Bonobos

My sister is getting married. She and her fiancé chose Bonobos to supply to groomsmen’s clothing. Bonobos discontinued literally every item that was picked for the wedding, while assuring the couple that items would be restocked (which did not happen). As a result, only a couple people bought clothes that fit. The rest had to pay for ill fitting clothing (for me basically full price). I had to buy a long jacket, which isn’t horrible, but definitely fits a little awkwardly, and I had to buy pants several sizes to large and the wrong cut, then have the pants entirely redone from top to bottom at a local tailor. I would not recommend using Bonobos for group events. Their customer service was great but ultimately ineffective at remedying the problem.

The boutique and staff are nice and all that but the purpose of a guide shop is surely to have all sizes available so one can determine the best fit. This is bizarrely not the case in the Bonobos guide shop. They don’t stock 36in leg seams for the trousers to try on in the shop. Wtf?
So if you’re 6ft 4in like my husband and want to see how a pair of chinos actually fits you have to try on a 34in leg seam (which will fall short on you) and then guess how a 36in length might look with a pair of shoes on. We can do this by just buying the 36in leg online and returning the trousers if it doesn’t fit good. Waste of our time, apart from the free beer!

This place is awesome. My S.O. and I went to the Bonobos location at Cady’s Alley in Georgetown, DC. Nada S. Was my personal stylist for my hour-​long visit today. My S.O.‘s personal stylist was Shelby M.
I was thoroughly impressed with Nada’s extensive knowledge of their clothing line. She helped me try on just about everything they carry to determine the best fit for my body.
After explaining some of the areas of concern for me, Nada quickly assembled a fitting room stocked with things for me to try. Each time I tried on a product, she was very attentive and quick to address any fit issues and mitigate those by suggesting alternatives.
At the end of our hour-​long session, we placed an order together and I walked out of the store with a new, refreshed wardrobe! Later today, I received an email from Nada with all of the sizes we tried on for each product.
Since I loathe shopping for clothing (just ask my S.O.), I’m really jazzed about my new threads and I can’t wait to get my order in the mail. This experience is what shopping for clothing should be: an intimate, focused experience, with knowledgeable staff, and generous policies that eliminate some of the uneasy feelings I usually have about pricing and returns. This business model is virtually risk-​free for the customer. No pushy, commission-​based sales staff, just a focus on the customer and quality clothes.
I can’t thank Nada enough for really helping me get over my insecurities and preconceived notions about clothing borne out of my bad shopping experiences of the past. Today’s visit with Nada gave me a new appreciation for how clothes should fit. I left feeling like My time spent in the store was more than just a transactional experience; it was like a therapy session.

Love Bonobos — my boyfriend is a big fan of their pants and shorts, but I was really blown away by their customer service.
After shopping online, I accidentally shipped his birthday presents to my old address! I realized this at 10 pm, and found out from UPS that only Bonobos could correct the shipping address.
I sent a message to their «Ninjas» and got a response back from Jon at 11:40 pm saying he had fixed the whole problem! Crisis averted, and can’t wait to receive the package. They truly went above and beyond.
(FYI also posted this review on their Georgetown, DC location, since it was an online interaction.)

Some may question the convenience of having to make appointments just to try on or see their clothes in person, but I was actually quite fond of it.
You walk into a nice boutique and people cater to you throughout your visit. Water, soda and even beer is offered.
The concept is a guide shop to stock the right sizes for your personal fit, but not exactly have the style at the location. All purchases will be made online after your fitting. The purpose of the model I think is to save on retail space where you don’t need a warehouse onsite.
Cody was the person who helped me and he was great. Offered up different styles, fashion opinions and helped me through out. I came in looking for two shirts and walked out with 4 shirts and 2 chinos.
It’s a business model I can get use to.

Never really went to the physical store but ordered online. I was very happy with the clothes I got and wanted more but the fit I wanted wasn’t available anymore so I called no answer, emailed once no answer, emailed twice after 3 weeks no answer. I am guessing they have no customer service and I don’t trust this company anymore. Went back to shop at another store.

This is a wonderful place. Me and my friend were received by Kevin who took care of us and really made sure we had the best fit possible. The other employees also pitched in when we asked them and were really helpful.
They offered us a drink going in (beer for us) and the overall experience was really good. More than once Kevin suggested that I tried a different size that actually ended up being perfect for me.
Definitely try this out!
PS. The building was under construction when we went there so just look for number 45 and call them if you’re having trouble finding it!

I dig most of the items here but fail to see the point of a store (for the consumer) where they don’t seem to carry any sizes, just all colors of any style. A blatant brand recognition lease situation; I’ll stick to ordering online.

