Big and Tall

Big and Tall

Saw this story over on Fark, and I wanted to comment on it.

Seems the Big and Tall Man's store, Casual Male, is dropping "Big and Tall" from its name, opting instead to use the more friendly term "XL."

The revelation for Casual Male came after surveys revealed many of its customers were embarrassed to be seen in public carrying the chain's shopping bags. Rather than just change the bags, Casual Male will change its name and banish the "Big & Tall" nameplate from 62 places where it appears in each of six test stores. Barring a customer revolt, the rest of the chain's 496 stores, including five in the Tampa Bay area, will change in the spring.

You know what? The tale of the tape on BSTommy, at 6'4" and over 300, puts me in the demographic courted for the Big and Tall Man's shops. I think I've got an opinion or two on this thing.

Maybe I'm giving the American public too much credit, but I don't think they need me carrying a "Casual Male" shopping bag to figure out that I'm bigger than most people. I don't think they'll need a shopping bag to clue them in that I'm not squeezing my fat ass into a 36x30 pair of blue jeans. But that's just a guess.

Folks, it's not the shopping bag that embarasses you. It's being a fatass.

I had to laugh at the idea, though, that they're changing the name to Casual Male XL so that it'll be more "athletic" sounding.

Dude, unless you're playing guard for the Titans, or are regularly lifting cars to compete in World's Strongest Man, if you're pulling the big 3 on the scale, you're not an athlete.

Hell, if I was more athletic, I'd probably not need to shop in the Big and Tall Man's shop. Then I could buy those funny, funny T-shirts I see sold by those cool kids in Hot Topix.

I laugh at this story, but I also have an inkling that such a move will work for the folks at Casual Male. To a degree. Because if there's anything we like to do as a people, it's bullshit ourselves. I think this will end up working for them in the long run.

One more point: I wouldn't be seen with a Casual Male bag anyway. Because I'm not made out of money, and don't want to have to take out a loan in order to buy a well-fitting pair of britches. If I were Casual Male (and really, who says I'm not?), and I were looking to increase customer count and profit, I'd look into this whole practice of charging 30 bucks for a t-shirt, and 60 bucks for a pair of blue jeans, especially in this day and age where any fellow of girth can wander into K-Mart and find pants going up to size 54 for a dollar and a half.

I'd like to close by saying that I'd like to shop at a store that advertises my bigness. I like the sound of "Achmed's House for the Colossally Big and Amazingly Tall." Mostly because I think the name Achmed is funny.

I think I would also spell Colossal with a K. Also funny.