Asket is a company that is rethinking men’s basics. Now, there are more than a handful of companies out there claiming to do this nowadays, but there are quite a few things that make Asket different than the rest. For one, they focus on the luxury market. Meaning, their prices are not cheap, and the quality is quite high. Second, they have a unique sizing/fit model, wherein you choose your size, as well as you body type, and length. So, if you, like me, have ever found that a size Small button down shirt fits you perfectly through the chest and waist, but the sleeves, hem length, and neck are all too short/small, then Asket might be just the right thing for you. Why? Because you can order any one of their sizes in a short, or long length. Meaning, just pick your body size, Small, and then choose Long for the length, and you’ll get the perfect, slim-fitting size Small, but with sleeves, length, and a neck that fit. Or so they claim. Naturally, we had to take a look!
(Note: I am 6’1” and 165 lbs. and usually wear a 15.5” / 34 shirt in a slim or extra slim fit.)
The material feels fantastic, and is one of the softest and smoothest Oxford cloth fabrics I have ever held. The detailing is perfect, with a chest pocket, and a just-right collar size. But, how is the fit? I tried both a Small Regular, and a Small Long. The Regular was, as to be expected, too short. The long fit perfectly in the length of the sleeves and torso, but it suffered from the same issue that similar fit experiments do as well.
Above: The size Small, Regular. Below: The size Small, Long. You can see how much better it fits.
Namely, to fit a tall, skinny guy, you can’t just make things longer or shorter. The arms should be slimmed down, and the hip area let out a touch to reduce bunching when worn untucked (as OCBD’s often are). The Long fit is way better than any other OTR company I know of, but it’s still not quite good enough for me to justify the high price tag over going custom.
Expensive for a sweatshirt, but, if you know the market, not unreasonable for a really good one. And this is a really good one. The material is hefty and feels phenomenal. It’s also super sturdy, and feels like it’ll last years and years. I have one from J Crew Factory that feels like a joke compared to this. You’re getting what you paid for. Also, unlike a button down shirt, a perfect fit here is much easier to achieve, and I ended up keeping this sweatshirt in a size Small, Long. I have had a hard time finding a slim-fitting sweatshirt like this that is also long enough in the torso and sleeves, but Asket perfectly delivered what I was seeking.
Asket also promises that all of their products are “pre-washed and pre-shrunk.” I usually find that dubious at best, but they are right! I washed this thing, and, unlike most every other product I own, it did not shrink at all. That’s huge. Because it’s a perfect fit out of the box, and any shrinkage at all would have ruined that perfect fit. But it did not shrink, and the final result is a comfortable, well-fitting sweatshirt that looks and feels great. The only thing I would have wanted to see here? Some cross-stitch v-detail at the front of the neck. Otherwise, this is a perfect sweatshirt. Available in a whole bunch of awesome colors, perfect for cold weather seasons.
Conclusion
Our overall experience with Asket was pretty good. Despite being an overseas company, shipping was fast, and neatly packaged. Returns, while requiring you to email them and wait for clearance, went pretty smoothly, and are handled through DHL. Returns are free, and they will schedule a time to come get the package from you. So, for the most part, feel free to order without risk.
We think the value here is quite good, actually. Prices are reasonable, despite being higher end. Quality is 100% there, and everything from them feels super nice both to the hand, and on the body. While we think the fit is not perfect, per se, it’s way ahead of big-box retailers like Banana Republic or J Crew. If you’re not obsessive about fit like I am, then this is more than good enough. If you’re a bit too OCD for your own good, you’re still going to want to go custom (which you can do at any number of places for the same price range, though quality might be a bit lower with custom at this price range). Still, for things like sweatshirts or sweaters, a great fit is much more forgiving. And, for that, I found Asket absolutely perfect.