A GQ primer for the hard-to-fit

So you're not the size of a male model-welcome to the club. Whether you're tall or short, stocky or lanky, there are style secrets to making a suit look right for your body. Here, we take four celebrated body shapes and show you exactly how to look your best-without lifting a weight or counting a calorie.

Before
The Short Man
Apolo Ohno: Gold-medal-winning Olympic speed skater, Dancing with the Stars champ
5'8"165 lbs
"All the suits I buy have to be tailored, no matter what. But it's not just because of my height; it's because I've been skating for so long. My waist is very small, but my legs are just huge. Most really nice suitmakers are Italian, and usually they make suit pants for Italian men. I'm like, Those Italians must have pretty skinny legs."

Don'ts:
• Don't wear a longer suit jacket. It just makes your legs look shorter.
• Don't wear fat ties and wide lapels; keep it slim.

After
The 5 Tips Every Short Man Should Know
1) Be honest with yourself. Admit you're short and buy short-length suits.
2) A pant leg with very little break will help you look taller.
3) Show some cuff to lengthen the look of your arms.
4) A peak lapel helps elongate your physique.
5) A lower button stance creates long lines, and that essentially stretches you out.

A Belt Makes You Look Shorter…
The more pared-down you are, the taller you'll appear. So ditch the belt. Going beltless looks cool, and if your suit fits properly, your pants will stay in place.

Short Man, Slim Shoe
You don't want to look like you've got weights around your ankles. Wear slender shoe

Before
The Tall Man
Raja Bell: Shooting guard, Phoenix Suns
6'5"210 lbs
"When I first got into the NBA, I tried to buy a couple of suits off the rack, but they didn't fit. To get the length I needed, I also got boxiness. They would have to taper the jacket, but then I felt like I had wings under the armpits. So I started going to a tailor. And that's the key: Pick out a good tailor and just trust him… You want the suit to fit the way you want it to fit, but let him handle the details. That's what he gets paid to do."

Don'ts:
• Don't buy suits with oversize, padded shoulders. They swallow you up, making you look frailer, not bigger.
• Don't wear extra-slim ties. You need ties with a bit of width so they won't appear to elongate your torso.

After
The 5 Tips Every Tall Man Should Know
1) Lighter colors add width to a narrow frame.
2) A two-button suit works great on a tall man-as long as the suit has relatively high-cut lapels.
3) Just because you're tall doesn't mean you need an extra-long suit size. Try on a long first.
4) Keep the amount of cuff you show to a minimum.
5) Ask for a decent amount of break in your trousers, so your long legs don't look too long.
Suit, $1,830, by Prada at Barneys New York. Shirt, $640, by Jil Sander at Barneys New York. Tie, $150, by Gucci. Shoes, $315, by Allen-Edmonds.
Tall Man, Rounded Shoe
Take a pass on those pointy dress shoes-you don't want to make your feet look longer than they are. Opt instead for a slightly rounder toe, to help keep your foot size in check.

Get in the Loop
After you knot your tie, never have enough length left to reach the back loop? Don't buy a new, longer tie; just ask your tailor to move up the loop.

Divide and Conquer
When you're tall, you want your clothes to play down your height-to keep things in proportion. Accessories that cut across your body, such as belts, quarter-folded pocket squares, and horizontally striped ties, help accomplish this.

Before
The Large Man
Horatio Sanz: Actor/comedian, Saturday Night Live alum
5'9"250 lbs
"One of the problems I have is with shirts: Getting my neck size to match my body size is difficult, and sometimes the collar is too high, too-I end up feeling choked. With pants, I wear mine a little high, and sometimes they ride up too much or feel like they're going to fall off if they're not high enough. Basically, I've spent my life trying to avoid wearing suits on a regular basis. The last suit I bought from a store was for my junior prom. It was kind of silver in color, and my mom adjusted it for me."

Don'ts:
• Don't wear a roomy suit. It doesn't make you look slimmer-it makes you look sloppy.
• Don't go untucked.


After
The 5 Tips Every Large Man Should Know
1) Wear a pocket square. It brings the focus to your chest, not your gut.
2) Keep your jacket buttoned unless you're sitting down.
3) Wear a simple, elegant shirt. Avoid plaids and checks.
4) You can wear flat-front pants. They are engineered to be comfortable, even without pleats. 5) Avoid superskinny ties and lapels. Proportion with your torso is key.

Suspend Your Weight
Avoid having to choose between strapping your pants above or below your belly: Wear suspenders and float your waist.

Big Man, Solid Shoe
Choose shoes that have a substantial sole. You need something solid to anchor your weight.

Since the dress code has been put into place the scene has changed coming into NBA Locker Rooms Across the country. Each week will bring you some of the latest trends from these big men and show you how even when your 7ft you can still be stylish and a Trendsetter.

