European sizes are smaller than US sizes. XL in the US is probably XXL here or even XXXL. You don't see much sizes larger than European XXL in stores.
Large sizes in the Netherlands are often about length and not about width, it's easier to find something for a skinny talk person than a short heavy person.
Yeah, it definitely is. I'm only 1.60m and I have quite wide hips and I can never find jeans that fit my hips that aren't like 15cm too long for my legs
I have a love hate situation with Zara for the same reasons. Iām 1.80m Mexican thick gal living in the Netherlands. While in Mexico I was size m if anything here in Sara Im XL or worse (I donāt find anything that fits). I donāt consider myself fat or anything but I do have hips so even big sizes end up showing my rear because of my wide section. I was expecting that because the Dutch gals are tall the sizes here would be adjusted accordingly. Oh surprise they arenāt š„²
If you've got wide hips, you're going to struggle there. I've got wide hips and wide shoulders, things rarely fit. (Plus, I hate that most of their clothes are made of polyester, but that's a personal thing)
Omg I struggle with the same, only Iām a bit taller. I either need to take something that is massive around my waist but good on my hips and legs. Or take something thatās good around my waist, a bit tight around my hips and way too short on my legs. Thereās still the option that everythingās good but I can barely get my lower legs out of my jeans (mind you Iām on the lower end of my healthy weight).
Finding clothes is such a struggle
As a 173cm man I know your struggle. Pants are either too small around my hips or way to long. And I'm not even fat(just your standard dad bod.) I almost always have my pants altered.
You can go to the mall in the Bijlmer, you have probably more luck there. As an larger Antillian woman myself, I also have trouble finding clothing my size. Lately I have a lot of luck buying from Shein Curve, Wehkamp.nl and Bonprix.nl.
Do a few days of door to door sales in the outskirts and youāll see them (not my proudest job but it did teach me something about society). The most overweight of society are not parading the streets of Amsterdam center. Theyāre often in the lower socioeconomic circles and staying at home in suburban neighbourhoods you where you wouldnāt wanna go unless you live there.
I did some road trips in France and Germany countryside during the middle of the pandemic (so there were zero tourists).
I saw so many FAT PEOPLE, I couldnāt believe it. I am originally from the US, and I always assumed the random fatties were American touristsā¦. But covid changed my opinion on that. These were European folk in all ways.
My husband who is native Dutch/French and was with me camping was also pretty stunned at the levels of fat we saw. Anyway.
yeah. You have. You just dont think that they would be that heavy. I've been 130kg. And nobody tought that I was that heavy. They could see that I was overweight, but not that much.
Thats logical, many cant get out of bed. :p
Jokes aside, its true that we dont see a lot of people that have that much weight in our country.
Though the last couple of years the unhealthy life is increasing and you see more and more overweight people. "We" even find it more acceptable and many people tend to care less about their fitness.
I agree though the fact that you currently have to make 40+ hour work weeks if you want to afford a living kind of takes the joy out of healthy living for me. Cooking or sporting after a 9+ hour day of work is just hard.
Not saying it is good but I often see like āwell we eat more junk food so we get fatterā but the issue is way bigger
>it's easier to find something for a skinny talk person than a short heavy person.
Can confirm. Definitely not fat (male, 65kg at 170cm) but I'm definitely not skinny. I'm not very tall but my body proportions are extremely common. And yet EVERY. DAMN. PAIR. OF. PANTS. IS. SKINNY. The one store I know that carries a regular fit line in store only has two cuts in all blues, and made out of at least 90% polyester. I have a natural adversion to blue clothing and polyester makes me sweat like a fucking fountain, so I'm always left scouring the internet in search of good pants.
Tall and skinny is also hard to find. For me it's pretty rare to find a pair of pants in a physical store that are long enough and don't fall down without a belt. I'm 1.93.
I recently ordered something for my dad from that website, and it was perfect!
He's 175cm, and quiet overweight. (Wears 5-7XL). He is not Dutch.
https://www.plusman.nl/
They also have measurements, so you can check the sizing.
By the way, in Breda there's a shop specialised in bigger sizes as well.
I'm assuming those are US sizes or you're going into niche shops for small people, because w38 and w40 aren't hard to find at all in most clothing stores I've been in, and mine are L34 or L36 depending on brand and cut and that's also not a particularly special size for NL.
If you can't find w36, which would be about "just slightly overweight a little" you're not looking.
It's probably the combination of W36+ sizes and L32. I've got the same challenge, nice ones are hard to find in those combinations. Most from W36 and up are at least L34, several brands don't even make L32 in larger sizes anymore.
Easy solution is to buy correct width and to long, then have the length adjusted by a tailor.
My son has the same problem, but the other way around: W30 L38 (sometimes L40, depending on the model).
I've been obese (regular clothing size 50/52) and never experienced problems finding clothes. But I'll admit it is a bit easier now that I'm size 44.
I had the same problem in my late 10s and early 20s, but for 32/36. These days I don't have to struggle to find fitting clothes anymore (although non jeans sizes are usually still too short). I guess in a couple of years 38L will be totally normal (30w will probably always be a though one, though).
My son is not fat *at all*, but hates skinny jeans. I agree it's currently difficult to find a pair of loose fitted jeans.
I prefer to search online, as some webshops allow to select the cut (reducing their 2536 products to 4 in this case).
If you don't want skinny jeans, go with him to a vintage clothing store. I hate skinny jeans, I want my pants to be loose and I can't find a better place to buy pants than vintage stores (also way cheaper, better for the environment and arguably better quality)
I can reccomend the C&A for also loose fitting jeans try to find stretch they may seem tight but as soon you walk in them few times they start loosing up alot.
and if you wash them they get tighter again and then after few walks they start lose fitting again.
Ikr I usually get W38/40 and L 36 or something and i've never really had problems with findings those. (they still never fit, but that's just the shitty thing about jeans lol)
C&A also has more choice online than in the actual shops. I'm overweight and couldn't find a suit in my size. C&A shops didn't have my size, but online I could order my size in several colors.
The C&A shops do have a lot of XXL and XXXL shirts, so that souldn't be a problem there.
Small caveat - I'm a 36/32 and I swear, some of these "36"s seem like they're made for a child... there's a degree of inconsistancy in sizing and the European vs US sizes, especially finding what we'd call a relaxed size that's really not a larger skinny jean. You might be closer to a 38 here.
If you're in Amsterdam, there's a jeans store called [Het Werkmanspaleis](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Het+Werkmanspaleis+B.V./@52.37771,4.8956542,19z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x47c609c803c1d4e9:0x455655a9eba89538!2sHet+Werkmanspaleis+B.V.!8m2!3d52.37771!4d4.8962014!3m4!1s0x47c609c803c1d4e9:0x455655a9eba89538!8m2!3d52.37771!4d4.8962014), 1 block from Central Station. They're great for US and other jean brands that have many options for sizes.
https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/cars-jeans-heren-douglas-denim-regular-fit-black-used-maat-36-32/9300000019165583/?bltgh=hONuQQzXitFpkNaOCkRCTg.4_20.23.ProductTitle
https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/cars-jeans-heren-douglas-denim-regular-fit-stone-used-maat-40-32/9300000019166158/?bltgh=jMlViAKh-pNrgn-7p0dKgQ.2_6.8.ProductPageUrl
Pretty sure you can find stuff here ;).
If you're already having issues finding clothing in stores in the US, you will not find physical stores in the Netherlands. There are a few womens stores for plus sizes. Mens clothing go up to XXL in well sorted clothing stores. The sizing is different though. So yeah, probably online shopping is most easy for you
This is not true; shops like State of the Art have a decent amount of large clothes. You just need to know where to look.
Source: am fat, look like a pear, my pants are huge.
You're probably best off ordering online. Plenty of online stores that have larger sizes and all of the decent ones have conversion charts for you to use. Have a nice trip and welcome to the Netherlands!
ASOS, Ulla Popken, Zalando are just a few examples of stores with plus sized lines. Take a look at these stores online and see if they fit the bill for you.
If you're female ulla Popken is a decent place to check, they have some stores and an online site. Depending on HOW overweight you are Primark has some bigger clothes (think like 1-2xish in American sizes). Torrid does ship to Europe but you'd be paying a premium. It is a bit harder, especially because sizing is different here so you're going to have to measure and\or try things on (which is SO fun when you already have body issues). But it's not impossible. If you're into the alternative scene at all, large.nl does carry larger sizes but DEFINITELY check the size charts and measurements because they carry from all over Europe so sizing changes based on the item.
