Disclaimer: Mill No. 8 was kind enough to provide these pants to The Peak Lapel at a 50% off discount for the purposes of this review.
Increasingly, it seems like online made to measure service for men are becoming a dime a dozen. That’s why when certain companies really stand out, they’re worth taking a look at. Mill No. 8 is undoubtedly one of those companies. While there are many companies that pop up and offer just custom made dress shirts, Mill No. 8 also offers a nice line of custom pants as well. Offering both shirts and pants certainly sets them apart from much of the competition, and also shows that they have real expertise and experience in the custom menswear space. We’ve already taken a look at some of the biggest players in the custom men’s dress shirt space, and so we thought it would be more beneficial to take a look at their custom pants offerings. For this review, we went with one of the pants in their LaSalle collection ($99).
Style & Design
As far as their custom pants go, Mill No. 8 offers two different lines: their Randolph line — which is a 100% wool, dressier pant — and their LaSalle line — which is 100% cotton and thus a little bit less dressy. Both can be pressed with a crease, and so both can be worn in dressier environments, but, as always, cotton is more casual than wool. Both lines of pants come in a wide amount of colors, and really cover the gamut as far as anything you might want to wear on a typical day, in a typical outfit. You have the blacks, grays, and blues as well as the less conservative whites, browns, greens, and lighter version of blue. In short, no matter the color preference, they will likely have you covered.
We went with the LaSalle pant in a deep navy blue 100% cotton ($99), and the result was really nice. It’s a truly rich, deep navy, and would look killer paired with a gray or khaki sports coat, or really just about any shirt. The fact that the pants are cotton also means that they can be worn dressed down, and maybe without a crease, even (after a wash), and so throwing these on with a pair of loafers and an untucked linen shirt would not at all be a bad idea. Would make for a killer, and super comfortable, summer look, in fact.
As to the style and details on the pants themselves, they have all the usual things you would expect from somewhat higher end pants. They have a metal clasp fastener, nice, pattered lining, and slanted front pockets with typical slit pockets on the rear. In all, a classic, well-styled cotton dress pant. A
Ordering Process & First Fitting
I had a bit of trouble getting the order to place, where the system sort of lost my measurements, and required me to input them again. I was assured, though, that this was merely a fluke, and I would tend to believe it. Things like this happen. Still, I must say that the ordering process is overall nothing special. Unlike some more advanced systems, Mill No. 8 offers only drop down menus for customization, and so none of the changes you make are reflected in any sort of preview. While this isn’t really a big deal for pants — as there is not too much to change — this is less ideal for shirts.
As far as customization goes — speaking of — you don’t get to do that much, actually. It would be nice to be able to adjust the pocket style, maybe add side tabs, and so on. Nothing like this is an option, though. You pick the fabric, and then they size it for you. That’s really it, other than specifying if you would like a slimmer cut. On that note, selecting a custom size is actually not so intuitive. While the menu you see on the product page offers standard sizes, you have to click on a small link below that in order to enter in your measurements for a custom fit garment. This strikes me as odd. I would have expected the custom option to be displayed more prominently and less hidden.
A few weeks later, your garment arrives in the mail. I used measurements for Mill No. 8 that I have used at other custom clothing companies with success, and so expected the results of the first fitting to be pretty spot on. The reality though was quite the opposite, with the first fit being something of a disaster. The pants were too long, and too tight in the seat as well as much, much too tight in the waist. They could not even close. Honestly, a mistake this big seems quite unusual and difficult to justify. I was, once again, assured that this was not a very common experience for their customers, but it certainly was my experience. Nevertheless, here is where custom service kicks in. Since my first fitting was so off, it actually took not one, but two more remakes until I arrived at that perfect fit the third time. Throughout, the Mill No. 8 team was nothing but happy, accommodating, and positive. They were more than happy to assist in getting the remakes done, and never did it feel like an imposition. This is what separates companies like Mill No. 8 from others. No company is going to get it perfect on the first try. That is out of their hands, to a certain extent. What is very much in their hands, though, is how they deal with it. When customer service is responsive, quick, and helpful, that is the most important thing. You’re not ordering from a black hole with Mill No. 8. You’re ordering from a company that truly stands behind its products, and is ready to do everything they can to make sure you love your garment. A-
The Final Fitting
The third time is the charm, they say. And that was the case with me, at least. And, indeed, these pants, in the end, fit pretty much perfectly. The length, thighs, rise, and ankle fit is all perfect. They move great, and are super comfortable. I do prefer a slimmer fit, and that is exactly what I got, without it being constricting. Can’t really ask for more here. In the end, they did a great job. A
Quality & Construction
I can see getting lots of good wear out of these, and can imagine them surviving many washes or dry cleans. All the stitching is neat and clean, and the construction is all solid. The fabric is thick without being heavy, and seems to still be breathable. At the price, you can’t really ask for much better in a 100% cotton pant, other than maybe, as is so common these days, to add in some stretch for comfort and movability. A-
Value & Conclusion
Mill No. 8 LaSalle Pant — $99: You can’t go wrong here. At the price, you’ll end up with a pair of pants at least as good as anything you would get from J Crew or Banana Republic, except that they will be cut just for you, and fit a whole lot better because of it. It might take a while, but it’s worth the wait. Once you get the measurements locked in, you can order future pants without that extra wait time. While Mill No. 8 is one of the smaller guys in the custom menswear space, they are definitely worth considering for your next pair of pants. Short of going with a company that makes custom suits, there are not many that will do custom pants standalone. It sets Mill No. 8 apart, and makes them a real contender if you’re looking for better fitting, quality pants. Final Grade: A-