If you are bigger than the average Filipino, and most of us westerners are, getting clothing that fits can be difficult if you live in the Philippines. If you are a big westerner, and more and more westerners are quite big, getting clothes that you can even get on your body can be impossible in the Philippines, or so it would seem.
Having lived here for more than 15 years, though, a lot has changed. When we first moved to the Philippines it was literally impossible to find clothes here which I could wear. But, in more recent years it has gotten much easier. In fact, now I can walk into certain stores in Davao and walk out in a new wardrobe. In many parts of the Philippines, though, it still is not nearly that easy.
Recently, I got a question from my good friend, Paul, asking about getting clothes here in the Philippines. Paul is also a big fellow, and he has had this question on his mind for some time now, so he asked me. I thought it was an important enough, and widely asked, question that should be shared with my listeners and readers here on Live in the Philippines Web Magazine. So, I hope you will give it a listen.
Listen in, hopefully you will learn something, or perhaps you have information based on your experience, and you can share that with other readers and listeners! You would be most welcome to do so!
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Thanks again for listening, everybody!
Bob;
In the 60’s and 70’s the average westerner wouldn’t even bother to shop because nothing fit. I’m average sized 5’8 160 LBS (The waist is larger now) I can find my size clothes in most stores now then in the 90’s but I believe that is because the Filipino is getting larger.
Hi Paul – Filipinos always like to do everything like Americans… and getting bigger is one that they are definitely doing!
Bob,
I shipped enough clothes to last for years to come and plus my weight stays pretty consistent.
Hi PapaDuck – You are one of those lucky guys who is fit as a fiddle and no worries about gaining weight! 🙂 Very lucky!
Hi Bob , I’m not that big but my waist has got bigger the last few years,
I see plenty of shops now are selling larger clothes all the shoe mart stores
Sell large size clothes in Manila, with all the fast food restaurants now the
Average Filipino is getting bigger ,I keep saying I will go on a diet tomorrow,
But I can’t resist some food here maybe I will join a gym and get more exercise
Derek in pasig.
You sure are right on that Derek! I have been walking a lot for exercise. I used to swim every day, but where I live now is not close to a pool, so I have not been doing that. I sometimes feel a real urge to go swimming, though! 🙂
I am in Iloilo province, and I am 6 ‘ even 180 # and have huge feet. 11-1/2 to 12 and very wide. I have to look all over just to fine anything that will fit, and am using the largest sizes they have. I end up getting mostly shorts for pants .
This might be a good idea for a store. Specialty size clothing…
It would have to be in a big city…
Imagine trying to find shoes for my sons, Earl. They are all at least size 13 shoes, and quite wide as well!
Try SM Department Store in the Men’s section they do a range of plus sizes!
Yep! Been there, done that… as I mentioned in the podcast, a number of Philippine stores are starting to have larger sizes. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your info, Stephen.
Bob I have always envied guys who can walk into a clothing shop and buy off the peg. I am 6’4″ in my socks and since I was in my forties have always been around 110 kg. I have always had a problem buying clothes that fit.
I have recently acquired a very good tailor. Last week I had “two” pairs of denim jeans made to measure, total cost including material 1500 pesos. I was asked if I wanted a particular brand name sown onto them but as I am not fashion conscious I declined his offer, still I had to smile. I have my shirts tailor made for around 600 pesos each this includes material, no more frustrating trips to the malls to find clothes that fit.
Hi Jack – I have been a big person all of my life, so I know what it is like to be trying to find clothes that fit! I have lost weight in the past decade or so, to the point that it is much easier now to get clothing, I can even get it in the Philippines now! It is a good feeling!
Bob
Please don’t ever say Hi Jack out loud as everyone around you will run!
Sorry, couldn’t resist that LOL.
Cheers
AJ UK
Ha ha, good point, AJ. 😉
Hi Bob
I use the same shop to buy T-shirts and Polo shirts as you and tend to buy the American brands there as they are almost guaranteed to fit. Jag tends to be a favourite. I will say though that I have stopped my wife just going out and buying me shirts as I find that even within the same brand the range of sizes can vary. I also get the XXL but I find some fit, some are too large and some are too tight. Strange but true!
For fitted or smarter shirts I do find problems with buying the local brands. I am a 17 1/2″ collar but if I buy a local brand I find that the arms and the body of the shirt are usually too short. As a result I tend to avoid buying fitted shirts unless it is somewhere like Marks & Spencers where I know the size is a western fitting.
With jeans I have no problem as again they tend to be American brands. The one thing that I do like though is that in the PI they have my inside leg size, 31″, and this saves having to find the local seamstress or sastre to get them taken up. In the UK most places only ever stock the even sizes such as 30″ and 32″.
Actually I find my size changes the further west I go. If I buy in a T-shirt in Asia I am an XXL, if I buy in Europe I am an XL and if I buy in USA I find I am a large. I obviously lose a lot more weight the further round the world that I go.
