STORE WARS: Brooks Brothers vs. Indochino
Starting March 15th and running through April 2nd, Dappered.com is hosting a bracket based tournament with the purpose of eventually crowning the all around Affordable Men’s Style Retail Champ for 2011. For a full introduction see this post. To see the updated bracket, click on the image to the right. Make a case for your preferred competitor in the comments section, but don’t forget to vote at the bottom of each match up. On with today’s showdown:
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Strengths: Heritage. One of the founding fathers of American style, but still open to a younger client base. They offer slim and even extra slim fit dress shirts. Some of their stuff is still made in the USA, including many of their ties. Drool worthy leather goods.
Weaknesses: Can feel a little old and stuffy sometimes. But that’s because their wheelhouse is a middle age or older, more traditional, much more affluent demographic. Sales on their apparel can be weak when it comes to size availability. Not cheap at all.
Strengths: One of the few places to find a well designed athletic cut suit because they’re actually custom made. Unique in their scope. Incredible customer service. Good to great sales, plus a $75 re-tailoring credit to guarantee your suit fits precisely the way you want it. Natural shoulders available on their suits. Incredibly customizable. Working their way into other avenues like accessories and outerwear.
Weaknesses: Those over the top website images. Sometimes if your second suit is made by a different tailor, it won’t fit precisely the same as the first (but the $75 credit should take care of that.) Their over-stacked sleeve buttons are strange. Shirts seem oddly expensive at $100.
Your votes determine who goes on to the next round. Cast your ballot below.
UPDATE: Indochino pulls off a back and forth close one.
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Store Wars: Brooks Brothers vs. Indochino
- Brooks Brothers (46%, 338 Votes)
- Indochino (54%, 403 Votes)
Total Voters: 741
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My problem with Brooks Brothers is that it’s an outdated clothing store for the 50 and over crowd. All the suits are cut a tad too long and are way too boxy. Sure, the material is nice, but even the store salesman look like they are swimming in their BB outfits — speaking of which, I think the sales associates are snobby as hell. Asked an associate if I could try on their slim cut shirt at the store, he gives me an incredulous look and no joke, asks me why I need to try it on, because he says, “I have the hardest time trying to fold these” … really? I never bought anything from Indochino but Joe has nothing but consistently good things to say about them, my vote’s for them (hell, I’d vote Target over BB).
My vote goes for Brooks Brothers. Their slim-fit polos and dress shirts are true staples of my wardrobe worn daily. A 36S Fitzgerald or Milano fit blazer/suit fits my athletic 5’8″ 140 lb frame perfectly. Alden shoes are high-quality, look good, and made in the US.
Joe’s right, though: Their clearance section is laughably sparse for my size, and full retail can be steep. They’re best caught during one of their sales.
I don’t have any personal experience with Indochino, but second-hand reports have been all over the map. I do have experience with other made-to-measure programs, though, and it was pretty “meh”.
I don’t know how the two can compare, completely different markets. Brooks Brothers offers brick and mortar stores, that carry some made in the U.S.A. OCBDs and suits. Sure, some of the cuts are dated but they offer slim fit, extra slim fit and a few cuts for pants. Indochino is a mail order MTM service, correct me if I’m wrong here, but it’s comparing apples to oranges.
My vote goes to BB on this one.
Same goes for the actual tournament. Teams, big and small, fast and slow, come from all over to play. Try not to think too hard about it 🙂
I agree on the Sales Associates part. Some of the most unfriendly guys and ladies around. very bad customer service!
I vote Brooks on quality alone.
Brooks Brothers. Their MTM shirts cost just a bit more than Indochino’s. As destroyideas said, “quality.” Seems as if half the suits made by Indochino are 100% polyester. Don’t see how these two stores compare.
Indochino. Much more affordable. BTW, none of their suits are 100% polyester. Just as in politics, you shouldn’t vote if you don’t know what you’re voting for/against.
I think that would be more like the Patriots playing the Celtics, if we are drawing analogies to this matchup (or the last).
