Runner-Up: Best Designers: Jim's Formal Wear
After more than an hour dealing with Jim’s site, I began to get frustrated. From the very first, something seemed a little off about it—unlike the more modern sites (especially The Black Tux and Menguin), Jim’s Formal Wear had a sort of Zappos circa 2007 vibe. The product shots were a little cheesy, throwing women into the shots as if gay marriage hasn’t been legal for nearly five years now.
For information on how suit/tux rental sites work, and how we tested, see our comparative guide to online suit and tux stores.
But most of all, the process of selecting what I wanted to rent, then actually renting it, was super-confusing. On most sites, you can basically just get going. At Jim’s, I had to create an event, then create a look, then assign that look to someone in the event, after filling out information for that person … oh, and somehow submit measurements via PDF.
I sought out help over chat, but it was “being revamped.” (There was also a note that Comcast users can’t use chat.) Two emails, and one new account later, I figured it out: There is an easy-to-miss button for selecting online tux rental at the start of the process, and if you miss that, you have to start over again. Eventually, I sorted it out—and maybe you will, too. That said, the tux was nothing special, so you might want to save yourself the headache, either by visiting Jim’s in person, or by patronizing a competitor.
Selection
They offered 37 options when I visited, including suits, and including designers like Michael Kors and Kenneth Cole.
Pricing
Prices were average, with packages between $150-$160. But they charge for things like pocket squares ($8) and shoes ($25) that are included or cheaper at other establishments.
Ease of Use
Poor. I stepped away from my computer more than once in frustration, and I am generally a laid-back person. Even the boilerplate emails felt strangely cold and robotic. While competitors aim for a fun email-from-a-friend vibe, Jim’s just wrote “Please try-on your ensemble immediately.” My ensemble?
Quality
Better than I expected, though it still didn’t blow me away. The shirt was all polyester; the shoes were squarish in the toes. Socks weren’t included?
Fitting Process
Submitting measurements online was a challenge, though…
Accuracy
… this was one of the best-fitting tuxes out of the box, especially from the waist up. A pleasant surprise!
Physical Stores
They have 5,000 partner locations and a handy interactive map to help you find all your options.
Re: Groomsmen Coordination
Adding and managing groomsmen’s looks through the site can be done, but not with ease.
Customer Service
As mentioned, chat service was out of commission. I did not visit a retail shop, but I would guess going in might be a less frustrating experience. But since this is a review of online tux rental, I’ll just rate it as poor.
Time Required
Tux arrived about ten days in advance of my event.
Packaging
Nothing stood out about the presentation, but I was mostly just pleased something arrived.
Return Policy
You have one day to return it.
Bottom Line
Nothing was easy about this. The quality was eh. But hey, at least it fit reasonably well.
