This happens more often than you think. One of your groomsmen, or Heaven forbid, your groom, has an athletic build and cannot find a proper fit for his clothing, let alone his tuxedo. When this happens, you have full, irrevocable veto power on anything they choose that makes them look like stuffed sausage. So what’s a girl to do?
Well, don’t worry– I feel your pain. Captain America is 5’10, 200 lbs and has 4% body fat. That alone makes me want to throw up. Typical conversations in our house go like this…
Him: “I’m going to work out. Are you coming?”
Me: “I am going to work out…just later.”
Him: “Later? You’re watching a Law & Order marathon…again.”
Me: “Ok. Well, watch me work this spoon out of this ice cream container and into my mouth.”
That is typically followed by some snarky comment on his end about me working twice as hard on the bag when I do work out, which is then succeeded by me rolling my eyes and having a carbfest.
Wow, I’ve digressed again, haven’t I?
The point I’m trying to make is that if your man works hard on his body, he should be proud of it (as should you, which I know you are). However, men can have fashion faux pas as well, and one of the most deadly ones is what the Captain and I call “The Smedium”.
- Main Entry: 1sme·di·um
- Pronunciation: ?sm?-d?-?m
- Function: adjective
- Inflected Form(s): plural smediums
- Etymology: Fabuluxe, from neuter of medius middle — and Middle English smal
- Date: 2007
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- 1 a a combination of small and medium, used to describe an item of clothing that is extremely ill-fitting for the wearer, which the wearer believes accentuates his or her features but really makes them look like they are wearing something that should be worn by a fetus. Also known as “extra medium”.
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- Now that you understand our terminology, don’t let your groomsmen fall victim. It’s sad though, because as hard as these guys work on their bodies, they are the most overlooked when it comes to formal wear. And if they aren’t overlooked (too badly), they have limited selections and/or can expect to pay for their physique.
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The problem lies in that most men with these builds have the triangular shape– broad shoulders and slim waist. For this, an athletic fit (also known as a European cut, seen above on former Light Heavyweight UFC Champ Liddell above) is needed– a larger, tapered jacket and regular sized pants. Most gents, rather than to risk wearing a suit that is too big or too small, will buy their own tuxedos, so that they can get them altered to their sizes.
Just some pointers…because I would really hate for you to go ballistic when one of the groomsmen looks like someone airbrushed his tux on, so let’s just spare everyone the pain…
- Make sure there is a 7″ or more drop; in other words, the chest area needs to be 7″ or more than the waist.
- Different designers make different cuts, so trying on several is key– all are not created equal or the same. Avoid anything that brings too much attention to an already broad/protruding chest.
- Comfort and movement is key– he should be able to move fluidly and raise his arms above his head comfortably
- Size MATTERS. Nothing screams cheap tuxedo than a jacket that does not lay flush with the shirt. It is far easier to take in the waist of a jacket than to increase the shoulder or chest size.
- Go with quality designers, like DKNY, Jones NY, Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss Red Label.
For other great tips in dressing your groomsmen of all sizes, check out this post from Haute Concept. And death to the Smedium!