To the social media team at Bonobos, I want to truly apologize that I have yet to review your company on Unilocal.I have been wearing Bonobos since 2007, when my brother knew a girl who was shipping the pants from her apartment, as the company was still an up-​and-​comer. I dare anyone to find a more comfortable pair of pants… Jim Harbaugh made a mistake by ignoring their tweets to him!
I brought 3 friends to the showroom last year, sipped on some cocktails while we tried on clothes, and I have now converted each of them into believers. They each have been back for seconds and thirds of ordering clothes from them, and it has even gotten to the point where I can spot someone wearing a Bonobos shirt at the bar (sounds a lot creepier as I typed it out…)
The only issue I have experienced are the pocket holes have ripped in under 2 years, in 3 pairs of pants that I have had. After the first pair they gave me a store credit in the amount that the tailor charged to patch the hole. I was very pleased with this, and wasn’t going to say anything about the other two pairs but I decided to shoot them a quick email about it. This time, they didn’t just give me store credit in the amount that it would cost to patch the holes, they actually gave me store credit for the cost of both those pants! I was floored, and rewarded them by ordering nearly $ 1000 worth of clothes for myself.
I am extremely brand loyal, and I don’t see myself ever straying from Bonobos. The combination of excellent looking clothes that fit amazingly, and their superior customer service will keep me coming back. This is a company that will be around for a very long time, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow

I’ve been telling my friend about Bonobos for quite sometime now because I am a fan and I finally got a chance to take him to the «Bonobos Guideshop» in his neighborhood and I must say we were thoroughly pleased with the whole experience. They are located at 45 West 25^th street in a secured building so you have to call so someone can come down and get you.
Appointments are necessary and super easy to make since this is an all men’s store with personalized service. They are the new wave of retail concepts. Great way to reduce shrink, spend more time with their guests without the shop looking ransacked like it was Black Friday.
The cloths are very well made with great fabrics, styles, cuts and they have a fit for all body types which is a huge relief (One Size Does NOT Fit All). The price points are comprable to «J Crew» «Club Monaco» «Banana Republic». Some people think they are a bit pricy but c’mon, you sped $ 5 bucks on a cup of coffee (Reality Check). Invest in your appearance, we live in NYC one of the fashion capitals of the world.

This review is more for the guideshop than it is for the product. It was very easy to schedule an appointment and when I showed up, Cassie was waiting for me. Cassie was a huge help and knew all the products very well. She grabbed all of my sizes and worked with me and a friend for an hour to make sure we tried on everything we wanted to. She was quick to follow up with an email summarizing my sizes. I recommend anyone try out the shop if they are looking for a more personalized shopping experience.

They are a bit pricey, but the customer service and fit make their clothes worth it. You get individualized support, even just online.
In one instance, I asked them if a certain pair of pants would come back in stock in my size. It wouldn’t, as they stopped making that particular style. However, they must have gotten a return from someone else, because a week later the pants appeared in my mailbox. Literally, someone at Bonobos saw this pair of pants, remembered that some customer s/​he exchanged an email with wanted them, and sent them over rather than putting them for sale online. So if you want to get treated well, this is a good place to go.

What a cool concept. They have no storefront so you actually need to make an appointment to go to their showroom to try on their clothing. Very friendly staff and they have awesome clothing for those who like slimmer cuts.

Online-​only men’s retailer Bonobos is all about creating men’s clothing that actually fits. But what happens when you want to try on before you buy with an online retailer? Now you can! Bonobos has created «Guideshops» in five cities (NYC, DC, Boston, Chicago & SF) where Guides will help you find just what you need.
So last week I scheduled an appointment at the NYC location to see what this «online to offline» retail was all about. They promised a quick and easy shopping experience… and they delivered… well sort of!
We arrived and they quickly got me snuggled into their most famous chinos. After several different styles and size try ons (and a few ooohs, ahhhs and ‘not so much’) I found my pant size. I proceeded to then try everything on the store as my Guide jotted down my sizes to make it easier for me to remember. Swim trunks, jeans, suit jackets, dress pants and shorts. You name it, I tried it on.
WHAT I LOVED?
*I got personal attention for an hour and tried almost everything on.
*I walked away more confident in knowing the sizes which has eliminated a huge barrier for me to ordering clothing online from Bonobos going forward.
*The experience was authentic as Bonobos employees were in and out of the space using it as their personal showroom for design. And I spent some cash with a nice $ 50/​off coupon they offered if I ordered there.
WHAT NEEDS SOME WORK?
* I won’t get my sizes emailed me for a few weeks which seems like a huge miss in the age of Instant Gratification. My Guide said it could take her up to a month to email me, even though she was entering the sizes in the computer as we tried things on. She claimed she was backed up… really?!
*They offer no tailoring so I still need to take my pants to a tailor for length… in an era of customization of everything, why can’t they measure my inseam at the store and offer tailoring of my pants?
*The Deal. I took an hour out of my busy day to hang with this brand, try on clothing and get to know it. I wish I got something more from them like half price on a pair of pants, an email thanking me immediately following or something. Again, I expect an online retailer to act more seamless in my experiences both online and offline.
If you’re in one of these five cities and looking for a good pair of fitting pants this could be worth your time, but don’t expect five-​star service here… at least not quite yet.

