What is Mango Man? Well, we were asking ourselves the same question until very recently. It is, in short, yet another fast fashion clothing company. Think H&M, Zara, etc. What sets Mango apart? In truth, not that much, but their designs and styles are much more in line with the sort of looks we love most around The Peak Lapel, and so, for that reason alone, we decided to give them a shot. Plus, from the word on the street, the quality is apparently somewhat better than H&M, and hovers closer to Zara-level. So, we figured it was worth a shot taking a look as Mango has been making waves recently in the menswear scene.
Packaging & Experience
Shipping was neither quick nor slow. Figure about 5 business days or so. It shows up in a typical shipping bag, so, nothing special there, not that this was a surprise. Shipping is free at a threshold, as is typical of these sorts of stores. Returns were quick and easy, so points there. Website is pretty easy to navigate compared to something like Zara, though could still use some cleaning up and organizing. There was one big issue, though, which is that, for one of the items I ordered (not shown in this post), they shipped me a size Large instead of Medium. Now, this can happen to the best company out there, but something tells me this is more common at stores like Mango, Zara, and the like. B
Style & Design
We really like the look of much of what Mango has to offer, particularly in their polo lineup, which is what we focused on. They offer unique fabrics and styles, while still staying classic and classy. Their look, overall, leans just so slightly preppy, and even “old-timey” with a modern twist. Their grey sweater polo ($29.99) has a grey texture and thick stripes to it, giving it much more visual interest than a plain, more standard sweater polo. The colorful plaid ($25.99) is a unique design, and is a great colorful piece without being over the top. It’s a great way to inject just a bit of color into your outfit. Finally, the almost-birdseye weave of the blue polo ($19.99) was an absolute favorite, and looks killer. We’ve never seen anything quite like it at this price point. So, in all, some really awesome looks here, from fabrics, to color choice, to patterns. We think whoever is doing their designs is doing a bang-up job. A-
Quality & Construction
The best we can put it, these polos are 100% on par with something from Topman or Zara (more the former). Meaning, they’re solid and won’t fall apart after a couple wears. But, they also will not hold up for multiple seasons, really. They’re okay quality, but nothing that will really, truly last. You’ll see visible wear after each wash, and, eventually, it will give out. Might be after two years, might be after a couple months. They’re not practically disposable like so much of H&M is, but they’re nothing near Banana Republic or J Crew quality either. It’s in between. But, then again, so are their prices. And, for these prices, especially on sale, they’re pretty worth it. B
The Fit
(Note: I am 6’1” and 165 lbs. and usually wear a 15.5” / 34 shirt in a slim or extra slim fit.)
Inconsistent. This is a classic, classic issue that is plaguing modern retailers. But, it’s really quite ridiculous at a certain point. I am no the least bit surprised, but, as you can see from the pictures, despite all three shirts you see in the image being the same size Small, they fit quite differently one from the other. It’s just inexcusable, and is one of the first things I look for from a brand. If they can’t get sizing even pretty consistent across their brand, then I have a hard time buying from them when you never have any clue if something will fit. It’s hard to even assess the fit at this point, as I don’t really know what to say beyond the fact that it is wildly inconsistent. D+
Value & Conclusion
Mango Man Polos — $19.99 - $29.99: If you’re in the market for some decent polos, there are worse places to look. If you can find one that fits you well from Mango, they are decent enough quality to be worth buying and wearing seriously for a season or two. You’ll get some great and unique patterns and designs you won’t find elsewhere at this price point. But, with serious fit issues, potential shipping issues, and not that cheap prices when not on sale, it’s hard to give them a recommendation without all the aforementioned caveats. If you understand all that though, and are okay with it, they’re worth checking out. Final Grade: B-