Review: Frank & Oak

Frank & Oak received some early buzz because of their premise: limited runs of clothing with each item priced under $50 and only available for a month. Coupled with an “invite-only” model (that’s my referral link above) and a few sport coats at launch, there was a considerable amount of interest.

I’ll admit to being interested, but not necessarily buying anything for myself. I hesitated to buy shirts in alpha sizing (i.e.: S/M/L) because of my longer arms and skinnier neck. In fact, I passed along my early referral credit to my brother, who’s enjoyed several neckties from them (he likes skinny ties, I prefer no less than 3.5").

But Frank & Oak contacted me asking if they could send me some products to review and I figured it’d be worthwhile to readers interested in their budget-focused line of clothing. I received one of their flannel gingham shirts and a pair of chinos.

The shirt actually fit me better than I thought it would. The sleeves were nearly perfect for my 35" arms in a size medium. The shirt fits slightly trim, but not overly so – I’d hesitate to call it “slim” – and the hem is long enough to be worn tucked in or out.

The shirt’s fabric feels really nice, a bit thicker than your average sport shirt (since it’s flannel) and the material is 100% cotton. It’s a decidedly casual shirt, but probably appropriate for most young professionals or college students who don’t need to dress up beyond business casual on a regular basis.

I only have two points of criticism. First, the collar is skinny and really wouldn’t work very well with most neckties. For what it’s worth, the collar does manage to stay up decently and not flop over like some shirts I’ve worn. Second, the side seams are double-needle stitched, which is a cheaper construction method for shirts. However, considering the price of this shirt is south of $50, I wouldn’t expect single-needle stitching.

The chinos were nice to wear. Comfortable and had an almost pre-washed feel to them. They didn’t fit too baggy, nor too slim. I’d definitely would consider them to be in the casual realm and wouldn’t do anything like iron a crease in them.

The only criticism I have would be the sizing: they’re vanity sized for sure. I currently have a 32.5" waist and received a pair in size 32". The actual measured waist on the chinos is 34" (and this is after I warm-water washed them and put them in a dryer). So, you’ll want to size down if you’re considering a pair.

The chinos have what I would call a mid-short rise, which seems to be the preferred standard these days for most brands, and a single-button fly front. There’s also a coin pocket on the waistband and the rear pockets have a button each.

In regards to fit, I’d say it’s actually decent for something made ready-to-wear. In the past, I’ve certainly bought baggier and paid more than $95 for a shirt and chinos together. I think these two items would look perfectly fine styled as you see above. Just add a shawl-collared cardigan sweater and you’ve got a great casual fall outfit.

Frank & Oak clothing seems to aim their company to find a balance between being affordable, casual and with some trend-focused details. There’s probably a few items each month that most will take an interest in potentially getting.

I think the prices are fair, however, they do seem to be in the same competitive space as Lands’ End Canvas. But if you’re budget focused, Frank & Oak will provide you with another option to what’s currently out there and their monthly new releases will mean a great deal of choice.