Let’s get real for a second. Those Banana Republic models—with their perfect V-torsos, broad shoulders tapering to narrow waists, and legs that somehow look a mile long even in relaxed-fit chinos? I’ve spent enough time in this industry to know that half of them have their clothes pinned within an inch of their lives backstage. The other half won some kind of genetic lottery that the rest of us weren’t even invited to enter. Meanwhile, I’m standing in a BR fitting room with three different sizes of the same sweater, wondering which version of “not quite right” I’m going to settle for today.
I’ve had a complicated relationship with Banana Republic over the years. It was the first “grown-up” store I shopped at with my own money in college, convinced their merino sweaters would transform me into a sophisticated adult who had his life together. (Narrator: They did not.) I’ve watched them pivot from safari-inspired catalogs to wannabe J.Crew to whatever their current “elevated basics with a twist” identity is supposed to be. Through it all, I’ve maintained a drawer full of their t-shirts and a closet with at least two of their blazers at any given time.
But here’s the thing—I’m built like a former high school athlete who discovered beer and desk jobs. My shoulders are relatively broad, but so is my midsection. My thighs have enough muscle to make slim-fit pants a challenge but not enough definition to make it look intentional. In short, I’m shaped like a normal American guy, which means I’m nothing like the mannequins in their windows.
After roughly 47 Banana Republic shopping trips over the past decade (yes, I counted for this article), I’ve developed a mental catalog of what actually works for non-model body types. This isn’t about “bigger” sizes—it’s about understanding which of their cuts and styles actually accommodate the way most of us are built, regardless of the number on the tag.
First, let’s talk shirts, which seem like they should be the simplest but somehow become a physics-defying challenge. Their standard dress shirts come in three fits: Slim, Standard, and Relaxed. The names would suggest a clear progression of roominess, but that would be too logical. Instead, they’ve created a system where Slim is designed for people who apparently don’t have internal organs, Standard fits absolutely nobody correctly, and Relaxed has enough fabric to double as a weekend sailing spinnaker.
The trick I’ve found is to ignore their categorization entirely and focus on specific models. Their “Tech-Stretch” shirts, despite typically being labeled as Standard fit, actually have the most forgiving cut through the midsection while still maintaining some shape. The “Non-Iron” shirts, despite supposedly being the same fit as regular cotton versions, somehow manage to be tighter across the chest and shoulders—avoid these unless you enjoy the sensation of your shirt trying to win a wrestling match with your armpits all day.
Their “Untucked” shirts deserve special mention for solving a problem most of us didn’t realize we had. For years, I thought I just had an unusually long torso because standard dress shirts would come untucked if I so much as glanced at my shoelaces. Turns out, BR’s standard shirts are simply cut with enough length to create a small fabric parachute around your waist. The Untucked versions eliminate this problem entirely—they’re my go-to recommendation for guys who are tired of looking like they’re wearing their dad’s hand-me-downs.
The Oxford cloth button-downs are a different story entirely. For reasons known only to their design team, these are cut with shoulders seemingly intended for Olympic swimmers while simultaneously being cropped shorter than their other shirts. The result? A shirt that makes you look like you’re wearing your little brother’s hand-me-ups. Size up if you must have one, but be prepared for a tent-like fit through the body.
Now, let’s tackle pants, which is where BR really shines if you know what to look for. Their chinos come in approximately 73 different named fits (slight exaggeration), but the only ones worth considering for regular human legs are the “Athletic Tapered” and the “Relaxed.” Forget the Skinny, Slim, and even the Straight fits unless you have the legs of a distance runner.
The Athletic Tapered is the holy grail for guys with any muscle in their thighs—roomy through the seat and thigh, then tapering below the knee for a clean silhouette. They look tailored without requiring you to perform elaborate contortions to sit down. I have four pairs in different colors, and they’re the workhorses of my business casual wardrobe.
BR’s jeans deserve special mention for being consistently inconsistent. The same size and style can vary dramatically between colors and seasons. I once bought two identical pairs of their Rapid Movement jeans in different colors, only to discover one fit perfectly while the other seemed to have been designed for someone three inches shorter with one larger leg. My advice? Always try them on, even if you’re repurchasing what should be the same jean. And if you do find a pair that fits perfectly, buy two, because they’ll almost certainly change the cut by the time you wear through your first pair.
Their dress pants present a similar challenge. The “Slim” dress pants should be called “Compression Therapy for Your Femoral Artery.” Meanwhile, the “Standard” fit is actually reasonable through the thigh but bizarrely wide at the ankle, creating a subtle bell-bottom effect that no one is asking for. Your best bet is to find their “Athletic” cut dress pants when available, then have the bottom tapered by a tailor if needed.
The sleeper hit in BR’s pants lineup is their traveler pant. With a deceptive amount of stretch and a more generous cut than their standard chinos, these are wildly comfortable while still looking sharp. The waistband also has just enough give to accommodate those days when lunch turns into a three-course affair. They’re my go-to for flights and client meetings that involve sitting for extended periods.
