It’s been awhile since I gave you guys a peek into the ol’ Style Girlfriend Reader Mailbag. There’s been some good ones lately, so I thought I’d share a roundup here. Remember, you can always ask a question here, or just email me at megan (at) style girlfriend dot com.

Ryan asks:

This may be a taboo subject, as I realize most of the style-minded out there avoid them, but I was wondering if I could get some advice on sweat pants.

I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and like to wear them to and from, especially in the winter.  My problem is all the sweats I find from major athletic brands don’t fit me too well. I’m about 6’4, so to buy XL sweats means the length is right but they’re way too wide.

Are there any sweats out there that are made a little more tapered or trim?

{Sweatpants: Target, $20}

A taboo subject? Are you kidding? I love sweatpants!

But I hear you about wanting to avoid those that are uber-wide. No one wants to look like a backup dancer in Step Up 3D. For me, I also try not to spend too much on the activewear that just gets me to and from the gym. I’m happy to invest in really great workout gear, but sweats I’m just going to pull off when I jump on the treadmill? I want those as cheap as possible.

As such, I’d suggest you check out Old Navy and Target. Old Navy has a surprisingly comprehensive activewear section, and Target’s C9 line is one of my go-to’s for inexpensive yet stylish activewear.

David says:

Hi Megan,

I saw your recent post with Function which was awesome (I loved the dressed up date look) and I noticed that most of the shoes on that site were suede or canvas material.  When it comes to shoe material, does it really matter?  Or is the color and style equally or more important?

What an interesting question with maybe a less-than-compelling answer: the clothing options I had to pull from for the Function shoot were all winter items, and since suede factors in as a material in more shoes during the cold weather season, there were more suede pairs to pick from.

As for what to look for in a pair of shoes, I always encourage guys to spend as much as they can on their shoes, as a quality pair of shoes looks AND feels so much better than a cheaply-made pair. There are other areas you can scrimp on – like undershirts, socks, and casual wear, but a solid pair of shoes is always a good investment.

Mike asks:

Megan,

The Quarterly subscription appears to be sold out (no surprise there) but I’ve tried to be added to the ‘wait list’ and it seems to be a dead link.  I also tried to contact Quarterly Co via their contact link, but that is dead as well.

First of all, I wish I could thank every single person who let me know my first Quarterly subscription sold out; what a great problem to have! I mean, for me really…not so much the guys who wanted a Style Girlfriend package but didn’t pull the trigger fast enough…

Thankfully, while my first package is going out soon (so soon!), the link to sign up for my second package is now live, and I hope that you and anyone else who didn’t get in on the first one will jump on for the second! The first package did so well that Quarterly is opening up the subscription to even more guys for round #2. So get on it!

Betty* asks:

Hi Megan!

I found you through the Style Blogger. I’ve always loved men’s fashion and can always appreciate a well dressed man.  That being said though, my man isn’t…as conscious of well-fitted clothing.

In the last couple of years, he’s lost at least 25lbs but still dresses as though he still has the weight.  I know for a fact he is now a 33, maybe even a 32 waist.  However, he is very content with his relaxed fit 34-inch True Religions.

So, my question is: How do I suggest better fitting clothes (more specifically, jeans) when he insists his current clothing is “fine”?  It should be noted that have I shown him your article “The SG Guide to Denim“. He argued the tips do not apply to him as “his legs are thicker than the model’s”. He feels he will have to forfeit comfort with well-fitted jeans.

I’m hoping you can help!

Thanks for reaching out! It was great working with Dan, and I’m so glad we’re both finding some cool new readers out of the collaboration.

As for your situation – oof, I feel for you :/

Trying to convince a guy to size down in his clothing is NOT easy; it’s basically what I do day in, day out on Style Girlfriend, telling guys that fit is everything.

It’s great you showed your bf my denim article, because that’s definitely a good place to start. I’d say, from there, just start complimenting him when he does wear things that fit a little closer to the body. Even if it’s khakis and not jeans, or a sweater, or even a t-shirt that fits him a little trimmer. He’ll start to get the point that you’re more attracted to him when you can SEE more of him! If that doesn’t move the needle on his dressing habits, I’d be pretty surprised!

*Name has been changed because, duh, what if her boyfriend reads SG too??

Tell me:

Anything to add to my mailbag responses? Got questions of your own? Email me, or use the contact form here!