UNIQLO adds E-commerce to their US Website
Free shipping kicks in at $100. Sorry Canadians… doesn’t look like they’re shipping your way yet.
The Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo is fully e-commerce operational for the United States. It took a bit for their website to settle down early yesterday morning, but once it burped up some glitch gas, it was off to the races. And that’s good news for both men & women looking for affordable basics.
Uniqlo can be a one stop shop (proof over here in a one-store-one-outfit post). And some of their prices are suspiciously low. There’s already a discussion going on over on Dappered Threads, so head there for additional info. Any and all direct experience with Uniqlo is welcome in the comments. Got plenty of items on the way for a blanket in-person post, so stay tuned for that. As far as sizing goes, it seems that most stick with their normal sizes instead of going up or down. But they do offer some items in both slim and regular fits. So keep an eye out for those. Here’s some of what could be the best of the best on their site right now.
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Straight Fit Color Jeans – $9.90
Part of their Online Store Opening Specials. Under ten bucks, a whole host of colors to pick from, and some of them are actually subdued like these three shown here. Got a pair on the way for an in-person.
Contoured Fit or Relaxed Silhouette Corduroy Blazers – $69.90
The Contoured fit comes in two colors, black and dark brown, and is part of the “Opening Sale.” The Opening Sale is not the same as the “Online Store Opening Specials”. Confused yet? There seems to be some crossover when it comes to promotions and products. Anyway, the “Relaxed” silhouette blazers come in more colors, but should be boxier. Both are a 3-button front with what appears to be a pre-pressed roll. Got the dark brown contoured fit on the way for an in-person. We’ll see how chopped it is.
Tweed Blazer in Check or Herringbone – $99.90
Each of these is 70% wool and 30% nylon. Each also seems to have a button stance that leans on the high side. The check also comes in a lighter blue, and the herringbone comes in a dark grey.
Cashmere V-Neck or Cashmere V-Neck in potentially slimmer fit? – $79.90 ($99.90)
Cheap cashmere is no sure bet. Also a part of their Online Store Opening Specials. A little confusing since the sweater on the left and the sweater on the right don’t appear to be the same item. The one on the right (and its other color options) include the words “slimmer fit” in the description.
Extra Fine Merino Sweaters – $29.90
Meanwhile, for those who don’t feel the need to pay the premium for Cashmere, their Extra Fine Merino Sweaters are a dime under thirty bucks. Got one on the way for an in person. Thoughts on the fit though? Leave that in the comments if you’ve got experience with how their sweaters fit.
Lambswool V-Neck or Crew Neck Sweaters – $19.90
100% lambswool for twenty bucks rings the ol’ too-good-to-be-true bell. Maybe it’s thin? An easy to layer lambswool?
Heavy Gauge Button Up Cardigan – $39.90
Always good to have something like this around the house for when you don’t want to turn the heat up. 60% poly + 10% nylon, but at least 30% is wool.
The Coats: Wool/Nylon – $129.90, Wool/Cashmere – $99.90, DB Wool/Cashmere – $149.90
Hopes are awfully high here. The Wool/Nylon in Navy is on the way for an in-person. Pics of the wool/cashmere single breasted topcoat just didn’t look all that promising fit wise. The Double Breasted does claim to have a “slim silhouette.”
Low Rise Boxer Briefs – $4.95
The perfect balance tipper if you’re close to the $100 free shipping threshold. Shorter legs than a standard boxer brief, so that riding up of the legs won’t be as severe. Mainly cotton with some poly in there to wick moisture away. The one issue: They don’t come in exact waist sizes. Medium = 30 – 33 waist. That’s a big swing for those who don’t like… um… their big to swing.
Any thoughts on their pants? What about their shirts? Between the new jcp oxfords and Merona’s dress shirts, is there solid reason to try these out? Leave your thoughts on Uniqlo in the comments section.
