Every big guy knows the struggle of trying to shop off the rack at your average department store. You see a pile of folded t-shirts that you like and immediately make your way to the bottom of the stack where you know the big sizes should be.
Instead, you see that they stop at 2XL…and that’s if you’re lucky.
But shopping online can be just as painful. You might find a shirt that you think would look great on your body only to find (after a couple of clicks) that it also only runs up to 2XL. Or even worse, it’s a “slim fit.”
Whether you hit the brick-and-mortar stores or go the online route, shopping as a big guy is an exercise in disappointment. Even more so if you’re fat and short. That means even when you find a shirt that’s wide enough, it might be comically long.
So where can short and fat guys shop for clothing that looks great and feels good?
Shopping online is the best option for short and fat guys and Amazon has everything you need. KingSize is a great brand for just about everything including underwear, socks, and shirts. Wrangler is great for jeans, IZOD has awesome collared shirts, Dockers for khakis and chinos, and Champion for athletic wear.
That’s everything you could possibly need and gives you a ton of options for looking great!
We’re going to take a closer look at each brand but first, let’s cover some quick vocabulary that will be critical for your shopping success.
Big and Tall Really Means Big OR Tall!
I know that sentence might seem a little confusing but once you realize that big clothing OR tall clothing are two different things, an entirely new world of clothing will suddenly open up.
We explain everything you need to know about big and tall clothing sizes in this article but the main takeaway is that even though many of the brands on this list will market themselves as big and tall brands that doesn’t mean that only tall folks can wear them.
Instead, you’ll have the option to choose between the big version or the tall version. Short fat guys will want to skip the tall choices and go for the big versions.
Know Your Brand-Specific Size
The last caveat to consider is that many big or tall brands for men will have the traditional sizes you’re used to seeing but in a cut that’s actually made for big guys- including big and short guys.
For example, there’s a big difference between an XL from your standard clothing company and an XL from a big and tall brand like KingSize.
Just look at this chart to see what a difference shopping with a big and tall brand can make:
| Size | Standard T-Shirt Chest |
Standard T-Shirt Waist |
Big T-Shirt Chest |
Big T-Shirt Waist |
| XL | 44 – 46″ | 38 – 40″ | 46 – 48″ | 42 – 44″ |
As a short and fat guy, you’ll need to look past just the size on the tag and really understand the brand you’re buying. Of course, we’ve made things easier and the first two brands on this list will offer a bigger version than you’d expect to find off the rack- even if the size on the tag is the same.
Other short fat guys will just need big clothing and every brand on this list will go well above the 2XL sizes you’d expect to find in most stores.
Best Brands For Short and Fat Men
With the background information out of the way, let’s take a closer look at our favorite brands for short fat guys and where to get them. We’ll focus on online options but you’ll also find many of these brands in major department stores too.
Best For Everything: KingSize
The folks at KingSize are some of the absolute best when it comes to big and tall sizes- including options that will work for shorter guys. They also have everything you could possibly need and have made dozens of our “best of” lists including our favorite sweaters, tank tops, cardigans, and more.
But the folks at KingSize don’t stop there and they also offer everything from swimwear and rainjackets to robes and underwear.
Like many big and tall brands, you can choose between big, tall, or both when picking out your size. As a shorter guy, you’ll definitely want to skip tall and just look for clothing that’s labeled “big”.
For an example of how this brand can work for a short fat guy, let’s look at the XL-Big size of their standard t-shirt which you can check out on Amazon here. These shirts come in a standard length of 32 inches and the big XL works for guys with a chest measuring around 47″ and a waist of around 43″.
They don’t go smaller than XL for their big sizes in most garments but that still shouldn’t be a problem for short fat guys as your belly can end up covering a lot of fabric length.
What really makes the folks at KingSize stand out is that they’re one of the few places where you can find a shirt up to 9XL. That can be a real game-changer for any short and fat guy but especially if you prefer a looser fit. They also offer everything you could need from robes and underwear to belts and dress shirts so they’re really a one-stop-shop for big guys.
You can browse the entire KingSize store on Amazon and grab everything from a sweet robe to comfy undies by clicking here.
Runner Up For Everything: DXL / Harbor Bay
This is another brand that’s primarily available online and while they may not have quite as much variety as their KingSize counterpart they still have a huge variety of garments from underwear to vests and even some belts mixed in too.
You’ll find this brand listed as DXL and you’ll see it listed as “Harbor Bay by DXL”. Both names are the same brand and while they have individual sites I usually prefer to browse their online store on Amazon.
You can find sizes up to 8XL which will work for most but if you need even bigger then check out the 9XL options from the previous brand, KingSize.
As for the t-shirt test, the standard DXL t-shirt (which you can see here on Amazon) has a chest of 42″ which is quite a bit smaller than the equivalent size from KingSize. That may be a good thing for some short guys and a downside for others- all depending on how you carry your weight.
But these folks make a lot more than just shirts and their khakis are one of my absolute favorite options for fat guys of any height. Not only do they offer sizes that actually fit, but they also feature an extendable waistband that can make a world of difference when it comes to big bellies.
DXL / Harbor Bay runs a little longer than most so unless you have a belly that’s big enough to support some extra length, you may want to skip this big and tall brand. However, if you’re only a little shorter than average these garments can be a great option.
