Baldur

While we are voyaging through the topic of men's haberdashery I should bring up shirts.
Baldur is by all accounts a rather large man. Even if I were stranded on a dessert island with nothing to eat for a year I would still be large. Underneath all this other stuff is a large skeleton.
When buying a dress shirt I need to find one with a 20" neck and 38" sleeves. In order to accomodate these 2 measurements the rest of the shirt billows about me like a sail.
Manufacturers seem to think that is you have that size neck and sleeves you must have an 60" chest and a 90" stomach
Indeed I have a 54" Chest so that part is almost within reason but even with the bit of a stomach that I am endowed with there is far too much shirt
to deal with. I'm certain more than a square yard could be removed and still have them fit me.
Luckily one can sometimes find 54L sportsjackets, why are corresponding shirts so out of whack?
On these odd shirts the breast pocket also ends up about 6" too low.
It is not merely a matter of finding a seamstress to cinch in the sides to make it work properly the fabric would need to be removed from at least 4 areas. Buying custom made shirts would be heaven but is not in my budget.
When Baldur wears a dress shirt acres of fabric get tucked into the waistband of my trousers. I try to keep my jacket on.

solosater

I too love the button fly. At least on jeans/denims, for some reason the zipper looks cheap to me. Crazy? Perhaps.

I will say that for the most part ladies trousers/slacks/pants look better with a zipper but NOT JEANS!

I also suffer from noassatall, most womens pants that I try on have what I less than affectionately call wings at the hips. I have to alter the side seems of all pants and any "straight" skirt to get rid of the extra fabric. I am shaped rather squarely from the waist down; if I were super skinny I'd be a supermodel! That is to say I'm shaped like a man from the waist down (well not entirely;-).

Baldur

Well if you will excuse me, Baldur is going to curl up in the living room with the latest issue of 'American Bungalow'
I did read a notice in the back of the issue stating that they are liquifying the stock of their online bookstore. If all goes well Baldur will not succumb to buying a greatly marked down copy of a book called 'Morris & Co.'
Ahh but it's so tempting.

Goodnight

'All Baldur, All the Time'

solosater

I feel your pain! I have a giant frame. I'm actually "big boned" per my chiropractor. I have long arms and long legs and the in between is all rather average but as I have long arms I MUST also have large arms so most of my shirts gape around the arm holes. You can't even alter that, the fabric is cut away to make them larger. I just stopped buying woven shirts and stick to knits as they seem to be more forgiving and generally go sleeveless too.

Men have it easier, while some may not fit into the norm at least on most things you have a wide range of sizes, in womens clothing it's extra small, small, medium, large, extra large and you rarely (in fact NEVER) see an Extra Large Slim and Tall which is what I would need.

I went shopping with my brother and discovered that men get to choose the inch measurement for their neck and sleeve even to a half inch on some things and when buying a suit it isn't hemmed until it's purchased so it is sure to fit. Nope I get small medium or large!

Robindcr8l

Marius, you've convinced me! I am a supertaster! I took the test to prove it. The test said that most supertasters hate coffee, cabbage, grapefruit, spinach, and brussells sprouts. I am the only night-shift person I know who hates coffee, I can eat cabbage only if it's raw, I can eat spinach only if it's smothered in a dip, like spinach artichoke dip. Brussells sprouts....ICK! But oddly enough, I love grapefruit. I cannot tolerate super spicy food, either. And Beets!! Please don't force them on me!

Now, about my wedding I attended last night...yes! It was the Basquo Fiasco where I was to meet the man my friends all thought I was perfect for (or vice versa, I can't remember). I indeed had the bride point him out to me. To look at him, not completely my type, but I would never judge on looks alone. So, at some point during the night I went up and introduced my self and just blurted out the truth that I had 2 separate friends, (including his the bride and groom, his cousin) who felt sure that he and I would get a long well because we had smart-ass senses of humor! I believe he was quite taken back, but I'm not sure if it was in a good way or a bad way. Just couldn't get a read from the guy. So we talked for maybe half-an hour, conversation flowed easily. He was interesting, not sooo witty, but then, neither was I, I'm sure, under these strange circumstances. Eventually, I wanted to rejoin my friends. I invited him to get a drink with me but he declined, as he was keeping an eye on his teenage daughters. He never asked for my number, but the bride and groom tell me he just wouldn't know how to do that! I guess not much experience in the dating world, poor guy. I figure if he asked me out, I would certainly go, but I did not feel any exciting fireworks or anything. He could easily get my number from one of our mutual acquaintances, so I'll just leave the ball in his court.

polenta

I hope he calls you Robin. So that's the Basque guy........

Baldur

Polenta, where have you been?
We haven't heard from you here at Radio Baldur in a while now.
I was beginning to think one of our South American radio transmitters was broken.

Baldur

We depend on our worldwide audience to help boost our ratings.

Baldur

Robin, were you wearing your stylin' shoes to this wedding?
Surely they would lure him in.
Overall this lack of connection could have been very bad, think of Brangelina and Tomkat.
Could you really handle going through life as 'the Basque n' Robinses'?

Baldur

Oh how Baldur hates screwing up his language!

either
-lack of
or
-very bad +a blessing

Baldur

Well Baldur is headed outside, it's a beautiful sunny morning, yet it's very cold.
Yardwork awaits.

marius

Thanks for the story Robin. Thought that was so charming that you told the guy the truth. People aren't used to that so he was probably taken off guard. But, I bet he found your candor refreshing. My spouse is rather shy until he gets to know people. He told me that day we were photographing flowers that he couldn't believe I told him all about my crazed family. He said he thought about it over and over and althouh he is not open like that with others, he was impressed by my candor and it lit a spark for him. Let us know what happens.