Never shopped here before but loving these prices
I am glad they are doing an e-store. I love uniqlo’s merino sweaters. They have an elastic feel and hug pretty tight. I am a bit taller and a tad more weight than Joe (5-10, 180) and wear a medium. I wish that Uniqlo would expand there locations here in the US. It was one of my favorite stores in Korea.
Whoa theyre giving J Crew a run for their money with the suits. The “tazmanian” wool for $210 (but the 50% wool is 220?) The cheap 60% wool jacket doesnt have matching pants sadly.
People, be aware that their knit sweaters are not the best quality. You obviously pay what you pay for. I find their merino wool sweater too thin, basically see-thru with many colors they offer. But I do like the long jones, cheap flannel shirt, color socks from them. Their cashmere are cheap for reasons and it can be had for $69.99 during holidays sales (nevertheless I do own 2 cashmere turtle-neck sweaters from them as they come in colors I liked). Their cheap jeans are decent, too.
I wouldn’t buy a suit from them; it’d be like buying a suit from gap/old navy/H&M. It’s not their forté. I consider something like suits are not where you want to penny-pinch as almost always it shows if you wear a cheap crappy suits (there could be an exception every once in a while, but it’s so rare that I don’t bother really).
Joe, I’ve posted ~half a dozen outfits with Uniqlo sweaters in the Dappered Threads forum at http://threads.dappered.com/topic/wiwt/page/62 and there’s a two page discussion about the new online store at http://threads.dappered.com/topic/uniqlo-online-store-opening-on-1022.
The lambswool sweaters are wonderful. The merino sweaters are rather thin. The blazers are alright, but short: a Uniqlo size medium blazer roughly translates into an American size 38R, but the jacket length is 2″ shorter than a typical 38R and the sleeves are 2″ longer. Hope that helps.
All those sweaters are gonna pill big time.
I was actually just in at the NYC location on Saturday and I can conflate the true-to-size story. Of particular note, I’d say make sure NOT to size down on their cashmere sweaters.
You obviously “get” what you pay for.
I bought a cashmere sweater from them last year and it started pilling after the third wearing. It looks so terrible I hesitate to wear it. $80 a year to rent a cashmere sweater is expensive. In contrast, my J. Crew cashmere sweater looks great still and I’ve owned it for 5 years. Thus, I credit Uniqlo for teaching me a lesson about cheap cashmere.
PASS
Big fan of the tweed jackets. Medium fits just about perfect on my 5’9″ 165 lb frame.
I wanted to like the heavy gauge cardigan but it feels like h&m tyoe quality.
I have a pair of the $10 jeans when they opened up their 5th ave store and they’ve held up well.
Gentlemen, I wear a size 41 regular and fit a size Large in Uniqlo dress shirts (and Ts). I wear a 33″ waist and often wear a 35 or 36 in their pants. I hope this helps. Their dress shirt quality is very nice, as are their T’s. Their denim is Japanese Kaihara denim, high quality and very durable, and also often found in Banana Republic’s line (I was on the design team). Their boxer briefs are super comfortable.
Their clothing is very nice. I’m very excited since I’m moving away from NYC, and it was quite easy to go there to buy inexpensive clothing. However, I no longer buy their sweaters; I prefer JCrew for those, despite the price.
New Uniqlo shoppers: be aware of whether items say slim-fit or not. If they don’t specifically say that it’s slim, it will be kind of baggy (at least for their blazers). I’ve found M sizing to be equivalent to a large in some cases. I’m a 36R and I always have to vouch for XS at Uniqlo (6’0, 150lbs).
Their cashmere starts pilling pretty quickly- I’ve actually seen many sweaters on shelf in their store already pilled.
Most of their stuff, especially blazers, shirts, and pants, are a great deal though- definitely better quality than H&M for the price. I’ve owned several Uniqlo blazers in the past couple years and they all fit great off the rack (I usually size down and make sure it’s a slim label). Recently, the tazmanian wool blazer that was on sale for $100 last week is great for the money (100% wool exterior).
Big fan of their cheap wool suits, but when they say slim fit they mean it. If you’ve ever done a squat in your life, you’re in for a struggle.
