Finding the perfect dress shirt can be a tricky endeavor for a lot of men. While we have spent countless hours on reviewing dress shirts in this guide, there is perhaps no other company that has perfected them as well as Mizzen+Main.
In this review of Mizzen+Main we are going to look at just about everything you need to know before making a purchase, this includes:
- A look at who’s behind the operations
- Review of a few of their flagship products
- See if you can try on Mizzen+Main at any stores near you
- Share our results on our hunt for Mizzen+Main promo codes
- Review their policies (so you don’t get burned in any way)
- Comparison of Mizzen+Main to their primary competitors
Let’s get started.
How Mizzen+Main Came to Be
Mizzen+Main was founded in 2012 when Kevin Lavelle saw a staffer running up a hill in Washington D.C. and was drenched in a sweaty dress shirt and, from the sounds of it, looked downright bad.
It was at this point that Mr. Lavelle set out to reinvent the dress shirt from the ground up.
After a few funding rounds totaling $4.6M (according to Crunchbase), Mizzen+Main has since expanded their product catalog to include a variety of casual clothes, blazers, and more.
While Mr. Lavelle is no longer a part of the daily operations at Mizzen+Main (he still retains his chairman seat – source) his replacement, Chris Phillips, has a rich history of working in the fashion industry. In his previous role Mr. Phillips was the head of the men’s and kid’s clothing division at Stitch Fix.
Beyond Stitch Fix, Mr. Phillips also worked in merchandising for Gap, and later became a vice president at Banana Republic, which is also owned by Gap (source).
On paper, it appears from our view point that Mizzen+Main was left in good hands.
As for Mr. Lavelle, he exited the fashion industry altogether and has joined the leadership team of Stand Together, and is working to “remove the barriers that are preventing people from realizing their full potential in life” according to his personal Medium blog post.
Shirts, Blazers, & More
While Mizzen+Main got their start with dress shirts, their product catalog has expanded greatly in recent years.
With the inclusion of flannels, pullovers, tees, along with a blazer – they are hard at work perfecting clothing above the waistline.
Related: Affordable Men’s Blazers
But not all products were a hit for Mizzen+Main, and it appears that they have no problem realizing this and will pull items from their catalog when they aren’t meeting the expectations – as evident in their disappearing chinos line.
While they had a funny video demonstrating that their chinos could be worked out in, they are no longer part of the catalog (at time of initial publication of this article).
Now we would be remiss if we didn’t review a few of Mizzen+Main’s flagship offerings. Here’s a detailed look at their dress shirts, vests, and pullovers:
Mizzen+Main Dress Shirt Review
One of Mizzen+Main’s most popular products will be their dress shirt. Made from performance fabric that is a composition of both polyester (85%) and spandex (15%), it can bend effortlessly with your every movement.
Now many will instantly think that polyester means that it will feel uncomfortable and not breathable. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. This dress shirt is lightweight and wicks the moisture away from your skin. When you couple that with quick drying fabric, you will always be comfortable and cool no matter what life or work throws at you.
The added bit of spandex in this dress shirt is a gamechanger. With 4-way stretch it won’t ever bunch or feel tight in any awkward places like most standard dress shirts.
Lastly, the care on this dress shirt is perfect for men – machine wash, hang dry, and skip the dry cleaner.
Mizzen+Main Vest Review
While Patagonia and The North Face are a vest of choice for many men looking to bridge the gap between outdoors and formal wear, what Mizzen+Main put together with the Belson vest is noteworthy.
With a quilted fabric that simply presents a bit better when compared to some of the outdoor brands mentioned along with a wind resistant body, you have a vest that will quickly become a favorite in your wardrobe.
Made from a blend of cotton (55%) and modal (45%), it feels ultra-soft and comfortable while keeping you plenty warm.
The discrete branding on just the zipper also gives you a more streamlined and minimalist appearance.
If you are looking for a sweater vest to wear to the office or even for a casual weekend wear, it’s worth considering (be sure to also check out their half zip men’s sweater we recently reviewed). Plus, the care instructions on this sweater are super simple (machine wash and dry).
Mizzen+Main Pullover Review
The last item we wanted to touch on was the Mizzen+Main pullover. Available in 4 different conservative shades, this lightweight, super soft and comfortable pullover borrows a lot of the same properties as the vest reviewed above.
Relying on a composite fiber blend of cotton (55%), modal (40%), and polyester (5%), you have a pullover that exhibits that trademark 4-way stretch that so many love about Mizzen+Main.
Furthermore, given that there is an addition of both modal and polyester to the blend, the pullover will be both moisture-wicking and durable.
Of course, given that these are all standard fibers when it comes to clothing (as opposed to natural animal fibers like wool or cashmere), the care instructions are super easy (machine wash and tumble dry).
Beyond the fabric and care features, the style of this pullover is timeless. Whether you are heading to the office or you are spending a weekend with the family, it can easily be dressed up or down without ever looking out of place. Just simply wearing a nice pair of quality chinos or even men’s skinny jeans can work.