Which would you rather have? A burger? Or a piece of cake? It’s all food fellas. You can have one but not the other. If you guys don’t want to play along? Then you don’t have to. Like I said. Don’t think too hard about it.
Take your own advice Bertrand. (I assume you’re a troll trying to start a fight, so I’ll play along.) Look at the Indochino Black Performance suit, what’s it made of? 100% polywhat? polyester…not that you can read. Now read the content of other suits on the sight. I’m sorry, have someone read it to you, as you can’t. Now, let’s look at their tuxedos, shall we…?
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Indochino’s Performance line is all synthetic. The vast majority of their suits are wool. And ease of the bickering please, or take it somewhere else. Not on this site.
ladies ladies settle down where just trying to find the better one is all they both have pros and cons add all the pro of each then divide the cons which is more practical if u had 300 dollars would you go to bb or indochino thats it… i never been to indochino so i wont vote out of ignorance… 100% POLYWHAT? lmao
I voted BB because I feel you honestly get more bang for your buck, especially when you can find your size in the clearance section.
Just checked out BB online and ordered a pair of slim chinos (I’m a little nervous to see what BB labels as slim in pants) for $35.
I think the concept behind Indochino is a great one, but I just couldn’t vote for them in this matchup.
Indochino to win… Already own three of their suits… Each one fantastic… As for the price of the shirts – I’d like to see them around 50 bucks but they are of excellent quality an value for a tailored shirt…
Indochino hands down. Why? Because they offer you a custom-tailored suit of good quality for a fraction of what anyone else charges. Delivered to you without a trip to the tailor. Oh, and unlike Brook’s Brothers, they are not mostly-useless assholes (have you ever been IN a BB store?).
Indochino is not only the future, they are the present. And unlike Mr. Sheen, they are *really* winning.
Brooks Brothers. You can find something to wear to lunch with friends, to the golf course, the black tie affair, or for your inauguration as POTUS. It’s as relevant for the 22 year old college graduate as it is for the 75 year old retiree.
The day you turn about 35 Indochino will be completely useless.
I gotta respectfully disagree with the entire Indochino being for 35 and under. It’s all in how you wear it. This is just a plain as can be, decently made, well cut, middle to light grey suit: http://dappered.com/2010/11/the-indochino-suit-review-ultimate-gray/ I’d never throw on a collar pin, gold watch, etc… like the imaging on their site… but… y’know? It’s kinda like saying Brooks Brothers is only for guys 35 and up.
The banner on your page says it all: Style is timeless. It’s easier to see a 20 year old in a Brooks Brothers suit than to see a 60 year old in an Indochino suit.
I always feel out of place when going into BB. It feels far more snobbish than stylish, and just a bit too expensive to be so boring.
Does anyone have any comments on Indochino coats? Or a suggestion for where to find some nice coats (that should be going on sale about now).
So you’re saying that grey suit isn’t timeless? It’s a grey suit.
And follow up: I’m not arguing for one or the other, I’m just saying that I don’t think you can categorically label all of Indochino’s stuff as trendy. Yes of course their image is trendy (it’s one of their “weaknesses”… but… http://www.brooksbrothers.com/… y’know?
Going with Indochino mostly off of Joe’s recommendations. While I enjoy many of BB’s products, I cannot stand stepping into their stores and I think that says a lot about a company.
On another note, I’m confused what all the confusion and talk of comparing “apples to oranges” is about. In most brackets, top choices are pitted against the under dogs (lowest seeds) in the first round. These companies all sell clothes at an affordable price (some more than others). We are voting. I think it seems pretty straight-forward.
Nice work on this idea, Joe.
Fair enough, but by their own admissions one is branding itself as timeless while the other is branding itself as fashionable. I take them at their respective words. Indochino makes beautiful stuff, to be sure, but I believe them when they say–explicitly or implicitly through their marketing (look at the pictures on their website for God’s sake)–that they’re trying to appeal to young, hip gents looking to be fashionable.
