If you are willing to shop online then there is a whole new world of brands that suit skinny body types and skinny-athletic body types extremely well.
The downside to ordering things online obviously is you don’t get the opportunity to try before you buy.
Fortunately most e-commerce brands today offer free returns and have very detailed “fitting guides” that help you choose shirts and pants based off a few key body measurements.
If a brand does not have a fitting guide, or the fitting guide is simply torso length for shirts for example, avoid them like the plague as this will surely result in a baggy, ill-fitting parachute of a shirt.
The biggest advantage of shopping online is that you can get more customization in terms of fit and quality. Many of these brands mentioned below are cut more for an athletic taper, which is ideal if you are into bodybuilding and working out as you want clothing to accentuate your physique instead of covering it all up/hiding it, which is what ill-fitting baggy clothes tend to do.
I mean, if you’ve ever seen pictures or videos of Zyzz in his prime, then you probably understand the importance of finding clothes that compliment your physique vs hiding it.
The following brands are designed for active lifestyles and beautifully marry ath-leisure with casual Friday vibes for some of the most versatile wardrobes imaginable.
*If you’re looking for office attire or business casual options for athletic skinny body types then we have a separate “best business casual options” post just for that.
Rhone Clothing Review: Gym Wear for Athletic Skinny Guys
Founded: 2014
Primary Product: Men’s activewear
Typical Shopper: Taller athletic men, may do Crossfit
Key Selling Points: Flexible/stretchable, durable activewear
Official Website: https://www.rhone.com/
Winner of Men’s Health magazines “best workout shirt of 2019” Rhone is an American brand that has exploded in popularity due to their practically engineered yet understated stylish apparel.
Rhone reviews are raving, from Men’s Fitness to Forbes to GQ the hype train just never ends..
Run by a collective of self-professed “weekday warriors” the whole mantra of Rhone is one of practical and stylish active wear.
Rhone uses state of the art materials designed to keep you cool, dry, and comfortable.
Other major brands have sweet materials, like Adidas and Nike, but their styling is always a bit flashy, a bit gym-specific.
Rhone makes more conservative, logo-free clothes both for the gym and for the street.
In fact, the only branding on most Rhone items is a subtle “triple X” stitch incorporated subtly into a shoulder seem.
Some of our favorite items are their Swift Shorts. These are perfect for running to the grocery store in comfort and or directly to the gym.
The cut is shorter, so you can show off your quad work. They also stretch and have a built in liner to keep your junk in place.
Of course there is a built in zipper pocket as well to keep your iPhone or keys. Gym shorts without pockets are an absolute joke to be avoided at all cost.
Another awesome product are the Rhone Commuter Pants. Featuring plenty of pockets, a stretchy crotch, flexible/stretchy fabric all around, articulated knees and complimentary hemming these are some of the most versatile pants anywhere.
Rhone is perfect for tall skinny guys as their clothing are all pretty much “slim fit” as they incorporate spandex into just about everything.
If you are on the fence there is proof their shirts and pants will look good because of the model details (height/weight) provided on each product page.
This allows more accurate estimations and more confident shopping decisions.
You can find this key information bottom right corner of each product page, under the actual product details are the “Model Details” where they tell you the stats of the guy actually wearing the clothes in the product images.
90% of the time this guy is 6’1″ weighing in a 190lbs which makes them PERFECT for ectomorphic guys and tall skinny dudes.
The pricing isn’t cheap, but again, if you want cheap then you have Zara off-the rack.
Rhone spends up to 4X more on materials than other brands which makes them feel good and last.
With clothing, like many things, you really do get what you pay for, which makes a Rhone a bargain in the long-run.
Shop Rhone ApparelVuori Clothing Review: Street Inspired Athletic Wear
Founded: 2013
Primary Product: Men’s activewear
Typical Shopper: Taller athletic men, probably surfs
Key Selling Points: Cali-inspired outdoor/athletic wear
Official Website: https://www.vuoriclothing.com/
If you are looking for a little more Cali style in your active wear then Vuor Clothing may also be worth checking out.
Based in Encinitas California the brand has become popular for their stretchable, breathable, surfer-inspired shorts.
They have literally dozens of different varieties of shorts for all occasions including swimming, surfing, hiking, working out, running or just hanging out.
Average lengths are a bit longer than Rhone’s shorts, so if you have been skipping leg day or are just a little self-conscious about your quads than you should look into what Vuori has.
Our favorite model is the Stockton Short. The outer part has that nice 70’s retro inspired cut, with simple colors and a slight cut on the bottom side hem.
There are pockets and a drawstring too, so they is adjustable and practical.
