Frank & Oak Review

So just what is Frank and Oak?

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.