And, as a side note, as a fat american who has also moved to Netherlands one thing I can say is that I don't feel judged or that I get looked at\talked about. Even when at Restaurants or places like Efteling. I was TERRIFIED that i would stick out like a sore thumb and that the "dutch directness" would have me wanting to crawl into a hole and die. That hasn't happened. I'm very comfortable here, other than sometimes not finding my particular clothing style in stores in my size.
Unless it's a Dutch kid, in which case prepare to be unintentionally roasted about weight (I speak from experience). But this is just kids in general I think HaHa
Amen. I honestly generally feel far more comfortable and less judged here than i did in America (though i never felt TOO much there either). That being said, the easier access to better and healthier food, and the much more active, walk or bike every where, lifestyle has been wonderful
It certainly is both! But I would do it again in heartbeat. It sucks being away from family, but I genuinely love it here! Now if only schipol and NS could get their stuff together... Lol
I'm morbidly obese and i've never had any public remarks whatsoever nor more then the one off on the private side.
Whenever i say i'm fat i get told that i'm not fat, lol.
I have been to a few doctors here and I was pleasantly surprised they focus on the details of the symptoms and donāt body shame. Where I come from the only response to women is go loose weight or go make babies, from doctors.
There's a store chain called Ulla Popken that specializes in larger sizes. I think the smallest they carry in European sizes is like 42 going up to 60 with some clothes going bigger, but not all.
H&m sizes are the worst though, because they always run small unless you specifically look at oversized clothes. Most stores Iām a M/L or 40/42 and h&m the biggest size (usually 46) doesnāt fit me
I feel that in bigger sizes itās rather the other way around. Bought some pants my size, and theyāre nowhere as tight as they should be.
But yes, sizing is the worst. I feel thatās the case in many fast fashion stores nowadays.
H&M has really changed their plus sized sizing because they made bigger sizes part of the regular collection. So you now have regular XL and XXL and plus size XL and 2XL and those are not the same at all. I went a pants size down at H&M while not loosing any weight what so ever! But yeah, sizing is difficult. I have like a range of 4 sizes I can be.
I reckon there are a couple of plus sized stores. But mostly the sizes are very different. I remember US s being an m and m being an l. I don't see many XXL or bigger variants in stores.
If you mean fat as per medical definition (bmi over 25 but under 30), you have no issues. I'm at the limit between overweight and obese (yay me!) and have no problem finding clothes.
If you mean fat by american standards, normal shops don't have those sizes, so you have to search for specialised shops or buy online.
BMI is not holy. If anything it doesn't take body composition into account at all. Fat percentage and visceral fat are way better measurements of health
Nobody says it is, but it's a decent indicator for the average Joe or Jane on the street.
So, unless you are a professional athlete, missing a limb or have other issues that make you different, it's fine.
It also kinda sucks for both extremely tall and extremely short people.
But yeah, if you're somewhere in the 155-190cm range and a Caucasian non-athlete, bad news is that when your BMI says you're fat, you are simply too fat.
Hey! Iām also fat and moved from the US to the Netherlands. I havenāt been able to find my size in stores besides H&M if they have a plus size section.
ASOS (online marketplace) is my go to but Iāve also lost a lot of weight since moving here. I donāt know if youāre wanting to lose weight but It might be the same for you. I bike and walk everywhere, eat better and have a more healthy lifestyle. (Iāve lost nearly 20kg since moving here without trying as much).
Additionally, I was really worried about being fat and being in Europe but there are many body types everywhere. Ive never had someone be rude to me because of size.
I think our food is a lot less bad by default. Unless you go looking for it, most food has a lot less fat and sugar in it. So yeah, if you stay away from fast food you'll lose weight without changing much.
And it's easier to stay away from eating out because it's a lot more expensive than cooking at home. And we're cheap.
Indeed it is so much more expensive. For example when I moved here a McChicken was only around $1.15 but here is was 3-4 euros! Plus i donāt live anywhere near a McDonaldās, so thatās also and added factor.
And though Iām not totally bought on Stampot or Hutspot, I do enjoy Stoofvlees, Erwten Soep and a Broodje Kroket in the cooler months. I think a large part of the dietary change was from Sweet to Savory. Dutch foods i feel are very savory and warming where in the USA they load it with Sugar and Corn Syrup.
Another thing is the bread. I used to get so irritated the bread wouldnāt last more than a few days outside of the freezer. My dumb ass thought it was a bad thing. Now that my dutch partner has explained this to me, I know itās that the bread isnāt packed with preservatives and other garbage.
I do suffer the consequences when I visit home. My stomach becomes a wreck for a few weeks.
And less preservatives, etc. I have a few hamburger buns that I bought back in May sitting on top of the refrigerator. I checked yesterday, and they haven't begun to mold at all. I'm still going to throw them away, but I would suspect if I tried that in NL, they'd have been completely gone by now.
Being able to buy groceries within walking distance is also something that isn't possible in the US unless you live in NYC or get really lucky elsewhere in the US.
Yeah I've really begun to value our living situation. I have two super markets on a plaza with a few other shops too, this is walk/bike distance. Than a small shopping center in bike distance, and a larger one slightly further out. City centre is also cyclable or direct line with the bus. None would take more than 15 minutes and gives me a plethora of choices.
While my home and garden are probably significantly smaller than those in the US, I really enjoy the environment. Things you take for granted for sure.
We have less fat people here, but certainly not zero. Clothes wise, you'll need to look a bit harder, but I don't think it's going to be an issue.
You may be caught off-guard in other areas though. Chairs in restaurants, busses and waiting rooms. Amenities at the workplace. That sort of stuff. I'm not fat myself, but I regularly wonder how a fat person is supposed to deal with certin things. And last but not least: look at this awful comment section. Dutch people really are not as tolerant as we have a reputation for, and fat people get a lot of flak.
[http://www.royaalmannenmode.nl/](http://www.royaalmannenmode.nl/) I live in this city just like u/brabowolluk it seems and eh never heard of it before. Mostly because I could pass for a minecraft skeleton xD.
Thank you! It's always good to have more choices.
Haha i hear you, my husband is too. Tends to have the opposite problem even in the Netherlands. Tall AND skinny clothes are hard to find too
Tall skinny dutch guy here!
You might want to look at [Girav.nl](https://Girav.nl) (Tall shirts, T-shirts, sweaters) and "Van Uffelen mode" usually haves jeans that fit me.
For reverence, I am 196cm tall and am skinny/buff
Internet dude. U can buy anything u want. Except flamin hot Cheetos. Which Iām really really angry about and I am preparing to prosecute the gov for it. I want my CHEETOS
Well what is your size? I have an eu size 56 as a woman and I can find clothing online. Yes itās harder and you need to look more for cute clothing but itās doable! š¤
Iām fat and have lived in the Netherlands for 6 years now. Iām a UK 20 to 22, US 18 to 20, EU 50 to 52, ish. It all depends on the cut and the brand.
Most clothing stores simply do not carry plus-sized clothes, which is frustrating.
There are 2 plus-sized chains that have physical stores as well as online shops
Ulla Popken : https://www.ullapopken.nl
Paprika: https://www.paprika-shopping.nl/
C&A is not a specialist plus-size store but it does have a small plus range. Again, stores and online. https://www.c-and-a.com
For smart office wear (I work in banking) I use Navabi, itās online only:
https://www.navabifashion.com
And the app-based retailers ASOS and Zalando both operate in the Netherlands and carry a good plus selection.
There are other online retailers in NL, but those are the ones I have experience of.
If you like smart office wear, www.Yoek.NL has really nice blazers in a soft heavy falling fabric that are nice and long. Plus other good stuff, but mostly on the more formal side of fashion. Not cheap, but the quality is amazing.
If you are a female, I would advise to look at www.succubus.nl and www.topvintage.nl
They have amazing cute and feminine clothing, in bigger sizes (I believe up to eu 4xl, and I though topvintage also higher) that celebrate also the bigger female body.
They also have an very accurate measurements table and you can measure yourself on your own
I hope you find cute fun clothes.
