or: "How to Flex without Popping a Button"IntroOkay, so from what I've seen with these sorts of threads in the past, someone always drops by to say something like 'lol just lose weight'. Despite being a bit vitriolic, I think there's probably some truth to that. The mindset is 'Why should you spend money trying to look good when you can become a size 30 and wear skinny jeans like the rest of us?'. Hear me out.I used to be big. Like, ridiculously big. Couldn't buy jeans in a regular store big. I wore size 48 shorts and those oversize t-shirts daily. Since then I've committed myself to becoming healthy and finally being able to dress the way I want has boosted my confidence in a huge way. Just because you're a big dude doesn't mean you should just phone it in in the fashion department. Actually liking what you see in the mirror will inspire you to keep working on yourself. Also, more money on sneakers = less money on cheeseburgers.I've compiled a few things I've learned along the way.Tip # 1: Layer, but do it right.You're going to want to layer. If done right, this will hide your roundness in certain areas. If done wrong, it will just make things so much worse. The wrong approach to take is to just wear something super baggy- this will only serve to widen you more.What I do typically is wear a tee that sits a bit below the hips. Long line tees do work, but avoid wearing them without a layer- the tend to be a bit tighter around the belly and won't do you any favors. Regular tees work, but make sure it's not too loose. It's important that the arms aren't too loose or long.Along with this you'll want some outwear. Don't go with anything too baggy or large. Bomber Jackets are out, unfortunately. If wearing it unbuttoned/unzipped, I will typically go a size down on outerwear, or at least a size that is snug (but not tight). Coach Jackets, (slim) Baseball Jackets, and Track Jackets work really well for this type of layering. Thinner leather jackets will work well, just don't go for a full biker jacket. If they fit correctly, it will create a straight line along your sides- and matched with a properly fitting shirt it will mask your roundness well.Tip # 2: Don't be afraid of slimmer jeans.I used to never wear jeans, because the only thing that I could buy were relaxed fit. Depending on your body type, relaxed fit jeans will make you look like you're wearing JNCOs.Trust me on this- You will look good in slimmer jeans, and they probably actually do have them in your size. Levis makes 511s all the way up to 42.There's an art to selecting jeans. You don't want to wear jeans too skinny that they look like leggings. A good rule of thumb is find something that doesn't have any material that moves too much when you walk, but without any spots that contour to your leg. Levi 511s have worked well for me. Get them tailored or buy a sewing machine. I go with a very small amount of taper, but nothing that looks like spandex.Pinroll your jeans, or just cuff them if they fit well. This will serve to draw the eye downward.Tip # 3: Patterns and colors.You can find good color matching tutorials on other posts, but for a bigger guy I'd recommend to not go too crazy for colors.You can elongate your figure by wearing similarly shaded tops and bottoms. I'm not saying wear black on black on black like a goth ninja, but dark denim+grey, Khaki+white and so on tend to work well. Abrupt color changes around the midsection will draw the eye to your center.You'll get different advice for outerwear choices, but I tend to go with things that have more color around flattering areas. Adidas track jackets have some good colorways for this. Also some baseball jackets with color on the shoulders will look nice.Flannel,henleys, and checkerboard pattern button downs are your best friend. Try to avoid anything with too much extra material, but don't wear anything that will bulge out in the button area when you sit. Patterns like this are like fat dude camo, it will mask quite a bit.Tip # 4: Shoes.You have a bit more freedom with your shoes. I find that wearing a good pair of sneakers can pull the eye down and honestly even a 400lb dude looks good in Jordans. However, you don't want to wear anything that will bulge at the sides when you wear them. Also, when wearing jeans, be careful to not let your shoe get completely eaten by pants fabric if you are wearing looser jeans. Pinrolling can be good, but make sure the pants fit well BEFORE pinrolling, or you'll look like MC Hammer. Also, try to wear lower profile socks. Tall Tyler the Creator socks will cut up your figure and make your midsection look wider.I've seen a lot of bigger dudes size up on shoes to fit their width. This is a mistake. If you're a 10, don't go for a 11, or you'll look like you're wearing clown shoes. The trick is to finding a good wide shoe that will actually fit you at your correct size.Here are a few suggestions.Low-TopAdidas Sambas or Stan Smiths are good choices. Inexpensive and plenty of colorways.Vans Canvas (The Frank Ocean Ones) are also a fat guy classic. Get some crazy colors.High-TopNike Blazers are comfortable and have a good wide fit to them.Jordan 1's have a good width to them too.Doc Martens (if that's your thing) work really well as boots.Tip # 5: Hair.This is covered in a million other places, but it's important for this guide to at least mention it. As a bigger dude, your hair is key to elongating your figure. You want to go with something that slims the face and pulls the eye up. There's a reason why all of us have undercuts.Barring that, hats and beanies are your friend.Also, side note, grow a beard. Girls will ignore the belly if you have a beard.List of Do's and Don'tsDoLong (not wide) teesLightweight outerwearFlannelHoodies (not too bulky)Slim (not skinny) jeansBaseball JacketsCoach JacketsDenim Vest over HoodieDon'tTops with thick material (Bombers, big hoodies, etc)Shorts (They will shorten your figure and make you look wider)Tees that are overly loose/tight.Vertical patternsHigh socksInsp Album via /r/streetwear http://ift.tt/2mNOFG0
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