Wow. Well played on that last line. Or something…
yeah reading the sizing of the jackets the sleeves seem strangely long
when you say you wear a 36 but need a XS is that a regular XS or a slim XS?
Might give a $20 lambswool v-neck a shot. And take a chance on some $10 jeans. 0 experience with uniqlo, but can’t hurt to find out at that price point.
I’m 6’0″, 174 lbs. with a muscular build and the extra-fine Merino sweater in a small fits me beautifully. It’s a good length and snug on the sides but just loose enough that I can wear a collared shirt under it.
I can vouch for the tazmanian wool as well. I got a navy tazmanian wool suit last year and after getting the arms on the jacket shortened a bit, it fits beautifully. I haven’t had any quality problems with it and it’s gotten pretty heavy wear in the last year. Not bad for $!50.
Any bigger guys have any experience with their blazers? I’m interested in the tweed blazer but I don’t think their XL would be large enough for me. I usually need a 46R
Yep, linked up above to the threads discussion and many thanks to you guys for getting after it over there.
Really great information on the sweaters. That’s wild that the lambswool is so good at that price. As far as the blazers go.
Sonofa. I had high hopes. And that’s the exact opposite of what I need. Hoping their topcoats look good. Thanks as always bruschetta!
Greg_S, Joe is the king of short schlong puns.
Apologies to the following barrage of questions…
Just to clarify, you have a 41″ chest and 33″ waist? Could you please also provide your neck, and sleeve measurements?
When you say that Large dress shirts fit you, can you explain a bit more? How much slack through the chest, waist & neck? Are the arms the correct length (and circumference) before/after washing?
Can you compare the quality of their dress shirts to other brands; for instance, are they better or worse than a Macy’s shirt? What about something like Charles Tyrwhitt or TM Lewin? Are they substantial enough that you will not see a white undershirt through them?
I bit the bullet two years ago and bought their “Made In Japan” slim fit selvedge jeans. I am happy to say that they are among the workhorses of my wardrobe. True quality denim like that does not come cheaper than $90 anywhere else. I’d recommend regular fit for most guys though, unless your legs resemble that of chickens. I had to break mine in for a while before my biker thighs fit.
Does anyone know if the jeans will shrink? I’m typically a 31 inseam and was wondering if the jeans will shrink 1 inch in length if I buy a 32 inseam.
I work down the block from a Uniqlo, the store is great.
Also, are the sizing charts accurate? I noticed the blazers had 17.5 inche shoulders for a size medium….seems a bit small for a medium imo.
Worst business card ever.
be careful on the briefs. i picked up a couple while in store recently and they had no gate…
So whats their return policy? It says that they charge a $7 fee for returned items shipped back.
If you buy from the e-store can you return to their regular brick and mortar stores without the $7 fee?
Anyone have insights into this? I didn’t see it mentioned on their site
I’m pretty skinny so I only go with Uniqlo’s slim stuff (so slim XS). Their regular fit blazers are too boxy on me. Here’s what the tasmanian wool slim fit blazer looks on me in XS- the sleeves are a tad short but everything else looks fantastic. When sized up to a S, the sleeves hit my wristbone and no shirt cuff shows (which I don’t really like).
http://i.imgur.com/4QYhSl.jpg%5B/IMG%5D
Okay…after a little more searching I found that you can return to the physical stores if you want to avoid the return fee.
http://www.uniqlo.com/us/help/faqs
Shirt sizing: http://www.uniqlo.com/us/store/support/size/066924_size.html
I can only speak to their 100% cotton shirts (oxford, super fine cotton, easy care cotton). I tried them all on extensively in-store (I live in NYC) and I own none of them.
Fabric-wise, not as good as Charles Tyrwhitt or Brooks Brothers. I would say better than a cotton-polyester Macy’s shirt. As for substantial, I would say it depends on the color. I tried white shirts and tan shirts and would say you could see a white undershirt. Can’t comment on blues, pinks, or any of the patterned ones.
