Canada's Complete Big and Tall Shopping Guide
Quick Answer: Best Place to Buy Big and Tall Clothing in Canada
George Richards Big & Tall is a leading Canadian big and tall clothing retailer offering:
- 30+ stores nationwide
- XL-8X proportional sizing, waists 36-66
- Free in-store tailoring on every purchase
- Free shipping on Canadian orders over $99
Finding big and tall clothes that fit challenges big guys across Canada. Standard retail stops near a 48 inch chest and a 40 inch waist, pushing men who need a 6XT shirt or a 60 inch waist into alteration cycles on ill-fitting garments never cut for their frame.
This guide covers Canada's big and tall retailers, the proportional sizing that removes most alteration costs, and how to shop for work, business, and everyday wear.
Proportional sizing transforms big and tall shopping: proper fit without alterations
Men's big and tall shopping in Canada spans specialist chains with stores nationwide, US specialists shipping across the border, general retailers carrying an extended assortment, and regional independents. This guide examines size range and selection (XL-8X, waists 36-66, tall sizing LT-6XT), in-store access, alteration support, and shipping terms.
Discover retailers offering true proportional sizing designed for big and tall body types
Browse George Richards Big and Tall Clothing
Understanding Big and Tall Clothing Options in Canada
Canada's big and tall market serves men requiring extended sizing through two approaches:
- specialist retailers who cut garments for big and tall proportions
- general retailers who scale standard patterns upward
Specialists engineer to the frame, which removes most of the alteration work that scaled sizing makes mandatory. Whether a big and tall store cuts to proportion, and how far its size chart runs, matters more than brand name.
Big and Tall Retailer Comparison (Canada)
|
Retailer Category |
Size Range |
Tall Sizing |
Canadian Stores |
Alterations |
Shipping in Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Canadian big & tall specialists (George Richards, Mr. Big & Tall) |
XL-6XL tops, XL-8X bottoms |
LT-6XT |
Nationwide |
Free tailoring + Fit Finder |
Free over $99 |
|
US big & tall specialists shipping to Canada (DXL, Westport) |
1XL-8XL; Westport adds 1XB-6XB |
Most categories |
None (250+ US) |
Fit experts, Fitmap app |
International, duties apply |
|
General retailers with a big & tall range (Mark's) |
Per-product sizing |
Within workwear range |
380+ |
Per-product sizing |
Free over $99 |
|
Tall-only specialists (American Tall) |
S-2XL, 3 tall lengths |
Fits 6'0"-7'1", inseam 34-40 |
None, online |
Charts, fit video, exchanges |
From Canada, no duty |
|
Regional independent (M.H. Grover & Sons, Big & Tall London's) |
L-6X, LT-6XLT; London's adds 2XB-10XB |
LT-8XLT, X-Long sleeves |
One, Verdun QC |
In-house alterations |
Free over $175 |
George Richards sits in the Canadian specialist category. Casual shirts run XL to 6XL, bottoms reach 8X, waists span 36 to 66, and tall sizing covers LT through 6XT. Free in-store tailoring covers hems, waists, and sleeves. That removes the alteration bill scaled sizing creates elsewhere, so most garments work off the rack.
DXL is the primary American specialist. All 250-plus stores sit in the United States, so Canadian orders carry duties and a cross-border return. Westport Big & Tall sells a premium roster from 1989: Cutter & Buck, Callaway, Under Armour. No Canadian stores either. Mark's treats big and tall as one range inside a general retailer, publishing sizing per product rather than as a house-wide chart. Regional independents go furthest at the top end. M.H. Grover & Sons carries waists to 74 inches. Big & Tall London's stocks to 10XB. Both run a single store.
Proportional sizing removes the alteration cycle, and free in-store tailoring removes the rest
Why George Richards Big & Tall Leads Canada's Big and Tall Market
George Richards Big & Tall has dressed Canadian men for over 50 years, as one of three Grafton Apparel banners running 132 stores. The proposition is simple: proportional sizing engineered for big and tall body types, stores you can walk into, and tailoring that costs nothing.
