I just got off the phone with a friend from high school who is working for Trunk Club, a Chicago-based website (and store) that’s essentially a personal shopping service for men. My heart kind of sank, as I clicked through their FAQs because, damn it, why didn’t I think of this first? I’ve spent innumerable hours sitting outside of dressing rooms with guy friends helping them shop. And I’ve never been paid for it (outside of lunch and the thrill of making other people spend money). Anyway, the premise is simple: You tell them a bit about you, about what you like and don’t like, along with the more practical details like your basic measurements, and they send you a trunk of clothes, which you can try on at home. If you like some of the pieces, you buy them. If you don’t, you send them back (shipping is free both ways). Pretty brilliant, since I don’t know that many men who actually like to shop. The styling looks appropriate and reasonable, too, i.e., they’re not trying to stuff men into skinny jeans, logo tees, or a surplus of complicated layers. One thing I learned during all those hand-holding shopping missions? Most guys don’t want to risk looking remotely foolish. And finally, another reason it’s bound to succeed: It was launched by one of the founders of Bonobos, the genius pants company that’s devoted to fit (and corduroy of every color).