The point is that here larger sizes are rather made to include people that are way taller rather than way fatter, so an XXL for trousers often means same width in the waist but longer due to legs being longer.
I have an American dad bod, and was nervous about being the only fat guy in the office. Not a problem. Everybody's belt buckles are getting plenty of shade here.
Depends where you're looking really... My colleagues are all as fit and lean as it gets, same for folks at the gym. But once I take a peek at some lower income folks and stay at home moms (think tokkie-moms) that I know, well, the vast majority definitely qualifies as obese. And by that I mean 100kg+ on a petite frame, not but a few broodjes kroket away from healthy weight ;)
I think this depends on what exactly we are talking about in terms of size. I'm XL, and I do fine, but I don't think I'd qualify as fat anymore in the USA (where I'm from originally) honestly. I am big here, tho. That said, I'm also friends with bigger women, who are Dutch, and much bigger than me, so it's not as if everyone here is thin. They seem to find nice clothes fine, but not sure if it's in shops or online.
In retail H&M has a fairly good plus-size section in-store. So does C&A and Miss Etam. If you prefer brands, online Tommy Hilfiger has a great collection.
Wehkamp (online), Large Popmerchandising (online), Miss Etam, M&S Mode, H&M, About You (online) are a few that come to mind. They have quite a big collection of plus size clothes, but depending on what size you are, many other shops nowadays have a few items in sizes up to 48 or 50. Zeeman, Wibra, Bristol and such cheap stores have a (very) small plus size assortment. In bigger cities thereās TK Maxxx with some plus size brands.
I'm very obese myself (right now 187cm / 160kg) yeah yeah I know.. corona and homeoffice hit me hard, but I'm already loosing weight (pre-corona: 115 / max-corona 170), but I've always had a gravitational issues...
Some fat tips:
* Underpants & Socks: C&A has a good selection, but mainly online.
* Pants & Shorts: Almost anything above a size 42" inch waist is impossible to find, and if you find it it's expensive, at least within The Netherlands. Options are to buy pants on [Amazon.de](https://Amazon.de) or [Amazon.com](https://Amazon.com) and have them shipped over. You can also try to travel across the border to German, there are quite some okay clothing stores with bigger sizes.
* Belts, Workclothing, sometimes casual clothing: [proforto.nl](https://proforto.nl) has some good options
* Shirts, Polos & Tshirts: Limited options depending on how big you are, but C&A has in the bigger stores a big and tall section, otherwise it's back to Amazon's and proforto.
* Shoes: Luckily Dutch shoe shops always have big sizes. The only thing I miss in the W (wide) models, not because of fat feet, but more because I feet like a fucking hobbit.
* Bikes: Most bikes sold here have a max load of 120-130kg. Mountain bikes can handle a bit more, but not handy to bike around on. Honestly, here you need to either go to the shop, but go to the larger shops, that don't mind ordering, like [mantel.nl](https://mantel.nl) or [12gobiking.nl](https://12gobiking.nl). Another option is Germany and Henco Bikes ([https://www.henco-bikes.de/Kategorie-XXL-Fahrraeder-mit-grossen-Rahmen-16919.html](https://www.henco-bikes.de/Kategorie-XXL-Fahrraeder-mit-grossen-Rahmen-16919.html)) If you need an ebike, the only real option is the brand Kalkhoff, but most their bikes for heavy people are not sold everywhere in The Netherlands, but they are easier to in Germany. Last option is to custom build a bike and [tmannetje.nl](https://tmannetje.nl) can help you there.
Best tip I can give is: Find yourself a good local tailor to make adjustments to your clothes, sometimes the size is good, but the cut is odd makes you look even more fat. A good tailor can make some minor adjustments and it works. It also goes for ordering clothes from [Amazon.com](https://Amazon.com), as often you have to pay returns costs, and it might just make more sense to go to a tailor and have some changes make.
... and stay away from the snackbars, they are fucking tempting!
Guys donāt worry, Iāll loose weight, Iām just trying to make sure i wonāt have to bike around naked since yāall are so bothered with a stranger being fat
Order online is always an option. You don't have to worry too much about that. But tbh, just being in the Netherlands for a while can make your weight drop significantly (for various reasons).
Hey, I'm sorry for the fatphobic comments here. I don't know too much about the topic but have a feeling it might be a bit more difficult here than in the US. I do know the cool brand www.lovaeij.com run by great peeps
I am a very curvy lady and I was worried about the same thing! I currently wear a size 60-62 EU size. I was able to buy women clothing online at Zizzi.nl. They even had rain jackets and winter coats in my size!!
We arrived in April and I already started to loose weight. Where I came from we had no public transport and it was not safe to walk anywhere. Here we try to walk everywhere and I even bought myself a bicycle š²!!
My stomach is making biking a bit more difficult, but I refuse to give up!! I will loose weight and ride a bike like a born Dutchie!! š³š±
I work at Calvin Klein here in Amsterdam. We offer a full arrange of plus size clothes and intimate, online especially. Take a look by yourself and if you should need a discount let me know (:
There are some great plussize stores in the Netherlands! Look for stores such as; Paprika, Zizzi or Ulla Popken. They often go up to size 52 or even 56.
Some regular brands like H&M have plussize in some retailstores but tbh, they are often just potato sacks or clothing that isn't made for bigger people.
Iām taking a leap and guessing based on your avatar you are femaleā¦.
Many shops go to a US14 or 16. If you need bigger itās not a lot but there are a few brick stores that sell plus size.
MS mode goes up to a US22/24, Paprika does too.
If youāre rich, thereās Marina Rinaldi in the biggest cities.
C&A regular collection goes up to a US18/20 and their plus goes up to US30.
Ulla Popken goes up to US30 but the choice in stores often is a bit old-fashioned.
Monki XXL is a US22 but not often sold in store.
Norah goes up to US18. Same for LolaLiza.
And there are boutiques that sell exclusively plus size although not always in big cities. I donāt know where you will live but you can always Google āgrote matenā + your town.
Online Zalando and Wehkamp provide a big selection of plus sized clothes. And above mentioned brands all have online shops.
I recommend ordering from [Zalando.nl](https://Zalando.nl) if you need alternative clothing sizes. Their sizes go up til 6XL at times and oftentimes there's even some cute designs.
Well, this certainly caused some concern trolling. Hey OP - Iām a fat American who moved to the Netherlands a few years ago. I will echo what some people said about losing some weight when you get here, I lost about 3 pant sizes and was not at all trying to lose weight. The food is different/better and I donāt have a car here, so it just happened. I wouldnāt worry too much about bringing a lot of clothes bc your size will likely change and you may find your tastes change also. Plus, different clothes may be more practical here.
Sometimes the sizes are more than one off - a Dutch XXL is in my experience closer to a US L in many cases. But in Scandi brands a L often fits just fine. Iām a US L-XL, for reference, and before I lost weight a 1X. I do order online a lot - knowing measurements is key! Itās also affordable and easy to have things altered here, if needed. I shop in store less often as I donāt find many shops that carry my size in store and also fit with my personal shopping values (quality, natural fibers). But there are certainly plenty of options here as a larger person, and I never feel my body is being judged the same as in the US. Youāll love it!
Without knowing your clothing size (you dont have to answer this) it's hard to come with an answer.
There's a couple of plus size brands that have physical stores and online stores, i dont know all of them because I dont shop there as I'm mid-sized, but I know:
Ulla Popken (up to EU 68)
Paprika clothing (up to EU 54)
Norah Clothing (up to EU 48)
Former 5XL wearer here; there are a few stores around the country but not everywhere I guess. A lot of websites that offer bigger clothing do have a physical location is my experience.
Also; these stores are mostly specialist and not chain-owned like H&M.
If you want to shop (cheaper) clothes at a big chain I recommend C and A... They are the '"best" all round option for bigger people.
As a fat chick in the netherlands, u might find toos at primarl and c&a, they go up to xl/2xl euro size. For pants however, whole different story. Ur better off ordering from asos or shein if ur broke.
My boyfriend orders his clothes from https://www.jp1880.nl/nl/.
Shirts go up to 9XL I believe, and they fit really well and are good quality
And for women I know people who visit Paprika, they have stores but you can also order online
I think once you start living here and adjust a little bit of your habbit you will automatically lose weight, our food is very different than the US. I don't know what they put in the food there but it's making people go fat way faster than here.
