Trunk Club Men’s Outfitters (325 W Ohio) is a Chicago based company that creates looks for guys, packs them in a trunk, then sends the trunks all across the country. This service was designed for guys who are not into shopping online or at the mall. Trunk Club combines convenience and service with the expertise of their stylist to create an experience that not only gives you a great “upscale casual” look, but also saves you tons of time. They carry amazing brands such as Jack Spade, Barbour, Oak Street Bootmakers and a bunch. They even partnered with the incredible high-end shirt brand Eton to create a Designer Series trunk (which is sold out right now, sorry for the tease) that features six shirts, two ties and a pocket square all designed specifically for Trunk Club. Trunk Club is definitely changing the men’s shopping landscape.
It works by you signing up and letting your personal stylist know what you like, he or she takes what you talked about and creates a trunk with about 10-12 items in it and then sends it out to you. You then have 10 days to try the clothes on in the comfort of your own home and decide which pieces you want to keep and which ones you want to send back. All trunks include a pre-paid FedEx return label, so you can either drop it off at the nearest FedEx location, or call and have FedEx pick it up for free. How about that for added convenience? And there are no upfront costs; you pay for the clothes you keep after the 10-day “try on” period.
That was for people outside of Chicago, for those of us lucky enough to live in the great city of Chicago, we have the opportunity to actually go directly to the warehouse. I visited the warehouse yesterday for their “Movember” party, and prior to the party Katie (pictured above), one of the stylists, gave me a quick tour and rundown on what to expect when you go in for a visit. If it’s your first visit, you will sit down with a personal stylist and they will ask you questions about your style, how you like your clothes to fit, and what types of clothes you are looking for. The stylist will then pull items from their inventory that they think you will like. From there it’s a collaborative effort with the stylist showing you how certain things can be worn and you two can build your wardrobe together. They will also help you expand your style outlook by introducing you to brands you may not have heard about or having you try on a couple pieces you may not have even thought about wearing.
Speaking of the stylists, I want to stress to you how amazing they are by pointing out the hiring process. To get hired at Trunk Club you have a month of pure working your butt off. You don’t get any leads, any help or anything. You truly have to prove you can do the job and that you belong with the company. So when you sit down with a stylist, know they have paid their dues and are extremely capable of giving you the best advice and their ability to style you are second to none.
Beyond the expertise of the people at Trunk Club, the service is amazing. I walked in ten minutes early and was greeted by a smiling receptionist who offered me a seat and something to drink immediately. Katie walks up three minutes later and apologizes for the wait, she was genuinely apologizing even though in reality it was now seven minutes earlier than the agreed upon time. The entire staff was welcoming and great even though they were setting up and getting prepared for a party. Everyone from the receptionist, the stylists, even the VP of Marketing Amy were incredibly nice and easy to talk to. And I wasn’t even a client, so just imagine the treatment you guys will get when you go in.
Even if you are from Chicago you still have the option of getting a trunk sent to you but I would highly recommend making an appointment to go in to see a stylist. The women are beautiful, the clothes are amazing, the service is impeccable and did I mention they have a 40-foot bar. There are a couple ways to contact or sign up with Trunk Club, you can call 312-266-8700, go online trunkclub.com, email Katie Katie@trunkclub.com (I may or may not be showing favoritism here but all the stylists are great), or just walk into 325 West Ohio St.
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