Should My Shirt Size Bother Me?

[live4u120]

Now I'm 15, and I know this is the time of my life where insecuirities come in and I don't really think much of it, but today I went out and bought a few synthetic polos. I thought they fit alright but when I went home to wash them and take the tags off, I noticed they are actually pretty big on me, it's almost as if I'm wearing my dad's shirt, if I had a relatively small dad. Should this bother me? I mean the sleeves hang pretty low. But I'm pretty sure this is going to be a useless thread, I just wanted to check. Thanks!

[nuck81]

Usually after I wash them I find mine are too small. But all my weight is around my core while my arms and legs have no fat at all.

But back on topic. If you don't feel comfortable it may effect your swing...

[live4u120]

But back on topic. If you don't feel comfortable it may effect your swing...

Its not really a comfortability issue, they are very comfortable, it's just the bagginess of them bothers me. I want to represent a good golfer on the course, and I don't look very clean cut with a baggy polo. By the way, it comes from me being a really scrawny kid.

[clam fist]

Your a kid. That is how your supposed to look. As long as your comfortable, don't worry. Everyone else has too many other thoughts on the course.

[Chief Broom]

Its not really a comfortability issue, they are very comfortable, it's just the bagginess of them bothers me. I want to represent a good golfer on the course, and I don't look very clean cut with a baggy polo. By the way, it comes from me being a really scrawny kid.

Never underestimate the value of well fitting attire. That being said you are a young man who will probably be growing a good bit over the next few years, so that does present a challenge while putting together a nice wardrobe of clothes to wear. You are right to be critical of baggy ill-fitting shirts, pants, and shorts. Some stuff like cargo shorts look fine being baggy, but slacks and polo shirts don't. Different courses have different standards for what is acceptable to wear, but if you are trying to look nice a baggy polo where the sleeves hang down to your elbows just looks sloppy and unkempt. A nice polo should be loose, but fit you in the shoulders (that means the seam of the shirt at the shoulders should sit at the end of your shoulder and not down onto your upper arm). The sleeves of the polo shouldn't go lower than just below the mid point of your upper arm/biceps. As long as the shirt fits you in those two areas yet is still loose enough to be comfortable, the fit should be fine. A nice pair of slacks should fit you in the waist and inseam (this will prevent them from being saggy in the rear). The cuffs should fall on top of your shoes but not be so long as to drag on the ground.

While all this may sound anal (or dare I say gay) the truth is clothes that fit you look better than clothes that don't. You don't have to be a perfect physical specimen to look good in well fitting clothes. In fact just wearing clothes that fit you properly (and styles that are fairly current) will make you stand out. At 15 this is important, and as you get older it can become even more important, and I'm not just talking about job interviews or important occasions. How you dress and present yourself says a lot about you and whether or not other people should take you seriously. This matters in the corporate world and just as much in your personal life. Look at Tiger, he always presents himself well. Even someone like Ryan Moore, whether or not his tastes appeal to you, he still takes the time and effort to make sure his style is distinctive and he stands out (in a good way). What I'd suggest is for you to find a good men's clothing store in your area and spend some time shopping there. You don't even have to buy anything to get the benefit of their knowledge and assistance, although naturally they'll want to sell you something. I had a buddy in college who got a job at just such a local store and he was able to outfit himself cheaply with great clothes that lasted him years. These stores also have end of season sales where average people (read: not rich) can get good bargains on quality attire.

[Zeph]

Too big attire looks stupid imo. I see a lot of players on the PGA tour wearing very large clothes, compared to what I am used to. I like clothes that fit me, not shirts that can fit twice of me. Slim fit and clothes with stretch is nice.

I notice when watching the European tour how better the clothes fit than the baggy ones they wear at the PGA tour.

[jamo]

Your shirts are too big? Lucky....

[NormH3]

The problem with clothing today, is that each manufacturer has it's own idea of small, medium and large. My suggestion is to go to several different stores and find a brand or two that you look good in. I had the same problem growing up. In high school I was 6'2" and only about 135 and I liked my clothes to fit a bit snug. I think baggy clothes made me look even thinner..if that was possible. As an adult, I am now a svelte 185 and still like my clothes to fit well. Hopefully you will find a few brands that you are comfortable in.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I hate it when the sleeves hang at or below the smalls my elbow. Its totally uncomfortable. I know what you mean. You gotta feel comfortable in what your wearing.

[kpaulhus]

I have seen your swing videos, and you are a thin guy. I would keep the shirts, because at your age your going to fill out soon. If you like them keep them because they will fit u eventually.

[WUTiger]

The clothing companies have been jacking around with men's sizes lately, due to the supposed obesity crisis in the USA.

For several years, size L fit me just fine in most men's polo or golf shirts. Recently, I find that some makes of L are too big for me, and the corresponding size M shirts almost fit, but are a little snug. I'm stuck in between.

If I do like my doctor says and lost 10 lbs., the M should just about fit.

Ask someone who knows men's clothing if you're just stuck between standard sizes.

[Weezy]

As a very scrawny guy myself don't bother with most golf polos, they are huge and for some odd reason most are made of material that gets completely saturated with sweat which seems counterproductive to me. So knowin that i just get the cotton t shirt type from hollister, They have em cheap online all the time and the small fits me great. I have plaid in the very high humidity and they dry much quicker than my playing partners rayon mess "golf" polos and are very cool feeling. I like the look too. The small fits me pretty snug and the arms are generally elastic so they don't bunch up.

[Ryanmal]

The clothing companies have been jacking around with men's sizes lately, due to the supposed obesity crisis in the USA.

Agreed. I am a pretty solid guy at 6' 1" 245 lbs. I now wear a large in most brands. Size XL seems to have gotten huge a few years ago. Adidas and Nike are particularly bad.

For me, my shirts have to fit right or I don't want them.

[SpoiledRotten]

You too? I was 6'2" and weighed 135 when I got married at 19. I looked like death eating an onion sandwich, or maybe an earthworm with the crap slung out of him. After I got married, I gained 10#/year for the next four years. Now, at 51 yrs, I weigh in at 215 but still at 6'2"... for now.

I too, like well fitting clothes. I wear polo shirts every day of my life and when I look as good as I can, I work better and feel better. I guess it's a mental thing. I certainly play better golf when I'm wearing nice looking clothes.

[Meddle]

Yeah man, get yourself some small and medium polos. I have some pictures of myself back when I was in high school wearing large and XL shirts (because baggy was in style back then) and I look ridiculous.

[allin]

Polos with a high percentage of synthetic fiber, shrink very little or not at all. So if you are used to cotton or blends that have more shrink you might need a different size. Also washing them inside keeps them looking nice longer as they tend to snap and pill a bit in the dryer. Obviously growth rates vary, but at your age I went from 5'2" to 5' 10" in one year and my final 5' 11 1/2 in 18 months, gaining 40 pounds.

[Leftygolfer]

I am similar to you and I don't like baggy shirts. I went from 245 to 187 so I have a whole closet of XLs I will never wear again. Even my larges are big on me but they are still wearable but I have just broke into medium shirts. If you don't like them don't keep them. You will never wear them.

[golfro]

my Nike Dri Fit polo's fit me almost perfectly in size Large :)

I hate golfing with sleeves that are ridiculously long and I just don't understand why golf apparel manufacturers continue to make sleeves so damn long...down to my elbows.

OP, something you might want to check out...tennis shirts (one with collar, like a polo shirt) tend to fit much better than golf shirts. They're quite a bit more fitted and the sleeves are narrower and shorter which makes for a much more modern fit. So you don't end up looking like a middle aged car salesman in a polo shirt.