Personal Style

Gordon dresses well but faces a specific and common fit challenge: big seat, smaller waist. This drives most of his clothing decisions.

The Fit Problem

Standard pants are cut for a flatter seat. When you've got glutes that fill out the seat, you're constantly choosing between:

  • Waist fits → too tight in the seat
  • Seat fits → too big in the waist (the "Size Up Syndrome")
  • The result is a "front dip" — the waistband angles down toward the fly because glutes pull the back up, dragging fabric from the front.

    Also wears pants low — they rest where his body naturally widens. Can't change that height.

    What's Worked

  • **Levi's 541 Athletic Taper** — benchmark fit. Extra room through seat and thigh, tapered below the knee. Most standard brand that handles the geometry.
  • **Barbell Apparel Straight Athletic Fit (34" waist)** — nuclear option. Founded specifically for the big-seat/small-waist build. Technical and smooth fabric. Wife approved.
  • **Barbell Anything Chino** — same fit advantage, chino version.
  • **7 For All Mankind** — stretch denim, athletic builds
  • **AG Jeans Tellis / Graduate** — good seat room without excess thigh
  • What's Been Tried

  • Bonobos Athletic Fit — no brick-and-mortar near him to try; passed on jeans due to online-only friction
  • Fresh Clean Threads tees — Large Tall ordered, "no panacea" (neckline too high/stiff, looked like an undershirt). XL Tall as backup.
  • Lululemon and Vuori — didn't solve the front-dip problem
  • Clothing Preferences

  • **Henleys over plain tees** — more "intentional shirt" look, adds ruggedness. Olive green + gray hair is a "powerhouse combination."
  • **White sneakers** — clean, modern, works with dark denim
  • **Stone/taupe pants** — pairs well with olive tops and white sneakers
  • **Crew neck preferred** — clean, unfussy, age-appropriate
  • Brands to Try

  • Levi outlet (Livermore Premium Outlets) — 541
  • 7 For All Mankind, True Religion, Diesel — Livermore
  • Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic Factory — tees at Livermore outlets

  • Related: Fitness