Banana Republic

Brock October 28, 2012

Best Clothing Stores For Short Men: Banana Republic

If you read this blog at all, you know that I review products (like a specific pair of chinos) and companies (like online custom shirt makers) and tell you what I like and don’t like about various garments and manufacturers.

Recently, however, I’ve had a few requests to focus more on specific stores that are good for shorter men and, more importantly, which pieces of clothing from those stores are worth buying.

So, this will become a long (and probably never-ending) series of articles, and I’m going to start with one of my favorites – Banana Republic.

Banana Republic is one of my favorite clothing stores. They make several items that are great for gentlemen of short stature, whether you are skinny or less than svelte.

What NOT to Buy from Banana Republic

If you are under 5’6″ you will want to avoid BR polo shirts. While they fit great in the chest and arms, and they are very high quality, they are just too long. You shouldn’t wear polo shirts that are longer than 28″ (at the longest). They should go just past your belt or waist line. Unfortunately, BR polos are not made with the shorter man in mind.

Also, stay away from any BR pants that are “relaxed” or “boot cut”. These will be too baggy and will not flatter the short body type.

Similarly, I find their “modern” fit to be too loose and baggy. If you are on the slimmer side, avoid their “modern” fit pants. If you have large thighs or are generally a little bigger (wider), you can give this fit a shot, but I would go to the store and try it on before buying.

What to Buy from Banana Republic

Now that we covered what not to buy from Banana Republic, let’s talk about what works. First, I love their crew neck and v-neck sweaters, both in wool and cashmere. These are perfect for wearing over dress shirts during the cooler months of the year. The sleeves aren’t too long, and it’s okay if they bunch up a little bit.

BR also makes great pants for short men. Their “straight” fit and “vintage straight” fit (which is slimmer) are great. Here are my favorites:

In order, here are the names of the pants in the photos:

Straight-Fit Dark-Wash Five-Pocket Jean
Emerson Vintage Straight Chino (check out my detailed review of these)
Slim Fit Chino
Heritage Wool Suit Pant
Tailored Wool Suit Pant
Heritage Premium Slim-Fit Selvedge Jean

So, as you can see, I pretty much stick with pants and sweaters when it comes to Banana Republic. Their shirts tend to be too long, both in the arms (button downs) and torso (polos and tees). All things considered, Banana Republic is a great clothing store for men under 5’8″.

Do you shop at Banana Republic? Let me know what you think of their clothes or if I missed anything by leaving a comment below!

Filed Under: Stores Tagged With: Banana Republic, chinos, jeans, sweaters 6 Comments

Brock June 16, 2012

Review: Banana Republic Emerson Vintage Straight Chino

BR Emerson Vintage Straight Chino

Banana Republic has always been hit or miss for me, at least in terms of size. For the most part, their style is cool, if not a bit on the preppy side. But their pants have never fit me quite right (with the exception of their suit pants, after getting the legs hemmed).

They are usually too baggy or “relaxed”. Even their “modern” fit seems too wide through the leg. I’ve always enjoyed buying shirts, especially polos, from BR, but never pants. Until now.

Allow me to introduce the Emerson Vintage Straight Chino. I bought a dark grey pair of these a few weeks ago and actually went back to the store to grab a couple more in different colors.

They are quite possibly the most comfortable pants I’ve ever worn. Plus they look great and are super durable. I have worn these pants to work (on Fridays, of course), on dates, to the bar and just to lounge around.

The best thing about the Emerson Chinos are their fit. For a shorter guy like me, baggy pants won’t do. They only make me look smaller. Skinny pants, however, are too extreme. Any man who says skinny jeans are comfortable is lying, and I’m pretty sure they will effect your ability to have children if worn too long.

Shorter guys need pants that are tapered evenly and modestly throughout the leg. These chinos are slim through the thigh with a straight leg opening. Also, if you order them online, you can get sizes down to 28×28.

I like the “Sharp grey” and “Brockton beige” (not just because of the name) colors, but definitely grab a few if you like the way they look and fit. Another great thing about these pants is that they look great with the legs rolled up.

If they are too long and you don’t want to get them shortened, just roll them up a couple of time. This works especially well with loafers, boat shoes, sandals or bare feet.

Go try them on and buy a couple of pairs before they go away! You can see them online right here.

Filed Under: Fashion and Style Tagged With: Banana Republic, chinos, pants, reviews 3 Comments

Brock June 13, 2012

Best Places to Buy Clothes for Short Men

This is a collection of all of the best places to find clothes for short(er) men. I keep it updated with new companies, whether they’re actual stores or online shops. I’ve personally tried most of these places, although there are a couple that I still need to test out. Enjoy!

If you’ve read my post about Blank Label’s custom dress shirts, you know how much I love this company. I order all of my button down shirts from Blank Label now. If you are sick of billowy shirts with sleeves that are way too long, it’s time to go custom with Blank Label.

Banana Republic is one of my favorite stores. Their clothes are a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. All of their stuff is high quality and won’t fall apart of you. I like their Emerson chinos so much that I wrote a post about them.

I haven’t ordered a suit from Indochino yet, but I have bought their Essential Grey Blazer.

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) is the best place to buy shoes. If you go to one of the bigger stores, they will definitely have your size for most shoes. They even put brightly colored labels on extra small and large sizes. Plus, their prices are great, and the discount rack is always stocked.

I hadn’t been inside a PacSun store since middle school, when all they had were ridiculously baggy JNCO jeans and skater apparel. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they now carry a very cool, modern selection of pants, shirts and accessories. I bought a couple pairs of denim pants that are slim, but not skinny, and very comfortable. Definitely give PacSun a visit (or check out their online store).