XL Tribe Celebrities Rob “Coach Rob” Robinson

XL Tribe Celebrities Rob “Coach Rob” Robinson

I was born and raised in a small rural town in South Carolina. The good ole country boy who came to the big city of Atlanta in the later teen years. Growing up included some hand me downs and mostly small department store clothing that never truly fit right, but I did the best to feel confident with what I was given.  My inspiration for fashion came from looking at the old and blending it with the new. If I got hand-me-down jeans, I accessorized or modified the jeans to look like they were made that way. I also always needed to add a pop of color. Always.

As I was able to purchase my own clothes I realized I continued to struggle to find something I felt good in. That was a problem for many years; finding a decent variety of clothes that fit men of size.Contrary to some belief, big men like to look good!  I am 6’5 and pushing 290 pounds.The length of most big and tall apparel either hangs off of me too much or is cut too short. I am glad that now companies like ASOS, Calvin Klein, and The Brandon Kyle Collection are catering to big and tall sizes.

As times changed, of course, my fashion ideals changed. Atlanta has an interesting sense of style utilizing color and recycling looks from the previous decades. I try to keep up. I went from wearing jeans that were 3 sizes too big, to now considering rocking a romper….okay, I will probably never wear a romper. I do recommend a timeless tailored gray suit.. All men need just one good suit and pair of shoes. Shout out to anyone that can find a big and tall shoe store with sizes 13.5 and up. My toes are killing me.

I have never been small. Ever. Period. If anyone wants to talk about big, I can. Even at my most lean, I still shop for big and tall.  When I considered being a plus size model, the career just fit. The sense of belonging hit home after my first photo shoot with Jose Pagan and runway tutorial with Christina Mendez, I felt a sense of peace. This is what I am supposed to do (please don’t quote me on that if I ever fall off a runway stage and crush people…true fear of mines).  Ultimately, I want to be what #BOPO is to women, for men. We need some love. I want to advocate for the guys who will always need that size up, the bigger shoe, the longer or shorter length, or have to pay extra to always get something to fit “just right”. In the years to come, I would like there to no longer be a differentiation between “regular size”  and “plus size” for men or women. Can we all just be on the same clothing rack?