im from mississippi, and so all the clothes here are really thin even now in the autumn/winter seasons. for christmas im going up north to massachusetts and i have no clothes and id like to see if i can pass in a completely stranger-filled town.
i dont know my exact sizes... but im heavy i guess. 170lbs. 5'6". i think i wear a 14-17 in women's pants, and a large in women's shirts.
well stores down here dont sell snow clothes and im taking a bus to massachusetts, so i figured i should get my clothes now for the bus ride.
ive never shopped for clothes online, what should i do to buy men's clothes, how do i measure?
im pretty heavy hipped..
any help is appreciated, thanks.

Most store or brand websites will have a chart that shows sizing and tells you how to take your measurements accordingly. I find that it's a lot easier for me to buy men's pants that fit because they go by waist and length measurements whereas women's pants are just one measurement and are usually too long on me.

You can always go into a shop there to try things on and find what sort of sizes suit you best, and then order online.  Even if they're different clothes the sizing won't be far wrong.  Most people who are a medium in one brand/style are a medium in another etc.

For pants, measure your waist, hip and inseam. If there's a big difference between waist and hip, you usually have to experiment some. Your men's pants waist size will be somewhere in between, depending on the cut of the pants. For shirts, measure neck, sleeve (nape to wrist usually) and chest (in typical undergarments.) Try to find styles that fit all three, but you have to match to the biggest at least.

If you haven't been up north in winter before, layers are your friend. Long underwear, sweaters and (yes) flannel. Buy the larger possible size with this in mind. If you don't have one already get a really good coat-- maybe thrift or eBay it, but get the absolute heaviest thing you can find and afford. It may turn out to be overkill-- MA does have 40 degree days in December-- but too many layers and too warm a coat, than the alternative.

I moved from VA to western NY and interviewed jobs here and in Boston in January, so I know a bit about this.

Quote from: Bran on November 18, 2014, 06:47:45 AM
If you haven't been up north in winter before, layers are your friend. Long underwear, sweaters and (yes) flannel. Buy the larger possible size with this in mind. If you don't have one already get a really good coat-- maybe thrift or eBay it, but get the absolute heaviest thing you can find and afford. It may turn out to be overkill-- MA does have 40 degree days in December-- but too many layers and too warm a coat, than the alternative.

I moved from VA to western NY and interviewed jobs here and in Boston in January, so I know a bit about this.

ive never left the coast here before, and i want to see snow, no one here knows what to do, everyone is wearing shorts and tank tops here xD

Since you never see the cold you won't be able to be outside for very long without dying... BEWARE!!!!

kind of serious though, short bursts when outside.

Quote from: Bran on November 18, 2014, 06:47:45 AM
For pants, measure your waist, hip and inseam. If there's a big difference between waist and hip, you usually have to experiment some. Your men's pants waist size will be somewhere in between, depending on the cut of the pants. For shirts, measure neck, sleeve (nape to wrist usually) and chest (in typical undergarments.) Try to find styles that fit all three, but you have to match to the biggest at least.

If you haven't been up north in winter before, layers are your friend. Long underwear, sweaters and (yes) flannel. Buy the larger possible size with this in mind. If you don't have one already get a really good coat-- maybe thrift or eBay it, but get the absolute heaviest thing you can find and afford. It may turn out to be overkill-- MA does have 40 degree days in December-- but too many layers and too warm a coat, than the alternative.

Sorry about that. Had a blonde moment LOL but coming from somebody who's lived in Chicago all my life. It is always better to be too warm, you can always take off a layer but if you're cold, and you're not prepared for it. You can't add a layer. Safe travels.

Try LL Bean or Land's End, they aren't super expensive and carry smaller men's sizes. I'm about your size at 5'5 165 and I can always find stuff that fits me there, which is sometimes hard at other places.

I spent about 30 years in Mass., so I have a pretty good idea of what works.

Turtlenecks and sweaters are good; they're more forgiving about sizes, and if you're not used to the cold, it's nice to have your neck wrapped up. (Also, to keep your neck warm, get a wool scarf if you can.) The only problem with the turtleneck/sweater combination is that you should be binding pretty effectively, since both will drape around your chest.

Long underwear is good; you can get by with just the lowers unless you're going to be outside a lot. Don't get the heavy "waffleweave" cotton stuff -- it's hard enough to get men's pants that don't emphasize our hips, without adding a thick, bulky layer underneath. Get silk or poly -- your best bet for these is to order online from Campmor and/or Sierra Trading Post. In fact, you may find these are good sources for other clothing as well -- they specialize in closeouts and such, and they have good sales.

Where in Mass. are you going to be, and how formal are the people you'll be with? Unless you're in Boston and going out quite a bit, the chances are you'll be OK with fairly casual clothes; but even there, you can probably get away with a dressy sweater rather than a coat and tie, if a decent jacket isn't in your budget. It wouldn't hurt to ask whoever you're staying with what the norms are, especially for Christmas itself.

A good pair of walking shoes or boots is important, especially if you're going to be outside much. Get Goretex if you can -- New England can run to slush. They don't have to be super-insulated, but you want something that will keep your feet dry. STP has good prices on footwear.

Last but not least, when you're shopping for all this, try to get stuff that all goes together, so you can mix and match and get by with fewer items -- you'll save money and have an easier time with baggage.

Oh, and... gloves. And a hat.

And yeah, if you can afford L.L. Bean, more or less anything you buy will be correct for New England.

i'd suggest getting joggers instead of jeans; they don't cling to your curves as much. i'm wearing them instead of jeans, until changes my body further, and they're really comfortable. plus they make ones that resemble jeans/khakis etc.

Quotei'd suggest getting joggers instead of jeans; they don't cling to your curves as much.

Perhaps, but they tend to be a lot less windproof than jeans -- I don't like going outside in them, even briefly, in the winter.

Quote from: lxndr on November 18, 2014, 05:48:08 AM
You can always go into a shop there to try things on and find what sort of sizes suit you best, and then order online.  Even if they're different clothes the sizing won't be far wrong.  Most people who are a medium in one brand/style are a medium in another etc.

This.

Find a store that has a good selection of all kinds of clothing where you'd be comfortable using the changing room. I like Target for this. Wander around the men's section and pick up things that you would wear regularly, and go try them on. Try to find a few different brands and see if you can establish a baseline for sizing. For me, I wear jeans that are 34x28 for the most part - but there are brands where I'm a 36x30. Most shirts I fit in a small while binding, but I feel more comfortable in a medium. Find what the most common sizes are for you so you can make an informed guess when you're ordering online.

When ordering outerwear, take into consideration that you may be layering your other clothing underneath so you might need to order a size up, especially if you're right on the cusp of the next size as it is.

Quote from: Tysilio on November 18, 2014, 02:20:58 PM
Perhaps, but they tend to be a lot less windproof than jeans -- I don't like going outside in them, even briefly, in the winter.

not all joggers are the same.
i have some from gap that are basically the material of jeans and i don't feel cold in them. haha