Jos. A. Bank is an American brand focusing on men’s clothing and accessories. The company is mainly known for producing high-quality men’s suits. Several of their collections have wide acclaim, including Traveler, 1905, and reserve. The business was established in 1905, and they now operate online and through approximately 200 retail locations.
Men’s Wearhouse started in 1973 with the help of a $30,000 loan from the founder’s father and $7,000 in personal equity. The first store opened in Houston, and it ultimately turned into a multi-billion-dollar empire. Although the business eventually fired its founder, George Zimmer is now working on a startup called Generation Tux.
Both Jos. A. Bank and Men’s Wearhouse are owned by Tailored Brands, Inc. – an American retail holding company for several men’s apparel stores. On August 2, 2020, the business filed for bankruptcy because of the 2019 debacle and $1.4 billion in long-term debt.
This action caused them to close about 500 locations.
Men’s Wearhouse vs. Jos. A. Bank
Jos. A. Bank and Men’s Wearhouse are two popular tailored stores for men’s clothing. Guys can find everything from wedding tuxedos to casual fashion at both locations. Jos. A. Bank offers the highest quality products with a varied selection of features and accessories, while Men’s Wearhouse provides more affordable pricing.
Both brands have delivered high-quality menswear options for several years. They provide trendy looks, stylish colors, and traditional formal wear at multiple price points. Although men pay more at both stores or online than in a conventional department store, the product quality is typically higher.
Jos. A. Bank and Men’s Wearhouse provide a budget-friendly alternative to custom jackets and suits while offering more individualization than a discount retail outlet.
Here are the primary comparison points to review if you’re trying to find something new at either Jos. A. Bank or Men’s Wearhouse.
1. Pricing
Both stores have higher costs for men’s clothing because they offer formal fashion options. Although the expense is more, you’ll spend less per wear because the durability is significantly better. You’ll have items that look great and fit comfortably.
Jos. A. Bank and Men’s Wearhouse charge about $300 per outfit if there isn’t a sale happening. If you can wait until the prices drop, you’ll find some decent deals at both brands.
Men’s Wearhouse has a slight overall edge. One of their common sales is to offer three dress shirts for $59. You can also find an ongoing clearance rack in the store and online where you can get up to 80% off – and that includes casual clothing.
At Jos. A. Bank, their dress shirt sale is $29 each when you purchase three or more of them. That means you’ll spend about twice as much. The one difference with this brand is that customers can bargain more, which can create some tailored deals.
2. Sizing
Formal clothing must have accurate sizing to present itself adequately. When the fit isn’t comfortable for guys, the investment ends up being a waste of money. Even if the price is low, you won’t wear the product because it doesn’t feel good. You want to look professional while having an all-day wearing experience.
Jos. A. Bank offers more advantages in this category. Many of their products are made to be quickly tailored to meet your sizing needs. The alterations provided at each store are reasonably priced, which means you don’t need to settle for an average fit.
Men’s Wearhouse offers more brands to consider, but they have fewer customization options. Virtually everything you can find there is based on general sizing. That means the fit is baggier and with more pleated fronts. It’s nice to browse through Ralph Lauren and Kenneth Cole, but you’ll usually need to find a third-party alteration provider to get a custom fit.
3. Product Quality
Formal wear attire must be made of high-quality materials to maximize the impact of your investment. If the suit lasts as long as a t-shirt purchased at Walmart, the cost isn’t justified. You also wouldn’t want a new shirt to rip easily or have the fabric degrade after a few laundry cycles.
Jos. A. Bank delivers more overall consistency in this area. That’s because the brand designs specific components of each apparel item, such as the sleeves on a shirt or the fabric layers used for pants. Since everything happens in-house, the cost tends to be higher, but the cost-per-wear ratio is lower. Most products are made from 100% wool for added comfort.
At Men’s Wearhouse, the product quality depends on the brand a customer selects. Most items tend to deliver something that meets the industry average with a classic, almost vintage vibe. The products tend to be made of a combination of polyester, cotton, or wool, but you can find a few things in the shop with similarities to Jos. A. Bank.
When you shop at Jos. A. Bank, you’re looking for something that you can wear every day. With the lineup at Men’s Wearhouse, it’s closer to something you’d wear casually or when a sudden replacement becomes necessary.
