Eric Gets New Looks from Chubstr and DXL

Erick Gets A DXL Style Revamp For Big + Tall Month

Finally, big guys have a month that’s all about them. DXL has named January Big + Tall Month, and they are sharing photos and stories from customers across the country. Everybody has a story, and to help celebrate, we took Erick, a professional chef turned public school teacher, to our local DXL store to get some new looks.

Harbor Bay Patterned Sport Shirt
Harbor Bay Patterned Sport Shirt, Stacey Adams Shoes

From the kitchen to the classroom

Erick’s move from the kitchen to the classroom means he can’t wear his chef’s uniform everyday. More importantly, he and his wife Jill recently welcomed their second child, so clothes shopping isn’t at the top of his priority list. Like many bigger guys, Erick has never really enjoyed shopping for clothes. When he finds something that fits, he buys multiples and sticks with those. “I guess what I need is some variation in my wardrobe for work or for social and family engagements,” says Erick. “I have literally [just] enough clothes to get me through a work week.”

Oak Hill Sweater and pants

With everything going on in Erick’s life, he hasn’t had a lot of time to think about his style. “I don’t really have a style,” he says. “Or my style is [that of a] 40 year old father. I teach a culinary class, so when I’m not in my chef whites, I’m wearing long pants and one of my button downs or polo shirts. At home it’s athletic shorts, t-shirts and sandals, or cargo shorts, a t-shirt and a hoodie.”

Vineyard Vines Plaid Poplin Shirt, PX Clothing Hooded Jacket

Erick’s DXL wardrobe upgrade

We met up with Erick at a Portland-area DXL store to give him a style upgrade. After talking to him about his needs, we decided that it was important to give him clothing options that ran the spectrum from activewear and casual to more upscale. We put together outfits that would work for Erick whether he was hanging with his new baby girl, giving a lecture in the classroom, or taking his wife out on a date.

Blazer, sport shirt, and pant combo

Skip the suit, keep the blazer

Erick didn’t have much need for a suit, but we still wanted to give him a more put-together option that he could throw on when he needed it. As we looked at blazers, I came across the Oak Hill Jacket Relaxer Patch Pocket Sport Coat. When I showed it to him, I could see that the light blue color was outside of his comfort zone. Once he saw it paired with a Vineyard Vines Twill Sport Shirt and microfiber stretch-waistband pants, he loved the look. Erick has wider feet, so we put him in the Sketchers Moreno Canvas Sneakers, which fit like a glove.

Blazer Lining that stands out
Bright and colorful blazer lining

Keeping things casual (and trying some jeans)

We wanted to make sure that Erick had a variety of casual options to choose from since this is what he’d be wearing most often. While there are some business casual options in the mix, we also threw in a look that was more workwear-inspired. More on that below.

Oak Hill Faux Suede Front Vest
Oak Hill Vest & Multi Large Plaid Sport Shirt

As we put together looks, Erick explained that he wasn’t a big fan of jeans. It turned out that he hadn’t found any that fit him well in the waist and the thighs – a problem many big & tall guys share. We solved the problem by getting him into a pair of Lucky Brand Big & Tall Athletic Fit Jeans. He told us he was pleasantly surprised by the fit and the look of the dark wash.

Harbor Bay Bomber & Co-Pilot Sport Shirt, Lucky Brand Jeans, Sketchers Oxfords

All-Season Big & Tall activewear

Many of us have been living in our activewear for the last few years, so we know how comfortable it can be. With a new baby in the house, Erick needed versatile big & tall activewear that would work whether running errands or changing diapers. We put him in a Reebok Speedwick Zip Front Hoodie and some Polo Ralph Lauren Fleece Pants for the perfect combination of comfort, utility, and style.

Big & Tall Activewear looks
Comfortable & stylish

Celebrate Big + Tall Month with DXL all January long

Erick left the store with 7 new outfits and a lot of options that he can mix and match. More than that, he left knowing that he would feel good in clothes that he liked that actually fit his body. Shop his looks at DXL.com and share your own stories and DXL looks during Big + Tall Month by clicking here.

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