The dreaded bussiness suit.

[Ralph]

A couple of days ago I had to go to a speech class while wearing a complete suit (vest and all) for a speech and a mock interview as the final grade. So the teacher, being the "perfect" person he tries to convey, explains to the class the "proper" way to wearing the business suit. Me, on the other hand, I was too busy looking at dust particles accumulate when I suddenly heard the teacher mention that when wearing business pants that we should place it over our guts.

Now I'm a sensible person when it comes to dress apparel but to be able to stretch a +46 waist pants over a +58 gut was just laughable. But about 2 seconds after the teacher had mentioned that one of my classmates, who is about 1 foot taller than me and maybe weighed more than 300+ pounds, just asks,"What about us big guys with the guts?". At that moment I look up and feel almost every single look at me. I swear to you, I felt so embarassed at that moment that my head would have imploded. The teacher however, almost as shocked to hear something like that, couldn't think of a good excuse.

The strange thing about this though was that I felt a little proud for both me and my classmate seeing as we were both the only 300+ pound people around. It was cool to have someone speak on my behalf and to stand up for the big guys.

So...has anything like this ever happened to you all? And is it "proper" to wear the pant's waist over the gut?

[erik13]

I don't think I've ever been in a situation like that...

But, I think if you have a big gut, than you should wear dress pants over it. I think that's the "proper" way anyway. When I'm in plays I have to do that... It's just very uncomfortble. My gut is, like, 53'' and I just don't like squeezing it in. Normally I wear my pants under mine.

That's a cool story though... that other guy seems pretty cool, just asking that and thinking nothing of it.

[BigBellyDude]

Pants worn over the gut is for the thin or in shape man that has a 30 waist and 30 gut. For us "big boys" the gut rules the pants! Wear the pants under the gut. A size 46 doesn't stand a chance getting around the 58 gut. I think pants over a big gut looks stupid. Check out the big bellied men around town during business hours. You won't see too many of them wearing the pants over the gut! The big gut jutting over the pants supportted by a snug barely visable belt, framed by a jacket is the proper image!

[Ralph]

But I guess when you get to the point where your gut reaches over 70 there really isn't much choice. Someone would be really hardpressed to find a shirt long and wide enough to cover that mountain! I'm not at that point (or at least no yet) so I guess I'll just let it hang out. :D

[WTFOMGwolfgang]

Under the gut, but with a thick belt, so it's not a very obvious overhang, then wear a suit jacket.

[caporite99]

You get the pants big enough to fit around the belly and use suspenders. No belly fold.

[ivegottabiggut]

in my opinion, we should all wear pants wherever we want to. forget about being "proper"

[estharwolf]

I would have to agree with you

[notsolittlepiggy]

And is it "proper" to wear the pant's waist over the gut?

That might have been proper a century ago, but I just can't see it now.

I think pants over a big gut looks stupid. Check out the big bellied men around town during business hours. You won't see too many of them wearing the pants over the gut! The big gut jutting over the pants supportted by a snug barely visable belt, framed by a jacket is the proper image!

This is what I've seen around town. Personally I think it looks so much better and I'm glad most men have chosen to wear their pants that way.

There is a problem if you try to wear your pants over your gut unless you also wear suspenders. There's no way your pants are going to stay up unless you pull the belt rather tight... and then what do you have... underhang and overhang? It seems that guys that wear their pants that way daily end up with a permanent indentation, with their fat molded around where the belt is worn. To me, that totally ruins the beauty of a big belly seeing a big groove cut into the fat.

Now for the next obvious question... where should the end of your tie be if your pants are below your gut? My opinion is the bottom of the tie should be just below where your belly starts to curve back in toward the belt.

[troodon]

Would have to go the suspender route I suppose once the belt is no longer a viable option. I don't even own a "suit" per se (most formal thing I ever owned was my Air Force dress uniform, which of course no longer fits lol...)

For the tie, if you go the suspender route, I guess the length of the tie should reach down to about an inch above the virtual waistline (whererver the belt would be, if you were wearing one).

[Versalius]

The waistband of the trousers should meet the bottom of your tie.

[notsolittlepiggy]

For the tie, if you go the suspender route, I guess the length of the tie should reach down to about an inch above the virtual waistline (whererver the belt would be, if you were wearing one).

