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Feature Article, Spring 2008: Low-Rise vs Short-Rise?
Feature Article, Spring 2006: Getting to Great Lengths: The Truth About Hems
Feature Article, Spring 2009: “If the sock fits…”: The Do’s and Don’ts of this highly Misunderstood Men’s Accessory
…then buy it in every color!
Men don’t often give much thought to their hosiery purchases, until of course it’s halfway through some insufferable meeting and you notice your socks are slipping and your feet hurt from the misplaced seams- or perhaps on a walk, when you stop to adjust your socks every few steps. Sound familiar? Then read on!
FIT & QUALITY: Stepping in…
Half Sizes, Widths- when buying shoes, you look for a perfect fit. Yet, socks are only offered in these wide ranges that suggest that you can wear the same footwear as a man who wears a shoe 3 sizes larger than you. The retail industry has determined that the “average” shoe size is 10-12 and creates socks accordingly. However, if you were smaller than a 10 or larger than a 12, you may find fit to be a problem. Men with smaller feet often shop the boy’s department for dress and casual socks, finding the low price irresistible. But the quality is poor, so socks have to be replaced with such frequency that any savings disappear. Others simply buy socks that are too large and tuck under the toe, leading to foot pains, itching, or just plain discomfort. Former shoe salesperson A. Bridge reveals, “I can tell you that no matter what those sock packages claim, men under a size 8 won’t fit into a 10-13 sock size without rolling or tucking – and they aren’t happy about it. Also, Men with larger feet shop store after store looking for socks with heels that actually reach the end of their foot.”
Instead, find socks that fit your foot. For larger shoe sizes (13+), try specialty retailers which may offer socks in larger size ranges. For smaller feet (shoe size less than 10), FortheFit.com offers premium Men’s socks in size small, to fit shoe sizes 5-9.
Quality matters, too. The hallmark of quality socks and hosiery are the seam, material and workmanship. Face it, men’s socks get used and abused- you literally walk all over them. Invest in quality hosiery that offers a hand-linked toe-seam for an exceptionally smooth join, and premium fibers (which hold-up better wash-after-wash, wear-after-wear).
STYLE: Stepping Out
Now that you’ve found socks to fit you, here are a few style tips to make sure your feet don’t offend…
- The color of your socks should match the color of your pants, not your shoes. However, the color is preferably not exact unless you wear black pants.
- Your sock drawer should include at least two each of the basics: black socks for dress, blue for jeans, a color close to khaki and athletic socks
- Athletic Socks are for the Gym only. Period.
- With shorts, wear nothing higher than an Ankle sock. With long pants, wear socks high enough that you expose no leg when you sit.
- Colorful and patterned socks are great for adding a little extra pizazz to your wardrobe, but keep this in mind: the more colorful your outfit the more toned down your socks should be. Avoid looking like you stepped out of a work by Andy Warhol.
Socks + Sandals = Oil + Water - they never go together.
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Feature Article, Spring 2008: “Low Rise vs Short Rise?"
(Adapted from Short Memo blog, ShortMensClothesonline.com, February 2008)
I get this question (or some version of it) all the time: I bought low-rise jeans and they were HUGE on my waist- I measured them and they were INCHES bigger than the labeled size. What gives? and why should I consider short rise, then anyway?
I figured since I mentioned our new, true "short rise" jean in my last post, it would be as good a time as any to address the issue.
What is Short-Rise?
Many shorter men complain that when they were trousers, they experience bagginess and bunching in the crotch that is both uncomfortable and looks unprofessional. The problem is usually easily resolved by purchasing the proper rise. Rise refers to the measurement from crotch to waist. Most pants available off the rack are “regular rise” (11 inches or more, based on a size 34 waist pant). This can be too much for men under 5’9”, many of which are actually short rise (10 inches or less for a size 34 waist pant). The shorter rise is what eliminates all of the bagging and bunching at the crotch, front or back.
AT LEFT: Short -Rise Khaki Trousers
What is Low-Rise?
There are many pants in stores today labeled low rise. This is not to be confused with short rise. Low rise simply means that the pant sits below the natural waist. The rise on these pants would be the distance from the crotch to the imaginary waist (ie where the waist would be if not lobbed off so the pants sit lower than the waist). They are sized based on the imaginary waist, but the measurement at the band may be an inch or two larger. Therefore, if you have a short rise, the fit may be awkward, since the pants will likely rest at your natural waist and be an inch or two larger than the labeled waist size. One tip, try on a size or two smaller than you typically wear, or search for a manufacturer whose jeans are naturally cut shorter in the rise, such as Silver Jeans (pictured below). .
That is why we carry so many short-rise products. They are often the best solution for shorter men. In fact, it's the best thing you didn't know you needed (so say many of my customers when they by our khakis and find that for the first time ever- lo and behold they love the way they look and feel in their pants! Check out our testimonials).
The unfortunate part is that true short-rise pants are hard to find in regular department stores or mall stores (who do stock regular and long-rise !!!) and pants can't be altered by a tailor to be short rise, either! The specialty retailer is one way to go. An online retailer specializing in short men's apparel, like ForTheFit.com - will probably offer the best selection.