What up fellow Trendsetters? Summer is right around the corner, and with that comes the warm weather and even hotter ladies. Now we all know that first impressions are the last impressions so we here at Big Men Trendsetters, with the help of a few ladies out there, have composed a list of basic essentials guys need that can increase thier chances with the ladies this summer.

1.) Make the barber shop your second home. Most haircuts are 15-25 dollars, and you can find a barber shop on every other corner so that means no excuses. Whether its a close cute, ceasar, fade, or braids ladies love a man that is neatly trimmed.

2.)Make good use of the bathroom products. Gone are the days of just showering, washing your face, and brushing your teeth with a plain old tooth brush. We suggest using products that really clean your skin, because unless you have a serious acne problem, in which you need to see a dermatologist, having acne over 25 years old is a problem. So fellas buy the skin and face cleaners they really are not that expensive. Another thing is tooth care. You should buy a new tooth brush 4 times a year (thats 1 every 3 months) and also buy tooth paste with some sort of whitening feature. It really goes a long way. Lastly, and this is mostly for the African American Trendsetters out there, there are products that get rid of razor bumps. Use them! Kiti Kiti is an excellent product for getting rid of razor bumps.

3.)Make good use of cosmetics. Now I know what you are thinking, and no, I'm not telling you to go to MAC or Sephora and buy some make up. Far from that. What I am sayin is this simple tid bit...Get the lotion out of the closet and use it. Girls hate when guys have the ash between the knuckles. Simple rule, any exposed body part, lotion it before you try to talk to girls. Another turn of is crusty lips. I suggest you buy at least 3 tubes of carmex at a time, one for your car, one for your house, and one just in case you lose one of the previous. Lastly thier is cologne'. Fellas, get cologne', not body sprays, thats childish or the oils, thats cheap. Spend a little cash and buy the real cologne'.

4.)Make good use of you clothes. Baggy clothes are out, flat out. If you want to impress the ladies wear clothes that fit...I didnt clothes that are TIGHT!...but clothes that fit. Now with those clothes make sure they are clean, in good condition, pressed, and match. Yes match. Then there is the shoes. Fellas its true. Ladies do judge you buy how your shoes are. So make sure your shoes stay fresh. Lastly there is jewlery. I know the rappers do it, but dont wear exssesive amounts of jewlery. It doesnt work for the average guy. Most girls are going to think its fake any way.

5.)Manicures. Yes Manicure. Fellas if you work at job in which your hands get very dirty, get a manicure. While ladies do like a man in uniform, they do hate men with dirty nails. So take care of the hands Fellas.

There you have it. 5 way to make a good first impression to the Ladies. Do these things and you are gauranteed to get the ladies attention, and it is not expensive at all to do. Now dont mess up that first impression by saying something dumb when she gives you the chance to talk to her.

Well known Comedian Bruce Bruce represents well for big men around the globe. Known best for hosting BET Comic View, Bruce Bruce always looks daper on stage. Rather in a simple black suit:

Or more casual in linen pants and cotton top




Regardless of the occasion Bruce Bruce is a certified Big Man Trendsetter

FashionDiva

Socks with Sandals is never OK. This is a HUGE fashion DON'T! In the past, it has been a stigma that wearing sandals was not the masculine thing to do. However, we now live in 2009 people! African American men are now embracing sandals. Take Big Men Trendsetter favorite- Jay-Z:

Here we see Jay on the beach with wife Beyonce hold a black sandal with 2 wide strips




Yet again Jay on the beach with Beyonce this time wearing thong sandals.

Yes fellas it can be done. So this summer, think twice before you step out the house in your Nike sandals and matching socks.....Be an Big Man Trendsetter and follow this link for some affordable alternatives. http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/2372856/0~2376778~2372807~2372856?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=leftnav&pbo=2376778

The National Basketball Association (NBA) will borrow 175 million dollars to serve as aid to teams that might struggle in the weak global economy, Sports Business Journal reported Thursday. The report said the presumption is teams would use the funds to cover operating losses and that while the league was not looking to borrow, Bank of America and JPMorgan came to the NBA several weeks ago with the opportunity.

Half of the league's 30 teams agreed there was a need to go through with the borrowing, according to the report, which said the money will supplement a 1.7 billion-dollar credit facility that uses the NBA's broadcast contracts as loan collateral.

The deal comes with interest rates up to 8.27 percent and each of the 15 teams that wanted to borrow could take a maximum of 11.66 million dollars from the debt proceeds, according to the Journal.

"In this economic environment, it's tremendous that the league can place such a facility," Orlando Magic chief operating officer Alex Martins told the Journal.

"It certainly helps us bridge the time period between now and when we move into our new events center in 2010. We've been operating at a 15 (million) to 20 million (dollar annual) loss over the past half-dozen years so it helps us.

"The Sacramento Kings are another likely candidate to dip into the loan funds after reports earlier this month said the California club could lose as much as 25 million dollars this season.