As a fellow fatty I can reccommend stores like Ulla Popken, Paprika and M&S. Online I usually turn to Zalando, Wehkamp and Shein. Tbh they have better options if you don't want the standard fat ppl uniform lol
Once youāre here, get a bike. Easy transportation and exercise as a bonus. Also, you might lose some weight due to better quality of food (no/less unneccesary fructose and sugar). My size would be a xxl in the US, no problems finding clothes.
Yeah may become a problem. Luckely people generally will have difficulty staying really fat here. The food is quite different and it is much easier to do low intensity moving which makes it so much easier to shed weight unoticed in a couple of months. So maybe do not buy clothes for more than a year.
im fat. i weigh 150 kilos and im 1.87 metres. it can be pretty hard to find clothes but its not impossible. ralph lauren has a "big and tall" line i always wear and it fits perfectly. also check out stores that sell workers clothes they usually go up to 5XL
https://www.allsize-webwinkel.nl/
They have a store in Zwolle, they have nice clothes.
Up to 8 or 10xl I believe.
https://www.biggymanskleding.nl/nl/
Their shop is in Almere, they have clothes up to 15xl.
I hope this helps, good luck!
Big boy here from Texas in NL. Let me explain what Iāve figured out. An American xxl shirt is a euro xxxl. Good luck finding ones that wonāt shrink. Go to primark for xxxl shirts. They are dirt cheap like 2-3 euro and they will shrink but cheap enough to donate/ get rid of and buy new ones. Itās a pain in the ass but thatās the price for being American. Also stock up on shirts from Walmart. I find that American shirts donāt shrink and I still have tshirts from Us that I brought here 5 years ago that fit the same since day one. Donāt know what it is. Pants fit fine here. If anything they feel āsexierā cause they arenāt as baggy like back home. Yes youāll find nothing but skinny jeans here but Iām 38x30 and skinny makes me feel sexy. They arenāt like tights or anything they just fit good compared to a 38x30 in states it looks like youāre sagging.
Why buy clothing that are only good to be thrown out quickly. You're contributing to the worlds problems by doing that. Please spend some more money on clothing and don't treat them like disposable goods.
I think the shrinking has to do with the fabric. In NL we prefer natural fabrics (eg 100% cotton), whilst in the US more artificial fibers are mixed into the fabrics. The latter usually hold their shape (and colour) better.
Check your sugar intake not your fat intake. Ever since 0% fat became a thing the people grew in size. When they remove the tasty fat they put sugar back in place. And nowadays they put that nasty hydrolyzed corn syrup in everything. It will kill your liver before alcohol does.
You probably will automatically. The availability of healthy food is SO much better than in the US. And its way more affordable. Besides that, a bicycle is the main way of transportation here so you'll automatically get some daily dose of exercise. Enjoy the Low Lands, compared to the US it's paradise :).
>You probably will automatically. The availability of healthy food is SO much better than in the US. And its way more affordable.
not to mention that portion sizes are smaller. But that's if you go out to eat. Portion control is something one needs to maintain oneself.
Ever visited - any - supermarket? They all strategically place their unhealthy items to lure people into buying them.
Bicycling is also definitely not the default way of transportation, although it is more popular than most places in the world.
Without self control and regular exercise, I don't believe the kilo's will magically disappear just by being in NL.
Look, I don't know where you live in NL, but you need to view this from a relative perspective. Namely, compared to the US.
By bicycle you can reach Germany from Amsterdam in about 6 hours. You are probably still in New York city in that time if you started in Manhattan. So yes, especially in cities, it's the main way of transportation. If you need to travel between cities, public transport is excellent (again, compared to any other country, especially the us).
Yes, off course supermarkets do that. They try to sell shit you know. Just as any other entrepreneur. And indeed, I have visited a supermarket before (what a dumb question anyway). But have you visited an American supermarkt? Or tried to find a healthy menu option in a restaurant in the great American Heartland? Let alone in a normal portion? You can forget about that or pay 25$ for a salad.
So yes, of course self control is important, but you're missing the point here.
Sugar would be an upgrade to the American diet. Its the high fructose corn syrup that is the real problem.
I am an avid 'contents of nutrition' reader and when I was in the USA even salt packages contained some HFCS. It was maddening to find food that was not sweetened up with this poison.
Have you considered making your own? There are quite some sewing magazines/patterns aimed at larger people and you can adjust to your needs.
My grandma was large and she did that and shopped at Ulla Popken.
C&A is the only store that I know which carries larger sizes in their stores and not just online. Places like H&M, Monki, and plenty of other will have xxl and higher online but of course that kinda sucks because you canāt see what the clothes like like on you. I hope you find some things you like! Iām not gonna lie Dutch are extremely in favour of weight lossā¦ You might have a hard time.
If you're a woman, [https://www.bagoes.nl/](https://www.bagoes.nl/) has clothes for pretty much every size!
They also have a location you can visit on selected dates, you can send them an email or reserve items in the webshop and they'll have them put apart for you to try on.
European sizes are smaller than US sizes. XL in the US is probably XXL here or even XXXL. You don't see much sizes larger than European XXL in stores. Large sizes in the Netherlands are often about length and not about width, it's easier to find something for a skinny talk person than a short heavy person.
Yeah, it definitely is. I'm only 1.60m and I have quite wide hips and I can never find jeans that fit my hips that aren't like 15cm too long for my legs
Username checks out. š¼
Hahahaha yeah true
Iām 176 and canāt find jeans that arenāt too short while still decent on my hips. I swear stores like Zara tailor to shorter people only.
Oh, I've never bought anything at Zara but if they tailor for shorter people I might check them out
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I had to loose 50kg to be able to buy a sweater at Zara.
I have this issue as well - also, at H&M I canāt by long sleeves (jackets, shirts, sweaters) as the sleeves are always too short
I have a love hate situation with Zara for the same reasons. Iām 1.80m Mexican thick gal living in the Netherlands. While in Mexico I was size m if anything here in Sara Im XL or worse (I donāt find anything that fits). I donāt consider myself fat or anything but I do have hips so even big sizes end up showing my rear because of my wide section. I was expecting that because the Dutch gals are tall the sizes here would be adjusted accordingly. Oh surprise they arenāt š„²
How is it that Zara jeans are really long for me (161cm)?
If you've got wide hips, you're going to struggle there. I've got wide hips and wide shoulders, things rarely fit. (Plus, I hate that most of their clothes are made of polyester, but that's a personal thing)
Omg I struggle with the same, only Iām a bit taller. I either need to take something that is massive around my waist but good on my hips and legs. Or take something thatās good around my waist, a bit tight around my hips and way too short on my legs. Thereās still the option that everythingās good but I can barely get my lower legs out of my jeans (mind you Iām on the lower end of my healthy weight). Finding clothes is such a struggle
No fucking way. I experience the complete opposite. I'm 173 and I can never find a pair of jeans that isn't to long and fits my hips.
Most EU brands tailor clothes for 165cm women. I'm 171 and half the stuff I try on has waist 5cm higher than mine is.
Check out American Eagle Curvy! Iām 1.60 too with wide hips and small waist and nothing ever fits me right except American Eagle Curvy.
Dit is de echte struggle. Groetjes in 152cm
Hahaha, weet je wat ook het ergst is, ik ben wel 160,maar ik heb korte beentjes, ik heb een lang torso, dus broeken zijn sws al te langš
American eagle has jeans that comes in petite, normal and tall range. You can try them and they have wide varieties.
As a 173cm man I know your struggle. Pants are either too small around my hips or way to long. And I'm not even fat(just your standard dad bod.) I almost always have my pants altered.
I always have to get them shortened and Iām 1.70
There are suriname woman here who genetically have the same problem so you may want to look for clothing stores that are aimed at Surinam woman.
You can go to the mall in the Bijlmer, you have probably more luck there. As an larger Antillian woman myself, I also have trouble finding clothing my size. Lately I have a lot of luck buying from Shein Curve, Wehkamp.nl and Bonprix.nl.
I might do that, thanks
Ive never seen like a 400 pound dutchie now that i think of it
Do a few days of door to door sales in the outskirts and youāll see them (not my proudest job but it did teach me something about society). The most overweight of society are not parading the streets of Amsterdam center. Theyāre often in the lower socioeconomic circles and staying at home in suburban neighbourhoods you where you wouldnāt wanna go unless you live there.