Sweaters and knitwear are perhaps BR’s most frustrating category for the average-built man. Their merino sweaters, while buttery soft and available in an impressive range of colors, are cut with what I can only describe as “aspirational sizing.” The mediums assume you have the proportions of a teenager, while the larges add width without adding enough length. The result is a choice between “sausage casing” or “crop top,” neither of which is the look most of us are going for.
The exception here is their chunky cotton sweaters and cardigans, which tend to have a more forgiving silhouette. The beefier material means they hold their shape better and don’t cling to every contour of your torso. Their shawl-collar cardigans, in particular, have been consistently well-proportioned over the years, with enough room in the chest and arms for normal movement while maintaining a clean line.
Outerwear is where Banana Republic genuinely excels for a variety of body types. Their jackets and coats typically have a more generous cut than their other offerings, perhaps acknowledging that people might want to wear actual clothes underneath them. Their mac coats and topcoats have consistently fit well off the rack, with shoulders that accommodate a normal human frame and enough room through the chest to move without feeling restricted.
Their bomber jackets deserve special praise for actually fitting the way a bomber should—slightly oversized and comfortable rather than the vacuum-sealed interpretation many brands offer. I’ve had a BR navy bomber for four years now, and it’s still my go-to for travel and weekend wear precisely because it accommodates whatever I’m wearing underneath without making me look like the Michelin Man.
Let’s talk about their suits and blazers, which present a unique challenge. BR’s jackets typically come in the same trinity of fits as their shirts—Slim, Standard, and Relaxed—but again, these labels are more suggestions than definitions. Their “Slim” suit jackets aren’t actually as constrictive as you might fear, with enough room through the chest and back for a normal range of motion. The real problem comes in the sleeves, which seem designed for men with the arms of a T-Rex—short and disproportionately small compared to the chest size.
The Standard fit solves the arm circumference issue but introduces a boxy cut that does no favors for anyone not built like SpongeBob. Your best bet is to try their “Smart” collections, which despite the marketing gibberish about performance fabrics, tend to have the most balanced proportions—trimmer than their Standard fit but not as restrictive as their Slim.
For blazers specifically, look for their “knit blazers” or anything with stretch in the description. These tend to be more forgiving across the back and shoulders, where traditional BR blazers can feel constrictive even when the chest measurement is correct. I’ve found their cotton-blend summer blazers fit more generously than their wool options, perhaps acknowledging that summer bodies aren’t always as sculpted as winter aspirations.
A word on accessories, which might seem size-agnostic but actually aren’t. BR’s belts run consistently small—size up from your normal pant size or prepare for disappointment. Their scarves, on the other hand, are generously sized and work well for anyone who wants both function and style from winter accessories.
One of BR’s most underrated categories for non-model bodies is their performance wear line. These items—stretchy polos, technical fabric pants, etc.—seem designed with actual human movement in mind rather than just looking good in catalog poses. The polos, in particular, have enough give through the shoulders and chest to accommodate guys who occasionally lift something heavier than a smartphone.
Here’s my ultimate Banana Republic shopping hack for regular bodies: shop the sale rack at the end of the season. Not just because of the obvious financial benefit, but because these are often the items that didn’t sell well at full price—frequently because they were cut more generously than their standard offerings. I’ve found some of my best-fitting BR pieces this way, items that clearly didn’t work on their target demographic of urban twenty-somethings but fit my regular-guy frame perfectly.
I should also mention their foray into “extended sizes,” which has been hit-or-miss. Rather than simply scaling up their existing designs (which rarely works well), their better offerings in this category seem to be proportioned differently, acknowledging that larger guys aren’t just bigger versions of slim guys but might have different proportional needs entirely.
After all these years shopping their collections, I’ve developed a simple rule of thumb for Banana Republic fitting: if it looks perfect on the mannequin, it’s probably going to be problematic on a regular human being. The pieces that appear slightly relaxed or even a touch rumpled on their displays? Those are your best bet for real-world wearability.
Is shopping at Banana Republic worth the fitting room gymnastics for the average American man? For certain categories, absolutely. Their Athletic Tapered chinos, casual outerwear, and performance-oriented pieces offer solid value and genuinely good fit for normal bodies. Their basic sweaters, Oxford shirts, and slim-anything should be approached with caution and realistic expectations.
The real trick is understanding that the “aspirational” aspect of BR’s branding extends to their sizing—they’re selling not just clothes but the idea that you might transform into that catalog model if you just buy the right merino V-neck. Once you make peace with the fact that no amount of Italian cotton is going to give you the proportions of their photography subjects, you can focus on finding the genuinely good pieces that work for your actual body.
And if all else fails? That’s what tailors are for. Even with BR’s moderate price point, budgeting an extra $15-20 for simple alterations can transform an almost-right garment into a workhorse of your wardrobe. After all, the secret those catalog models aren’t telling you is that literally nothing fits anyone perfectly off the rack—not even them.
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