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Were there no 6'2" people born before the 1950's?

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esteban68

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2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
Same but opposite 5'6"- 42"chest -35" waist-29" inside leg 25" thigh and 17"- collar...every shirt's too long in the sleeve ditto jackets, trousers too long,
being a 35" waist means the shirts are baggy but fit collar, chest and shoulders...only place it gets easier is head being a 58 and shoes a UK 8-81/" depending on shoe (a 9 if it's Italian).
 

Fifty150

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2,112
Location
The Barbary Coast
Same but opposite 5'6"- 42"chest -35" waist-29" inside leg 25" thigh and 17"- collar...every shirt's too long in the sleeve ditto jackets, trousers too long,
being a 35" waist means the shirts are baggy but fit collar, chest and shoulders...only place it gets easier is head being a 58 and shoes a UK 8-81/" depending on shoe (a 9 if it's Italian).

Imagine being the same height, with a 50" chest. My waist is just a tad bigger at 36".
 

Fifty150

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2,112
Location
The Barbary Coast
Almost everything I see in thrift stores is for a 36" or 38" chest.

I hear that people were smaller back then. No 24 hour gym in every shopping mall, no nutritional supplements, no growth hormones in the beef and milk, and weight lifting just wasn't as trendy.
 

DJS Press

One of the Regulars
Messages
107
Location
Bucks County, PA
I'm 6' 4" and 225 lbs., and I essentially cannot find ANY pants, long-sleeve shirts, or jackets at a typical mall-type store. Of course, if you have a 48" waist and 28" inseam, there are hundreds of everything for you to choose from. Clothing is made and merchandised for the fat, not the tall. I buy almost all my clothes via the web from JC Penney, Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, Cabela's and Duluth Trading. My 3 Aero's were custom made, but I'm constantly shut out of great deals because I require an XL tall size. I can't even imagine trying to find clothes to fit me if I were growing up early in the 20th century. I guess if I look at it philosophically, I spend a lot less on clothes than if I were constantly snatching up bargains.
 

esteban68

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2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
You got paid to lift in those days...it was part of your job if you were a manual worker...when I look back at what I used to do as an apprentice in the steel industry lifting carrying and towsing!...it makes me shudder...no wonder my knees are knackered.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
I use LL Bean, Patagonia, Carhartt, and others that give us tall guys a shot at looking good. Others should list their faves as well. it's a big help to the group!
 

conrad5157

One of the Regulars
Messages
101
Location
Virginia
6' 3" about 215 lbs.

Yeah forget about finding vintage clothing that will fit. The only thing I ever found was a '40s overcoat but that's because it was designed to fit over a suit.

Ditto for modern leather jackets. I once sent my measurements to the Aero rep on Ebay and he told me I must be mistaken.

I guess the good news? Look at all the money we've saved.

For modern causal wear I find that Cabelas tall sizes are just right for me.
 
Last edited:

Tkecks

Familiar Face
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70
Location
USA
I'm 6"2, 43-44chest, but long bodied. I usually buy 36"-32" pants (need to shed some pounds). US14 shoes... for shoes things are much better now than they used to be; back in school I always seemed to be one size larger than the biggest you could easily find. I have long arms too, which can often be the toughest problem to solve. So many modern XL are made for (no offence) short fat people. My friend is 6'5" and thin. Who knows how he finds clothes that fit.

Anyway, I gave up on traditionally short-jackets (e.g. denim) a few years ago, and try to buy "long" clothes. Regular length fleeces don't cover my lower back properly, which aside form looking weird can let in cold breezes which exacerbate lumbar problems. These days I buy Large Tall fleeces from Columbia, although you can generally only find these online.

This is a reason why I have recently found myself drawn to military sizing, since they are more specific about height and chest measurements. 'Just not always so good for styling.
 

Yeps

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2,456
Location
Philly
I can't stand big and tall stores, as they seem to have an excess of big, and not enough tall. I hate walking into a big and tall section and seeing nothing other than 2xl stuff and 42-32 pants. You can be tall and skinny too!
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
I can make 32's work, depending on the brand of pants and the type of shoes. I usually gotta wear cowboy boots. Otherwise, I step on the back of the pant leg and shred them up.

It's genetic. My pop is 6' and also has a 30 inseam. He's a body builder, too, so he looks like Johnny Bravo lol

Johnny_Bravo_by_SayukiTogashi.jpg


wow they're pretty short for a tall guy Tom, my mate is 5'9" with a 29" inside leg and I /we thought that was unusual, still he's had one or two pairs of 'old' jeans off me that were too big waist wise!
 

esteban68

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2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
I can make 32's work, depending on the brand of pants and the type of shoes. I usually gotta wear cowboy boots. Otherwise, I step on the back of the pant leg and shred them up.

It's genetic. My pop is 6' and also has a 30 inseam. He's a body builder, too, so he looks like Johnny Bravo lol

Johnny_Bravo_by_SayukiTogashi.jpg

Been there treading on back of trousers/ jeans...we had a tasking up day a couple of weeks ago and managed 3 pair of jeans and one pair of trousers!
 

Yeps

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2,456
Location
Philly
My proportions are more like
drfacilier1.jpg


My big brother on the other hand...
tumblr_lnsjkhypRe1qhlxj5.jpg
 
Last edited:

Undertow

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,126
Location
Des Moines, IA, US
6'3" 265, 50L with 40x34 trousers, 17.5x37 shirts and 14D shoes. 7 1/2 LO hats. Good luck finding vintage, haha.

Even when I find a 50L jacket that's suitable, I have to have it tailored down through the waist because it's too boxy. Most trousers are of the 42x32 variety, so tailoring is always necessary. Socks? HA! They fit up to size 12, and I have to stretch them out and ruin them. Shoes come in limited models, usually bad ones at that.

Most everything I buy is vintage "inspired" or repro. [huh] c'est la vie
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
i think that due to diet that we saw a trend for taller men over time. Being over 6 foot was a bit more rare than now. i also think that many guys that were not wealthy and had a size suit that was outside the normal parameters did not buy many of them. They were probably buried in them which limits whats avqailable.
 

Yeps

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2,456
Location
Philly
Well, building myself a more athletic figure is making more difficult proportions. Right now I am at a 31 waist and a 41 chest, and I am not to the build I want, which means that my jackets will stop fitting very soon. At least the arms and chest/shoulders are a little closer to being in line now.
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
I'm a native born from Texas of Mexican descent. The average height for the men is usually under 6'. In school, I was classified as a latin-american,
also , American with a spanish surname, chicano, mexican-american , lately it's hispanic. Anyway, I have 10% German on my father's side. I am
also 6'3'' tall. I understand your frustrations.
I'm a retired news cameraman from local tv station. Part of the time, I would interview the Spurs after or during practice…..I never realized how
difficult it was for them to go to public facilities & at home everything has to be custom built high if you get the drift ! Anyway , they can afford it !
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
2jakes, one of our daughters friends in Mexican and German descent. He's almost as tall as I am (6'-4"). He says there's lots of that mix. Interesting. :) I'm mostly German and some British. Must be the German side!
 

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