J. Crew Factory vs. H&M – Store Wars Rd. #1

STORE WARS: J. Crew Factory vs. H&M

Starting March 17th and running through April 7th, Dappered.com is hosting a bracket based tournament with the purpose of eventually crowning the all around Affordable Men’s Style Retail Champ for 2014.  For a full introduction see this post. The bracket on the right will be updated as the tournament progresses. Click on it for the full size. 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:

 

Strengths: A finalist from last year. Their flagship Thompson suit separates (in wool-blend, all wool, and cotton) are as good as it gets for around $200 (if not much less). Their tweed-like winter blazers and merino wool v-necks are cold weather staples for many of us. Factory is also smart enough to NOT make their jacket sleeve buttons functional, or even bother with any accent stitching around them, that makes for easy tailoring. Lots of sales and codes, so if you’re patient and play the game, you can get some great looking stuff for an extremely reasonable price. Seems like they actually responded to requests by those of you who wear a 36R or 36S to start making their suit jackets and blazers in that size. $5 flat rate shipping is one of the lower shipping rates out there.

Weaknesses: Sometimes the fabrics used on the fall/winter blazers can disappoint (but other times, they’re great). Quality of their accessories seems to be lacking. They play the code game so you’ve got to be patient. Some of their basics (like tees) can seem strangely expensive. Suit pants can be a little baggy, but they have come out with a “slim” option for many of their suit pants in the last few months.

 

Strengths: Prices are super-affordable. They also turn over a bunch of different styles at breakneck speed. Finally got into e-commerce after years of not offering online shopping in the US. Usually has a good selection of blazers & sportcoats to pick from. Lots of casual basics. Brick & mortar presence in the U.S. is strong and expanding.

Weaknesses: Can feel like a cheaper-quality UNIQLO. Feel of the goods can be downright flimsy. Blazers can be very short in the tail if not chopped. They can sometimes suffer from the “looks better on the rack than it feels after putting it on” syndrome.

Your votes determine who goes on to the next round.  Cast your ballot below.  Voting closes at midnight ET.