Album for the lazy: http://ift.tt/2qrGIEP
Context:
As a 5’4” guy, it’s incredibly tough to find clothes that fit. I’m lucky enough that my legs are abnormally long for my height, so I can usually wear a 28x30 pants. Shirts, however, are another story. Most shirts in XS are too tight around the chest, with sleeves about 1-2 inches too long.
Some numbers:
Chest: 38in Sleeve: 31in Waist: 28in
This gives me a couple options:
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OTR + tailoring: This would most likely require a hem and sleeve shortening. I’m confident enough to hem my own shirts - sleeves, not so much. This is a viable option, but it would require additional cost on top of the cost of the shirt. While I’m find with spending money, it’s become sort of a quest to find OTR shirts that fit decently.
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MTM: During a trip to India last summer, I got a bunch of shirts custom made for $15-20 each. Great option, but I grew out of these once I started lifting soon after. Can’t exactly afford to go back. Online tailors like ModernTailor, Ratio Clothing, Proper Cloth etc are about $50-$80 a shirt minimum, and considering I want to (at least dream of) continuing to lift and becoming bigger, I don’t want to shell out this kind of money unless absolutely necessary.
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The boys section: While I have bought clothes in the kid’s section in the past, post-lifting-me no longer fit into these. They were either full-body chokers for guys or as large as a swimming pool I could dive in.
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???
The Theory:
I thought about ordering some clothes off AliExpress, considering the population they cater to is probably shorter than the average American guy. Why not start with the MFA uniform?
I started searching for an OBCD. My criteria:
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100% cotton - I don’t want some weird looking cotton/poly blend that shimmers in the sunlight.
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Obviously the dimensions - most shirts on Ali are 70cm length, which is ~27.5in, the same length as most XS shirts in the US. I was looking for 68. Also for shorter sleeves (59cm or so, the sleeve measurement on Aliexpress is a little different).
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No weird gimmicks, like contrasting collars and such. KISS
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Price under $20, since this was mostly just a sizing experiment.
The experience:
Searching was a huge pain in the ass due to my specific sizing criteria. Finally came across a decently well ordered but not hugely popular store that fit my criteria. I ordered a light blue OCBD in size M for $14.
I received the shirt 11 days later in CA.
The shirt rundown:
What you’re probably reading to find out!
I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the shirt. It’s similar to OCBD’s I’ve found at retailers in the boys section, but with smaller cuff/collar/etc than the large boys clothes.
Material:
The material is a little rough, but clearly 100% cotton. Most cotton I’ve bought cheap has been rough to begin with, so I assume that it will begin to soften up as I wash it. http://ift.tt/2qX15NL (Ignore the coloring, it’s a bit off due to white balance. It is a nice light blue in real life).
The buttons are bit cheap and small, unfortunately. I don’t expect much more from a $14 shirt, though. They can always be replaced if needed. http://ift.tt/2qrAQM3
The fit:
Not too bad! The length shrank about 1 inch. I’ve ordered a couple more to check for variability, so if people are interested I can provide a better breakdown of shrinkage. It’s a little tight around my hips (SQUATS = M A S S I V E T H I G H S - 25inch thighs, 28waist), but I’ll deal with it. front back side
The sleeves are a little loose due to some weird double placket going on at the cuff. I didn’t mind too much since is the best fitting shirt I’ve worn in a while - I can always get it tailored if it matters to me later. sleeve placket
Details:
Stitching is ok quality as expected. There’s a pleat on the back with a hook to hang it up. The weird part is some tiny red embroidery on the front pocket, which is removable with a seam ripper. back red embroidery
Final thoughts:
TL;DR: Decent shirt for decent price, worth a shot if you’re short. Be prepared to experiment, so only try this if you have time, patience, and $$$.
This is what I bought aliexpress shirt
I have 3 more shirts on the way (the same one, in different colors). More than anything, I want to check on the variability of sizing from the same store. If there’s interest, I can provide an update on those shirts!
Let me know if you have any questions!
Submitted May 26, 2017 at 01:45PM by gsdatta http://ift.tt/2qkkdH1
