Boogie711

Hey folks - it appears like most people on FT, I too am abnormally tall (not really at 6'4" (185cm) but I sport a 37" sleeve.)

I'm trying to find some shirts. "Hey," you say. "No problem. Lots of places sell shirts."

Yes - they may do, but I'm having a heck of a time finding shirts that:

a) Look appropriate for a business meeting. I'm not on safari, I'm not doing a photo shoot on a beach - I'm in a boardroom in Denver or Atlanta. Maybe I'm just not as cool as most travelers, but these are the cards I've been dealt.

b) Can handle the abuse of travel. I don't want "wrinkle resistant out of the dryer." Please - a shar-pei looks wrinkle resistant straight out of the dryer. I need "wrinkle resistant when hand-washed in a sink and hung up to dry on a hanger overnight."

c) Has long enough sleeves. I'm only a 17.5" neck, but I'm a 37" sleeve. I can't buy straight out "XL" or "XXL" because then more often than not, I look like I'm trying to shove my basketball body into a football uniform. Think pencil threading a doughnut.

d) In a perfect world - will ship to Canada. This is surprisingly an issue. (Good luck getting Ex Officio underwear in Canada without paying through the nose. Just saying.)

Any help out there would be most graciously appreciated. I don't really know what that means, but I'll be gracious, and appreciate you.

MaecDavidMiller

Try Brooks Brothers. I live out of their no-iron white broadcloth french cuff shirts when traveling without a wrinkle. I don't know how their sizing runs, although they do actual collar/sleeve lengths (not "X, XXL", etc). If they don't have your size on their web site, try calling their catalogue sales or a store (I think they have stores in at least Toronto since 2009).

tentseller

Do you ever travel to SE Asia? Perhaps custom tailored shirts is your solution for a proper fitting comfortable shirt.
If not maybe you can google Hong Kong tailors and see if any will make a shirt with measurement that you send them.
Globe and Mail used to have ad's for these tailor when they would have sales people in Toronto to do actual measurements and show you samples out of hotel room.

I ask a cousin who is in the shirt business and very rare do you get a pre-made 17.5 neck with 37 sleeve.

aaronu

Looked through 36" and 37" business shirts at a Nordstrom last week. There were quite a few with 17" and 17.5" neck, and in several brands. As it was a sale, the prices were almost reasonable. Shirts marked down from $265 to $130, from $125 to $65, etc.

Based on that I don' t know why finding 17.5" neck and 37" sleeve would be an issue. If not at a place like Nordstrom's or Saks 5th Avenue, maybe a "Big and Tall" store like Casual Male XL. They carry stuff not only for heavy folks.

I know Nordstrom's is in the US but they do have an option to purchase and ship internationally. Then again you're flying to boardrooms in Denver and Atlanta; both places should have plenty of choices for a range of budgets. Buy stuff when you're traveling.

As for Ex Officio, my best deals on Ex Officio have been from (of all places) Seatac airport, where a store there occasionally runs sales.

aaronu

Boogie,

How about Tall sizes? Would you fit OK in LT or XLT?

uncertaintraveler

Lands' End.

They may offer shirts in your sleeve length. They do ship to Canada (often fro free, although you pay duty, of course, but they accept returns and the duty is refunded). Some of their shirts on offer are very much no-iron.

uncertaintraveler

Brooks Brothers has at least 2 stores in Calgary.

N1120A

Thomas Pink

tfar

I so second Brooks Brothers. Love their non-iron shirts. They are well-made and classical. You can get French cuff or sport cuff. The only problem is that often you don't get them without a chest pocket. I find a real dress shirt should not have a chest pocket but may have normal cuffs.

They do separate neck and arm sizes, as others have said.

The way you want them to be wrinkle free (sink wash and dry on hanger) is EXACTLY how I treat mine when traveling. Works like a charm. In fact, I don't even have a dryer at home. So at home they get machine washed at 40C, then spun at max (900 tours I think). Then hang to dry on a hanger. They turn out just fine.

Attention: They will still need a little TLC. That means about every three washes you should iron them. The non-iron effect is only good for so long. I mean after washing them three times they will need a little freshen-up. After that they are good to go for another three times. Also, don't use starch on non-iron shirts. It will destroy the effect because with starch the fiber cannot quell and that's what it needs to do for wrinkles to disappear.

The Tilley shirts are also supposed to be good. But BB is chicer.

Till

Playboy

Paul Fredrick. You can purchase on online.

7Continents

Charles Tyrwhitt - CTshirts dot com.
They ship anywhere and do 17.5 36 and 38 but will also alter in the factory before they ship.
Worth every penny.

kochleffel

Jos. A. Bank shirts in the Traveler line. Wash any way whatsoever and hang up to dry - always perfect. They have 17.5/37 in the Tall selection and they ship anywhere. Right now shirts are on sale at 50%, so about $47 CAD. www.josbank.com

Boogie711

I'm sorry - to clarify, finding a 17.5 neck and 37" sleeve is not a challenge. I have a closet full of them. And probably 15 of them are custom-tailored by Maxwells clothiers (who receive a hearty thumbs up, by the way.)

The issue is finding shirts that are nice, wrinkle free, with (as Tilley says) 'give 'em hell' washing instructions. Like I said - lots of stuff is considered 'wrinkle free straight out of the dryer.' That's cheating - I bet my grandmother would look wrinkle free coming right out of the dryer.

The recommendations on Brooks brothers sound fantastic - and I can handle ironing once every 2-3 times. I'll check that out. Are all their "no iron" shirts like that? I saw the recommendation for Broadloom white, but I'm personally more a navy/light blue guy.

Now I just need to find an easy way to not forget to bring cufflinks.

Fly4SCUBA

Ditto!

lwildernorva

On the assumption that you're an Aeroplan member, keep in mind that several of these merchants (but not Brooks Brothers or Jos A. Bank) are partners where purchases can earn additional Aeroplan miles.