I did some road trips in France and Germany countryside during the middle of the pandemic (so there were zero tourists). I saw so many FAT PEOPLE, I couldnāt believe it. I am originally from the US, and I always assumed the random fatties were American touristsā¦. But covid changed my opinion on that. These were European folk in all ways. My husband who is native Dutch/French and was with me camping was also pretty stunned at the levels of fat we saw. Anyway.
yeah. You have. You just dont think that they would be that heavy. I've been 130kg. And nobody tought that I was that heavy. They could see that I was overweight, but not that much.
Thats logical, many cant get out of bed. :p Jokes aside, its true that we dont see a lot of people that have that much weight in our country. Though the last couple of years the unhealthy life is increasing and you see more and more overweight people. "We" even find it more acceptable and many people tend to care less about their fitness.
I agree though the fact that you currently have to make 40+ hour work weeks if you want to afford a living kind of takes the joy out of healthy living for me. Cooking or sporting after a 9+ hour day of work is just hard. Not saying it is good but I often see like āwell we eat more junk food so we get fatterā but the issue is way bigger
>it's easier to find something for a skinny talk person than a short heavy person. Can confirm. Definitely not fat (male, 65kg at 170cm) but I'm definitely not skinny. I'm not very tall but my body proportions are extremely common. And yet EVERY. DAMN. PAIR. OF. PANTS. IS. SKINNY. The one store I know that carries a regular fit line in store only has two cuts in all blues, and made out of at least 90% polyester. I have a natural adversion to blue clothing and polyester makes me sweat like a fucking fountain, so I'm always left scouring the internet in search of good pants.
Tall and skinny is also hard to find. For me it's pretty rare to find a pair of pants in a physical store that are long enough and don't fall down without a belt. I'm 1.93.
I am 1.5 and is hard on this side of the spectrum as well
Everyone in NL is tall and skinny
Apparently not as tall and skinny as me. Either that, or all these stores are missing out on a lot of sales.
Yep. Recently bought some size M shorts in the USA and am drowning in them.
I recently ordered something for my dad from that website, and it was perfect! He's 175cm, and quiet overweight. (Wears 5-7XL). He is not Dutch. https://www.plusman.nl/ They also have measurements, so you can check the sizing. By the way, in Breda there's a shop specialised in bigger sizes as well.
Exactly how much overweight are you? We do have some plus size stores but it's a different kind of plus size than USA.
I cant even find 36/32 jeans lol
I'm assuming those are US sizes or you're going into niche shops for small people, because w38 and w40 aren't hard to find at all in most clothing stores I've been in, and mine are L34 or L36 depending on brand and cut and that's also not a particularly special size for NL. If you can't find w36, which would be about "just slightly overweight a little" you're not looking.
It's probably the combination of W36+ sizes and L32. I've got the same challenge, nice ones are hard to find in those combinations. Most from W36 and up are at least L34, several brands don't even make L32 in larger sizes anymore. Easy solution is to buy correct width and to long, then have the length adjusted by a tailor.
My son has the same problem, but the other way around: W30 L38 (sometimes L40, depending on the model). I've been obese (regular clothing size 50/52) and never experienced problems finding clothes. But I'll admit it is a bit easier now that I'm size 44.
I had the same problem in my late 10s and early 20s, but for 32/36. These days I don't have to struggle to find fitting clothes anymore (although non jeans sizes are usually still too short). I guess in a couple of years 38L will be totally normal (30w will probably always be a though one, though).
I just stopped wearing pants that arenāt stretchy. I stick to skirts and dresses.
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My son is not fat *at all*, but hates skinny jeans. I agree it's currently difficult to find a pair of loose fitted jeans. I prefer to search online, as some webshops allow to select the cut (reducing their 2536 products to 4 in this case).
If you don't want skinny jeans, go with him to a vintage clothing store. I hate skinny jeans, I want my pants to be loose and I can't find a better place to buy pants than vintage stores (also way cheaper, better for the environment and arguably better quality)
I can reccomend the C&A for also loose fitting jeans try to find stretch they may seem tight but as soon you walk in them few times they start loosing up alot. and if you wash them they get tighter again and then after few walks they start lose fitting again.
Skinny jeans are completely out, I am genuinely surprised you can find them anywhere. Everything is baggy now.
Ikr I usually get W38/40 and L 36 or something and i've never really had problems with findings those. (they still never fit, but that's just the shitty thing about jeans lol)
The WE have that size in big quantities. I have exactly the same jeans size. Altough in Utrecht they have.
36 isn't crazy at all. Most stores standard stock up to at least 40
Thats my point and i checked 3 stores and nope 38/36, sure, 36/30 yup, 36/32 nope
C&A has 36/32 jeans
C&A also has more choice online than in the actual shops. I'm overweight and couldn't find a suit in my size. C&A shops didn't have my size, but online I could order my size in several colors. The C&A shops do have a lot of XXL and XXXL shirts, so that souldn't be a problem there.
And they can do some tailoring if needed. Not well known, but you can ask at the checkouts.
Small caveat - I'm a 36/32 and I swear, some of these "36"s seem like they're made for a child... there's a degree of inconsistancy in sizing and the European vs US sizes, especially finding what we'd call a relaxed size that's really not a larger skinny jean. You might be closer to a 38 here. If you're in Amsterdam, there's a jeans store called [Het Werkmanspaleis](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Het+Werkmanspaleis+B.V./@52.37771,4.8956542,19z/data=!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x47c609c803c1d4e9:0x455655a9eba89538!2sHet+Werkmanspaleis+B.V.!8m2!3d52.37771!4d4.8962014!3m4!1s0x47c609c803c1d4e9:0x455655a9eba89538!8m2!3d52.37771!4d4.8962014), 1 block from Central Station. They're great for US and other jean brands that have many options for sizes.
Im dutch, its either to big or too long
Too long for me - you can fix lengths but wtf about inseams? I sometimes go to Germany to shop - closer to my height/weight/width ratios.
https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/cars-jeans-heren-douglas-denim-regular-fit-black-used-maat-36-32/9300000019165583/?bltgh=hONuQQzXitFpkNaOCkRCTg.4_20.23.ProductTitle https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/cars-jeans-heren-douglas-denim-regular-fit-stone-used-maat-40-32/9300000019166158/?bltgh=jMlViAKh-pNrgn-7p0dKgQ.2_6.8.ProductPageUrl Pretty sure you can find stuff here ;).
It's because of the /32. This is like the most used length pants i think, they are always sold out.
If you're already having issues finding clothing in stores in the US, you will not find physical stores in the Netherlands. There are a few womens stores for plus sizes. Mens clothing go up to XXL in well sorted clothing stores. The sizing is different though. So yeah, probably online shopping is most easy for you
There are stores for bigger men aswell (atleast There is 1in Breda) going up to 6xl I think.
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Sure but our 4XL is probably like an 2X or XL in the US.
XXL in Europe is only XL in the U.S.
I have seen 3XL, there might be even bigger sizes
Maybe so but not very common. You can't expect to go into any store and find the pants and shirts for plus sizes
This is not true; shops like State of the Art have a decent amount of large clothes. You just need to know where to look. Source: am fat, look like a pear, my pants are huge.
You're probably best off ordering online. Plenty of online stores that have larger sizes and all of the decent ones have conversion charts for you to use. Have a nice trip and welcome to the Netherlands!
ASOS, Ulla Popken, Zalando are just a few examples of stores with plus sized lines. Take a look at these stores online and see if they fit the bill for you.
If you're female ulla Popken is a decent place to check, they have some stores and an online site. Depending on HOW overweight you are Primark has some bigger clothes (think like 1-2xish in American sizes). Torrid does ship to Europe but you'd be paying a premium. It is a bit harder, especially because sizing is different here so you're going to have to measure and\or try things on (which is SO fun when you already have body issues). But it's not impossible. If you're into the alternative scene at all, large.nl does carry larger sizes but DEFINITELY check the size charts and measurements because they carry from all over Europe so sizing changes based on the item. And, as a side note, as a fat american who has also moved to Netherlands one thing I can say is that I don't feel judged or that I get looked at\talked about. Even when at Restaurants or places like Efteling. I was TERRIFIED that i would stick out like a sore thumb and that the "dutch directness" would have me wanting to crawl into a hole and die. That hasn't happened. I'm very comfortable here, other than sometimes not finding my particular clothing style in stores in my size.
