When you consider your options in menswear, it helps to be honest with yourself. And the first question you should ask is, “Do I need help with my style?”

For a small percentage of men, the answer is “no.” But for anyone who didn’t make People magazine’s best-dressed list again this year, the answer is probably “yes.”

Fortunately, this is a great time to be alive if you are less-than-stylish by nature. The Internet has made it possible for just about every guy to get help from a personal stylist. In addition, a clothing subscription box can deliver high-quality, stylish, and even luxe items to men who have neither the time nor interest in spending hour after hour in retail stores.

The second question you’ll have to ask is, “Which men's clothing subscription box works best for me?” Of course, you would expect us to say Taelor! That is true. But we also give you clear reasons for it.

There are a great many companies offering menswear-subscription services. Some (like Taelor) let guys rent clothing, rather than commit to buying. Some expect a commitment to purchase. Some are quite expensive; yet others are reasonably priced (like Taelor). Some connect customers with personal stylists (like Taelor). Others use an algorithm to select clothes for customers. Some subscription services do both (like Taelor again!).

In the article, we’ll look at two of the leading subscription-box companies in men’s apparel and help you decide which works best for you.

Taelor vs. Stately Men 

Personal stylists

As mentioned above, one of the key reasons to use a subscription clothing service like Taelor or Stately Men is because doing so gives you access to professionals who are paid to make you look good: personal stylists. 

Both Stately Men and Taelor provide access to stylists. Both services ask customers to complete an online style quiz when they join. Personal stylists use those quiz responses to curate items to send to customers. 

There are some key differences in how Taelor and Stately Men customers use stylists, however.

At Taelor, all customers have direct access to their stylists. Texts and video conversations between a stylist and their customers are common, particularly early in the relationship as the stylist collects feedback on what does, and doesn’t, work for a particular customer. In addition, Taelor augments the work of its personal stylists with artificial intelligence, sorting through thousands of data points about clothes and personal preference to ensure customer satisfaction.

By contrast, Stately Men offers personal consultations only to customers who buy its most expensive offering: the $499 per month VIP package. Stately Men does not use artificial intelligence to improve apparel selection.

Rent or own

The key difference between Taelor and Stately Men is the subscription model.

Taelor is a subscription rental service. Customers receive a box (or two, depending on the package they choose) per month. When a customer is ready, they return their first box of clothes. Taelor then sends new items. 

If a Taelor customer really loves an item they have rented after the try on, they can purchase it at a discounted price.

Stately Men is a subscription purchase service. Customers receive a box every month that is theirs to keep. If a guy loves everything in his box, that’s great. But if some of the items are less-than-loveable, the customer is stuck with them anyway.

How do the two compare on pricing

How much does Stately Men cost? Stately Men has five pricing tiers:

• The lowest cost package is $129 a month to purchase 2-3 items.

• There are also mid-tier packages at $179 (4-5 items) and $329 (6+ items).

• Stately Men’s most expensive package is $499 a month, which also gives a customer a styling consultation.

Taelor pricing tiers offers far more value for money:

• You can subscribe to rent 5 clothing items a month for $79. 

• Or you can pay $98 a month to rent 7 items a month.

• Want more? You can get up to 10 items a month (with 2 shipments of 5 items each) for $109/month (or hack that down to $96 by paying $287 quarterly!)

Which brands do you get from Stately Men? Brands and selection

Both Taelor and Stately Men have built relationships with numerous well-known men’s apparel manufacturers. Both subscription services offer items from an enormous number of brands. 

Taelor carries clothing from more than 100 brands. We were unable to find the number of brands carried by Stately Men, but it would appear to be substantial. 

Many top-tier brands – including Bonobos, Johnston & Murphy, Calvin Klein and Luchiano Visconti – are available from both services.

Both Taelor and Stately Men offer apparel that is suitable for office work, casual weekends, dating, outdoor, beach vacation, etc. Neither service offers formal attire (tuxedos, etc.) 

What customer say 

Jason C. is a Taelor customer. He used to be a customer of Stately Men. 

Jason said he’s particularly fond of the selections made by his Taelor stylist – a fact he attributes to video calls where he could provide feedback. 

Jason said his experience with Stately Men was quite different. He called the price of the service “huge” and said he was often dissatisfied with the items he received. And because Stately Men is not a rental, he was “stuck with it,” he said. 

“You pay the full price to get all these things, but 90 percent of it was not a fit for me. You wind up paying $250 a pop for a shirt. That doesn’t work for me,” he said.

That’s apparently not an uncommon experience. A Stately Men review on the ClothedUp site notes that “there’s an interesting difference between new and existing customers of Stately Men. Those who have just started with the service seem relatively happy from the jump, but this outlook seems to change for many people after a few deliveries.”

And what do customers say about Taelor? 

In Taelor customer Gene Gerovich words, “This is an awesome concept. As someone who hates shopping and has little space for clothes that I will only wear a few times, they have been sending me awesome outfits to keep my wardrobe fresh. They communicate really well. Going on vacation? Just tell them where you’re going, and they’ll pick some great new outfits. Have a few meetings coming up? Let them know and they got you covered. Wear it a few times and send it back. Great service!”

Adds Johan Kharouf Jr., another Taelor customer “I’ve been using Taelor for several months now, and I have to say –It’s been a total game changer for my work wardrobe. Each month, I get fresh, professional looks that are perfectly suited to my style and schedule. What makes the experience even better is that my stylist is a real person I can actually text with. Whether it’s feedback on what I liked, or adjusting fits and styles, the personal attention makes all the difference. 

It feels great to wear stylish, high-quality clothes without contributing to fast fashion waste. Knowing that I’m using a more sustainable model instead of buying cheap items that wear out quickly has made me feel better not just about how I look, but about how I shop. Taelor has seriously upped my style game – and made getting dressed for work something I look forward to.”

What customer say  So, which is the best men's subscription service?

The verdict for the best men’s subscription service clearly favors Taelor for its easy and ongoing access to expert human stylists, its uniquely collaborative AI-powered styling, curated rentals, sustainable model, and more value for money. Whether you’re a busy professional, an eco-friendly individual, or simply someone looking to reduce waste in his wardrobe, Taelor offers a tailor-made approach for you. It’s style on your terms, with no need to buy.

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