Best For Collared Shirts: IZOD
IZOD certainly isn’t known as a big and tall brand but that hasn’t stopped them from introducing some awesome products for fat guys- including short guys. Because this a brand that offers both big and tall sizing and traditional sizing, it can be a little hard to track down the sizes that are right for you. Instead of mixing sizes, big and tall options are usually very specifically labeled as separate products altogether.
While IZOD offers a wide range of garments, they don’t have quite the same variety that you’ll see in dedicated big and tall brands. That means you’re unlikely to find underwear or belts specifically made for short and fat guys.
But you will find tons of semi-casual clothing choices that you might not find anywhere else. IZOD is perfect for a more stylish look without breaking the bank. However, if you need a true dress shirt, you’ll need to look a little harder and this article can help you out.
When it comes to comparing t-shirts, it’s not as clear cut since IZOD doesn’t make many traditional style t-shirts so instead, we’ll take a look at the sizing on their fat guy friendly polo which you can see here on Amazon.
The material is stretchy which is immediately a plus for big guys. But what really makes the big cut stand out for shorter fat guys is that IZOD has combined extra space in the belly, bigger armholes, and longer length to accommodate a larger belly without increasing the length of the sleeves.
Many companies don’t think this through and assume that because a guy needs more space in the waist, back and arms they must also need long sleeves. That leaves short fat guys swimming in their shirts with awkward fitting elbow-length sleeves. As for the specific measurements, the 2XL Big is best for a neck measurement of around 17 to 17.5″ and a chest of 46 to 48″.
IZOD is a great option for short fat guys that want to add brighter colors and more style to their wardrobe. When it comes to stylish collared shirts, it’s almost impossible to beat IZOD and you can check out their entire selection of fat-friendly clothing on Amazon by clicking here.
Best For Pants and Shorts: Dockers
Dockers is another great choice for stylish clothing that actually fits short fat guys. While IZOD offers trendy but casual options for your top half, Dockers delivers for your lower half with clean-looking khakis and stylish shorts. They do have a handful of shirts that also work but that’s not what this brand is truly known for and their selection is pretty limited.
I’ve also found Dockers to fit a little snug on the behind but for their big and tall line, they’ve added extra room not only on the rump but also to the thighs- which is critical. Dealing with pants that are too tight on the thighs is a constant struggle for any man of size but Dockers has you covered.
Their big and tall line also includes extendable waistbands which is a real gamechanger and something I’d suggest fat guys of any height look for. Not only does an extendable waistband help you fit into the pants in the first place, but it also allows you to freely bend and move without worrying about your belly busting your button.
But Dockers isn’t just about pants and they’ve also been featured on our list of the best shorts for fat guys. More importantly, they claimed the spot for the best shorts for fat and short guys thanks to their khakis shorts with an 8″ inseam which you can see here. Depending on your height, a 10″ inseam could be too long and a shorter inseam can help improve your proportions by making your legs look longer.
You’re probably all too familiar with the assumption that bigger means taller and most big and tall brands skip the 8″ inseam short altogether.
Dockers is a great option for khakis, chinos, and shorts for the short fat guy. With stretchy fabric, extendable waists, extra width in the leg hole and flexible inseams they offer a lot of options for your bottom half. You can check out all your options on their online Amazon store by clicking here.
Best for Athletic Wear: Champion
Champion is another brand that may not market itself as big and tall but they’re still making moves to service that market. Their big and tall collection offers sizes up to 6XL and like every brand you’ll find on this list, they do make that critical distinction between big and tall so short guys can skip the tall versions.
Champion clothing is really just a bigger size. In other words, they aren’t going into the same detail that IZOD does where they adjust the waist without extending the sleeves and so on.
Normally, that would be a problem for shorter guys but because you’ll be buying hoodies, sweats, and other loose-fitting athletic clothing from Champion it works out just fine. Hoodies are naturally roomy in the belly and if you take advantage of the large sizes you’re not likely to have a problem.
So if you’re looking for athletic wear or comfortable hoodies at budget-friendly prices, you can check out Champion’s big and tall store on Amazon by clicking here.
Best for Jeans: Wrangler
Wrangler is one of my favorite brands for the big man, regardless of height, and they even made the list of our favorite jeans for fat guys with big thighs.
They offer inseams at 28L which is the shortest you can go without going for a tailor or custom fit. However, you shouldn’t expect to find that off the rack and you won’t find anything shorter than 30L in the majority of department stores.
But a good fit for short guys isn’t just length and this pair of stylish and relaxed-fit Wrangler jeans is available on Amazon at 44W x 28L as a starting point.
However, if you’re not looking carefully it can be easy to overlook the entire Wrangler brand. That’s because they barely market their jeans as big and tall at all instead you have to dig through the sizes to even find it. You’ll notice that even within the big and tall section of their online store on Amazon they still don’t actually label any of the jeans as big or tall. Instead, they’re grouped into the relaxed fit category with an option to select big and tall sizes.
Don’t let that fool you though, Wrangler does big OR tall right and they’ve got one of the best selections of jeans for the short fat guy.
Closing Thoughts
That’s it! With just 6 brands we’ve covered everything from collared shirts to robes and everything in between.
Even better, you can tap into ALL of these brands from the comfort of your own home. And for the short and fat guy, that’s usually a requirement.
Special sizing like 44W x 28L jeans or similar cuts aren’t typically available off the rack and there’s no short and fat store…yet. So even though you can find many of these brands in department stores, they may not have the sizes you need.
What do you think? Did you find what you needed?