And, was this Basque wedding different from the usual wedding?

marius

Oh my ... just now got it ... 'the Basque n' Robinses'

Very funny, Baldur. Clever. Laughing aloud! We also have sunshine, two days in a row! Going out to hike - the yard work can wait!

Dragon

LOL at 'Basque n' Robinses' at least you'd always know there'd be good ice cream at their place!

I can commiserate on the hard to fit clothing nd of things. Not for myself, I'm a pretty average fit though I find shirt sleeves are always too long and I must fold them under. My boyfriend, on the other hand, is 6'7" and quite slim. He has a terrible time finding t-shirts that are long enough for him but don't bag around him. The only pants that seem to fit are Carhart's (which are great for work but not really very styling for anything else) and Wrangler's because appearantly cowboys like their jeans to puddle aroung their ankles. Needless to say they do not puddle on my sweetie. The last time he went looking for sneakers he went to every shoe store in town and found a grand total of 3 pairs of shoes in his size (all at one store). I don't even attempt to buy him clothes except for a sweater now and then as they seem to simply be more forgiving in the fit department.

Dragon

Oh, I thought I'd add a little something on the taste conversation as well. Many people are very much anti-brussel sprout, for the most part me too, I've had them way too often where someone has simply boiled the crap out of them and thrown them on the plate. However, my step-dad makes them wonderfully, he steams them until they are just barely cooked then cuts them in half and sautees them with brown sugar and whiskey. I don't like brussel sprouts, I don't like whiskey, but I will happily eat a plateful of these. If you seriously hate brussel sprouts you're probably still not going to care for them no matter how they're cooked. But if you're even a little on the fence it's worth it to try them done like this.

Robindcr8l

Well, Robin should be fast asleep right now, but her son is home sick and coughing, and she has had 2 phone calls to wake her. I do keep my phone on vibrate only, so if I'm in a deep sleep, it won't wake me. But if I am in any light state, even the quiet vibrate will get me. One call was my son's coach, leaving a message for my son. I thought, geez, for all you know he is at school right now and save the calls for later! The other call was from the school. UGH! Why do I bother calling them to notify them he is sick??

Baldur, that ingeniously clever play on words makes me hope now more than ever that my Basquo calls! Imagine changing my email address, my Thinkdraw username, I dare say my whole persona for the past 14 years! I can't wait to now be known as Basque 'n' Robin! I hope you don't mind, but I may take full credit for that hilarious name, should occasion arise for me to incorporate it! It's too funny to give the laugh to some invisible radio-show DJ 2000 miles away! LOL!

Marius, the bride did not invite anyone but immediate family to the wedding ceremony itself. Somehow, in the Basque tradition, immediate family grew to over 80 people! Holly, the bride, was none too pleased about this, but was of course, gracious. The rest of us were invited to the reception only. It was very fun, but I have to say, not much different than any reception I've been to where the bride and groom want everyone to PARTY! The hall was at the Basque Center downtown. The Basque center takes up a whole block in downtown Boise. On the corner is a bar/restaurant called Bar Gurnicka (might have spelled that wrong). They serve traditional Basque food, and cheap drinks. In the middle of the block is the Basque cultural center and museum, then on the other corner is another bar (this one is a bar with a pool hall, but no food) and has the large reception hall attached. In the basement of the hall is a huge kitchen where all the food is prepared for the weddings.

Robindcr8l

The Basque women plan the weddings down to the last detail. Holly really didn't have to do ANYTHING in the way of planning, other than follow the driections her mother-in-law gave her. Holly is the type of girl who was grateful for the help, and relieved by being able to relax about everything, although, I'm sure many brides would find it overbearing and interfering. There were over 200 people there and we all sat in long tables that were just lined up in rows. There is an open bar, because apparently there is ALWAYS an open bar at a Basque wedding! The food is served buffet-style. The food was delicious! My favorite was the Basque rice, which is similar to a spanish rice but with Chorizo cut up in it. There was also a caesar salad, a LOVELY fruit salad with EVERY kind of fruit, some delicious meatballs, and fried chicken. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. On Thursday before the wedding, all of the moms, grandmas, Tias (aunts) and really just any Basque female, gets together in that big kitchen and prepares all of the food. On Friday the Basque men set up all the tables and string the lights, then the Basque women (and me) decorate the tables. On Saturday is the wedding.

Robindcr8l

Once everyone ate dinner, the mother-in-law gets up on the stage and tells everyone sitting in the first 3 rows of table taht they have to get up and move because the tables have to go to create the dance floor! LOL! I was lucky enough to hear about this plan on Friday while I was helping set up, so craftily instructed my friends where we should sit! But all those Basquos not only got up to move, but also helped take the tables down and put them away in the basement!! Then the dancing and drinking ramped up, and a fun time was had by all!

So that is a Basque wedding!

Robindcr8l

Baldur, just to answer your question, YES! I wore my stylin' shoes! I actually bought them especially for the wedding. We had a joke with the bride that all of her friends should be bridesmaids, and that each one of us could wear a different animal print. I claimed the leopard as mine right from the get-go. That left zebra, giraffe, cheetah, tiger, and snow leopard (or dalmation) for the others! Everyone else seemed to pick cheetah, but I had a leopard print dress with my leopard-print shoes! I felt a little Wilma Flintstone-ish, but anything for a laugh! The bride loved it and got a pic of all of us "bridesmaid wannabes" posing in our prints! But I was the only one with matching shoes!

Robindcr8l

'All Robin, some of the time. '