If you’ve been reading the blog for some time now, then you probably already know that Finn is the fashionable one in our house. I don’t really enjoy shopping (never have) and he absolutely loves it. He is an incredible online shopper – he does so much research and reads every review he can find – whereas I just purchase anything that is fast and easy. It’s no wonder that he handles all of the purchases for our house and is in charge of Rory’s cute wardrobe.

In our family, Finn is the go-to guy when anyone is shopping for a specific item. Need a new hat? He will tell you exactly which brand to buy. How about a new men’s polo? Here’s the top brand and be sure to size down. Yeah, he is a wealth of knowledge and it’s about time he shared his list of best men’s clothing brands with all of you.

I’m freakin’ clueless when it comes to men’s fashion – heck, I’m kinda clueless when it comes to women’s fashion too – so I figured some of you might need help as you buy gifts for Father’s Day. Whether it’s your husband, dad, brother, or partner…hopefully you can find something on Finn’s curated list of the “best of the best.”

Oh, and I must note it now – Finn is a quality over quantity guy. So some of these items may come with a higher price tag than you’re used to, but they’re designed to last and you can buy one instead of three. He has a strict “one thing in, one thing out” policy with his closet, so he has been on a mission to replace anything crappy with quality pieces.

Take it away, Finn!

The Purchase Process

Casey is right about one thing, I absolutely love shopping! While I am not a fashionista like she claims, I have developed a good sense of what brands provide value and which ones are not worth the investment.  I had an epiphany several years back when we were in need of a new mattress. The one we had was probably a hand-me-down that was 20 years old or even older, from college! I thought, “I spend one-third of my life on this thing, but for some reason, I am not willing to invest in quality or replace it the same way I would a pair of shoes. WTF is wrong with me?”

From that experience, I realized what was important to me when buying clothes and material items. I emphasize quality over quantity and simplified decision-making.  For clothing, this means I find go-to brands with a fit that I know I can trust every time I throw them on, and then I load up on colors! That makes future shopping easier and takes the stress out of every morning, when I am trying to get ready and Rory is launching her binky across the room at me or chewing on her crib. Sometimes you just gotta grab n’ go!

The other component I focus on is the cost. I think we all do. You know what it feels like to get 10-20% off. It has become an expectation and paying full price feels like highway robbery. (Raise your hand if you have burner emails just to sign up and get 10% off.) If you find a brand or item you really enjoy, then the price will feel comfortable and you will trust the purchase.

Shopping Tip: The beauty of knowing your brands and fit is that it makes it a lot easier to shop the sale/clearance bins on those sites and not be afraid of the “final sale” notation. Always check sales bins for your items.

The Best Men’s Clothing Brands to Shop

At the end of the day, there are several brands that really stick out and have shown tremendous value over time. These brands have shown the ability to consistently deliver across multiple products, so they should be great building blocks for any wardrobe transformation.

• Best Overall: Lululemon – No shocker here. I still own a long sleeve shirt from 10 years ago. It the first thing I ever got from there and it was a gift from Janimal! They are really good at most things and they often have a solid rotation of “we made too much” or clearance items that I check regularly.
• Best Shoes: Cole Haan – For those who need high-quality business casual shoes or dress sneakers, I highly recommend Cole Haan. They have a high rotation of sale items and the price range is affordable, but most importantly they are very comfortable and tremendously durable.
• Most Comfortable: Vuori – The softest and most durable clothes I have ever owned. I have a dozen of their tee shirts and I throw one on every day. They get washed hundreds of times and still come out perfectly. I have also purchased their shirts, 1/4 zip-ups, polos, shorts, etc., and I have found them all to be incredibly high quality.
• Rising Star: Myles – I love their shorts and pants…the tech-style chinos and golf shorts are top of the class for me. They also offer the ability to order up to seven items and have them shipped out for $0 and then you only pay for what you don’t return, so sizing and color become an easy review.

My Fit & Style

I prefer something that is trim and fits my body well, but it needs to have some stretch….a lot of stretch these days! I end up generally going with the slim version of items and getting a size large. Also, being 6’2 with longer arms, sometimes I struggle with sleeve length. I have found that getting the “long” version of things like blazers and dress shirts has really helped me fix this problem.

A lot of companies go the extra mile to provide multiple fits, options, and even detailed sizing charts which is incredibly helpful. But this also adds stress and more decisions for shoppers, so taking the time and doing the measuring, once, will help you time and time again. I keep a little document with my measurements like neck, arm length, chest,  etc., just because those stats are not easy to remember and a quarter inch matters sometimes.  The point being, find your fit and style and document it for yourself or your family so people can get you exactly what you want when Father’s Day rolls around!

Sweatpants // Shorts // Oxfords // Casual T-Shirt // Henley T-Shirt // Pullover // Chinos // Golf Polo // Active Shorts // No-Show Socks // Work Pants // Dress Shirt // Fave Polo // Daily Sneakers // Lightweight Zip

Okay, so let’s get into the nitty-gritty and I’ll share my absolute favorites right now.

I hope this list of the best men’s clothing brands was helpful and can act as a shopping resource for you the next time you need a gift for the man in your life. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment sections below. I am happy to help share my shopping knowledge with all of you!

Finn