Empty closets

[Corwin]

So, I finally bit the bullet. I went through my closet and admitted that most of my shirts are now too small...

Last night we were going out to dinner with friends (Morimoto's in NYC). I put on a short sleeve shirt I bought a couple months ago. I had noticed that the fit was, well, tight, but what the fuck... So, I come out of the bedroom and joined my partner and friends in the living room. "You aren't gonna wear that shirt, are you? The shoulders are all bunchy." I flex my arm, pointing out the problem that the sleeves are straining to get over the biceps. My partner comes over and starts pulling on the sleeves. "Your arms have grown too big for this shirt," he says. Now, I've never had big arms, but I have noticed they are growing bigger lately. "And your chest is too big -- the shirt keeps pulling open when you move."

I grumble and go into the bedroom. I start pulling shirts out of the closet. Too small... too small... too small... (and I really liked that Armani shirt I bought in the summer...). Finally I settled on an Express for Men shirt that is tight, but not too tight.

This AM while I was working out in my Mamma Mia tank top, a shirt that has always tented over me, I noticed that my pecs and lats were pulling the shirt tight. (OK, maybe I pulled the collar down a bit to check out my chest while I worked pecs and lats today ;-) ).

So, now I need new clothes (and maybe a new workout shirt)...

[achilles]

Great stuff Corwin Welcome to the club ;-)

Yeah, I've actually had to buy virtually a whole new wardrobe's worth of stuff because of that - especially for work, as the boss didnt think my overly tight attire appropriate. Bodybuilding really IS an expensive sport!

I recently started borrowing clothes from my husband, who has always been big/broad (but er, not muscular), and his shirts are in the 2XL - 3XL range. Just the other night I was wearing one of his shirts, a 2XL number, as I was turning in for the night. He looked at me and said. "Er... that's one of my shirts, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." I admitted.

"Well look - it barely fits you!"

Made my night!

[Corwin]

What is surprising about this is that both my chest and arms are issues with the shirts. I tend to be able to grow pecs and legs, but arms and shoulders have always been hard. Started a new routine about 6 weeks ago, and it seems to be working.

A total of 14 shirts are going. Most are pulling at the chest, but many also have the arm problem. The thing that scares me about going larger is both my height, which is 5'9" and my waist, which is about 30/31 now (and should be 29/30). I'm a bit too vain to want to wear circus tents. Ah well, we shall see...

Since the shirts have just changed location in the closet, I am looking forward to stealing one back, putting it on at the end of my bulk in March, flexing, and watching it rip ;-)

[massingUP]

Heh heh... Great news Corwin -- and a fun story, Achilles. I always love hearing tales like this from the growth-trenches... <g>

I've gone through my fair share of these experiences myself, though at a much slower rate than either of you guys. I still mourn for a few of my favourite shirts and flat-front pants from back in my skinnier days: it's tough to be a bodybuilder with a fashion sense! Luckily, my feet haven't changed size much -- I can still fit into my favourite shoes -- though I hear that if/as one gains really SIGNIFICANT amounts of weight, that one's feet can actually spread and get a bit wider/bigger... Anyone out there experience that yet?

I know that this has been mentioned elsewhere, but I have taken to getting most of my work/dress shirts altered and it makes a HUGE difference. I've got a local tailor who does good work and who charges me $10-15 to put a couple of darts in the back of the shirt and to take them in on the sides – and suddenly I’ve got a whole bunch of shirts that used to look like giant tents around my waist that now look great. And I only have a 17” neck, 47/48 chest and 34” waist. For guys with an even bigger chest/waist drop, the tent effect is even worse! So I heartily recommend taking the time/energy to find somebody who tailor your shirts for ya: it’s definitely worth the couple of dollars.

And while we’re on the subject, I’m heading to Hong Kong in January and have sourced a couple of tailors who should be able to help me out with a custom-made suit or two while I’m there. I bought a beautiful suit last year during the Boxing Day sales – I have to wear a suit fairly often for work these days – but 12 months later it’s just on the edge of too small: the biceps are too tight, and I need to be careful putting it on due to shoulder/chest issues. So I’m hoping that the new suit here will help.

But I’m curious to know if anyone on the Board has done this -– ie, had a suit custom made -- b/c I’m curious to know how the prospect of changing sizes works. I know that these custom tailors will keep your measurements on file and then you can just email them and they'll make you another suit, or shirt, or whatever. But that works best if all your measurements stay the same, and I’m REALLY hoping to get to 50” chest in the next while – and bigger everything else! Ah well... maybe I'll just have to find a way to get back there again when I'm bigger. *chuckle*

At any rate, enjoy your empty closets Corwin -- time to go shopping!

- James