Brooks Brothers

Pros:  The best reasonably priced and classic attire for men and women.

Cons:  None that I have found, just go to the store

The Bottom Line:  Is there a more respected name in the apparel world than Brooks Brothers? They got the respect for a reason.

Full review
Brooks Brothers. Ah yes, the name conjures up images up expensive men's wear that only those working on Wall Street wear. The image needs a correction.

First of all, Brooks Brothers is still expensive, but is no longer the most expensive brand around. Think BMW. Classy, but not the most expensive, nor the top of the line. Passed by the likes of Porsche and Alfa Romeo and Jaguar. Is this a bad thing? Not a chance. Brooks Brothers remains the best buy around for the money. They have been passed by when it comes to expense (Many Italian designers charge twice as much for their offerings just like Porsche), style (Think of all the models in the back of Maxim and other men's magazines- how stylish is the new Audi), and durability (How tough do those jeans that drag on the ground have to be). However, Brooks Brothers is what they always have been.

Brooks Brothers always has been an upscale, slightly conservative, and high quality retailer. They still are. What will you find at Brooks Brothers? Here is a sampling:

* Suits for men and women
* Endless shirts in traditional and classic styles
* Versatile shoes- dressy yet casual
* Socks, undershirts, boxers, bathrobes, belts, etc.
* Slacks and sport coats
* Golf type attire
* More ties than you can imagine
* Women's offerings (for lack of a better term due to my unfamiliarity)

What will you never (heaven help us) find at brooks Brothers:

* Baggy jeans that hang off your rear
* Six inch platform shoes
* Gold chains that would make a basketball player smile
* Overly revealing tops
* Short shorts
* Anything hip hop

What does all of this mean to you? Brooks Brothers is simply a "name" that has stood the test of time because they are what they are. A classy and stylishly conservative name that will never let you down. Regardless of the function, you will never find yourself overdressed or underdressed if you go the Brooks Brothers way.

Now that you know how much I love brooks Brothers, what about the website? I visited out of curiousity. I am fortunate enough to have three stores within 10 miles, but figured I would check out the site. I found it to be easy to use and simple to navigate. The offerings were similar to what is in the stores, but there may be less quantity (I say "may" because without the entire inventory in front of you it is difficult to judge). The site offers nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary, but the standard faire that you would expect from an apparel website. The shipping is a second day default. I cannot let you know anything about customer service as I had no reason to utilize it.

While you cannot go wrong with Brooks Brothers, I have a hard time purchasing apparel from a website. I find I need to try things on to see how they fit. What I do like is that if I know my size (shirts, for instance) I can go to the site and purchase them and not have any worries about size or fit while saving myself the hassle of the mall. The bottom line with Brooks Brothers is that you cannot go wrong. The name has been around for a heck of a lot longer than you or I, and will remain long after we are gone. For a classic look, there is not a better option.