here are made from textured materials—tweed and hospack—which looks coherent with denim (don't wear smooth suit jackets with jeans).

Something to notice is that David's style is not anonymous. It's not just flat-front chinos with a dress shirt. His tailoring fits well, he has some fun suits (black corduroy), and his casualwear has a point of view (workwear with cool outerwear). Silhouettes are flattering.

But even when he dresses simply, he looks great bc the clothes fit well. Clothes should be built for movement. Don't buy stuff where the top is so small, you can't hug someone. Top so short that you can't reach up, or pants so low rise you can't bend down.

If you're into watches, David makes some of the best custom leather watch straps. He's a watch enthusiast himself and can suggest the right leathers. Everything is hand-sewn by him in NY. Follow him at @davidlanedesign, IG davidlanedesign, and his site: https://davidlane-design.com/

Don't get discouraged. Find what fits and figure out how to dress to communicate something. Also, find a good tailor. I once interviewed David about his style. He gave some great style advice. You can read the post here: https://putthison.com/real-peo...

if you have a specific question for David, you can ask him here: https://x.com/DavidLaneDesign/...

@dieworkwear Amazing thread Derek! Could you make another thread specifically for larger male figures ‘living in tropical places’ ? I appreciate this thread so much but it’s only meant for people who can actually wear these in a cold/tolerable weather.

@raIphIauren david is taking questions below. i think he can prob answer better than me since he has a summer wardrobe https://x.com/DavidLaneDesign/...

@dieworkwear Does Dave have an IG?

@Prose81 I believe just for his company https://www.instagram.com/davi...

@dieworkwear You are knocking it out of the park with these threads over the last few weeks

@dieworkwear Brilliant thread.

@dieworkwear This seems more geared towards fat guys. Could you do one for large muscular guys?

@dieworkwear Nice- I saved a few photos for ideas

@dieworkwear It me!!!

@dieworkwear The @Theprepguy is a great source of inspiration for this

@dieworkwear This is a great thread. However, I know he lives upstate but how does he manage to wear multiple layers like this (especially inside) without getting warm. I always want to wear multiple layers but it just ends in me being sweaty, ultimately 😞

@dieworkwear This is a masterclass. Absolutely love the cardigans.

@dieworkwear @Pithy_Remark Thank you for this! And thanks to David for modeling! I have almost exactly his build, and I have accidented my way into a lot of his stylistic choices. Recommendation: vintage (40s/50s) Pendleton unlined sports jackets. Just the right mix of boxiness, texture, and colors.

@dieworkwear @pliablehead I’ve got a somewhat specific issue wherein I have a larger belly but no fat over my pectorals due to my top surgery. I find this makes me look lopsided sorta, like a bowling pin? Tips for that?

@dieworkwear will read this later (bedtime) so i haven’t got the full context yet. but i fear for the short fat dudes like myself. the large sizing presumes larger men are 5’9 or above. constant nightmare of my life. i can’t even begin to explain the anguish. appreciate this a lot ✌🏻

@dieworkwear big guys have so many historical references for menswear, too!

@dieworkwear This is full of great advice. Do you have any recs for guys who are both big AND tall? Despite that being the name of the shops, the options feel more like big OR tall, and most of the clothes give either a “golf” or “retirement community” vibe.

@dieworkwear I think David is a style icon! Great thread for us gals trying to get our big guys to look more stylish! Thanks 😊