Do I think every single thing at BB is better than every single thing at Indochino? No. But in a competition such as this, my vote goes to the timeless (and, as I said, more versatile) brand. Call me a sucker, but BB’s record speaks for itself, just as Indochino’s marketing speaks for itself.
Or, in short, the world (and her timeless gentlemen) needs Brooks Brothers more than it needs Indochino. It’s all moot, I suppose, since Macy’s will crush either one in the next round!
Thanks for doing this though. It’s a great idea.
Commenters are far more passionate about today’s debate. To be fair, I have not had the courage to buy anything from Indochino, but you have to give this one to Brooks Brothers. The brand and image have been time-tested. BB has embraced the resurgence of American style and created slimmer lines in suits, shirts, and sportswear. I just don’t see the comparison. If a partner commented on my suit and inquired on the label, I would simply be embarrassed to say “Indochino.” Doesn’t even sound like a strong brand.
Ok, let me be short and honest of what I think.
The only real thing that Indochino is selling is the price. For 499$ you can only have quality of construction and material extremely low but is understandable for a category of consumer that like a contemporary look without spending too much for a suit.
Saying “Custom made” is a little bit too much for Indochino…
Customer service I don’t know as I never called or purchased.
Not a new idea but these guys market it very good, Bravo!
Brooks Brothers (bought by an italian company), is one of the most horrible customer service experience in this business.
Typical american conservative style nothing special. The only thing that sells the boutique here in Vancouver are the shirts because you get them cheap.
I’m voting for indochino…I have one of their suits; it’s not the best material, but is 100% wool. What I know with indochino is, it might not be perfect, but it will fit. My issue with BB is, when I step into the store, I’m staring at boxy cuts made for a corporate man, and while I work in a corporate office, I’m not looking to fall into the frat boy look/ lazy, normal routine. Indochino sets me out of that pattern, with a good fit, and without having to settle.
The problem with Indochine is that their suit coats are pasted together, not like the hand sewn uppers of BB. That is a crucial difference in the quality and longevity of the suit. the paste melts and then hardens under teh rigours of dry cleaning.
I have both BB suits and one Indochino suit so I guess I speak on this topic from real life experience; not just on opinion alone…. I get more compliments BY FAR with my Indochino suit than I do with my BB suits. The fit is better than anything you can get off the rack. I have a very athletic frame, so there is absolutely no suit that will fit me nicely off the rack. My BB suits (after alterations) still look boxy due to my small waist and broad shoulders. If you don’t have average measurements, go the MTM route. If you can fit a suit off the rack, BB will do just fine, but for the price, I’d still go with Indochino. The quality of the material on the Indochino suit is not bad at all. The weight of the fabrics on their basic line of suits are fairly lightweight (which I prefer due to the fact that I live in a warm climate), but they offer heavier weight suits as well. I may try the “decision maker” style next which is a med-heavy weight fabric. Although I do like my BB suits, my vote goes to Indochino due to the overall fit & price point.
I read that on some blogs a while ago, but I believe Indochino upgraded the construction of their suit mid 2010. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that the uppers are fully canvassed now.
I choose Indochino. Of the five or six suits I’ve owned, two have really stood out- a BB and an Indochino. Both have quality yet lightweight fabric (good for living in the Southeast), both have flattering cuts, and I’ve felt like a million bucks in both. However, the award must go to Indochino for their near unlimited customizations, some of which have eked out the victory. The higher armholes and the choice of vents and linings are options which I appreciate, and the choice to go without shoulder padding is a HUGE plus for me. I love that BB suit, but the Indochino comes closer to my ideal.
OMG… Indochino, another online suit maker, made in China, another one that lie to public…
A piece of cake. The best part of being an adult is having dessert whenever you feel like it.
I would vote BB. My Indochino suit came out just OK, and that was with them measuring at their pop-up shop. Even today I’m not fully comfortable with the jacket fit.
As for BB in-store service the Vancouver store near Burrard is fantastic. I’ve shown up in all sorts of looks that scream “not money” and always receive prompt, enthusiastic, and polite service. I really can’t say enough about them actually, very impressed.