Street Style: JackThreads
JackThreads found a new niche in tailored clothing.
It’s apparent young guys are dressing up now that JackThreads, a flash-sale site rooted in streetwear, has added tailored clothing to their mix. Founder Jason Ross says their customers started asking for dressier looks about a year and a half ago. While Ross admits he was nervous to get into this market, since tailored is a much different business than streetwear, they tested a collection of slim blazers and dressier pants last spring and couldn’t keep them in stock. “After that, we knew we wanted to go heavier into it for fall. It’s something I wouldn’t want to miss out on; because of its higher AUR, it’s a much more profitable sale,” says Ross.
JackThreads presents looks in non-traditional ways to keep product from looking dated. For example, they’ll show a guy wearing a suit while riding a skateboard or paired with bright orange sneakers. “It’s for the fashion-forward dude, and while he wants a little bit of self expression in the suit, we’re also selling the standard navy, black and gray.” Everything is sold as separates (but can be worn together) and sized S/M/L. Blazers retail for around $100, pants from $50 to $100 and vests from $40 to $50. Much of the tailored assortment is JackThreads’ private label, but they do some branded pieces from Howe and General Assembly. According to Ross, they’re also selling tons of dress shoes (around $100 retail).
Editorial is part of the equation too. They recently launched The Proper Shop as a place for guys to learn how, where and why to dress up. “We want to be educational without talking down to him,” explains Ross. “A lot of guys on our site are savvy and pretty fashion-focused, so we just want to make it easier for him. And then for the guy who might want more education, we have copy to support it.”
