Plus Size Men's Fashion Has Been Lowkey But You Love It Though
@chafartajer
Written by Cassell Ferere in partnership with Kulture Hub
It has been a glorious time for the plus-size man in fashion. There has been a lot to do and done by the plus-size, heavier set, male when it comes to fashion over the years. We can note style aficionados like Andre Leon Talley, fashion designers, Influencers, and other particularly stylish larger-than-average humans for showing us that style is a sport for all sizes.
The fashion world has many style icons occupying the plus size-men’s fashion category. Although it is not an issue that is often discussed amongst men, it is something that has been undervalued for years. This unprecedented angle to marketing men's fashion hasn’t been tapped in the same ways that plus-size women's fashion has found a sizable and profitable market.
Women’s plus-size brands like, Lane Bryant and Ann Taylor are notable names in the category. But for men, there haven't been many efforts - if any, DXL which stands for Destination XL has been around for four decades. They have been serving the larger variety of men since 1976, but other brands like Ralph Lauren have also provided larger sizes.
DXL hasn't been on the fashionable edge or in sync with the ethos of streetwear. Usually sticking to basics and a handful of recognizable brands within its sales floor, the trendier attire at DXL is slim. With options like that and the infusion of toxic masculinity, plus-size men have been marginalized.
Today, fashion is more of a global playing field for all involved. Through social media, we can definitively acquire good taste as men, and this includes plus-size fits. There are enough stylish accounts you can follow. But among those are plus-size men who are making fashion look easy, or at least attainable.
Foremost, we can find fashion as being made for the modern man by the considerable plus-size man.
Another designer, founder of Casablanca, Charaf Tajer, is a stylish man not too removed from his sartorial creations. He envisions his brand as he envisions his own life and his style of dress. Tajer takes the tennis aesthetic of a softer color palette and interprets the idea via his collections. The floral designs and Mediterranean inspired ambiance are the things he includes on his person.
Tajer’s style is reflective and complimentary of his physique. Charaf Tajer makes a fashion statement in his pastel sportswear and fine, sometimes delicate fabrics. His brand has effortlessly conveyed the lux and leisure that it boasts on its website. Tajer leaves a lot to the idea of body concealing with oversized pants and loose-fitting jackets and shirts. A very effervescent approach where he barely buttons his shirts, he is a tailored man nonetheless.
When it comes to heavy-weight style, slim or tall, big or small, not too many can compare to Michael Camargo, better know as the Upscale Vandal. He takes the essence of New York City style and simply heightens the dialogue. Tastefully doing what New Yorkers have done for decades in the boroughs, take what is given and make it your own. Upscale Vandal is into sneakers, jewelry, cars, and living an aesthetic. And he does this effortlessly as a bigger man in a room of average-sized folk.
Upscale Vandal has a style unique to him that usually involves a pair of frames on his face and a hat, which everyone born and bred NYC native can relate to. He doesn’t shy from patterns or bold logos and colors, yet, he makes his fit-rotation seem utilitarian and everyday functioning.
He is working with Roc Nation as a branding and lifestyle manager, as well as a consultant. There, he has the luxury of creating an image for music talent who seek his NYC worldview and expertise. Vandal is often promoting special collaborations or fashion projects he had a part in and the occasional plate of delicious food.
If the above characters are too much to bite off than you can step up your footwear game. DJ Clark Kent has been quite possibly the number one sneaker aficionado of our generation and the generations before. His career dates back to finding rapper Jay-Z; even before then, DJ Clark Kent has been collecting sneakers. Uniquely, Clark kent has been known to wear a pair of sneakers only once before donating them to anyone he can find.
Now, it’s not necessary to wear your kicks only once then dispose of them. Leave that to the sneaker god himself. But having good taste in footwear can take you a long way when it comes to styling yourself each day. Simple outfits and an eclectic selection of sneakers is an easy way to #StayFresh, as DJ Clark Kent tends to hashtag with each sneaker photo.
Brands like Bonobos and Stitch Fix are focusing on the big guys when it comes to e-commerce fashion. In the Fall of 2018 Stitch Fix conducted research and came up with data that showed that a 25,000-person waitlist grew from an offering of a men’s extended sizing division.
Fast Fashion brands like ASOS and Fashion Nova and retailers like Target and Walmart have opened up their market to the bigger guy in search of personal style. Target has even introduced its first plus-size male model within this last decade. With these examples, hopefully, it's not too farfetched an idea to pursue, that style is the ability to locate and complement your inherent aesthetic and body type. All you need is confidence.
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