u/Right-Driver7905

(Re-posting it bc it got deleted as I answered what I was using at the time + it was in the wrong orientation after/before + yeah i know i can’t be “natty”, but im off years already so idk which other word i could describe it)
I think it’s a glow-up that really comes down to personal taste. When I was younger, having as much muscle as possible was everything to me. I loved bodybuilding, constantly chasing a bigger physique, heavier lifts, and the next level of size. At the time, I genuinely believed that the more muscular you were, the better you looked. It became a huge part of my identity, and I dedicated a lot of time, energy, and discipline to it.
Eventually, though, I reached a point where it stopped feeling meaningful. I realized I was putting an enormous amount of effort into maintaining a lifestyle that no longer made me as happy as it once did. So I stopped working out altogether for around two years. It wasn’t planned, I just wanted to step away and experience life without constantly thinking about training, food, and progress.
Last August, I decided to get back into the gym, but with a completely different mindset. I’m now about 22 lbs lighter, natural, and I train mostly for maintenance rather than growth. I don’t spend hours in the gym anymore, and I’m not obsessed with maximizing every workout. This is a physique I can maintain comfortably without much stress, and honestly, that balance has been refreshing.
Sometimes I still wonder if I’ll ever jump back on cycle and fully commit to bodybuilding again. I’m still young, and if I ever decide to chase that version of myself again, I’ll have plenty of time. For now, though, I’m enjoying a healthier relationship with fitness and appreciating a body that fits the life I want to live today.
But one of the things i really appreciate about being smaller is fitting better on clothes, even tho I always need to adjust the length and the waist on the trousers it’s overall easier, when you get too much muscle you only look good in gym clothes.

I live in São Paulo, Brazil, and I’ve noticed that people often seem surprised whenever they see me wearing a suit, especially a more “fancier” one like this with a double-breasted jacket and wide peak lapels (personally i never saw men using double-breasted here, only women).
I was actually surprised when I made a post on a Brazilian subreddit called JudgeMe asking what people thought of it. A lot of the replies were saying it just didn’t look good, that I looked like an evangelical pastor or a security, or were simply hating/mean for no real reason.
I originally bought suits because I wear them to work and wanted to look more professional and taken seriously. But over time I started to genuinely enjoy classic menswear and now I wear suits outside of work too, depending on the occasion, of course.
At the end of the day, I dress for myself because it makes me feel good, confident etc. Still, it bothers me a little that so many people here don’t seem to appreciate that kind of style.

I think whether it’s a glow up or not is really just personal preference.
When I was younger, being as big as possible was everything to me. Bodybuilding was basically my whole personality. I loved pushing for more size, eating huge amounts of food, and seeing how far I could take my physique. Back then, I honestly thought the bigger you were, the better you looked.
After a while, though, it kind of lost its meaning. I got tired of always thinking about training, meals, recovery, and trying to be bigger than I already was. I ended up quitting the gym for almost two years. It wasn’t some big decision, I just stopped because I felt like I needed a break.
I came back last August, but with a completely different mindset. I’m about 22 lbs lighter now, natural, and I honestly don’t train that much anymore. I lift mostly to maintain what I have and stay healthy. This is probably the easiest shape I’ve ever had to maintain, and I like not having my life revolve around the gym anymore.
Sometimes I do miss that lifestyle, though. I wonder if I’ll ever hop back on cycle and take bodybuilding seriously again. Part of me thinks I probably will at some point, because I still love the sport. But I’m still young, so there’s no rush. Right now I’m just enjoying where I’m at, and it’s nice not feeling like I have to be the biggest guy in every room.

do you guys rather white or blue shirts for it? the light blue really grew on me. i have mostly black ties (knit, plain, with silver pattern etc), i do have a versace one that’s navy but with golden medusas, but i don’t think it suits it very well… thinking about burgundy maybe

Any tips that could increase this suit on me? Like different shirt collar, oxford instead of penny loafers, etc?