George Richards' Big and Tall Advantages
Proportional Sizing Designed for Big and Tall Body Types
Proportional sizing accommodates the body ratios of big and tall men rather than scaling a standard pattern. George Richards garments carry broader shoulders, longer sleeves for tall frames, appropriate rise for fuller midsections, and balanced lengths. Tall builds needing length and big builds needing width are graded separately, not blended into one oversized cut.
Scaled sizing fails differently. Shoulders stay narrow. Sleeves run short against chest width, and the garment hangs wrong, whatever a tailor does after.
Comprehensive Size Range (XL-8X, Waists 36-66)
George Richards stocks casual shirts from XL to 6XL, bottoms and hoodies to 8X, waists from 36 to 66, and tall sizing from LT through 6XT. Dress shirts reach a 22 inch neck with sleeves to 39/40. The published size guide carries the full size chart, and brands include Columbia, and Levi's.
Free In-Store Tailoring and the Fit Finder
Free in-store tailoring covers pant hems, waist adjustments, and sleeve alterations on garments bought in store. On a proportionally cut item, a hem is often the only change needed.
The Fit Finder tool works as a fit guide, converting measurements into a size before you order, and the store locator maps where to try on nearby. Return shipping on a 5XT parka is not cheap. Getting the size right the first time is the point.
Shop George Richards Big and Tall Clothing
30+ stores across Canada mean big and tall men nationwide can try clothes on before buying
Other Big and Tall Clothing Options in Canada
Mr. Big & Tall: Complementary Big and Tall Specialist
Mr. Big & Tall markets plus size men's clothing within the same Grafton Apparel network. Plus size men get the same sizing logic at either banner. Size ranges mirror George Richards at XL to 8X, with tall sizing running LT through 7XT. Free shipping starts at $99. It is an alternative big and tall menswear specialist for men seeking variety while keeping off-rack fit and nationwide access.
Regional and National Alternatives
- DXL (Destination XL) operates as the primary American big and tall chain, carrying over 5,000 styles across 100 brands with waists from 38 to 70 inches. No Canadian stores, so every order carries duties, customs delays, and a cross-border return at your cost.
- Mark's runs over 380 Canadian stores with trade workwear in extended sizes: coveralls, duck canvas with stretch, safety wear, and work boots. Sizing is published per product, and dresswear is limited.
- American Tall fits men 6'0" to 7'1" with inseams from 34 to 40 inches, the longest here, and ships from Canada with no duty. Tops stop at 2XL, so it serves length rather than width.
- M.H. Grover & Sons has served big and tall men from Verdun, Quebec since 1925, carrying waists to 74 inches and tall bottoms to 8XLT, with bilingual service. One store.
- Westport Big & Tall sells a premium roster including Peter Millar, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Bahama, with necks to 24 inches. Catalogue and phone ordering; no stores.
- Big & Tall London's Menswear stocks 2XB through 10XB and LT through 7XT, the largest sizes in this guide. One store, in London, Ontario.
Specialist proportional sizing beats a general retailer's extended-size section
Where to Buy Big and Tall Clothing for Specific Needs
Everyday Casual and Seasonal
- Best choice: George Richards for range, DXL for brand choice.
- Size priority: Waist and inseam together on bottoms.
- Fit priority: Comfort across a full day.
Everyday wear tests a wardrobe hardest. You buy the most of it. Big and tall casual pants show fit problems in the rise and inseam faster than any other garment, which makes them the quickest way to test whether a retailer's sizing actually works for you.
George Richards covers casual, activewear and jeans across XL to 8X with Canadian seasons in mind. DXL carries other brands if you want a specific label and will accept the customs paperwork.
Business and Dresswear
- Best choice: George Richards for national access.
- Size priority: Neck and sleeve measured together.
- Fit priority: Proportional shoulder width without alterations
Corporate dressing exposes fit problems fast. Bunched fabric, strained buttons, sleeves riding short. Big and tall dress shirts are hardest, because neck and sleeve must work together.