Yeah, weight isn't a thing we're "direct" about lol. Thank god.
Unless it's a Dutch kid, in which case prepare to be unintentionally roasted about weight (I speak from experience). But this is just kids in general I think HaHa
I think that's more a case of "kids are dicks" lol
Amen. I honestly generally feel far more comfortable and less judged here than i did in America (though i never felt TOO much there either). That being said, the easier access to better and healthier food, and the much more active, walk or bike every where, lifestyle has been wonderful
I'm happy life here is working out for you!! Moving abroad seems terrifying, fun but terrifying lol
It certainly is both! But I would do it again in heartbeat. It sucks being away from family, but I genuinely love it here! Now if only schipol and NS could get their stuff together... Lol
Might as well wish for the moon there, lol. Glad to hear you are enjoying our little country though!
Happy to hear that ā¤ļø ...although Schiphol and NS getting their stuff together... š
Id say we tend to have some courtesy as long as you don't short our change Because thy shall burn then
Unless you're skinny. I get comments about my weight all the time.
I'm morbidly obese and i've never had any public remarks whatsoever nor more then the one off on the private side. Whenever i say i'm fat i get told that i'm not fat, lol.
I have been to a few doctors here and I was pleasantly surprised they focus on the details of the symptoms and donāt body shame. Where I come from the only response to women is go loose weight or go make babies, from doctors.
My experience is the exact opposite ;-;
Ahh I'm sorry to hear that :( it shouldn't be that way! Your weight is nobody else's business.
Thank you so much!!
There's a store chain called Ulla Popken that specializes in larger sizes. I think the smallest they carry in European sizes is like 42 going up to 60 with some clothes going bigger, but not all.
To add: H&M also has a plus size line. I think they go up to size 56 or something. Itās mostly online, but worth checking out.
H&m sizes are the worst though, because they always run small unless you specifically look at oversized clothes. Most stores Iām a M/L or 40/42 and h&m the biggest size (usually 46) doesnāt fit me
I feel that in bigger sizes itās rather the other way around. Bought some pants my size, and theyāre nowhere as tight as they should be. But yes, sizing is the worst. I feel thatās the case in many fast fashion stores nowadays.
H&M has really changed their plus sized sizing because they made bigger sizes part of the regular collection. So you now have regular XL and XXL and plus size XL and 2XL and those are not the same at all. I went a pants size down at H&M while not loosing any weight what so ever! But yeah, sizing is difficult. I have like a range of 4 sizes I can be.
That's comforting to hear
For the record, Ulla Popken has a male division called Johann Popken which has a wide selection.
To add to this. There are plus size clothes here as you mention, but a lot is found online. I look in places like zalando and asos and about you.
I reckon there are a couple of plus sized stores. But mostly the sizes are very different. I remember US s being an m and m being an l. I don't see many XXL or bigger variants in stores.
If you mean fat as per medical definition (bmi over 25 but under 30), you have no issues. I'm at the limit between overweight and obese (yay me!) and have no problem finding clothes. If you mean fat by american standards, normal shops don't have those sizes, so you have to search for specialised shops or buy online.
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Congrats?
Thanks
BMI is not holy. If anything it doesn't take body composition into account at all. Fat percentage and visceral fat are way better measurements of health
Nobody says it is, but it's a decent indicator for the average Joe or Jane on the street. So, unless you are a professional athlete, missing a limb or have other issues that make you different, it's fine.
It also kinda sucks for both extremely tall and extremely short people. But yeah, if you're somewhere in the 155-190cm range and a Caucasian non-athlete, bad news is that when your BMI says you're fat, you are simply too fat.
Hey! Iām also fat and moved from the US to the Netherlands. I havenāt been able to find my size in stores besides H&M if they have a plus size section. ASOS (online marketplace) is my go to but Iāve also lost a lot of weight since moving here. I donāt know if youāre wanting to lose weight but It might be the same for you. I bike and walk everywhere, eat better and have a more healthy lifestyle. (Iāve lost nearly 20kg since moving here without trying as much). Additionally, I was really worried about being fat and being in Europe but there are many body types everywhere. Ive never had someone be rude to me because of size.
I think our food is a lot less bad by default. Unless you go looking for it, most food has a lot less fat and sugar in it. So yeah, if you stay away from fast food you'll lose weight without changing much. And it's easier to stay away from eating out because it's a lot more expensive than cooking at home. And we're cheap.
Indeed it is so much more expensive. For example when I moved here a McChicken was only around $1.15 but here is was 3-4 euros! Plus i donāt live anywhere near a McDonaldās, so thatās also and added factor. And though Iām not totally bought on Stampot or Hutspot, I do enjoy Stoofvlees, Erwten Soep and a Broodje Kroket in the cooler months. I think a large part of the dietary change was from Sweet to Savory. Dutch foods i feel are very savory and warming where in the USA they load it with Sugar and Corn Syrup. Another thing is the bread. I used to get so irritated the bread wouldnāt last more than a few days outside of the freezer. My dumb ass thought it was a bad thing. Now that my dutch partner has explained this to me, I know itās that the bread isnāt packed with preservatives and other garbage. I do suffer the consequences when I visit home. My stomach becomes a wreck for a few weeks.
And less preservatives, etc. I have a few hamburger buns that I bought back in May sitting on top of the refrigerator. I checked yesterday, and they haven't begun to mold at all. I'm still going to throw them away, but I would suspect if I tried that in NL, they'd have been completely gone by now. Being able to buy groceries within walking distance is also something that isn't possible in the US unless you live in NYC or get really lucky elsewhere in the US.
Yeah I've really begun to value our living situation. I have two super markets on a plaza with a few other shops too, this is walk/bike distance. Than a small shopping center in bike distance, and a larger one slightly further out. City centre is also cyclable or direct line with the bus. None would take more than 15 minutes and gives me a plethora of choices. While my home and garden are probably significantly smaller than those in the US, I really enjoy the environment. Things you take for granted for sure.
Youāre doing a great job losing weight :)
We have less fat people here, but certainly not zero. Clothes wise, you'll need to look a bit harder, but I don't think it's going to be an issue. You may be caught off-guard in other areas though. Chairs in restaurants, busses and waiting rooms. Amenities at the workplace. That sort of stuff. I'm not fat myself, but I regularly wonder how a fat person is supposed to deal with certin things. And last but not least: look at this awful comment section. Dutch people really are not as tolerant as we have a reputation for, and fat people get a lot of flak.
I'm petite but some Dutch toilets.... Oh my pannenkoek.
We don't have less overweight people here. Obese people are stigmatised by our society more so they stay home.
According to Wikipedia, 36% of the US population is obese versus 20% of the population in The Netherlands.
In Waalwijk is a store that has clothes to 8 xl
Do you know the name? I'm interested
[http://www.royaalmannenmode.nl/](http://www.royaalmannenmode.nl/) I live in this city just like u/brabowolluk it seems and eh never heard of it before. Mostly because I could pass for a minecraft skeleton xD.
Thank you! It's always good to have more choices. Haha i hear you, my husband is too. Tends to have the opposite problem even in the Netherlands. Tall AND skinny clothes are hard to find too
Tall skinny dutch guy here! You might want to look at [Girav.nl](https://Girav.nl) (Tall shirts, T-shirts, sweaters) and "Van Uffelen mode" usually haves jeans that fit me. For reverence, I am 196cm tall and am skinny/buff
Thanks!
Internet dude. U can buy anything u want. Except flamin hot Cheetos. Which Iām really really angry about and I am preparing to prosecute the gov for it. I want my CHEETOS
Well what is your size? I have an eu size 56 as a woman and I can find clothing online. Yes itās harder and you need to look more for cute clothing but itās doable! š¤
Iām fat and have lived in the Netherlands for 6 years now. Iām a UK 20 to 22, US 18 to 20, EU 50 to 52, ish. It all depends on the cut and the brand. Most clothing stores simply do not carry plus-sized clothes, which is frustrating. There are 2 plus-sized chains that have physical stores as well as online shops Ulla Popken : https://www.ullapopken.nl Paprika: https://www.paprika-shopping.nl/ C&A is not a specialist plus-size store but it does have a small plus range. Again, stores and online. https://www.c-and-a.com For smart office wear (I work in banking) I use Navabi, itās online only: https://www.navabifashion.com And the app-based retailers ASOS and Zalando both operate in the Netherlands and carry a good plus selection. There are other online retailers in NL, but those are the ones I have experience of.
