[Flanderian]

Agree that MTM or a bespoke from a decent shirtmaker will best fit your needs. As an individual who has been larger through most of his life, I would suggest that your build would be most flattered by clothing that is roomy, but not to the degree you've pictured, and shaped to fit your body. Little looks worse on a fellow with a few extra pounds than snug clothing.

As an individual who did some half-***** body building for about 5 years, I can attest that a fair bit of the mass sticks around even after you've stopped training, unless other life changes intervene.

 

[Flanderian]

Thank you gentlemen! I've been off the 'net for a few days. I appreciate the ideas. I'm afraid that I've been trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I have two inexpensive shirts from Kohl's. I know... not the best quality, but I've been out of work for almost 21 months. They are 18 1/2 34-35. I could probably do with a 19 neck.

Since in my new job I wear a uniform of sorts (open collar polo or button down shirt, black pants and shoes), My other dress shirts are pretty much just open collar for casual wear. I really only need two or three dress shirts I need to button the collars. That would be for the occasional wedding or funeral.

So I may just save up for those two or three custom shirts. I think I deserve it anyway.

This is one of the Kohl's 18 1/2s for an interview I had.

View attachment 73935

If you're buying RTW you really have no better choice than to buy sizes that fit your largest dimension even if it means that garment is too loose elsewhere. And if finances are tight, it's more important to husband resources. If you can find a seamstress who works inexpensively, they should be able to take in the seam on each side of the shirt to decrease its dimensions and look a bit better. It would normally be only part of alterations to reduce a shirt's size, but it's not difficult or time consuming, so if the worker is being fair, they shouldn't have to charge a lot.

I'm blown away that even after 1 1/2 years being out of the gym (covid, laziness and such) that I'm still carrying a lot of the muscle I gained. That's not just gym bragging... I gain fat and muscle quickly but lose slowly.

Used to joke that I bought the wrong bodybuilding magazine, Muscle and Fatness!