Baggy Shirts - Argh!

[Chris Stratton]

Why do button down dress shirts always have acres of extra fabric so they won't tuck in neatly at the waist?

I tried buying a few informal short sleeve ones in smaller sizes, but then they feel too tight.

Okay, I have a sewing machine, I made my own tailsuit, I can alter a shirt, right? But no, it always comes out either tight or baggy.

I have job interviews and things like that to worry about - is a guy really supposed to go around with a shirt bunched up like that?

(I suppose the old solution is never to remove one's jacket... works for ballroom comps;-))

[pygmalion]

Did you try darts in the back?

Edit: Meaning, when I need to take in clothes, I try to share the wealth between seams, and, if I need to, make thinnish semi-circle shaped darts to create a taper in the garment. I hope that makes sense.

[pygmalion]

And another option is "athletic cut" shirts. I used to buy them for my SO, who has a huge chest and a tapered waist. Those shirts already have the darts built in.

[Sarah]

Why do button down dress shirts always have acres of extra fabric so they won't tuck in neatly at the waist?


Considering that most off the rack men's shirts are cut to accomodate an expanding middle-aged waistline, I can infer that you don't have one of those. ;) Congratulations!

Since you sew already, why don't you see if you can find a short nightschool class in advanced dressmaking/tayloring technique, and specificly ask about how to alter shirts.

Cheers
Sarah