Slim (fit) pickings...

For me, clothes shopping is a frustrating and depressing experience.

Sometimes I feel like a cranky old man (which I am not), because every pair of shorts I try on are too long for my super-short legs. Cargo shorts look like cargo pants on me. And don't get me started on capris for men.

It doesn't matter if I'm feeling good about how I look or not, once I find myself in a clothing store, I often can't find clothes that I like that fit the way they should.

And it's not all my fault—the fashion industry's continuing obsession with all things slim fit (despite there being a serious obesity crisis in America) befuddles me.

Sure, I'm not as thin as I'd like to be, but what I'm working on is trying to find a balance between a healthy weight and one that is realistic to manage. (I've been super thin before, and if I'm willing to eat air and work out 12 times a week, I can get there again, but I'd like to have a life, too.) The fact is, though, that I'm a pretty big guy, even when my weight is down. I'm built kind of like a football player, albeit one without the coordination to actually play football.

See the pictures at the top of this post? That is what the majority of clothing designers are designing for these days. I am not one of those people, nor will I ever be. And I'm fine with that, except for the fact that more and more clothing is being designed in this way.

I completely understand that clothing geared toward younger people can and should trend toward a slimmer fit. That's fine. I have no need for low-rise skinny jeans, and don't need to throw on scarves anyway, except when it's cold. But I don't need to shop in the big and tall store, and I'm not ready to visit the old men's section just yet.

When a person who always wears the same size shirt suddenly can't fit in that size and their body hasn't changed, something's got to give. If an XL shirt fits a person who normally wears a medium, what does someone who normally wears an XXL need, a tent? And what is the need for a slim fit XXL shirt anyway? Is every clothing company suddenly outfitting only football players?

Shouldn't being able to find clothes you like in your size be an unalienable right? I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.