Diddy’s ivy league protege’, Ryan Leslie, has journeyed from Harvard to artistry almost seamlessly:

Bossip: So, tell me how you went from Harvard to the music industry.
Ryan Leslie: My parents are immigrants from the Caribbean Islands. My mother whom is Dutch, Chinese and African descent would meet my father who was born in Barbados and raised in Trinidad, and connect based on their love for music. Music is something that comes from my parents, but also from my parents comes a strong sense of education. Being, immigrants, they wanted to make sure that my sister and I had a fair shot at achieving the American dream, which would be to live our passions. They knew that education was an essential building block in the foundation of that pursuit. I was a precocious youngster, and was getting into a lot of trouble in school. Finally one of my teachers suggested that I go for testing. I tested into the talented, gifted program. Initially I wanted to be a doctor because I wanted my parents to be proud of me. As a kid (15) I tested out of high school. I applied to Harvard, Stanford and Yale. With great pride and honor my parents shipped me off as a teenager to Harvard.

Bossip: You were a pre-med major? When did you decide to do music?
Ryan Leslie: During that time I was introduced to the music of Stevie Wonder and was resolved to chase the contribution and the legacy. I called my father and said that I’ve found my calling in life and I’m switching majors, I’m no longer pre-med. I’m going to go to a humanities major which would allow me more time to focus on music. There was a studio in the basement of my dorm, and I taught myself to produce records. Four years later with three academic probation slaps on the wrist, I did graduate on time.

Bossip: When did you hook up with Diddy?
Ryan Leslie: Fast forward to 2003, after many thwarted attempts, and producing for independent acts, I started interning for a producer who introduced my music to Diddy. Diddy signed me on the spot after a chance meeting and hearing a record I produced for New Edition called “Hot Tonight”. All at once in 2003, my life changed. I was looking at six figure checks and was able to repay my father who invested some credit in my career. From 2003 to 2005, I was under the mentorship of Diddy. After a very fruitful relationship two year management with him, I signed my first artist to the Next Selection Imprint. Her name is Cassie. I wrote and produced our very first single, Me and You went on to write and produce her entire first album.

Bossip: Tell us about your album, Ryan Leslie.
Ryan Leslie: My cd is about six years in the making. After many delays, we’ve been able to come to an agreement. This album is a snapshot of my life. It’s self titled for the simple fact that if you know the name of album, you know the name of the singer, producer and background singer. When I would read the credits in the albums of people like Prince, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, I would see that it was written, arranged and produced by the artist. I wanted to make that type of contribution.

Bossip: What’s your genre?
Ryan Leslie: I find it challenging to categorize myself because I just do the music that I love, the music that inspires me. I wouldn’t personally categorize my music in any specific genre.

The Nike Air Presto is coming back this season in some strong tonal colorways. We give you a look at the red colorway here. Both the upper and the plastic pieces on the sneaker and the laces come in red and the sole comes in clean white. The Air Presto has always been a great summer sneaker.

I loved the presto's so I'll be getting a pair when they come out this summer.

As part of the Bape Spring 2009 Collection comes their shelltoe Skullsta sneaker in three new fluorescent colorways. The toe cap, sole and fat laces come in white, which is important to keep a balance on these otherwise pretty flashy trainers.
Have a more detailed look at all three colorways of the Bape “Fluprescent” Skullstas after the jump.

I didnt know Bape's was still hot...guess they are. What yall think?

Chris Brown is taking anger-management classes.The troubled R&B singer, who was arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of making criminal threats against girlfriend Rihanna, attended his first class in Glendale, Calif., on Monday afternoon.

According to a source, Brown opted for anger management at the behest of his spin doctor, Michael Sitrick. "Chris doesn't actually have to go by law," our insider tells us, "but he believes it will make him look better to the public, and he wants to try to get in a few classes before March 5," his court date.

The Feb. 7 incident - in which Brown allegedly assaulted Rihanna and left her with cuts and bruises to her forehead, lips and cheeks - didn't just stir up controversy. It tarnished Brown's good-guy image so badly that several of his endorsement deals were suspended, including commercials for Wrigley's gum and the Milk Mustache campaign. Brown's songs have also been temporarily taken off the air at a handful of radio stations.

But insiders are rumbling that Chris shouldn't be taking the anger management classes alone. "Rihanna is temperamental, too," says our snitch. "They're both too hot-headed for their own good."

One site said "It didn't help that Rihanna grabbed the keys out of his rented Lamborghini and threw them down the street. She knew it would really infuriate Chris, and it worked."

Look for a Chris/Rihanna reunion soon, though - at least physically. The songbird, who celebrated her 21st birthday on Friday and is hanging out at home in Barbados, will be L.A.-bound to attend Brown's trial."

She'll be there - she has to testify, who doesn't foresee any jail time for Brown. If Chris is convicted, it would be his first offense. He won't go to prison