As a bigger-than-average Asian, but a smaller-than-average American, it’s a real struggle trying to find clothes that fits my body. I’m sure this is true for most of my Asian Americans out there who aren’t stick skinny but not entirely American thiccc either. So… how do we do it? We’re going to try to expose it all out there and hope someone out there can find their right fit!

For the thick fellas

Peter and I are a sub-category of Asians… we are thick Asians. Husky fellas if you must. With wider shoulders, thicker thighs, and wider waists, it’s hard for us to find the right clothes in general. Our biggest tip for anyone out there is to know your style. We are both into streetwear and athleisure styles since both are now trending towards a more slim, baggier look.

For the petite ladies

Standing at an outstanding 4’11-5’0, Lauren mentioned that for her, Even petite doesn’t really fit her well since American petite is around 5’3-5’4 and Asians in general are getting taller. Don’t be afraid to go into the kids section to find some clothes, in fact, most of the time you can find same looks for a lower cost by buying kids sizing. As always, the important thing is to make sure it fits. Online shopping might not be the best initial option until you know exactly the sizing and fit for what you are trying to buy.

Pants for the thick fellas

When it comes to finding pants, since we have shorter, thicker legs, we recommend finding something that can taper at the bottom for a more clean cut look. We recommend looking into Levis to start with since they offer many varying sizes and washes at a relatively affordable cost (when they are on sale). Currently some of my favorites are the 511 and don’t forget to look for the ones that can stretch! No matter what pants you buy, stretch will be your best friend as you can get that slim look without sacrificing mobility.

Pants for the petite ladies

Pants can be hard to find for the ladies out there that aren’t vertically endowed. Lauren mentions that brands she likes to look at are Topshop, Madewell, Express, and YesStyle are great options to browse at for pants that come in those smaller sizes. Again, it’s all about the fit! Make sure you try on before you order online to avoid having to send things back and forth.

Giving clothes as gifts

Unless you are very close to this person, it’s usually a safe bet to stay away from giving clothes as a gift. For one, you might not be able to tell if your gift will fit their style or body - so if you have to give them clothes, always give a gift receipt. Another way to give them clothes without giving clothes is give specific gift cards. Say you know a person wears a lot of Nike, then instead of giving them something Nike, its a safer bet to give them a gift card which they can apply towards whatever they want from the brand. Its a win-win!

When it comes to jewelry, it can be a bit suspect if you are not in a deep, intimate relationship with the other person. Significant others and really good friends are really the only exception for jewelry, so if you don’t want to give a mix signal, avoid at all cost. This can also be applied for expensive, designer goods. Give them the Lousie Futon instead of the Louie Vuitton.