Cover photo credit: One Bone Brand
Whether you're a heavyset, very muscular, or a bit of both, it's not easy to find clothes that fit you well in ready-to-wear.
This is why I offer you in this article a selection of brands with an offer in loose clothing, in large sizes (2XL and more).
Our style tips
If you haven't already done so, I invite you to take a look at this article which will give you all our good advice to enhance your figure:
If you need some tips on retouching, I invite you to read the following content:
- Possible alterations on a garment and their price
- Clothing Alterations: Answers to the 6 Most Frequently Asked Questions
- List of retouchers in Paris
- List of regional retouchers
Our address recommendations
Sorted alphabetically.
1. Aran Sweater Market
It's a brand that I'm sometimes asked about: the knits aren't too expensive and I understand that some people like the big cables that give a unique style.
However, I would advise against it most of the time because the cuts are really very wide and in my opinion not suitable for most people.
On the other hand, for stronger people, it will be very good: I recommend it.
The brand goes up to 3XL.
It's wide, even on the brand's athletic models.
2. Bexley
I am not talking about the brand to talk about their shoes but rather about their ready-to-wear range.
You will find many basics with fairly loose cuts and sizes up to 3 or even 4XL.
For example :
- Chinos come up to size 52FR (or 42 in jeans size).
- T-shirts, polo shirts and shirts go up to 3XL
- Blazers and coats go up to 58 or 60IT (approximately 4XL)
The materials are mostly natural and the prices are quite affordable.
Wool blazer available up to size 60
3. Capel Store
The brand's stated principle is to dress tall and strong men. It is a multi-brand distributor that also has its own clothing collection, "Capel".
The brand offers a size guide to help you determine your size based on your body shape.
The offer has the advantage of being varied even if there is some sorting to be done.
Capel brand zipped jacket with a simple design available up to 6XL
4. Carhartt
The brand with its workwear and casual style has a wide range with large sizes and quite a few fairly loose cuts.
Less sweatshirts for example go up to 2XL but given their cut, could fit a 3XL.
A very straight cut here
Pants go up to 40US.
5. Charles Tyrwhitt
The British brand, specializing in shirts, offers a wide range of sizes.
The shirts are available with a neck circumference of up to 20", which corresponds to a size 51 in our country. In equivalent, this is a 5XL.
You can even customize the sleeve length.
6. Dickies
An American brand with a workwear and casual style, Dickies offers sturdy clothing in straight cuts.
I have seen tops up to 4XL and bottoms up to size 40US.
Drawstring pants available up to size 40US
If you want to know more about Dickies, we carried out a test of the brand .
7. Edwin
The Japanese brand offers sizes up to 40US on these jeans in the widest cuts.
The Nashville jean, the widest in their range, is available up to size 40US
8. Filson
A heritage American brand known for its sturdy bags, the brand also offers a range of ready-to-wear workwear.
The cuts are straight. Sizes go up to 2XL or 3XL.
A lumberjack style shirt, available in 3XL
9. Levi's
The brand that you probably already know offers a “ Grand&Fort ” collection with large sizes, both top and bottom.
Levi's 501 jeans available up to size 46US
10. Naked&Famous
The Canadian brand is mainly known for its beautiful selvedge canvas jeans .
In addition to offering loose fits, the brand carries sizes up to size 44US.
11. Size Factory
Size Factory is a reseller of plus size brands from well-established brands such as Ralph Lauren , Eden Park or Serge Blanco.
The concept is similar to the Capel Store mentioned above, except that Size Factory does not offer clothing under its own brand.
A cardigan available in 6XL
12. Son of a Tailor
The concept of Son of a Tailor is simple: custom-made knitwear.
So we're talking about t-shirts, polo shirts, cotton sweatshirts, wool sweaters, on which you can ask for the measurements you want. You can even adjust small details such as the width of the sleeve or the depth of a collar.
The materials are of quality, the manufacturing is European, the feedback we have on the brand is good.
The brand even offers to send you a product for free if the product initially ordered is not suitable.
13. Suitsupply
In the brand's ready-to-wear collection with a rather formal style, you will find a selection of suits, jackets, trousers and coats up to Italian size 60, or 4XL.
I would advise you not to buy the t-shirts and sweaters : although there is a 2XL, the cuts are fitted. As for their shirts, their 46 corresponds to an XXL. Fitted cuts too.
And it's not over!
For larger and custom sizes, I invite you to look at their "design your own" offering.
The concept: you create the garment to your liking (fabrics, details, size, etc.) and it is designed for you, in a few weeks.
This is an offer close to an online half-measure service .
This service therefore allows you to personalize the size, but above all, it allows you to go up a size higher than on their ready-to-wear:
- For coats, you can go up to size 64 or 6XL
- For shirts, you can go up to 48 or 3XL
- For blazers and pants, you can go up to 64 or 6XL
- For suits (jacket + pants), you can go up to size 70 or 9XL
Once you have chosen your size, you can even adjust the measurements slightly.
For example, you can take a jacket in size 64 and shorten the sleeves and make the chest or waist size a little larger.
Here I chose a size 64 then widened the bust (shoulder and waist) and shortened the sleeves
14. Thomas Farthing
The British brand whose style will make you think of Peaky Blinders offers trousers, jackets and coats in large sizes.
Here is some information to understand the brand's sizes:
- For pants, take the same size as for your jeans.
- On jackets and coats, you have to make +10 compared to their size to arrive at your size. And therefore -10 from your size to their size. If you are a 60 in a coat for example, you have to take a 50 from them
50 at their place = 60 at our place
The alternatives
1. Thrift stores, physical or online
You will find a lot of clothing in large sizes in thrift stores or other military surplus stores.
So you can explore thrift stores near you or look at thrift stores online.
I can advise you for example:
- Brut Clothing
- Bunker Depot
- Broadway&Sons
- The Military Trench
- Doursoux
These vintage English army trousers are available up to size 42US (or 52FR)
You can find more tips on this topic here:
2. Half-measure (“custom-made”)
You've probably already thought about it, you've probably already been advised to do so: having custom-made clothes made is also an option when your physique falls outside the ready-to-wear standards.
It seems to me that in your case, the most important thing is to find a competent tailor, in the sense that he understands the garment, the volumes, the drape well enough to create something that is comfortable for you while showing you off to your best advantage.
On this subject you will find here:
- Our advice for choosing the right tailor-made suit
- A very complete test of a costume made at Atelier Mesure by Nicolò
Here are some brands we recommend:
- Ardent Clipei
- Measurement Workshop
- Cotton Society
- Husbands
- Lanieri
- Scavini
Some inspirations
Finally, here are some Instagram accounts of big men with good style.
Look at how the volume management is mastered , especially on the pants: rather high waist to cover the stomach, lots of room at the thighs, slightly tightened at the bottom, impeccable length.
1. The Fattorialist
The author of the Sartorial Sketches.
We had the pleasure of interviewing him in our Déclic series:
Corto Maltese, sartorial & second hand, the interview of The Fattorialist – Déclic #2
2. Benjamin Glynn Philips
Former assistant manager of Drake's store in Savile Row, London.
A man of taste, certainly.
3. Anthony Madsen Sylvester
Equally at home in a work suit or a rock star outfit.
4. Super_Ko
This gentleman, a friend of Alexandre Squarzi , is very small and rather round.
However, I think it comes out on top in terms of style and silhouette:
5. Ethan Newton
Founder of the Bryceland's brand.
His Instagram account is private, you can subscribe to see his photos.
Otherwise, chef's tip, click on → this link ← to see a compilation of several hundred of his looks.
6. The Dons Club
A German blogger with no shortage of style.
