7 ms·

I remember when they launched, their 'special sauce' was supposed to be how they made pants fit men correctly, but the photos made their pants look awkward and

I remember when they launched, their 'special sauce' was supposed to be how they made pants fit men correctly, but the photos made their pants look awkward and ill-fitting. To wit: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-06-01/features/0805290003_1_pants-bonobos-fit http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-06-01/features/08052... Odd how that first impression has stuck with me and prevented me from paying any further attention to the brand.

andzt 11y ago
TBH, I still haven't had great luck with their pants. They just don't fit well, even trying several different configuration options. On the other hand, their dress shirts are very high quality and fit (me) extremely well. They get me every time there is a sale on their dress shirts (like today). I think the real difficulty with these business models is that the sizing numbers vary WILDLY across retailers, so there's a lack of consumer confidence when shopping - even with free shipping and returns. A 34x34 pant is not the same at J Crew, Banana or Bonobos. There are several other measures that impact the fit dramatically, of which the average consumer is not aware.
- craigching 11y ago
  > their dress shirts are very high quality and fit (me) extremely well Yep, I'll back that up. I haven't tried any pants, but all the shirts I've bought from Bonobos fit me really well. I'm not a "slim fit" guy, so I really appreciate their shirts.
- zeveb 11y ago
  > I think the real difficulty with these business models is that the sizing numbers vary WILDLY across retailers You're right, and the crazy thing is that men's[1] sizes should be completely bog-standard: they're supposed to be lengths in inches. There's no reason why I wear anything from a 29" to a 32" long pair of trousers, depending on the manufacturer. I'm well aware that ready-to-wear will never fit as well as tailored; that's fine. But there's no good reason for lengths to vary so wildly. [1] Women's clothing is different, because women's proportions have a much higher variance than men's.
a8da6b0c91d 11y ago
The pants are cut for squishy office drones. It's for guys carrying an extra 12 pounds who still want a modern tapered cut. The quality is pretty much standard disposable American clothing, that is to say a pair of pants will be visibly disintegrating after about ten washes.
- meatysnapper 11y ago
  Ah yes, the "American slim fit". Most shirts I try on are too tight on the chest (40" chest, medium should fit normally in most brands), but the waist is... massive (31" waist). Probably for a man expecting to have a child.
- jsat 11y ago
  I disagree. I'm hardly squishy, and their pants fit me better than any khakis or jeans that I've worn in the past few years.
- wil421 11y ago
  Disagree I've found their chinos to be more form fitting and comfortable than Banana Republic and I dont have 12 extra pounds. The quality has also been better than BR, most of the chinos I had from BR barely lasted a year...buttons falling off and fraying at the seams/pockets vs my bonobos which have lasted longer. Plus bonobos have nice patterns on their pockets it really sets them apart.
jsat 11y ago
Their khakis fit me perfectly. I'm wearing them now. They're my preferred pair of pants because they're a tight fit, but I can still wear them while riding my bike.

andzt 11y ago

TBH, I still haven't had great luck with their pants. They just don't fit well, even trying several different configuration options. On the other hand, their dress shirts are very high quality and fit (me) extremely well. They get me every time there is a sale on their dress shirts (like today). I think the real difficulty with these business models is that the sizing numbers vary WILDLY across retailers, so there's a lack of consumer confidence when shopping - even with free shipping and returns. A 34x34 pant is not the same at J Crew, Banana or Bonobos. There are several other measures that impact the fit dramatically, of which the average consumer is not aware.

craigching 11y ago
> their dress shirts are very high quality and fit (me) extremely well Yep, I'll back that up. I haven't tried any pants, but all the shirts I've bought from Bonobos fit me really well. I'm not a "slim fit" guy, so I really appreciate their shirts.
zeveb 11y ago
> I think the real difficulty with these business models is that the sizing numbers vary WILDLY across retailers You're right, and the crazy thing is that men's[1] sizes should be completely bog-standard: they're supposed to be lengths in inches. There's no reason why I wear anything from a 29" to a 32" long pair of trousers, depending on the manufacturer. I'm well aware that ready-to-wear will never fit as well as tailored; that's fine. But there's no good reason for lengths to vary so wildly. [1] Women's clothing is different, because women's proportions have a much higher variance than men's.

a8da6b0c91d 11y ago

The pants are cut for squishy office drones. It's for guys carrying an extra 12 pounds who still want a modern tapered cut. The quality is pretty much standard disposable American clothing, that is to say a pair of pants will be visibly disintegrating after about ten washes.

meatysnapper 11y ago
Ah yes, the "American slim fit". Most shirts I try on are too tight on the chest (40" chest, medium should fit normally in most brands), but the waist is... massive (31" waist). Probably for a man expecting to have a child.
jsat 11y ago
I disagree. I'm hardly squishy, and their pants fit me better than any khakis or jeans that I've worn in the past few years.
wil421 11y ago
Disagree I've found their chinos to be more form fitting and comfortable than Banana Republic and I dont have 12 extra pounds. The quality has also been better than BR, most of the chinos I had from BR barely lasted a year...buttons falling off and fraying at the seams/pockets vs my bonobos which have lasted longer. Plus bonobos have nice patterns on their pockets it really sets them apart.

jsat 11y ago

Their khakis fit me perfectly. I'm wearing them now. They're my preferred pair of pants because they're a tight fit, but I can still wear them while riding my bike.