Cheers
AJ UK
Hi AJ – When I go for the 2x it either fits or is too small… no way it is going to be too big! 😉
You are right, mostly what you can find in our sizes is the t-shirt type, not a nicer style of shirt. But that is mostly OK for me, because I tend to be more of a casual guy. For formal wear, I will wear a Barong Tagalog, but I had that custom made at a tailor, which is the norm for people of all sizes, I would say.
Sorry, I should have clarified, by formal I meant a shirt to wear with a tie, to the office or with a suit.
That’s one good thing with you being a home based entrepreneur, you don’t have to dress up for everyday work in the office!
I bought a Barong Tagalog for my wedding in 2007 and it still fits!
Cheers
AJ UK
Hi AJ – Yeah, I love working at home! Always comfortable!
There was a foreigner who used to live here in Davao, his name was David. I got to know David because he and I went to the same gym daily. Anyway, David worked here in Davao, and he wore a less formal Barong every single day, day in and day out. He had different colors. At that point, I decided that I was going to do the same, because he looked so good every day, dressed in a “smart casual” way, or slightly above that. I never did it though. There is too much “home based” in me. 😉
AJ, maybe instead of working to lose weight, I need to move further east and just get smaller?
Just joking. There is a movement in the US to label clothes so that people don’t feel badly about buying larger sizes.
Makes some people feel better I suppose but is a bummer trying to get them to fit.
How about OKAY OKAY?
Very affordable, dirt cheap is a better word. Mostly high-end items from USA.
Just bought 7 shirts for 70 pesos.
That’s 10 pesos per shirt, for super high quality items. Two shirts are TOMMY BAHAMA brand.
Brand new, they cost $ 200 each in a shopping mall boutique.
Hi Bob, I talked about ukay-ukay in the podcast, did you listen?
Cebu City is still a joke. Under developed, corrupt, poor transit, they refused a rapid transit system, can you imagine. One day I was looking for socks at SM and a girl in one shop was trying to sell me socks that I knew wouldn’t fit. My wife and I was laughing in her face but she didn’t get it. It’s not much fun in Cebu City especially shopping for clothes. It’s easy to find and better quality in Hong Kong or Singapore. Lots of fake labels in the Philippines just like China. But, considering we lived in Shanghai for a decade, there are a lot more fake items in Cebu City at Ayala and SM. We’ll be leaving Asia next year to return to Canada. Tired of so many problems in Asia. Of course, there’s also a big loud of problems in Canada and the States as well. We need a more normal environment if there is a such a thing these days.
Sorry to hear of your problems, Jacky. I am enjoying life here in Davao.
Hi Bob!
This is an issue for all of us that is over sized in comparison to the average Filipino who is less than XL (Western size, as Asian sizes aka Chinese are 3 sizes smaller and so are mostly also Filipino sizes) and as known most stores don’t stock much over XL double X or triple X is not in stock or on order or can be ordered). As of my experience XL is not so difficult to find or size up to 38 in pants over that can be difficult and you might have to visit several stores before you find your right size. So, it’s either to visit an tailor or go online to order from abroad and mainly from the United States as there you will find the larger sizes as many Americans (and others also) are usually “big”. Everything in the Philippines is small and small is beautiful, but not when you aren’t a Filipino! Any Filipino of over 175 cm or 5′ 10″ feet does have a challenge. So it’s best to do your clothes shopping when abroad. But, as the climate there is always hot you don’t need so many clothes anyway! A couple of t-shirts or top tank and some shorts and for occasional formal clothing a pair of long pants or nice brand jeans. The natives before the civilization came there wore almost no clothes and that was probably the best solution!
Hi Tim – Thankfully, things are changing in the Philippines. I am finding larger clothing to be fairly available now, and getting to be more and more each day, it seems!
Well, when it comes to myself, I’ve given up chasing around up in the Ilocos Norte region, as I’ve put on some weight the last five years… so, now mostly must go for the XXL or the XXXL and I said the sizes can vary so it’s not any standard like in Western countries… it’s either slim down and that’s not an easy task when u’ve past a certain age… 🙁 So, maybe it’s better chances down in Mindanao 🙂
Tim, come on down to Mindanao. I we’ll have a meal and go clothes shopping.
Yes, I do have a plan to see that part of the country one day… but, for now I’m mostly in Northern Luzon and of course some visits to Manila as it’s the entrance port to the Philippines. A meal is always nice if it’s in with good friends and think Bob, you are very friendly guy, as most Americans I’ve ever met in my life. So, I will have it in mind, just I get my Ilocana wife to company me! So, until that day…
Here in Cebu, we have OXOX (pronounced “Oh-Chai Oh-Chai” stores. They are essentially the Pinoy equivalent of Goodwill stores, offering used clothing from the States in all sizes. Selective shopping can serve you well. Also, we have Surplus stores here in the malls. They offer new, distressed merchandise from U.S. department stores. If you are larger than an XXL in the U.S., you won’t find anything in these stores though.
FYI
Hi Jim, that is ukay ukay
I talked about it in the podcast.