AT LEFT: Low-Rise Jeans
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Feature Article, Spring 2006: Getting to Great Lengths: The Truth About Hems
(adapted from Esquire Magazine, October 2005 "How To Wear Pants")
In a world where perception is so often reality- how you look goes a long way to establishing who you are (at least in the eyes of others). Indeed, who “wears the pants” in a situation may depend on whose pants look best. There is a proper length at which pants should be hemmed. Pants hemmed too long or short look borrowed or shrunken- basically the opposite of smart and confident. But, the proper length for pants varies depending on the style of pant in question. So what’s a guy to do? Print this page out and take it to your tailor. Or better still, save some time (and a trip to the tailor) by measuring your inseam (for instructions, click here) and then choose the perfect length from among our many pre-hemmed pant selections at www.ForTheFit.com
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To see a photograph of how NOT to wear your pants, run your cursor over each image below:
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Sizing Charts:
We did the hard part- we found the best clothes in a wide range of sizes. Here comes the easy part- just find your size in the chart below and order away! To learn how to take your own measurements, click here. Also, our clothes are available in various cuts to best fit your style and shape, look below for a glossary of terms.
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Center Back Arm Length |
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Neck |
Chest |
Regular |
Short |
X-Short |
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X-Small |
14 |
34 |
31 ½ |
30 |
28 ½ |
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32 |
30 ½ |
29 |
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Small |
14 |
36 |
32 ½ |
31 |
29 ½ |
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14 ½ |
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33 |
31 ½ |
30 |
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Medium |
15 |
38 |
33 ½ |
32 |
30 ½ |
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15 ½ |
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34 |
32 ½ |
31 |
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Large |
16 |
40 |
34 ½ |
33 |
31 ½ |
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16 ½ |
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35 |
33 ½ |
32 |
Men's Size Chart: by Waist...
SIZE S M L XL
28-30 32-34 36-38 40-42
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Regular, Tailored and Trim, Oh My!
Regular: A gentlemen’s cut, with a 6” Drop from chest to waist ( ie. if your chest is 38, the garment would be 32 inches at the waist)
Trim: Cut a littler leaner than a Regular-cut garment; results in a crisp. modern, tailored look.
Extra-Trim: Our hippest cut! Cut extra trim, this style is ideal for the ultra-stylish (or simply those guys who are more slender than average).
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Measurements:
Finding your fit is easy- just find a soft tape measure and get to work!
Neck: Simply measure around the base of your neck, or measure the collar on your favorite shirt (from the center of the collar button to the far end of the button hole). The measurement in inches is your collar size.
- Tip: If you intend to wear the shirt with a tie, the size you select should closely match your exact collar measurement. However, a shirt to be worn without a tie may be purchased slightly larger for comfort and a more casual look.
Chest: Relax your arms at your sides. Measure around the fullest part of your chest, with the tape measure at the armpits. This is your chest size.
- Tip: When buying a jacket or sportcoat, also measure around your chest and arms (at the highest point of your shoulder blades). This is your overarm measurement. Subtract your chest measurement from your overarm measurement. If the difference is 7 or more inches, we recommend ordering one size larger for comfort and a better fit in the upper arms and shoulders.
Arm: Bend your elbow 90 degrees and place your hand on your hip. Hold the tape at the center back of your neck. Measure across your shoulder to your elbow, and down to your wrist. The total length in inches is your sleeve length.
Waist: Measure loosely around your natural waistline. You should not hold the tape measure tightly, remember you’ll want to eat and breathe in your pants!
- Tip: For belts, order a size 1-2 inches larger than your actual waist size.
Inseam: Find a pair of pants that fit well (see our Feature Article for tips). Measure from the crotch seam (where all the fabric meets), down the pant leg all the way to the bottom. This is your inseam.
Rise: Rise refers to the distance between the top of a trouser’s waistband and the crotch (the top of the trouser leg’s inseam). You can measure along the seam of your favorite pair of pants.
- Tip: For the Fit offers pants in regular and short rises. If your regular pants fit fine, continue to order a regular rise. However if they feel or look too baggy or you are 5’7” tall or less, you may want to consider pants that offer a “short” rise.
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Find My Fit TM:
What can we help you find? Do you have questions about what to wear on a special occasion? Or what types of styles and cuts might fit you best? Just ask! A Fit ConsultantTM will get back to you with some advice and helpful suggestions, including what items are available at ForTheFit.com to fit your needs. Just send an e-mail to findmyfit@forthefit.com * * "Find My FitTM" is a free service of For the Fit, Inc. We will make every effort to respond to your questions as soon as possible, but cannot promise an immediate response. For the Fit, Inc. reminds you that this service provides individual advice and tips, but it is the responsibility of the individual customer to decide whether or not to follow it. For the Fit, Inc. accepts no liability for any damages resulting from following any advice provided by For the Fit, Inc or its agents or representatives. For the Fit, Inc.’s standard terms and conditions apply to use of this service.
Other Style Resources & Links:
Sometimes we come across other resources we think our customers might find valuable and we are happy to pass those along. For example, most recently- we discovered a website that specializes in providing style advice to men under 5'9". At TopDuke.com*, you will find articles about what to wear (and more importantly, what not to wear)to look your best. You may also submit your questions to be addressed directly. Check it out! * "topduke.com" is a resource unaffiliated with ForTheFit, Inc. ForTheFit, Inc. accepts no liability for any damages resulting from following any advice provided by TopDuke.com, or its agents or representatives.
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Need more help?
Simply Contact Us or send an e-mail to a Fit Consultant.
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