Dressing swimmer's shoulders

[StamppotAndGravy]

Between starting swimming and the covid kilos, I've turned into a (very scaled down) version of the Hulk, ripping the backs out of my old shirts.

Where do swimmers and generally muscley women shop and what styles do you wear? Shopping yesterday didn't go well. I'm still slim around the waist and not a large cup size. Going up sizes didn't help because the extra sizing is round the waist and bust, rarely across the back. Most google advice for dressing broad shoulders is aimed at plus size women rather than sporty ones. Are there brands that are a bit more generous across the back?

I had broad shoulders & small waist before I became a regular swimmer. I wear a lot of guys stuff, is short answer & don't care if shirts are big around my waist. I'm not into fashion so sorry, can't suggest brands. Most women's & dresses are designed for pear shape if they have a waist at all.

My son has a similar build & also struggles to get shirts that are long enough without being stupidly wide for his trim middle. Even bloke clothes are mostly built for fat people nowadays. Next is the only brand we've had some success with. Look for 'slim' fit items but knowing that large chest size may not accommodate broad shoulders.

I don't shop anywhere in particular, but I shop styles instead. I avoid higher necks unless I'm wearing sleeveless, that broad expanse of cloth at the front makes me look massive. I have narrow hips too, so tighter cloths from top to bottom accentuates the shoulders and I look triangular, so it's looser bottoms and tighter top.

Avoid Whistles. Their clothes seem to be designed for women with zero muscle on the upper bodies. Heaven forbid you're a swimmer or you might have lifted some weights. (I'm a former rower - despite being slim, it seems my lats are HUGE in Whistles land and any vaguely fitted tops fit like I'm trying to squeeze Katie Price boobs in there).

Men's clothing, for a lot of things.

For some things, with tailoring to take in the sides (I'm slim).

My main problem is for long sleeved tops, plain basics for layering (my bottom layer is always short sleeved). When I size up for shoulders (or try to, given that nowhere online gives shoulder measurements), my problem still isn't that it's too wide in the torso (which can be adjusted), but that when I move my arms forward, there is a strain beneath my arms/armpit, etc. That's the back, isn't it?

I recently discovered that problem. I bought a plain long-sleeve cotton in Superdry, but while it's too loose in the waist, and the shoulders appear to fit fine, it has that problem. So not Superdry, I guess! I had a similar problem with trying a t-shirt from there once, a longer try led to shoulder discomfort.

These long-sleeved tops are one of the last things I've not been getting in the men's section, so I suppose it's just time. I have a woman's one with a little elastane in it (5%) and that provides enough of a stretch that it's okay. Jumpers seem to be fine too.

I don't often have to dress formally, so I'm generally in men's/unisex t-shirts, which in most cuts are fine for my back and shoulders. Women's tshirts are a complete write-off (too narrow in the shoulders unless huge, cap sleeves, too low neck lines, typically too short).

Have toy tried wearing raglan or inset sleeved tops? These generally have a little more shoulder room.

also clothes with Lycra which have a bit of give?

Ooh, following with interest.

In addition to broad shoulders I also have tiny boobs and a long torso, so I really, really struggle to find things that fulfil even one of the following criteria let alone all of them:

• Suits me
• Is at least vaguely feminine
• Is comfy

It's the gathering round under the arm that drives me nuts! It ends up cutting in. I spent a while on sewing forums trying to decide if that was back or bust. I'm pretty certain it's back.

Cos things have quite wide shoulders, but they're not always washable. The styling makes me look even more like a retired DDR athlete!

I used to row as a student too! I was skinny enough then not to notice the shoulder issue (and lived in lyra and pyjamas)

@SeSewaccidentprone that's an interesting idea. You don't see that style very often in the women's section though. I'll do some googling

With rowing it's the lats, not shoulders.

Stradivarius do some nice cotton oversized shirts that you can fit most bodies into!

I swam for many years and try to stay away from boatnecks and high necks because they make me look wide. V-neck for the win! But tops are cut very narrowly in the UK, most basic plain coloured tshirts I get from LL Bean in the US. I dont want to shop mens clothes, I want to look and feel somewhat feminine!

Any suggestions for trousers/jeans would be welcome, I have a flat stomach but muscular thighs which makes finding normal anything impossible. Joules gf jean was working for a while, but a new pair has too much stretch and I have to keep hitching them up.

Haha, don't get me started on jeans. I run and fin swim so have thunder thighs. I've got a pair described as vintage straight from h&m which fit nicely

I’ve started having a similar problem since taking up rowing about a year ago, but haven’t found an answer to it yet. Sizing up doesn’t really solve the problem as that just makes everything else look out of proportion.

Re. trousers/ jeans, I was surprised to find that Levi’s 501s fit me really well, so straight leg might be something to look into @CocktailNapkin . Alternatively, there’s a lot of wide leg trousers around at the moment.