Why do men persist in wearing shirts that are too small?

“When you told me the theme, I immediately had an image in my head,” Sophie Malagola tells us. The style and image consultant, who has been a fashion designer for twenty years, confirms this with fun. yes, many men wear shirts that are too small, with sleeves that don’t go down to the wrists, buttons pulled to the level of the torso. , visible lower abdomen… “When you look at photos of men in the 1980s, most of them were very thin and had no shoulders. The clothes were tighter than natural, but adapted to the shape of the body.

Fifty years later, times have changed. The rise of fast food restaurants, an office work culture that inhibits body movement, an anxiety-inducing climate and the boom in fast fashion have shaped the male frame. The latest Inserm report proves it. Between 1997 and 2020, the evolution of obesity increased by 16.7% for those aged 35-44, 18.4% for those aged 44-55 and almost 20% for those aged 55-64. In 2020, men were more likely to be overweight than women: 36.9% compared to 23.9%.

Ready-to-wear has completely expanded its clothing sizes as people have gotten taller and fatter. But the problem is that people do not consider themselves stronger and continue to take the same size as twenty years ago.

Sophie Malagola

The problem. men do not necessarily notice this change. “Ready-to-wear has completely expanded its clothing sizes as people have gotten bigger and bigger. But that is not enough. the problem is that people do not think they are stronger and continue to take the same size as twenty years ago. Maybe because they think it’s flattering to make it into a piece of clothing or that it emphasizes muscularity.”

Loving a fashion design is one thing, knowing that it suits our body type is another. Unlike Gen Z, grown men are less concerned with the style tips flooding TikTok. It’s enough to create a barrier between two generations who develop different approaches to clothing because they don’t follow trends in the same way. “The new generation is more attentive to their bodies,” Sophie Malagola explains to us. Therefore, young people will wear shirts that fit their body shape, or choose loose models. Particular attention was paid to physical appearance, which, according to the expert, is less common among active men.

The fault of e-commerce

With 160 billion euros generated by 2023, online commerce in France is also responsible for this small skinny shirt phenomenon. “With the advent of online shopping and commercial events like sales, we buy a lot in bulk,” says Sophie Malagola. The problem is that we don’t always return clothes that are too big or too small.” Not forgetting the most important thing, in 1990-2000, lycra was used in the composition of T-shirts. Men then found comfort in the clothes, which were still too tight for them. There are also detergents that will compress the fibers that make up the fabric over time and then shrink when spun. Some materials are more likely to shrink under the heat of the drum.

Trying on a bigger size does not mean that you will appear bigger, on the contrary, it is more a matter of appearance.

Sophie Malagola Style and Image Consultant

Admittedly, ready-to-wear doesn’t make things any easier for these gentlemen when it comes to finding the perfect shirt. Already, because their sizes differ depending on the brand. For example, a Jules size M shirt will not be the same as a Monoprix version of the same size. The important thing is to shop and try. What does Sophie Malagola recommend? “It’s not pretty when it’s dragging everywhere. It is not convenient. It’s a bit of the same problem as with pants that are too tight. Trying on a bigger size doesn’t mean you’re going to look bigger, on the contrary, it’s more a matter of appearance.”

The solution to getting a shirt in your size is simple: find out the clothing sizes of our favorite brands, especially if you shop online or visit a fitting room. Unless the men wearing this outfit want to embrace the ‘indie sleaze’ trend, a clothing trend that mixes skinny jeans, a leopard print and an XXS shirt, epitomized by the grunge duo Kate Moss and Pete Doherty in the 2000s. by Although that’s hardly the goal of men in suits and ties in the office.