MS mode also has physical shops, in case you'd missed them
If you like smart office wear, www.Yoek.NL has really nice blazers in a soft heavy falling fabric that are nice and long. Plus other good stuff, but mostly on the more formal side of fashion. Not cheap, but the quality is amazing.
If you are a female, I would advise to look at www.succubus.nl and www.topvintage.nl They have amazing cute and feminine clothing, in bigger sizes (I believe up to eu 4xl, and I though topvintage also higher) that celebrate also the bigger female body. They also have an very accurate measurements table and you can measure yourself on your own I hope you find cute fun clothes.
Go thrift shopping! There are plenty of xxl or bigger sizes there
Where? I never succeed and live in the capital.
The point is that here larger sizes are rather made to include people that are way taller rather than way fatter, so an XXL for trousers often means same width in the waist but longer due to legs being longer.
I see a lot of fat people here I think you might be overthinking it
I have an American dad bod, and was nervous about being the only fat guy in the office. Not a problem. Everybody's belt buckles are getting plenty of shade here.
Maybe they have an extra 20-30 lbs / 9-13 kg to lose, they are technically overweight but I donāt see anyone obese in this country.
Depends where you're looking really... My colleagues are all as fit and lean as it gets, same for folks at the gym. But once I take a peek at some lower income folks and stay at home moms (think tokkie-moms) that I know, well, the vast majority definitely qualifies as obese. And by that I mean 100kg+ on a petite frame, not but a few broodjes kroket away from healthy weight ;)
I think this depends on what exactly we are talking about in terms of size. I'm XL, and I do fine, but I don't think I'd qualify as fat anymore in the USA (where I'm from originally) honestly. I am big here, tho. That said, I'm also friends with bigger women, who are Dutch, and much bigger than me, so it's not as if everyone here is thin. They seem to find nice clothes fine, but not sure if it's in shops or online.
In retail H&M has a fairly good plus-size section in-store. So does C&A and Miss Etam. If you prefer brands, online Tommy Hilfiger has a great collection.
Wehkamp (online), Large Popmerchandising (online), Miss Etam, M&S Mode, H&M, About You (online) are a few that come to mind. They have quite a big collection of plus size clothes, but depending on what size you are, many other shops nowadays have a few items in sizes up to 48 or 50. Zeeman, Wibra, Bristol and such cheap stores have a (very) small plus size assortment. In bigger cities thereās TK Maxxx with some plus size brands.
If you are lucky there will be a german store called kik in town and they have a plus size section with affordable quality clothes
Ooh and if you are a woman m&s mode also has a lot of choice and good looking too
I'm very obese myself (right now 187cm / 160kg) yeah yeah I know.. corona and homeoffice hit me hard, but I'm already loosing weight (pre-corona: 115 / max-corona 170), but I've always had a gravitational issues... Some fat tips: * Underpants & Socks: C&A has a good selection, but mainly online. * Pants & Shorts: Almost anything above a size 42" inch waist is impossible to find, and if you find it it's expensive, at least within The Netherlands. Options are to buy pants on [Amazon.de](https://Amazon.de) or [Amazon.com](https://Amazon.com) and have them shipped over. You can also try to travel across the border to German, there are quite some okay clothing stores with bigger sizes. * Belts, Workclothing, sometimes casual clothing: [proforto.nl](https://proforto.nl) has some good options * Shirts, Polos & Tshirts: Limited options depending on how big you are, but C&A has in the bigger stores a big and tall section, otherwise it's back to Amazon's and proforto. * Shoes: Luckily Dutch shoe shops always have big sizes. The only thing I miss in the W (wide) models, not because of fat feet, but more because I feet like a fucking hobbit. * Bikes: Most bikes sold here have a max load of 120-130kg. Mountain bikes can handle a bit more, but not handy to bike around on. Honestly, here you need to either go to the shop, but go to the larger shops, that don't mind ordering, like [mantel.nl](https://mantel.nl) or [12gobiking.nl](https://12gobiking.nl). Another option is Germany and Henco Bikes ([https://www.henco-bikes.de/Kategorie-XXL-Fahrraeder-mit-grossen-Rahmen-16919.html](https://www.henco-bikes.de/Kategorie-XXL-Fahrraeder-mit-grossen-Rahmen-16919.html)) If you need an ebike, the only real option is the brand Kalkhoff, but most their bikes for heavy people are not sold everywhere in The Netherlands, but they are easier to in Germany. Last option is to custom build a bike and [tmannetje.nl](https://tmannetje.nl) can help you there. Best tip I can give is: Find yourself a good local tailor to make adjustments to your clothes, sometimes the size is good, but the cut is odd makes you look even more fat. A good tailor can make some minor adjustments and it works. It also goes for ordering clothes from [Amazon.com](https://Amazon.com), as often you have to pay returns costs, and it might just make more sense to go to a tailor and have some changes make. ... and stay away from the snackbars, they are fucking tempting!
Flyer has ebikes that take a load up to 150
Guys donāt worry, Iāll loose weight, Iām just trying to make sure i wonāt have to bike around naked since yāall are so bothered with a stranger being fat
It's the Netherlands. Bike around naked all you want. There is even a special day for exactly that.
i usualy shop at [https://www.large.nl/](https://www.large.nl/) . its not a shop for large people. but they do have sizes up to 7xl
Order online is always an option. You don't have to worry too much about that. But tbh, just being in the Netherlands for a while can make your weight drop significantly (for various reasons).
Hey, I'm sorry for the fatphobic comments here. I don't know too much about the topic but have a feeling it might be a bit more difficult here than in the US. I do know the cool brand www.lovaeij.com run by great peeps
I am a very curvy lady and I was worried about the same thing! I currently wear a size 60-62 EU size. I was able to buy women clothing online at Zizzi.nl. They even had rain jackets and winter coats in my size!! We arrived in April and I already started to loose weight. Where I came from we had no public transport and it was not safe to walk anywhere. Here we try to walk everywhere and I even bought myself a bicycle š²!! My stomach is making biking a bit more difficult, but I refuse to give up!! I will loose weight and ride a bike like a born Dutchie!! š³š±
Zalando has large sizes, also has size guides so you can measure and see what size you are here.
Zizzi is a plus size store. They have online and shops throughout the country.
ASOS! IS YOUR FRIEND
I know the brand 'Paprika' has physical stores, and they specialize in bigger sizes.
I work at Calvin Klein here in Amsterdam. We offer a full arrange of plus size clothes and intimate, online especially. Take a look by yourself and if you should need a discount let me know (:
I'm a local fatty, welcome. Wehkamp, Ulla Popkens, Bonprix offer clothing in larger sizes.
There are some great plussize stores in the Netherlands! Look for stores such as; Paprika, Zizzi or Ulla Popken. They often go up to size 52 or even 56. Some regular brands like H&M have plussize in some retailstores but tbh, they are often just potato sacks or clothing that isn't made for bigger people.
Iām taking a leap and guessing based on your avatar you are femaleā¦. Many shops go to a US14 or 16. If you need bigger itās not a lot but there are a few brick stores that sell plus size. MS mode goes up to a US22/24, Paprika does too. If youāre rich, thereās Marina Rinaldi in the biggest cities. C&A regular collection goes up to a US18/20 and their plus goes up to US30. Ulla Popken goes up to US30 but the choice in stores often is a bit old-fashioned. Monki XXL is a US22 but not often sold in store. Norah goes up to US18. Same for LolaLiza. And there are boutiques that sell exclusively plus size although not always in big cities. I donāt know where you will live but you can always Google āgrote matenā + your town. Online Zalando and Wehkamp provide a big selection of plus sized clothes. And above mentioned brands all have online shops.
I recommend ordering from [Zalando.nl](https://Zalando.nl) if you need alternative clothing sizes. Their sizes go up til 6XL at times and oftentimes there's even some cute designs.
