https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1827541845079163189
i dont think the ideas around dressing for an athletic figure are that much different from dressing other types of figures. the central prob is that many athletic men have bad taste and think clothes have to fit skin tight to look good, as they want to show off their body https://t.co/XTV1Ob4Qba
my friend @urban_comp has a pretty athletic figure. and here you can see three things
A voluminous overcoat A rounded bomber A classic tailoring
the proportions btw these two outfits are not that different: jacket ends halfway from collar to the floor, shoulders have enough breadth to not pull on the sleevehead, trousers are not overly tight and thus flow into jacket’s silhouette
similarly, here are two long voluminous coats. the volume adds dramatic effect, as well as distinctive shape and drape.
similarly, here are the same two men wearing RRL shawl collar cardigans. both look pretty great.
to be sure, if you’re a heavier guy, you will have trouble dressing in certain aesthetics simply because the clothes are not cut for you. much of hedi slimane’s work comes in sizes ranging from XXXS to XXS
you also have to understand what you’re looking at and what appeals to you. this style of tailoring is all about the sharp, angular silhouette and long vertical lines. works for this rock and roll look. but put on another body, even athletic, and you don’t get the same effect
someone recently interviewed me about my thoughts on hyper-masculinity in menswear. like macho kind of outfits. and my feeling is that the idea of masculinity changes over time. today, bodybuilders tell me they want super tight clothes to show off their gains.
but this is not how “athleticism” was always expressed. in the 1990s, guys like arnold schwarzenegger wore very voluminous clothes to emphasize a hulking figure underneath.
IMO, athletic men wearing skin tight clothes to show off “gains” is an ad-hoc explanation. the real reason why they’re wearing these types of outfits is simply bc they sit downmarket of early 2000s trends (which were designed for different figures). they are late to the game
There is such a thing as a classic cut, which will flatter anyone. IMO, outfit on the right looks better than the left.
It’s fine and possible to deviate from this classic aesthetic, but you have to have an eye and be honest about whether you’re achieving th effect you want. examples of skinny vs voluminous tailoring that i think looks good:
however, if you go into this with some weird body-shaming attitude about how voluminous clothes are just to “hide fat,” you will likely always look bad because you don’t have any appreciation for how clothes can create distinctive silhouettes.
in other words, you miss the idea of “shape and drape.”
to end, here are two muscular men: one with good taste and one with bad taste. the one with good taste is not trying to “hide fat and weakness.” they simply know how to look good.
