Feeling lost as a Tall Man in a world full of clothing
Hot Take: I failed Math 9 and Math 10… so take my personal calculations with a side of leniency.
Feeling lost as a Tall Man in a world full of clothing
Breaking Down the Numbers Inside Tall Fashion
Hey ChatGPT, how many clothing brands are there in North America?
"Number of Clothing and Footwear Retail Stores in the United States: In 2020, there were approximately 96,000 clothing and clothing accessories stores in the United States."
‘Stores’ probably means it hasn’t accounted for the thousands of online brands popping up daily. Plus, the last four years have seen monumental growth in clothing lines, with social media overtaking old-school marketing (TV, radio, magazines, etc.).
Ok ChatGPT, now how many are there in Europe?
"Number of Clothing and Footwear Retail Stores in the European Union: In 2019, the European Union had approximately 275,000 clothing retail stores."
Now, how many men are there in the world over 6’3”?
"Global Male Population: As of 2024, the estimated world population is approximately 8.2 billion people.
Males constitute about 50% of this population, resulting in approximately 4.1 billion men globally.
Height Distribution: Height distributions vary significantly across different regions and populations. In many countries, a height of 6'3" places an individual well above the 95th percentile, indicating that fewer than 5% of men reach this height.
Estimated Number of Men Over 6'3": Applying the 5% estimate to the global male population:
5% of 4.1 billion men = 0.05 × 4,100,000,000 = 205,000,000 men
Therefore, approximately 205 million men worldwide are taller than 6’3"."
Now, how many clothing brands are there globally that make clothes specifically for tall men over 6’3” and are not Big & Tall?
"Finding clothing that fits well can be a challenge for tall men over 6'3" who do not require the additional width offered by 'Big & Tall' sizes. Fortunately, several brands specialize in apparel tailored specifically for tall, slim, or athletic builds."
‘Several’ in this context meant four from the links ChatGPT provided.
Well, actually three: American Tall, 2Tall, Nav…
Actually, two—since Navas Lab is shutting down.
The last link wasn’t even a clothing brand; it was a website reviewing tall men’s clothing that you might have first encountered through me.
As per usual, ChatGPT isn’t totally correct. After years of wearing and testing a majority of the tall men’s brands, I’ve counted seven brands that have lasted at least three years.
Breaking Down the Numbers
205,000,000 tall men globally (give or take 100,000,000).
Seven clothing brands to serve them.
Seven.
No wonder you and I have such a hard time finding clothes that fit the style we want to wear while also fitting our long limbs.
The Crazy Part
When I was in my teens, during the emotional rollercoaster of hormones and wanting to fit in with my peers and wear fashionable clothes, I had one clothing brand to shop from: Mr. Big & Tall.
One single brand that didn’t even make clothes slim enough for me.
The only size I had a chance of wearing was their LT size, and I was still swimming in it with my 6’7”, 180 lb frame.
We Are 0.00006’7% of the Fashion Industry—What Now?
Even if ChatGPT and I have a less-than-stellar record with numbers, it’s pretty clear where we tall men stand in the world of fashion and clothing brands.
They do not have the time nor care to create a business plan to include our size charts in their global mass production lines.
And when I look at it from a business angle, I really do get it.
Why spend hundreds of millions of dollars to appease a customer base that is less than 5% of the global male population?
Because of that, I’m grateful for the pioneers who started creating garments specifically for us tall men—brands like American Tall, Plus 2 Clothing, and Navas Lab.
I know they’ve helped many tall men, just like me, find the basics they need to feel comfortable walking around in jeans and a hoodie over the past few years.
But That’s Where They Started to Fail Me
As I became more comfortable wearing clothes that fit, I realized I was completely handcuffed by the options tall men’s brands gave me.
It was as if they all followed the same three-pronged approach:
- Slim fit.
- Longer than needed.
- Fashion of the moment.
After a while, I realized I was wearing clothes that technically ‘fit’ me but didn’t make me feel confident.
They were just there—covering the necessary skin society expected (ankles, wrists, navel).
For years, I felt stuck but didn’t know how to solve this problem. I kept searching for new brands, but they were often just copycats of the leaders in the tall men’s fashion niche.
A Game-Changer in Vietnam
It wasn’t until I found myself living in Da Nang, Vietnam, that I discovered the solution to my problem. I found the Mecca of tailoring in Hoi An.
During my three-month stay, I took a 25-minute scooter ride weekly to a tailor I got to know. Together, we created 14 custom pieces of clothing, from T-shirts to dress slacks.
That experience made me realize that fashionable clothes for tall men weren’t impossible to find—they just hadn’t been brought to market.
And it was up to me to change that.
Filling the Void
If you feel like no one is speaking to you when it comes to clothes, it’s probably because your style hasn’t been brought to market yet.
I hope I can help fill that void for you.