4. Customization
Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank allows for custom clothing creation for guys through exclusive brands.
At Men’s Wearhouse, you’ll find the following options available in 2023.
- Joe Custom. These entry-level sport coats and suits are priced at $240 and $359, respectively, without extra features. They offer contemporary fits, patterns, and colors with a three-week or more delivery window.
- Joseph Abboud Custom. When you want Italian fabric and custom fitting, the sport coats and suits in this section are priced at $550 and $799 to start, respectively. Delivery can happen in as little as two weeks.
- Custom Shirts. The custom shirts from Men’s Wearhouse feature Egyptian cotton, monogramming, and expandable colors. Pricing is $79 each or $65 when purchasing three or more in the same transaction.
When you shop at Jos. A. Bank, you’ll find three custom options available: 1905, Traveler, and Reserve.
The best deal comes from the 1905 Custom Express lineup. You can get a custom-made suit delivered in only seven business days for a price that starts at $359. It comes in five colors and fits, along with free personalized embroidery.
Traveler apparel features 100% wool sport coats and suits that use stain-resistant technologies to produce a high-performance, fashionable investment. Pricing starts at $300 or $459, depending on the option you prefer.
The Reserve lineup is the most luxurious choice available from Jos. A. Bank’s custom lineup. These sport coats and suits are made of fine Italian fabric in the United States. The pricing is the same as what Men’s Wearhouse offers in this area.
It takes Jos. A. Bank about 2-3 weeks to deliver most custom suits and sport coats if the express option isn’t available.
The custom shirts at Jos. A. Bank start at $79 each. You can choose from more fabrics, colors, and patterns than at Men’s Wearhouse, but the monogramming services are exempt from the return policy.
About Tailored Brands and the Jos. A. Bank Acquisition
Men’s Wearhouse received a $2.4 billion acquisition offer from Jos. A. Bank in October 2013. That event sparked a counteroffer from the larger company, creating the start of a five-month battle between the two retailers to see who would end up coming out on top.
Jos. A. Bank rejected the counteroffer. When that happened, Men’s Wearhouse announced that the all-cash bid would go even higher if the other retailer would enter into negotiations and reveal some financial information.
Jos. A. Bank decided to go in a different direction. They bought Eddie Bauer for $825 million instead, hoping to become too large for Men’s Warehouse to buy them.
Men’s Wearhouse filed an immediate lawsuit to prevent the proposed acquisition from occurring. After the case was expedited, Jos. A. Bank was forced to disclose documents related to the deal. The stipulations included a required 10-day notice before the merger with Eddie Bauer could be completed.
Jos. A. Bank withdrew its proposal to purchase Men’s Wearhouse at $48 per share after a self-imposed deadline a month later expired.
The back-and-forth continued until March 2014. Men’s Wearhouse agreed to acquire Jos. A. Bank for $1.8 billion on the condition that the Eddie Bauer acquisition get dropped. The Federal Trade Commission investigated the proposal, found that it was unlikely to harm consumers, and the merger moved forward.
Tailored Brands includes Men’s Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Moores Clothing for Men, and K & G Fashion Superstore.
After filing for bankruptcy, Tailored Brands completed its financial restructuring, received $75 million in new financing, and announced a deal with Michael Strahan. New next-gen stores for the Men’s Wearhouse experience are also under construction.
Final Takeaways with Men’s Wearhouse vs. Jos. A. Bank
This comparison between Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank reflects my personal experiences with the two brands. Although they’re both under the same banner, I’ve found that they deliver two very different shopping experiences.
The past few year were tough on many retailers. I was disappointed to hear that my local stores were some of the ones that would be closing. That means I’ve pretty much stopped shopping at Jos. A. Bank because you need to try on things to get the custom fit.
With Men’s Wearhouse, I can still order online with reasonable fit expectations. As long as I use the general sizing chart, the results are typically above average.
That’s not my first choice. I have a few Jos. A. Bank suits in my closet that fit quite well.
I would recommend that you try both men’s apparel brands to see what you like. Don’t limit yourself to these two stores only either. You can find some incredible deals on Amazon, through other e-commerce storefronts, and from boutique locations at home.
When you’re ready to look incredible, Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank can deliver. It’s up to you to find the perfect option for your needs.