The Stockton shorts also feature a built-in boxer brief liner that is slightly longer than the shorts themselves.
This style has been popularized by basketball players who prefer athletic underwear but enjoy the flexibility of shorter shorts.
Another benefit of the longer built-in liner is to disguise skinny legs, which is something tall guys regularly suffer from.
Again, Vuori is PERFECT for tall skinny men as evidenced by their models, which are almost all over 6 foot.
The model for the Stockton shorts is 6’2″ for example, at 190lbs, so you know these should suit you well if you have a similar body type.
Vuori also has a massive selection of fitted, stretchable joggers and jogger-inspired pants that work great for ectomorphic body types.
They don’t look super baggy and use subtle tapering to make even the thinnest legs appear a bit more athletic than maybe they are.
In terms of variety Vuori is king. The massive selection can make choosing items a bit confusing, but if you know what you’re looking for the options are quite refreshing.
Vuori is another American brand making waves and getting solid reviews around the web so we highly recommend them.
Olivers Apparel Review: Athletic Tailored Daily Essentials
Founded: 2013
Primary Product: Daily essentials for athletic men
Typical Shopper: Urban explorer
Key Selling Points: Street-friendly clothing designed to adapt to physically demanding environments
Official Site: https://oliversapparel.com/
If Rhone and Vuori are a little too “athletic” and not enough “fashion” then Olivers Apparel might just be the brand for you.
Olivers Apparel is another California-based brand (LA) that focuses more on casual wear for the athletic man, not so much on workout clothes that can double as casual wear.
Sure, they have a nice selection of shorts that could be a gym-go to, but their styling is something that we’d personally prefer to rock out and about.
For example, their Henley shirts, both with short sleeves and long sleeves are the perfect summer accessory.
Whether it be playing a pickup game of football at a backyard BBQ or taking a weekend camping trip, the colors, materials (lightweight wool that is odor resistant, water repellent and self-temperature regulating) are perfect for active lifestyles.
We also like how the upper body/torso fit is quite tight, which is great for taller skinny guys who may have narrower shoulders.
Another strong product from Olivers are their Passage Pants. Featuring 4-way stretch, durable CORDURA threads they are perfect for the office or lounging around town.
Joggers are trendy and all, but the Passage Pants can be cuffed up and worn with a button up for casual Fridays.
They also feature a gusseted crotch allowing for more freedom of movement.
This means they are as comfortable as joggers but look quite a bit more classy and for this reason Olivers Apparel is a must-check out if you are looking for something comfortable, athletic and classy at the same time.
Public Rec Review: Travel Friendly Athletic Daily Wear
Founded: 2015
Primary Product: Modernist city-friendly athletic-cut daily staples
Typical Shopper: Fashion conscious urban-dwelling travelers
Key Selling Points: Subtle minimalist styling, high-tech materials, international-friendly
Official Website: https://publicrecapparel.com/
Last but certainly not leas on our list of kick-ass athletic brands great for skinny body types is Public Rec.
Public Rec first made waves in 2015 with a wildly popular kickstarter campaign to make clothes that were “more stylish than sweatpants, more comfortable than jeans” and boy did the succeed!
With glowing reviews from GQ, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and Askmen to name a few they more recently picked up a lot of street cred by sponsoring Jason Kipnis, a two-time American baseball all-star athlete.
Public Rec’s formula is simple, make clothes that are stylish enough to wear out around town but comfortable enough to play casual sports in and wear all day long without discomfort.
Their two signature items are the “all day every day pant” and the “all day every day shorts”.
Both feature innovative materials like fabric that is a blend of nylon and spandex to allow for durability and stretch.
They also feature elastic waists with drawstrings for maximum comfort, no matter how thin or thick you may be.
Rhone vs. Vuori vs. Olivers Apparel vs. Public Rec
While Rhone, Vuori and Olivers Apparel seem to trend towards a more slim-fit, which is great if you are skinny and looking to appear a bit bigger, Public Rec goes for a more lose casual fit.
Public Rec then is better suited for athletic individuals who may find other brands a bit restrictive or overly tight-fitting.
Rhone is the more dedicated gym/workout option, with a big emphasis on movement, flexibility and durability. Vuori is kind of in between Rhone and Olivers Apparel/Public Rec and that they’re athletic but also look more daily-use friendly.
Finally Olivers Apparel and Public Rec on the other hand are more streetwear brands that also have an athletic element to their cut/fit as well as their styling.
Each brand has it’s perfect setting and we’d happily rock a closet with something from each as they’ve all set reputations as dependable quality clothiers as they’ve climbed to the top to become the most popular men’s athletic wear brands online.
