Do you have a man in your life who needs, well… a little help in upgrading his wardrobe? If he’s anything like my husband, he loves to look well-dressed and in style, but has very little time to shop for himself. He usually asks me to pick anything up for him that I like, but with my plate being chock-full it can be hard to remember. If this sounds like you, consider a subscription box or styling service for your guy. On the flip side, if you’re a man who wants an easy, cost-effective way to upgrade your wardrobe, then check this article out as we talk about two styling services for men!
Trunk Club and Stately both offer styling services for men and will send a box of curated clothing straight to you. Trunk Club will let you try on the clothing at home before deciding what you would like to purchase, and Stately has you purchase a package of clothing at a very discounted price before you receive anything.
The main difference between Trunk Club and Stately (other than that one has shut its virtual doors) is that one does not require a subscription, whereas the other one does. Let’s see which is which. And also compare other aspects of each service.
How Do They Work
One service is currently not operating anymore, but both of these services send a box of stylist-curated clothing to your front door at a fraction of the time and price it would take if shopping in person.
Trunk Club
Nordstroms Trunk Club was a styling service for men, women, and children. It is NOT available for purchase anymore as they have recently shut their virtual doors for good.
As one of the very first clothing subscription boxes to hit the market, Trunk Club first started operating separately from Nordstrom in 2009. Trunk Club initially focused on men’s fashion, noting the pain points that many men faced in not wanting to take too much time to shop, and having a hard time finding stylish and trending clothing items. Nordstrom took notice of Truck Club and purchased it for millions of dollars. They also started offering women’s trunks as well as children’s trunks. Now that you have a little backstory…
Trunk Club will be a very missed service. They were unlike many other clothing subscription services because they didn’t require a monthly subscription. They were looked at as more of a personal styling service under the Nordstrom umbrella, and you did have to pay a small styling fee to get a “trunk.” Because no subscription was required to get a Trunk, you could order one however often you wanted. I honestly feel like I’m writing an obituary.
To get started with Trunk Club was simple. You would fill out a style questionnaire that was very detailed to help the personal stylist assigned to you know what to include in your Trunk. You also had the option to upload outfit inspiration photos that you wanted to replicate, and you could set a budget range for the clothing that came your way. It was a very customizable service. Once the questionnaire was filled out, and your styling fee paid, Trunk Club would ship out your Trunk for you to try on your stylist picks.
Before you Trunk would ship out to you, you’d receive an email with a preview of what items were heading your way. If you wanted to reject anything you could do so, otherwise your Trunk would be shipped to you. Once you received your Trunk, you’d have 5 days to try everything on, and decide what you wanted to keep, and what you were going to send back. Anything you decided to purchase would have the $25 stylist fee credited toward it which was way cool!
Stately
Stately is a clothing subscription service for men only. You’ll receive a box of in-style clothing curated just for you by a stylist.
To get your first Stately box, you’ll first take a comprehensive style quiz for your personal stylist to curate your box. You’ll be asked about preferred sizing, problem areas in fit, the occasions you’d like to dress for, and the colors you want. Once this quiz is complete then you’ll select the subscription plan you’d prefer and a shipping frequency, and check out. It will take the stylist that is assigned to you a couple of days to review your answers and curate your box, and then your box will be sent within 5-10 days of when you signed up.
Depending on the plan that you choose, you may receive shoes in your box every month, but you can opt-out of shoes to receive more clothing if you’d like.
Once you receive your box, you’ll have 5 days to try everything on in the comfort of your own home. If there is something that you don’t like, or the fit is just off, Stately will make it right by offering free shipping and exchanges. They don’t offer any refunds for anything you received, so having the ability to change the item is nice.
Pros/Cons
Both of these services have many pros to their services.
Trunk Club
Pros:
- No subscription required to get a Trunk!
- Nordy Club Points and Nordstrom gift cards could be used for purchases.
- Budget conscious.
- Men, women and children options available.
Cons:
- They closed their virtual doors for good and is not a service Nordstrom carries anymore!
Stately
Pros:
- Free shipping and exchanges on sizing.
- Skipping a month or canceling the subscription is easy.
- You can choose your subscription and shipping type based on your personal budget.
- Receive a curated outfit of quality brand items.
Cons:
- You won’t know what’s in your box before you get it.
- No refunds on clothing.
How Much Do They Cost
These subscription boxes are budget customizable depending on what you specified at the beginning of the process.
Trunk Club
With no monthly subscription required, Trunk Club’s only fee was the $25 styling fee. This fee would be credited toward anything you purchase though, so basically it was a free service. Then, of course, you have the cost of any piece of clothing you decide to keep. These items can range from $50-$300, but if you remember you could set your preferred budget in your style quiz when you signed up.
Stately
There are 4 different subscription types for you to choose from, as well as shipping quantities. Let’s check them out…
SHARP – For $129 per package you’ll receive 3+ pieces of clothing that consist of accessories, bottoms, tops and sometimes footwear.
LUXE – The most popular subscription is $179 for 5+ pieces of clothing that include tops, bottoms, occasionally footwear, and other accessories.
REGAL – The best value at $299 per package. This includes 7+ pieces of clothing such as tops, bottoms, accessories and shoes.
PRESIDENTIAL – At $499 you’ll receive the works. A styling consultation, white glove service, personalized looks including suits or outerwear, tops, bottoms, accessories and footwear. The cream of the crop.
What Style Of Clothes Do You Get?
Both clothing subscription services send you clothing from brands that are trending and well loved.
Trunk Club
Since its purchase by Nordstrom, Trunk Club carried the various brands that Nordstrom has in store. Sizing for the clothing is standard according to the specific retailer, but Trunk Club had options for petite, regular and curvy sizing.
Stately
The amount of what is in your box, and even the frequency, will depend on the subscription type you chose at checkout (sharp, luxe, regal or presidential). Your stylist curated clothing will be from great and trending menswear brands that you’ve probably already heard of. These could include: Tommy Hilifiger, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden, Penguin, and more!
Sizing is standard depending on the specific retailer. Just a reminder! You can exchange sizing for free because Stately wants to make sure you love everything you get!
Final Thoughts
Although we like all the perks and the business model of Nordstroms Trunk Club’s styling service better, Nordstrom has unfortunately stopped this service very recently. With that being said, Stately is a great alternative as it will help you upgrade your man’s wardrobe with ease at a great price! We also love how customizable a subscription with Stately is according to your budget. The only downside we can see is that you can’t choose what comes in your box, but if something doesn’t fit right, you can reach out to Stately for a free exchange. Check them out and see what you think for yourself.