The trim fit of this pullover also gives it a more refined or tailored look to prevent excess puffiness in the midsection.
Mizzen+Main Brick & Mortar Stores
While online retailers are growing at a breakneck pace year-over-year, visiting a brick-and-mortar store still has its place – especially when it comes to trying on clothing and getting the right fit.
It’s the reason why online clothing purchases have an average return rate of a staggering 50% (source), when compared to only 8.89% for brick-and-mortar shops (source).
While Mizzen+Main is a younger company, they have started to open brick-and-mortar stores and are currently in the following cities:
- Dallas, TX (West Village Flagship)
- Worth, TX (Shops at Clearfork)
- Oklahoma City, OK (Classen Curve)
- Coral Gables, FL (Shops at Merrick Park)
They are also stocked at various large department stores including Nordstrom – which greatly increases the likelihood that you can try on their clothes at a store near you.
Mizzen+Main Shipping Costs & Return Policy
Now buying online clothes can be tough for some men, especially if you are between sizes or you are trying out a brand for the very first time.
Therefore, when trying out a new company that you aren’t familiar with, it’s important that you know their shipping costs and return policy upfront.
Here’s the quick answers when it comes to Mizzen+Main:
Shipping Cost
- Free shipping on all domestic (USA) orders $100+
- International shipping is assessed a flat $50 rate (+ duties/local taxes)
Read more about their shipping policies here.
Return & Exchange Policy
- Items must be unwashed and unworn.
- 30 days for full refund.
- 90 days for store credit.
Read more about their return and exchange policy here.
Mizzen+Main Discount & Promo Codes
Now paying full price for anything online is always less than ideal.
I don’t know about you, but before I make a purchase anywhere online I am always Googling around for “[STORE] + discount code” or “[STORE] + promo code”.
Here’s what we found out with Mizzen+Main:
Promo codes were really tough to come by. In fact, when searching all the major coupon sites, only a few were available.
To help alleviate that pain or disappointment for you when trying out countless expired or suspect codes, we were able to secure an EXCLUSIVE promo code with Mizzen+Main.
Just use the code TOOLSOFMEN10 at checkout to save $10 on your order.
The Officer’s Club
Another way you can score some discounts is by buying over $2,500 worth of clothing from Mizzen+Main. Once you surpass this amount, you will get a personal invite to join the Officer’s Club.
Once a member, you get a few noteworthy benefits which includes the following:
- Direct access to a style concierge
- Early access to products
- Exclusive promo codes
- Exclusive gifts
You can read more about the program here.
Refer A Friend for More Savings
Now if you don’t see yourself spending more than $2,500 in clothes anytime soon but do have a few friends or co-workers that are in dire need of a wardrobe upgrade, the Mizzen+Main friend referral program is really good.
Give friends $50 off their first order and you will get $50 in your own pocket. You can share either your email or link for them to sign up.
You can read more about the referral program here.
Mizzen+Main vs. Ministry of Supply vs. State & Liberty
Now with great success comes great competition, and in recent years other brands have started to take Mizzen+Main head on when it comes to delivering performance-based dress shirts and other quality clothing.
While we won’t talk about the other brands too extensively here, as the scope of this article was to provide a review of Mizzen+Main, we at least wanted to touch on a few alternatives out there:
Ministry of Supply
Founded in 2010 in Boston, MA, Ministry of Supply is a couple of years older than Mizzen+Main and has a larger catalog of clothing options which includes a section for Women along with the addition of bottoms, suits, outerwear, and socks for men (all categories of which Mizzen+Main currently isn’t in).
Perhaps one of the biggest competing products between these two brands will be their performance dress shirts. The flagship product from Ministry of Supply is their Apollo dress shirt. The fabric and design choices for this shirt are literally out of this world (they used the same materials that NASA uses for its astronauts ).
Like Mizzen+Main, Ministry of Supply does have a few brick-and-mortar locations spread across the country (DC, NYC, BOS, CHI, SF, etc.).
State & Liberty
Founded in 2015, State & Liberty is the youngest of the three companies. But don’t let the inexperience get in the way of a well-rounded product lineup.
Developed by a couple of University of Michigan grads, they are also focusing on creating the perfect athletic fit dress shirt.
Beyond dress shirts that are beloved by many men, State & Liberty also makes a variety of other clothes for men as well which includes the following:
- Stretch Pants
- Coats & Jackets
- Suits & Blazers
- Polos
- Sweaters
…and more.
Product lineup aside, State & Liberty has also done a great job expanding into the brick-and-mortar retail business in very little time.
With 8 stores in major metropolitan areas (NYC, DC, TOR, CHI, PHI, BOS, MIA, Ann Arbor) they are accessible for working men in major cities.
Final Thoughts on Mizzen+Main
While the competition is growing for Mizzen+Main, the quality of their product is top-notch.
If you are looking for clothing that has been sourced from fine materials and a design that has been exhaustively thought out in order to compliment a man’s natural physique then its worth giving Mizzen+Main a shot – we don’t think you will be disappointed.