Fit-wise, they don’t fit me at all. I’m a 40″ chest and a 31-32″ waist. I have a 15.75″ neck and 34″ sleeve. Their M’s cover the range of 38-41 but fit more like a 38. Their L’s cover I think 41-44″ chest. Being a 40″ means I’m stuck in no-man’s land – either too tight body that splays open if I sit down or too large collar/sleeves/armholes.
A 41″ might be on the L side, but it depends on how you like your fit and also if the shirt is a slim or regular fit.
I can tell you a Medium fits like a 38R suit.
I typically wear a 44 jacket/36 waist, I have tried on XL jackets in a Uniqlo store and they just barely fit, though some of their jackets are cut slimmer than others. Even so, I doubt the XL would be comfortable for you.
“that’s bone.”
E-commerce store available nationwide?
Your move, H&M
I grabbed a few pairs of the $10 jeans, and a pair of the made in Japan jeans. Hopefully the sizing works out… I went with my normal 35×34 size.
I would avoid the cashmere. Too cheap to be worthwhile.
I really like the fit on the extra fine merino sweaters. I’m about 5’11” 160 lbs with a really long torso. I wear a medium and the sweater fits pretty slim for my 39″ chest, 33.5″ sleeves, and it is also cut a bit longer for my extended torso. It is a little large at the waist but its not too bad. The construction isn’t the best though.
Can you post a picture of how they fit? I’m a biker as well, but even 514’s are a bit baggy IMO
Dang, you’re 6’0, 150lbs and you wear slim XS? Here I was hoping I’d stand a chance at 5’4″, 130lbs but I guess not.
Yeah, if that’s the case then there’s no way I could fit into an XL. Thanks for the info!
The Merino wool sweaters are very very thin. And they start pilling very very quickly. The last time I bought merino from uniqlo was back in 2009 and I haven’t bought merino wool from there since I personally would stay away.
The lambswool is amazing though, its a great deal for a sweater. Not thin at all, but definitely a very good laying piece. The pants from Uniqlo are amazing. I have bough chinos jeans dress pants etc from there and i still do to this day. if you live in NYC you get free alterations too. (not sure if they do it with the online store)
I have been shopping at Uniqlo for just about 4 years now and I say their shirts and pants are some of the best (still have some from 3+ years), especially for the price. sweaters are a toss up, some are amazing some are terrible. But since I found uniqlo, I have always gotten my v neck. tshirts from there. Since the store got popular they have raised the price from 5 to 6 dollars, but they are worth it and great as undershirts.
Their jeans I find typically are snug in the waist area and shorter on the inseam, so I’d say the safe bet would be to buy 1 size up.
Is it bad that the thing that caught my eyes the most were the socks?
The joys of moving to Japan… I have two Uniqlos within 20 min driving distance.
I’ve had experience with them over the years… Jeans hold up fairly well, I’ve had a pair of there 001 Denims for about two years now and they are holding up perfectly. Heat tech is amazing, probably my favorite product of theirs. Super warm, light, comfortable, just awesome. Flannels, t-shirts, basics are all pretty good quality for how little you pay for them. Big items (coats, etc) can be hit or miss. Sadly their style has changed a bit in the past few years and become even more basic, sometimes even bland. Just part of Yanai’s plan to expand to every inch of the world I guess.
Just pulled the trigger on those jeans, hard not to at that price point!
I bought a couple pairs of the color jeans. They call them regular fit. I’d hate to see the slim or skinny. By comparison to Bonobos washed chinos, these are way slimmer in the legs. I bought the same size from Uniqlo that I get from Bonobos and felt like I was putting on tights. I guess there pants won’t be for me.
I’m wearing the pair I got right now (full rundown of the box that arrived late last week coming up tomorrow) and while I agree that they are slimmer than a Bonobos straight fit, they don’t fit like tights on me.
Upper thighs are pretty slim, that’s for sure, but below the knee seems good. I’d say slightly slimmer than a Levi’s 514 slim/straight, but not quite into skinny territory.