[ARTICLE BY G.Davenport]

Can someone tell me why this is a new fad? Even amongst men, extremely tight clothing has become ridiculously popular. I recently read an article that says doctors are treating a growing number of young men suffering from painful groin problems because of their penchant for wearing crotch-hugging pants. It included everything from twisted testicles, bladder weakness, and urinary tract infections. Now come on fellas, this is just wrong and very very sad. Are you men really willing to give up your “boys” for a fashion fad. Not to mention the fact that the participants are forgetting that key word, modesty. Yes, modesty does actually apply to men as well and as such we are expected to stay within certain parameters. The clearest parameter would be to not wear your wife’s pants. I am just joking, but only barely.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for well fitting clothing. After all we aren’t in the 90s anymore and thank God the era of a five-foot tall 90-pound man wearing a 6XL T-shirt with oversized jeans is over. For the men who need a more comprehensive overview of how clothes should fit, read the article Clothes That Fit. For the baby jeans brother who may be confused about the difference between clothing that fits appropriately, and clothing that will stop you from having children, here are my three rules of thumb.

The first rule is simple, if you can’t easily pinch at least a half-inch of fabric from your belly, chest or your thighs, your clothes maybe a little tight. I’m not talking about the clothing that bunches up from natural movement. This technique should be done in an upright and relaxed position, and only for shirts & pants not jackets. The amount of fabric will vary depending on your build, preference, and what style of clothing you’re wearing (i.e. business, casual, sport, etc..). However, I’m being very generous by giving a minimum of a half an inch because I personally like to leave at least an inch, especially around my thighs when wearing a suit.

Second, if you have to jump up and down, or take deep breaths just to pull-up and/or button your clothing, chances are they’re too small. Getting dressed in the morning should not be an exercise. But I guess if you want to fit into those super skinny jeans exercise may not be such a bad idea.

Lastly, if your wife is 6 inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter than you, but your clothes fit like they should belong to her just do yourself a favor letter and let her keep them.

Though the rules I mentioned were meant to be funny, the trend of super tight pants can be a serious issue. If your size has changed and you don’t have clothing that fits you like they should, here’s a tip. Clean out your closet and get rid of items you just shouldn’t wear. We all feel bad when our closet looks bare. However, with the remaining items you can build yourself a simple set of outfits that are stylish but still fit. Once your closet has only great selections it will be much easier to add one or two items every now and then to grow your wardrobe. Check out some of my other articles for suggestions on clothing brands that look, feel, and fit the way they should without the hefty price tag.

As always fellas BE BOLD, BE ELEGANT, BE YOU.

G.Davenport