Ladies, does your boyfriend/​husband/​secret lover’s pants make his butt look big? Are they so baggy they could wear sweatpants underneath? Not to worry, I’ve found your solution: get them an appointment at the Bonobos guide shop. There, the delightful Obie Hansson will introduce them to clothes that actually fit.
Don’t want to carry around shopping bags all day? Problem solved! Once your man chooses what to buy, he just makes the payment and they’ll ship his purchase. Delivery is super fast — my friend ordered a shirt at 8pm one night and received it by 9am the next day.
Disclaimer: my European boyfriend prefers slim fit pants and was easily persuaded to purchase clothes that show off his body. (Talk about a sexy booty!) Similar results are not guaranteed.

I’ve already written my love letter to Bonobos for the new SF Guideshop (check out that review).
However, July 2012, NY Guideshop is where it all started for me. The romance started early — I’ve been intrigued since I first saw online adds a few years ago. I never took the plunge because I’ve just had that many no so great experiences with buying clothes online.
Walking around with Jessica (who opened the SF store and then sadly left for greener pastures) and trying everything on was awesome.
I also love the fact that this Guideshop is their headquarters and you can watch a few meetings taking place not to mention the customer service ‘ninjas’ next door.
I believe they were planning (may have completed) a remodel to expand the space since last summer, but I’m sure it’s just as awesome.

What a great idea to have a guide shop to try on all the right fits from button down shirts to jeans to work chinos to a tux. All guys should come here to get fitted and be set for shopping online in the future. They offer stylish, preppy, and more fitted clothing for men with a personal guide to advise you on the «looks» if you are not already accompanied by your girlfriend, sister, mom or any other stylish partners in your life.
Hopefully a women’s version can happen soon too.

I went in to the Bonobos guideshop to find a new suit. The experience was amazing. Over the course of your 1 hour session, you and your Bonobos guide go through everything you want. My guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and able to give suggestions that suited my style and body type. I was afraid that an hour would be too long and that it would a waste of a trip but it was very productive and an hour was the perfect amount of time. I tried on the suit I had been looking at online, 2 – 3 different style pants and shirts in different sizes, and a few other items I wasn’t interested in at the moment but wanted to try for future reference.
At the end it took just a few minutes to place my order. My clothes arrived at my house the next day! Every step of the way Bonobos’ customer service was outstanding — pre-​appointment confirmation, greeting, guide shop, and post-​purchase follow up. Oh, and the clothes are awesome too — I get complimented on them regularly!

I give them as a company, the staff, their products, and overall customer care on and off the phone *****5 HUGE STARS*****
I spoke to a few of their associates on a number of occasions and pleasantly helpful. Its sort of difficult purchasing clothes online, especially if you have never tried them on. And this was exactly the case for me.
I have these pairs of LUCKY brand jeans that I will probably wear till the cows come home or at least till I talk the birds down from the tress! Soooooo… I wanted a pair of BONOBOS pants that were practically a mirror image of my LUCKY brand jeans. And i am particular about my clothes and suits. Very particular!
Soo I did some browsing thru their online catalog and decided, «what the hell… I’ll give it a go…» And few days later the pants arrived and they fit like they were made for me. I understand and keeping in mind that no two bodies are like and neither will the fit be. But for an online order solely based on faith, I am very very impressed.
Its also comforting to know that BONOBOS stands behind their product and they honor their easy return policies. IF for any reason, you do no like the pants, you simply UPS it back to them for a return or an exchange. They even provide the return shipping labels. How WICKED is that!!! I’ll shop here again, thats how wicked it is!
So both ways s/​h covered. Very fast shipping. Great customer care. Great helpful staff. They go by the name — Ninja. That’s SICK! Ninja please!!!
Viva BONOBOS for revolutionizing the way we shop online. I have a feeling I will be spending some of my hard earned cash on this company!
Thanks Ninjas!!!

Hands down my favorite men’s clothing supplier. Once you get used to Bonobos quality, you’re not going to be content with Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, much less Gap or Express. I saw another reviewer didn’t find the quality that different from Express, but take a look for yourself. In my mind, there’s no comparison.
The prices are high relative to most mall stores — pants start around $ 100, shirts can be $ 150, and sweaters $ 250 for the better wool.
But you get:
Great fit (at least for me — your mileage may vary).
Excellent materials and construction. Seams are perfect, hardware (zippers, buttons) top of the line.
Consistently interesting and sometimes witty design. Check out the Ninjas pants.
The best customer service I’ve found. Free shipping both ways, real live people on the phone if you need them.
A couple tips:
Order a size down in the pants. Most places, I wear a 33 inch waist — at Bonobos, I need a 31 or 32 (I’m 6′ 2″, 185 lbs).
If you buy one thing, make it the bull denim pants. If you buy two things, add the cashmere sweater.