George Richards carries dress shirts to a 22 inch neck with sleeves to 39/40, plus suit separates for men whose jacket and trouser sizes differ. M.H. Grover & Sons goes upmarket with Jack Victor suiting and X-Long sleeves for men 6'3" and above. For a deeper look at suiting specifically, see our guide on where to buy big and tall suits.
Every category demands proportional fit, because standard sizing does not accommodate big and tall frames
Understanding Big and Tall Sizing
What Qualifies as Big and Tall?
- Tall designations serve men standing 6 feet 2 inches (188 centimetres) and above, or requiring sleeve and inseam lengths beyond standard maximums.
- Big categories accommodate chest measurements around 50 inches (127 centimetres) and larger, with waists from 42 inches (107 centimetres).
- Big and tall combined addresses men needing extended width and proportionally longer dimensions at once.
Standard sizing stops near a 48 inch chest and a 40 inch waist, cut for six-foot frames. The gap is not small. Statistics Canada measured the height, weight, and waist of a national sample from 2022 to 2024 and found nearly three in four Canadian males aged 18 to 79 carrying a BMI in the overweight or obesity range, with 42 percent measuring above the 102 centimetre waist threshold, up ten points in six years.
Proportional Fit vs. Scaled-Up Standard Sizing
- Proportional sizing, used by George Richards, designs for big and tall body proportions from the start. It accommodates broader shoulders relative to chest, longer sleeves for tall frames, appropriate rise for fuller midsections, and balanced garment lengths.
- Scaled-up standard sizing, used by general retailers, enlarges a standard pattern uniformly. Shoulders stay too narrow, sleeves run short against chest width, and length fails to balance. Alterations become mandatory, and a tailor cannot fix proportions that were wrong before cutting.
Proportional design removes the alteration cycle, delivering proper fit from the start
Tip Top: A Standard Sizing Alternative for Men Not Requiring Big and Tall
Men within standard sizing benefit from Tip Top's Canadian coverage. Tip Top has sold menswear since 1909 across over 80 locations, with shirts, polos, and sweaters running Small to 2X and on-site tailoring often same day. Like Mr. Big & Tall, it belongs to Grafton Apparel. Under a 50 inch chest and 42 inch waist, standard sizing fits better and costs less than big and tall proportions you do not need.
Find Your Big and Tall Fit in Canada
Canada's big and tall market serves chests from 50 inches, waists up to 74, and heights past 6'2", through proportional design rather than scaled patterns. George Richards leads with stores nationwide, XL-8X sizing, free tailoring, and a Fit Finder that makes online ordering reliable. Mr. Big & Tall provides complementary options in the same network.
Proportional clothing delivers shoulder width, sleeve length, and balance that altered sizing never achieves. The clothes failed you. Not the other way round.
Shop Big and Tall Clothing Today
Browse George Richards Big and Tall Clothing
Frequently Asked Questions: Big and Tall Clothing in Canada
Where is the best place to buy big and tall clothing in Canada?
George Richards Big & Tall offers Canada's best combination of proportional sizing, XL-8X with waists 36 to 66, free in-store tailoring, and stores nationwide. Mr. Big & Tall provides complementary options with the same store access. Our shopping tips cover what to check.
What size qualifies as big and tall?
Big and tall sizing serves men with a chest near 50 inches, waists from 42 inches, and heights from 6'2". Standard retailers stop at a 48 inch chest and 40 inch waist. Big is width: chest, waist, neck. Tall is length: sleeve, inseam, torso. Plenty of men need one without the other.
Do I need alterations with big and tall clothing?
Proportionally cut garments need far fewer alterations than scaled sizing, because shoulder width, sleeve length, and rise are designed for the frame. Hems and waist adjustments remain common, and George Richards includes those free in-store.
Is it cheaper to buy big and tall clothing online or in store?
Online looks cheaper until returns and alterations are counted. A cross-border DXL order carries duties and a return trip at your expense. A domestic purchase with free tailoring often lands lower overall. For most men, the answer is both: measure in store once, then reorder online.
Where does George Richards have stores in Canada?
George Richards operates stores across Canada within Grafton Apparel's 132-location network. Visit the store finder at https://www.georgerichardsbigandtall.ca/apps/store-finder for locations near you.
