I hate shopping for clothes. Always have and I assumed I always would. But, maybe not.
Joe Button makes and sells shirts designed by you and me. Well, not completely designed, but with a smooth and effective online design interface Joe Button allows men and women to customize their own designer shirts and have them shipped to their door for around $100. What appeals most about Joe Button is their approach: they are pretty open about the process they have gone through, about where their shirts are made and how they find their way to your door.
That said, what appealed to me was not having to front up to a shop where I felt awkward and so very uncool while I tried to find a shirt that I liked. The experience of their custom men's shirt design interface took all the pressure and stress out of getting a shirt that I'd probably never have the confidence to buy in a store. The quality of graphics is high and the shirt patterns are identifiable on the screen. Also, if you don't fully understand the terms or different cuts, the interface is quite playful and quick allowing you to click on and off to see what different patterns, colors and cuts will look like. The whole process, like so much that is online, has the ability to suck you in. However, the choice is limited, which I personally like. Too much choice and I'll be there for days.
Changes to the shirt design beyond the basic cut are priced in as you go, so you can see how much your shirt is costing you. Along with some of the cuts, you can change collar and cuff materials, add monograms and make sure you have buttons that match - of course.
And if you want even less fuss, there are a range of existing designs to choose from. You just have to choose the size.
The shirt I ordered took about two weeks to arrive. It was worth the wait, the quality of the material was of a high standard and I was happy with how my cuff and collar material had matched with the overall shirt material; it wasn't any different from the design I'd chosen online. The size suited me. However, it is definitely worth having a good measure and if in doubt - go one size up. Shirt sizes to vary from country to country and others have suggested to me shirts made in Asia often are on the smaller end of the scale.
Joe Button is worth checking out if you are after a shirt that has a bit more flair, and you prefer to shop from the comfort of your computer screen.
