Frank and Oak is yet another monthly men's subscription company
which offers a monthly delivery of clothing for a regular subscription price. I
never realized just how many of these there were until I started checking out
their services and writing reviews.
The Frank and Oak brand reports a manifesto which begins
with the following questions: “What will you do today? How will you outfit the day? Will
you rise to your ambition? Will you follow what instinct stirs?” It’s pretty catchy and inspirational, I guess. Later on, the
manifesto tells me that “Today can transform, if you choose it.”
And finally, as if you have some sort of obligation to live
up to their styles: “Don’t just dress up. Step up.” Furthermore, they advertise a purposeful style which will
serve you equally well in “the boardroom, the bar, or brunch,” personalized
service (24/7), and shared experiences through the “events [they] throw and the
stories [they] tell.”
Wow!
The company is based in Montreal, Canada, and the styles and
schemes all tend toward a rustic, outdoorsy vibe. As such, the monthly
subscription service is called The Hunt Club --- I mean, Elevate…which isn’t a
monthly subscription service at all. Things have changed quite a bit at Frank and Oak over the
past few years. They’ve opened several stores and even have had their fashions
included in several runway-type shows.
How Does it Work?
So here is how the Elevate program works…A one-time annual
fee of $20 provides access to Frank and Oak’s exclusive member benefits. Those
benefits include free express shipping (2-4 days), free returns, and a 5% store
credit on every purchase.
Frank and Oak then offers high-quality clothes at affordable
prices. They are able to do this because they cut out the middle man. “We are
the designer, retailer, and manufacturer.” However, the next area in the “how-it-works” explanation
says that the membership is limited, 100% free, but access is dependent on
availability.
There seems to be some sort of transition happening within
the company. So the best way to figure out what is going on is to give them a
try…
My Experience With Frank and Oak..
The Elevate program comes with a 90-day free trial of the
above member benefits. I signed up and they sent me a box of items to try on,
keep (and pay for) if I liked, or return (for free) if I didn’t. It was now that I learned about the “limited access” to
particular products. They only produce a limited number of their particular
styles, creating a buzz for the hot items, and encouraging customers to visit
the site often so they don’t miss out.
Some of the items I was hoping to receive in my order were
not available. Kind of a bummer. I did receive some nice looking clothes. A cool pair of
distressed jeans, a white, light-fabric button-down shirt, a grey tweed jacket,
and a green and blue, horizontal-striped knit tie. Honestly, it’s a pretty
freakin’ sweet looking outfit, straight off of some northeastern college campus
in the fall.
However, the shirt did not fit well. It was uncomfortable
through the chest area. I don’t have a model’s build (thin and long), so in order
to get a good fit around my midsection, I’d be able to fit two of my necks up
top.
The jeans fit pretty well, but still tended to drop a little
as I moved. Again, not cut for a guy like me. The jacket fit was reasonable
because I could wear it open, but buttoning it was not much of an option. I dig the tie.
The Verdict.....
In reading up on the history of Frank and Oak, I’ve learned
that they’ve made some strides in the right direction as far as their business
model is concerned. It’s nice that you get a crate of clothes to try each
month, but even though the return shipping is free, it’s still a pain in the
neck to deal with that trip to the post office each month. A trip I know I’m
going to take because I don’t have the right build for the Frank and Oak cut of
clothes.
All in all, I have to give Frank and Oak a negative review, especially
if you are an average dude on the way to a dad bod. If you’re built like a
fashion model, this might be right up your alley and I encourage you to check them out at www.frankandoak.com. But if that’s the case, you
probably work for a clothing company already and get your stuff for free.
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