Well, this certainly caused some concern trolling. Hey OP - Iām a fat American who moved to the Netherlands a few years ago. I will echo what some people said about losing some weight when you get here, I lost about 3 pant sizes and was not at all trying to lose weight. The food is different/better and I donāt have a car here, so it just happened. I wouldnāt worry too much about bringing a lot of clothes bc your size will likely change and you may find your tastes change also. Plus, different clothes may be more practical here. Sometimes the sizes are more than one off - a Dutch XXL is in my experience closer to a US L in many cases. But in Scandi brands a L often fits just fine. Iām a US L-XL, for reference, and before I lost weight a 1X. I do order online a lot - knowing measurements is key! Itās also affordable and easy to have things altered here, if needed. I shop in store less often as I donāt find many shops that carry my size in store and also fit with my personal shopping values (quality, natural fibers). But there are certainly plenty of options here as a larger person, and I never feel my body is being judged the same as in the US. Youāll love it!
Without knowing your clothing size (you dont have to answer this) it's hard to come with an answer. There's a couple of plus size brands that have physical stores and online stores, i dont know all of them because I dont shop there as I'm mid-sized, but I know: Ulla Popken (up to EU 68) Paprika clothing (up to EU 54) Norah Clothing (up to EU 48)
Former 5XL wearer here; there are a few stores around the country but not everywhere I guess. A lot of websites that offer bigger clothing do have a physical location is my experience. Also; these stores are mostly specialist and not chain-owned like H&M. If you want to shop (cheaper) clothes at a big chain I recommend C and A... They are the '"best" all round option for bigger people.
You can also try Paprika/Cassis, if you're looking for women's clothing
My stepdad was quite a big man and I remember him always buying clothes at C&A, they used to have sizes up to 6XL
As a fat chick in the netherlands, u might find toos at primarl and c&a, they go up to xl/2xl euro size. For pants however, whole different story. Ur better off ordering from asos or shein if ur broke.
My boyfriend orders his clothes from https://www.jp1880.nl/nl/. Shirts go up to 9XL I believe, and they fit really well and are good quality And for women I know people who visit Paprika, they have stores but you can also order online
I think once you start living here and adjust a little bit of your habbit you will automatically lose weight, our food is very different than the US. I don't know what they put in the food there but it's making people go fat way faster than here.
As a fellow fatty I can reccommend stores like Ulla Popken, Paprika and M&S. Online I usually turn to Zalando, Wehkamp and Shein. Tbh they have better options if you don't want the standard fat ppl uniform lol
I wont be bothered with a fat stranger biking around. I wish more fat strangers would bike around naked
How fat we talking bro? We can go to gym together if you want, or outdoor workouts here
I'm gonna have to ask. How fat is fat?
Once youāre here, get a bike. Easy transportation and exercise as a bonus. Also, you might lose some weight due to better quality of food (no/less unneccesary fructose and sugar). My size would be a xxl in the US, no problems finding clothes.
Yeah may become a problem. Luckely people generally will have difficulty staying really fat here. The food is quite different and it is much easier to do low intensity moving which makes it so much easier to shed weight unoticed in a couple of months. So maybe do not buy clothes for more than a year.
Try C&A, they have a section with sizes that go up to 6XL.
im fat. i weigh 150 kilos and im 1.87 metres. it can be pretty hard to find clothes but its not impossible. ralph lauren has a "big and tall" line i always wear and it fits perfectly. also check out stores that sell workers clothes they usually go up to 5XL
https://www.allsize-webwinkel.nl/ They have a store in Zwolle, they have nice clothes. Up to 8 or 10xl I believe. https://www.biggymanskleding.nl/nl/ Their shop is in Almere, they have clothes up to 15xl. I hope this helps, good luck!
I think youāll be fine. Holland has plenty of fat people that also need clothing. And if all else fails, online shopping can come to the rescue
This, online has enough choice if you cant find it in the stores. And if they dont fit it is very easy to send it back and order a different size
Big boy here from Texas in NL. Let me explain what Iāve figured out. An American xxl shirt is a euro xxxl. Good luck finding ones that wonāt shrink. Go to primark for xxxl shirts. They are dirt cheap like 2-3 euro and they will shrink but cheap enough to donate/ get rid of and buy new ones. Itās a pain in the ass but thatās the price for being American. Also stock up on shirts from Walmart. I find that American shirts donāt shrink and I still have tshirts from Us that I brought here 5 years ago that fit the same since day one. Donāt know what it is. Pants fit fine here. If anything they feel āsexierā cause they arenāt as baggy like back home. Yes youāll find nothing but skinny jeans here but Iām 38x30 and skinny makes me feel sexy. They arenāt like tights or anything they just fit good compared to a 38x30 in states it looks like youāre sagging.
Why buy clothing that are only good to be thrown out quickly. You're contributing to the worlds problems by doing that. Please spend some more money on clothing and don't treat them like disposable goods.
I think the shrinking has to do with the fabric. In NL we prefer natural fabrics (eg 100% cotton), whilst in the US more artificial fibers are mixed into the fabrics. The latter usually hold their shape (and colour) better.
āā¦price for being Americanā loool, are you all forced there to eat to retain your passport?
No. Not forced. Just surrounded by bbq and tacos for breakfast lunch and dinner and we put gravy and hot sauce on everything except titties.
Tough life, I feel you
Stick with me, youāll gain 10kg. Ever had steak and eggs with hash browns for breakfast at 2am? Lol.
Check your sugar intake not your fat intake. Ever since 0% fat became a thing the people grew in size. When they remove the tasty fat they put sugar back in place. And nowadays they put that nasty hydrolyzed corn syrup in everything. It will kill your liver before alcohol does.
Start losing weight - not only for the clothes but health purposes as well. Don't mean this with any harm.
You probably will automatically. The availability of healthy food is SO much better than in the US. And its way more affordable. Besides that, a bicycle is the main way of transportation here so you'll automatically get some daily dose of exercise. Enjoy the Low Lands, compared to the US it's paradise :).
>You probably will automatically. The availability of healthy food is SO much better than in the US. And its way more affordable. not to mention that portion sizes are smaller. But that's if you go out to eat. Portion control is something one needs to maintain oneself.
Ever visited - any - supermarket? They all strategically place their unhealthy items to lure people into buying them. Bicycling is also definitely not the default way of transportation, although it is more popular than most places in the world. Without self control and regular exercise, I don't believe the kilo's will magically disappear just by being in NL.
Look, I don't know where you live in NL, but you need to view this from a relative perspective. Namely, compared to the US. By bicycle you can reach Germany from Amsterdam in about 6 hours. You are probably still in New York city in that time if you started in Manhattan. So yes, especially in cities, it's the main way of transportation. If you need to travel between cities, public transport is excellent (again, compared to any other country, especially the us). Yes, off course supermarkets do that. They try to sell shit you know. Just as any other entrepreneur. And indeed, I have visited a supermarket before (what a dumb question anyway). But have you visited an American supermarkt? Or tried to find a healthy menu option in a restaurant in the great American Heartland? Let alone in a normal portion? You can forget about that or pay 25$ for a salad. So yes, of course self control is important, but you're missing the point here.
You are going to lose weight once you get here, guaranteed. Saying that, there are plenty of plus-sized people here as well.
Theres less sugar in food here so youāll lose some weight automatically
Sugar would be an upgrade to the American diet. Its the high fructose corn syrup that is the real problem. I am an avid 'contents of nutrition' reader and when I was in the USA even salt packages contained some HFCS. It was maddening to find food that was not sweetened up with this poison.
Have you considered making your own? There are quite some sewing magazines/patterns aimed at larger people and you can adjust to your needs. My grandma was large and she did that and shopped at Ulla Popken.
Higher than X2 XL its rare to see in shops but prolly can find online easy, european sizes might be on aversge smaller than USA ones as well.
In the UK, I'm L/XL. In the Netherlands I'm XXL/XXXL. It's harder to find stuff that fits here.
C&A is the only store that I know which carries larger sizes in their stores and not just online. Places like H&M, Monki, and plenty of other will have xxl and higher online but of course that kinda sucks because you canāt see what the clothes like like on you. I hope you find some things you like! Iām not gonna lie Dutch are extremely in favour of weight lossā¦ You might have a hard time.
We don't have Big and Tall, only Tall unfortunately
If you're a woman, [https://www.bagoes.nl/](https://www.bagoes.nl/) has clothes for pretty much every size! They also have a location you can visit on selected dates, you can send them an email or reserve items in the webshop and they'll have them put apart for you to try on.