Understanding the Jos. A Bank Lines

[tsellati]

Very helpful post. My first JAB acquisition was a 100% Camel hair sport jacket (also my first of this style) that I absolutely adore. Having upgraded my wardrobe over the past few months in preparation for a new job I have found my "sweet spot" for jackets to be 42S and for trousers to be 34/30. I definitely need a little more 'clearance' than the Slim Fit lines allow, but the Modern and Classic Fit clothes seem to accommodate my body plan just fine.

Tim

 

[David in Boston]

Very helpful post. My first JAB acquisition was a 100% Camel hair sport jacket (also my first of this style) that I absolutely adore. Having upgraded my wardrobe over the past few months in preparation for a new job I have found my "sweet spot" for jackets to be 42S and for trousers to be 34/30. I definitely need a little more 'clearance' than the Slim Fit lines allow, but the Modern and Classic Fit clothes seem to accommodate my body plan just fine.

Tim

Tim I'm happy for you that you know your size etc. When I was a sales rep I would notice the smart buyers were the guys that found out and knew their size (s). Also what clothes cut fit them right as in slim, tailored or traditional. Keep in mind that you may be able to wear slim sizes if you just move up a size. For example, I wear a 41R but if I go tailored or slim I have to move up to a 42R. Good Luck!

 

[Powerkicker]

I think jab gets a bad rap. I like their stuff for the price. I know I can grab about anything they label as a 46l and it is going to fit me well in the chest and shoulders. The Joseph line fits me pretty ok. A little suppression and sleeve shortening and I am good to go. Other brands, not so much. Brooks Brothers also works for me most of the time. I buy BB used only though.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

I actually found this thread through googling. I was looking for a description for their dress shirt lines. Does anyone know about the differences between Reserve, 1905, Traveler, and Executive? And whatever happened to their Signature line of dress shirts? Those were nice with their mitered cuffs and good material. The other lines don't seem to look as nice.

 

[Deltaboy]

Thanks for this insight on that company.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

I actually found this thread through googling. I was looking for a description for their dress shirt lines. Does anyone know about the differences between Reserve, 1905, Traveler, and Executive? And whatever happened to their Signature line of dress shirts? Those were nice with their mitered cuffs and good material. The other lines don't seem to look as nice.

Looks like Reserve has replaced their Signature collection, but they went with different cuffs. I liked the fitted mitered cuffs but none of their shirts have it anymore. They all claim non-breakable buttons.

Descriptions on their site:
Executive
Our Executive Collection dress shirts offer traditional styling and fine craftsmanship. This non-iron shirt features non-breakable buttons, left chest pocket, cutaway collar, and barrel cuff. Exact sleeve length. 100% cotton. Machine washable. Imported.

Traveler
Look neat and professional at the end of the day, without the extra effort. Our Traveler Collection dress shirts feature premium wrinkle-free performance and resists shrinking and fading. Split back yoke with center back box pleats. Non-breakable buttons. Traditional placket with a spread collar and barrel cuff. Exact sleeve length. 100% cotton. Machine washable. Imported.

Reserve
Our Reserve Collection dress shirts offer premium quality and fabrics with intricate patterns and elegant colors. This wrinkle-free dress shirt resists shrinking, fading, and puckering. Single-needle tailoring. Non-breakable buttons. Spread collar and French cuff. Exact sleeve length. 100% Egyptian cotton. Machine washable. Imported.

1905
Our 1905 Collection dress shirts offer fine craftsmanship and bolder colors and patterns. This non-iron dress shirt features non-breakable buttons, spread collar, and barrel cuff. Exact sleeve length. 100% cotton. Machine washable. Imported.

 

[tankerjohn]

I read somewhere that the 1905 line came from Joseph Abboud to spice up the lineup after Men's Wearhouse bought JAB last year. It has sort of an old fashiony, yet trendy, vibe, but still fused and made in developing countries, from what I can tell.

 

[Randall J]

I wear suits for work almost daily. I consider suits work clothes. Viewed that way, I want suits that look nice enough, hold up well, and are moderately priced so I can have several in my closet for variation. The majority of suits in my closet are JAB Signature suits. Certainly, there are nice suits to be had, but I find JAB Signature suits quite sufficient for work clothes.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

I have 2 Joseph Abboud suits from Mens Wearhouse before the merger and 1 Signature suit from Bank. I've been happy with the value I got. It's a good affordable everyday suit for most office jobs. Much better quality than what I have seen in department stores like Macy's but cheaper than the premium designer stores and made to measure tailors. I like Bank dress shirts more than most anything I've seen at dept stores.

I haven't tried it yet but have heard that Suit Supply is a step above in quality and price.

 

[tankerjohn]

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I haven't tried it yet but have heard that Suit Supply is a step above in quality and price.

I'm fortunate to have a Suit Supply store close by, so I went to check it out. The suits are indeed very nice in quality, style, and price. Unfortunately, they are not designed for fat Americans like me. I fit a 48 in most brands (MW, JAB, etc), but I couldn't even button a size 50 in the "Napoli" fit at SS, which supposedly the roomest fit. And 50 is as big as they get. But if you are slender, give SS a shot.

 

[David Moroney]

Just came across this thread because I just picked up 3 JAB said and wanted to do some research on them. I got 2 Sig Gold for $149 each, and a Platinum for $249. Shortened the sleeves about a quarter inch on each, and that was it (and cuffs of course). I must say, for $550 it's a pretty solid deal. They're not bad! I've lost 43 pounds this year, and my collection of 48L Hickey Freeman suits would cost a fortune to replace. So these 44L will do just fine for now. Will keep checking clearance to see if I can find any other deals.

 

[musicman1951]

In my last years as a teacher I purchased 6 shirts on one of their buy one get two free sales - about $29 a shirt. I've been retired for 6 years and I still can't wear out those shirts. The woman who does my laundry tells me they are easy in that department as well.

I had to get mine on line as my local store didn't have a large enough selection of the tailored shirts. With 6 I got free shipping.