Whether you’re a denim fanatic or just a style-conscious guy looking for sharp casual staples, there’s a lot to like about Madewell.
The J.Crew-owned brand not only offers some great pieces of their own, they also carry a decent selection of other labels, all with an eye toward sustainable practices and ethical production.
But Madewell is hardly the only game in town.
Whether you’re looking for a wider variety of sharp new styles, more brands that put a focus on sustainability, or some combination of the two, there are plenty of stores like Madewell that provide stylish, affordable and ethical alternatives.
Below you’ll find 16 great brands like Madewell that you should consider adding to your roster of stylish stores.
Stylish Clothing Stores Like Madewell
Running Down the Top Brands Like Madewell for Affordable Men’s Fashions
J.Crew
If you’re looking for stores like Madewell, there’s arguably no better place to turn than the flagship store of its parent company.
The styles maybe similar, but J.Crew sells a wider range of products than any of its sibling brands.
In addition to sharp staples like jeans, sweaters and tees, they also carry other quality clothes like outerwear, accessories and a wide range of suiting, including everything up to tuxedos and other pieces of formalwear.
J.Crew Factory
If J.Crew is the first place you should go when you’re looking for brands like Madewell, J.Crew Factory is an incredibly close second.
In fact, the Factory brand may have even more in common with Madewell than J.Crew itself.
While it doesn’t have quite as wide a selection of denim, it boasts a wide selection of smart staple pieces that are more affordable then those from the flagship J.Crew brand, but will look just as good with your jeans.
Frank and Oak
Frank And Oak has a smaller range of options than some of the other brands on this list.
They specialize in casual staple pieces that are on-point from a style perspective.
But they’re also practical, easy to wear, and made from high-quality materials and flexible fabrics that move with your body, making them as comfortable as they are stylish.
Uniqlo
For denim-heads who love Madewell’s jeans, Uniqlo may not be the first store you think of as an alternative – but it should definitely be on your list.
Uniqlo makes some great jeans that come in a wide variety of fits, washes and colors, and like Madewell they carry a lot of the staple pieces that you’ll want to pair with your jeans, from tees and sweaters up to suit jackets and outerwear.
Topman
Jeans aren’t really Topman’s specialty, but it does carry denim, mostly in slim and skinny fits with a pretty good selection of washes and colors.
They’re arguably better known for their wide selection of other menswear pieces; they sell everything from suiting to swimming trunks, all in trendy, fashion-forward styles and cuts.
Everlane
If you like Madewell for its “Do Well” philosophy of focusing one ethics, you’ll love Everlane.
Like Madewell, Everlane emphasizes sustainability and ethical production, and sources of all its clothes from ethically run factories.
It’s a great Madewell alternative for those who want great menswear without compromising their morals.
Levi’s
Founded in San Franciso in 1853, Levi’s has long been the universal standard for high-quality denim at affordable prices.
And while the company may be more than 150 years old, it’s survived this long by adapting to the times.
Case and point: their new Water<Less® method for making jeans is a response to sustainable fashion brands like Madewell, and uses techniques that reduce the use of water in the manufacturing process.
Fisher + Baker
The only entry on this list that doesn’t carry jeans, Fisher + Baker makes the cut because of everything else they offer.
Specializing in classic menswear pieces that are both timeless and functional, it’s a great option for staple pieces like tees, shirts and sweaters – which is to say, the types of clothes that you most often wear with jeans.
Bonobos
Bonobos is a pretty close competitor with J.Crew and Banana Republic, but it’s also a great alternative to Madewell.
Their selection of jeans isn’t as large as some of the other stores on this list.
But they do offer a pretty good variety of styles and colors, and their Extended Sizes help ensure that men of all body types can find the perfect pair of jeans (not to mention a lot of other stylish pieces that fit them well).
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitter has long been known as a go-to store for everything from modern menswear to cool home décor, and with good reason.
It carries a wide range of jeans and trendy clothes that appeal to both young women and men.
Madewell actually topped my list of brands like Urban Outfitters because both stores carry similar styles, so if you’re a fan of the clothes they carry at one, you’ll probably like the selection at the other.
The Gap
The flagship store in the Gap family of brands, the namesake has been a go-to for guys who want classic and unimpeachable styles for years.
They’ve long been known for carrying a wide range of denim that comes in pretty much every fit, color and wash you can imagine, making them a great Madewell alternative.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie is a close competitor to American Eagle and should be considered in the same vein.
Like AE it skews younger, but if you choose your pieces wisely it can be a great place to grab affordable stuff that you can wear with other, more “grown-up” without anybody noticing a discrepancy.
But, also like AE, they too play it fast and loose with their logo, so look carefully before buying.
Check Out Abercrombie & Fitch ➤
Banana Republic
No list of stores like Madewell would be complete without the most grown-up and formal of the Gap family stores, because Banana Republic is also a great place to grab stylish casual staples.
Like Madewell’s big brother J Crew, Banana sells everything from socks and underwear all the way up to tuxedos, all in styles that are trendy enough to look modern, but timeless enough to keep and wear for a long time to come.
What are cheaper stores like Madewell?
Prices can vary for all of the stores on this list, and each of them has been known to run sales that can make their offerings more affordable than the base price at Madewell. (Though it’s worth noting that Madewell also runs sales pretty frequently.)
But if you’re specifically looking for stores like Madewell but cheaper, the three below tend to have a lower base price range, making each one an affordable alternative to Madewell.
Old Navy
While Madewell is in the J.Crew family of stores, Old Navy is another brand from their close rival, the Gap family.
Old Navy is kind of the kid brother of the Gap family because, as the most affordable brand of the bunch, they have the lowest price point and aim their offerings at a younger demographic.
Their clothes don’t always fit as slim as some of the other stores on this list, but it can be a great place to find casual pieces – including jeans – that look great but don’t cost a fortune.
American Eagle
American Eagle is a clothing store that skews a little younger than Madewell and some of the other stores on this list.
But it’s a great place to find stylish and decent-quality pieces that are in the same classic/casual style profile.
With AE, the real trick is to find pieces that don’t carry their signature eagle logo; with jeans you don’t really have to worry about it, but if you don’t want to turn your chest into a billboard, make sure to look closely when buying tees, sweaters and other tops.
Amazon
The behemoth online store has muscled its way into the world of menswear in recent years, and while we can all question whether or not it’s a good thing for one company to be so dominant, it’s pretty hard to question their taste.
Their two in-house brands, Goodthreads and Amazon Essentials, both make for stylish and super affordable alternatives to Madewell, and to sweeten pot you can also get free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.
Oh, and did I mention that they also offer what’s probably the widest selection of menswear on the planet? Yeah, so there’s that too.
You Know The Most Stylish Brands Like Madewell
Now Learn How to Become Your Most Stylish Self
Knowing where to turn for brands like Madewell will help you find the sort of stylish casual pieces that can become staples of your wardrobe.
But while knowing where to buy sharp and affordable menswear is a good start, sussing out the best alternatives to your favorite stores is really only one piece of the puzzle.
After all, the handsome devil is in the details. If you want to put your best face forward (and even, dare I say, out-dress the other guys), you need to know how to nail the small but important details that add up to make a big impact on your look.
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Banner image: Ser_Amantio_di_Nicolao via Wikimedia Commons
