An average day in my 20s included Pizza at midnight, drinks after, and the gym when I felt like it. My body adjusted and maintained the tone and lean look I had. I assumed this is how it would always be. And boy was I wrong.
When my 30s happened, life started. My first real job followed by a harder one. A relationship. Then my first real relationship.
Responsibilities that got added without my knowledge or consent. The gym became a thing you put off for tomorrow. The runs became something I'd start again on Monday. I got all too familiar with putting things off that were actually beneficial for me.
I was so busy that I didn’t actively notice the body changing and my distress growing. It started with the quiet tummy tucks in front of the mirror. Then came the compromise: you saw the fat showing where it shouldn’t, and you looked away.
And then one morning, I looked in the mirror and just hated it. Not in an act-out kind of hate. Just a quiet, tired kind of hate. The kind that's been building for a while.
The worst part wasn't the body. The worst part was that I was still dressing like I had a six-pack and a lean body.
Same slim-fit tees and trousers. Looks that belonged to a version of me that no longer existed.
For years, I kept telling myself I'd get back there, drop the weight, hit the gym properly, and then the wardrobe would make sense again.
At some point, I just stopped, tired of waiting for that day to actually come.
I did what made sense. I threw out everything that didn't fit anymore, and it made me feel bad about myself.
The tight slim fit trousers. GONE!
The shirts that technically closed but spent the whole day reminding me they were there. Gone! Not a defeat. But in reinvention.
Then I started adding things that actually worked for where I was.
The XYXX Oversized T-Shirt was the first thing I put on and just felt normal in a long time.
Not hidden. Not shapeless. Normal. It's supportive around the shoulder and doesn’t feel tight on the chest, sitting clean. It doesn’t bunch up around the belly, and that’s it earning its keep right there.
The 100% super-combed cotton at 210 GSM is soft enough that it doesn't feel heavy when worn. I'd spent years assuming oversized meant bigger and heavier. It doesn't. The XYXX Oversized T-shirt’s shape-retaining ribbed neckline holds wash after wash, and the relaxed fit doesn't look like you've stopped caring. I wear it with almost everything now.
For the bottom half, two pairs, alternating. The XYXX Cargo Pants for most days — wide-straight fit, cotton-rich ripstop fabric that perfectly hides my thunder thighs. The smart utility pockets are actual pockets. The ultra-durable, tear-resistant fabric means I'm not panicking every time I squat. I wear them everywhere, and they hold up without asking anything of me.
The wide-straight cut is what matters. It doesn't taper into a leg opening that requires a specific body. It just sits well, on most days, without requiring you to think about it.
And the XYXX Zero Pants for when I need something cleaner, more professional. They’re ultra-lightweight, wrinkle-resistant, relaxed fit with a built-in elastic waist that doesn't dig in by 3 pm. I travel in these. Flights, meetings, dinner. 100% polyester sounds like a compromise until you realise they're lighter than anything else you own. There’s also the added benefit that they don't crease, and the anti-static finish means they still look decent at the end of a day when everything else has given up.
Both of them just work. That's all I needed.
You're probably not getting the six-pack back this year. Neither am I. That's fine.
The goal was never the six-pack. The goal was to stop dreading the mirror check. The goal was always to start feeling good about yourself again. And it turns out that's less about the body and more about the wardrobe you're forcing it into.
Update that. The rest gets easier.
FAQs
Can oversized fits work if I'm conscious about my midsection?
Yes. Structure is what matters. The Oversized holds its shape across the shoulders and chest, which creates a clean line without clinging anywhere it shouldn't. Shapeless is the problem, not size.
What's the difference between the Cargo and Zero pants?
The Cargo pants are cotton-rich, textured, utility-forward, casual days, outdoor plans, anything with character. The Zero Pant is made of lightweight polyester, with a cleaner finish, wrinkle-resistant, and better for work-adjacent situations or travel. Most people end up using both for different contexts.
Is the Zero Pants waistband flexible if I'm between sizes?
The concealed drawstring gives you real adjustment room; it moves with where you actually are, not where a size chart thinks you should be.
Will the oversized T-shirt shrink after washing?
Cold wash, avoid high-heat drying. The 210 GSM weight and ribbed neckline are built to hold shape with normal care.
Do the Zero pants work for office wear?
In most smart-casual environments, yes. The wrinkle-resistant finish and anti-static fabric give them a polished enough look. Pair with the Supima T-shirt or a polo and they read well.
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BY UMAIRE EFFENDI...
About the author: Umaire Effendi is a writer and film & television professional with over a decade of experience across India and Canada. His cross-cultural background gives him a distinct lens on modern Indian lifestyle, one that understands how India doesn't just follow global culture, but absorbs it, integrates it, and sends something entirely new back out into the world. He writes about men's fashion and culture by taking things apart, the why behind what Indian men wear, and what it says about where we're headed.
