Do Clothes Really Make The Man?

If So, I'm A T-Shirt + Shorts Guy

“Clothes make the man,” the old saying goes.

If that’s true, then I’m unquestionably a t-shirt and shorts guy. Jeans if I’m working. A button-down if I absolutely have to look like a grown-up. Usually with some form of protest. That’s pretty much the full arc of my personal fashion journey.

So imagine my joy (aka dread) when I got invited to a wedding this weekend. A dear friend is marrying her high school sweetheart, nearly 30 years after they first dated. It’s the kind of full-circle love story that’s worth celebrating.

I love my friend, but I don’t love weddings. Truth be told, I’m okay with weddings in theory. Especially the food and after-party. But that part where I have to wear a suit? Yuck. For me, that’s where it all starts to unravel.

THE BIG + TALL OF IT ALL

As a big and tall guy—who, like many of us, got a bigger (though not taller) during the pandemic—clothes shopping has rarely been my favorite. But suit shopping? That’s an Olympic-level endurance test.

And finding a suit for this wedding has been a full-on saga.

THE GREAT SUIT DEBACLE OF 2025

Trying to go with the flow, I went to the same suit and tux shop the bride had chosen for the groom and his party. Not only was the store convenient, it almost seemed like a mom and pop shop…though it’s actually a giant chain.

Despite my reservations, I decided to go with a new black suit, something classic and versatile that could work for both the wedding and an upcoming cruise.

The sales associate was friendly and enthusiastic.

I thought, “Hey, maybe this won’t be so bad.”

Plot twist: The sales associate was actually an idiot and things got baaaaaad.

Turns out, the suit she sold me isn’t even available in my size. And won’t be for the foreseeable future. I only found this out because I showed up in person and asked, “Where the hell is my suit?”

Turns out, nowhere. Another sales associate handed me some ill-fitting garments, but the suit I spent an hour getting fit for last week doesn’t exist. Great. Fuck me.

CLINT’S INNER KAREN COMES OUT TO PLAY

With my time officially wasted and no suit in sight, my patience tapped out. I spotted the manager sneaking in through the back door (on her day off, no less) and flagged her down. Because her staff was clearly as useless as a button on a sock.

I don’t love pulling rank, but I was one misstep away from a full-blown meltdown.

Yes, finding a suit can reduce me to tears. And if I’m crying, chances are others will be too. I’d already lost my patience with undertrained employees who overpromise and underdeliver, so the manager was my last-ditch effort to get a suit and get the fuck out of there.

After more than an hour of back-and-forth, she finally—hopefully—found a solution. She comped me a rental suit and promised it would be ready for pickup today. But she’ll on vacation, so who the fuck knows what if anything I’ll find when I show up.

Fingers crossed, the suit will be there. If it’s not, I’ll probably scream at someone. And likely cry. This should not be so fucking difficult.

THE IRONIC TWIST

Why am I so emotional and frustrated? Because I know how a thing or two about dressing people the right way. In my twenties, I made my living as a costumer and wardrobe stylist. I always underpromised and overdelivered.

Maybe because I don’t fit in many clothes, I’ve always loved dressing other people, putting together looks that made them feel like the best version of themselves (or their characters). Playing with texture, fit, color, I have dressed hundreds of people over the years, helping them feel confident and seen.

But dressing myself? That’s a whole other can of worms.

It’s not that I don’t care about how I look. But when you’re built like a refrigerator, clothes don’t feel like they were made for you. Because, honestly, they weren’t.

The fashion industry hasn’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for us big and tall folks. Good thing I don’t worry about walking on red carpets. Anymore anyway.

For me, shopping has become less about style and self-expression and more about comfort and damage control.

WEDDINGS + WHAT REALLY MATTERS

Despite all this chaos and frustration, I still plan on attending my friend’s wedding Sunday. Because what matters is showing up and showing love.

I’ll be there, dressed and stressed in a free rented suit. I hope.

Maybe clothes do make the man. But I’d argue the real measure is how you feel in those clothes. Confidence. Comfort. Authenticity. That’s the real fit that matters.

And after the reception’s over? You better believe I’m back in my t-shirt and shorts.

Keep calm and dress on!
Clint 🌈✌️

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ON THIS DAY = OCTOBER 10

BIRTHDAYS

• 1813 = Giuseppe Verdi = Italian composer and philanthropist

• 1858 = Maurice Prendergast = American painter and academic

• 1859 = Ambrosia Tønnesen = Norwegian artist 🌈

• 1861 = Fridtjof Nansen = Norwegian explorer, scientist, and humanitarian

• 1889 = Han van Meegeren = Dutch painter and forger

• 1900 = Helen Hayes = American actor

• 1901 = Alberto Giacometti = Swiss sculptor and painter

• 1909 = Robert F. Boyle = American production designer and art director

• 1910 = Julius Shulman = American photographer and environmentalist

• 1917 = Thelonious Monk = American pianist and composer

• 1924 = Ed Wood = American actor and filmmaker

• 1930 = Harold Pinter = English writer, director, and Nobel Prize laureate

• 1933 = Jay Sebring = American hair stylist and businessman

• 1941 = Peter Coyote = American actor, director, and screenwriter

• 1946 = Ben Vereen = American actor, singer, and dancer

• 1950 = Nora Roberts = American author

• 1954 = David Lee Roth = American singer-songwriter

• 1954 = Martine Rothblatt = American lawyer, author, and entrepreneur 🌈

• 1954 = Wade MacLauchlan = Canadian politician 🌈

• 1958 = Tanya Tucker = American singer-songwriter

• 1959 = Bradley Whitford = American actor and producer

• 1959 = Julia Sweeney = American actor, comedian, and screenwriter

• 1960 = Paul Thiebaud = American art dealer

• 1961 = Crystal Waters = American singer-songwriter

• 1965 = Chris Penn = American actor

• 1967 = Gavin Newsom = American businessman and politician

• 1973 = Mario Lopez = American actor, tv personality, and producer

• 1982 = Dan Stevens = English actor

EVENTS

• 1964 = The Tokyo Summer Olympics opening ceremony is the first to be relayed live by satellites.

• 1980 = Private Benjamin is released in theaters.

• 1997 = Boogie Nights is released in theaters.

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• LGBTQ History Month (October 1-31) 🌈🧐📚

• National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)

• National Metric Day

• National Walk To A Park Day

• World Mental Health Day

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PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

HAROLD PINTER

“The past is what you remember, imagine you remember, convince yourself you remember, or pretend you remember.”
Harold Pinter