The belt would be at the top of your pants. Are you suggesting you'd wear your pants somewhere around the widest point on your belly, or below your belly?

The waistband of the trousers should meet the bottom of your tie.

That's great advice for a thin guy! :rolleyes:

I looked up your height and weight from your intro... you are the same height as me, and about 25 pounds heavier. If you wear your pants below your belly like I do (and I'd have to believe my belly is smaller), the tie would be flapping out in mid air a couple of inches in front of the pants! :eek:

I had this discussion with another (very) big bellied guy, and we agreed the tie should end at the point indicated in the attached picture.

[fat hiker]

Yeah, that seems like the right place for the tie to end.

Over the belly or under, depends on the belly - more shape than size. But there comes a point for all fat guys where suspenders/braces become a necessity, I think, with dress pants.

And, they look good too! For a lot of 'bear' type guys, having to wear suspenders is a sign that your belly has arrived in the 'big leagues'.

[ozysteve]

You are right - there is a point where it becomes a necessity to wear the pants over not under. As someone who is getting very close to 500lbs, it becomes very difficult to reach under to deal with belts etc. Also let me let all you bigger guys know, once you take the plunge to start wearing your pants over the belly - which I did about a year and a bit ago - you will be amazed at the comfort. This is especially so if your belly is like mine and really getting full down low. Suspenders/braces make it all a whole lot easier.

Thats my 2 cents worth!

[jaybear]

For most big-bellied guys, I think it really looks so much better for the pants to ride below the gut - and that's where mine are most comfy anyway. And it shows off the belly to best advantage. Tie to just above the belt may be okay to a certain point, but ties are hard to find long enough to stretch to that point for some of us. So I think mine looks okay just to the navel.

For the really larger guys, logistics may dictate pants over the gut and that may be okay cuz on a really huge guy, I think it looks way sexy to see lots of lower belly sticking out below the belt.

But I never want to have to wear suspenders. I've tried them and no way! I have very large and sensitive pointy nipples, and suspenders either ride right over them and irritate the hell out of them, or else saw away at them from the side. And I LIKE my nips and don't wanta have to hide them under runners' nipple-guards!

[Donut]

As somebody who wears dress clothes five days a week, I have the following observations to share:

wearing the pants around the belly is superior if you're trying to hide said belly.
wearing pants around the belly does look more professional, but also more dorky.
i'm more comfortable with pants around the belly instead of below it. however, the belt needs to be tighter around the flesh in order to hold the pants up. so it's not significantly more comfortable overall.

[fat hiker]

As somebody who wears dress clothes five days a week, I have the following observations to share:

wearing pants around the belly does look more professional, but also more dorky.


I think this depends a lot on the confidence level of the guy, and how 'professional' the rest of the suit ensemble looks. My boss has a vast belly and always wears his pants below his gut - and looks very professional, as his shirts are long enough that they stay tucked in, his ties are long enough and carefully tied so they come to just the maximum sticking out point of his shirt over his gut, and his shirt is always crisp, his tie always clean and nicely knotted, and his pants and suit jackets fit properly. If any of those items were sloppy, then pants over the belly might be a better bet - or maybe just dorky.

I work in a fairly traditional office environment, not a techie environment, and there are a lot of traditional dressers here - but what matters most is how neatly the look is pulled together. A little eccentricity is acceptable here if the rest is tightly professional - as well as my boss whose pants ride below his gut, one other senior type in our office always wears short-sleeve shirts -but again, beautiful ties, jackets and pants that fit well, and he can pull that off. Down the hall is a guy who is very traditional about suits and shirts, but always wears a bow-tie! Again, if it's pulled together and neat and clean, it works.

For shirts and ties that are long enough, you do have to look in men's shops, or in better department stores. A measuring tape is a good thing to carry when shopping for clothes - then when you find something that fits, you can measure the necessary lengths, and know that other shirts etc will fit. Also, fellow fat guys who wear their pants under their guts, always look for pants cut with a bias - that is, with the front of the pants cut lower than the back. I find, for example, that Levi's 'relaxed fit' are cut this way, where 'regular fit' are not (plus, in relaxed fit I'm a 38, but a 40 in regular - go figure!).

:)