Everything You Need To Know About Mott & Bow

Mott & Bow is a brand that claims to elevate basics and offer handcrafted denim, shirts, and sweaters at affordable prices. Here’s everything you need to know.

I’m always on the lookout for a good basic brand. I think most people have come around to giving their jeans a bit more consideration. But when it comes to t-shirts and even underwear, I think a lot of guys end up going for the cheapest or overpaying.

Even more, when a new basic brand claims to offer higher-end options at fair prices, they inevitably branch out to other focuses and lines. Sometimes, the core line stays intact. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Elevated basics brand Mott & Bow has been around since 2014. They made a splash with their handcrafted jeans. Here’s everything you need to know about them today.

The History of Mott & Bow

Mott & Bow was founded by Alejandra Chahin, who grew up in Honduras. His family had a denim manufacturing business. Suffice it to say, he had a hands-on education in everything “jeans.”

He took this knowledge with him to New York City. In the era of denim as fashion, Chahin noticed a gap in the market: High-end denim at non-overblown prices. This was the motivation behind starting Mott & Bow.

Like so many digital-native brands, Mott & Bow eliminates the middle-man. Vertical integration allows them to control every single stage in the manufacturing process, offering below-market pricing for handcrafted items.

Best Selling Mott & Bow Products

Here are some of Mott & Bow’s most popular items:

Crosby Jeans

Since denim is one of Mott & Bow’s main focuses, arguably their tentpole focus, it’s no surprise that their Crosby Jeans are one of their most popular items.

This handcrafted, medium-weight pant is built for loads of comfort, which comes from literally just a touch of elastane. It’s otherwise a mostly cotton construction, 98% to be exact, so it’s a pretty pure pair of jeans despite how stretchy it is.

The slim fit is, in my opinion, the best cut for this pant. It’s a trend-resistant silhouette that breaks right above the ankle and is not too tight or loose all the way down your leg. It also comes in a straight cut and a skinny cut, as well as a medium and dark wash.

Classic Crew Driggs Tee

Available in packs or as a single shirt, the Classic Driggs Tee is a great example of what Mott & Bow means by an elevated basic. It’s a standard crew neck t-shirt with a pretty luxurious construction.

It’s made out of Peruvian combed cotton. It’s a long staple cotton that makes for an extra soft and strong fabric that’s resistant to pilling. During the combing process, the weak fibers are dislodged, upping the durability factor.

Another thing worth mentioning is that a lot of the packs Mott & Bow makes are pretty popular, too. If you buy a single Driggs Tee, it’s a reasonable $40. If you get a three-pack, they’re about $34 each, and if you get a six-pack, they’re about $32.50 each.

They also curate packs, like two pairs of jeans and a tee pack, and one pair of jeans, one pair of chinos, and a tee pack, both of which are best sellers.

The Twill Chino Charles

Like their jeans, Mott & Bow adds a bit of stretch to their Charles Chinos. They’ve also been specially washed to give them the lived-in comfort that you eventually expect from your chinos, but right away.

I will say that this slim fit is more like a classic fit. 

I do appreciate the attention to detail, though. This includes the v notch in the back of the waistband, which makes sitting more comfortable even after a big meal, and the tortoiseshell buttons, which add some pizzazz. 

Slim Mercer Jeans

So the Mercer Jeans are sort of a middle-ground between the Crosby and the Chinos. 

The composition is similar to the jeans, meaning mostly cotton with some stretch. However, they come in chino-like colors, including khaki, burgundy, and olive.

I also love that they go down to a 29 waist, unlike the chinos, which only go down to a 30. As mentioned, the slim has more of a regular fit to it, so some of you may have to size down.

Hooper French Terry Sweat Pant

The Hooper Sweat Pants, like the Driggs Tee, are made out of 100% Peruvian cotton. As a reminder, that means they’re super soft with a great weight-to-strength ratio.

I like how the leg tapers just a bit, making it flattering enough to wear on casual days out. However, the overall comfort isn’t compromised. This ups the versatility factor, which I always like in sweatpants.

Mott and Bow Reviews: What Are Other People Saying About the Brand?

Here are some great insights from other reviewers. This will help you get a 360-degree view of the brand and see if it’s right or not right for you specifically.

Esquire: Best for Comfort

Esquire gives Mott & Bow the thumbs up, calling them one of the 32 denim brands that “every man needs to know.” They spotlight Mott & Bow specifically for being especially comfortable, which I agree with.

They refer to Mott & Bow jeans as slightly more formal, especially in the dark wash. I’d say this is true of the Mercer Jeans specifically.

Insider: Tricky Sizing

So, this review from Insider takes issue with Mott & Bow’s sizing, which I fully understand. They mention how slim jeans fit more like straight jeans, while skinny jeans are closer to slim. This effectively means they don’t have true skinny jeans on offer.

They do appreciate the stretch and comfort, though, and conclude that their jeans are indeed high quality.

Half Half Travel: Versatility and Easy Maintenance

In this mostly positive review, both the jeans and the sweatpants get spotlit. He loves them both, even claiming that the latter is his new favorite sweatpants.

He mentions that the Mercer Jeans can be worn with a casual t-shirt or a dress shirt, which I and most reviewers co-sign. However, he wishes that the legs had more of a taper. They also run a bit long.

He also mentions that you don’t have to wash them often and that they can easily be thrown in a cold wash, inside-out.

The Daily Beast: Skinny Jeans for the Anti-Skinny Jean Guy

Interestingly, I think that The Daily Beast is saying the exact same thing about Mott & Bow’s sizing as Insider did. And that is, the sizing is a bit off. 

This review has a more positive twist on it, though, in that he says that he’s now converted to skinny jeans since they aren’t that skinny.

Our Take

Okay, so we did review Mott & Bow all the way back in 2021. Check it out here. 

Back then, we, like so many of the other reviewers, took issue with the confusing sizing. In fact, our reviewer fully mentions that the jeans are definitely getting returned.

This doesn’t mean that Mott & Bow isn’t for you necessarily. Here are just things to keep in mind from that review that still apply today. 

The pants are long. If you’re 5’6” or under, you’re definitely cuffing or hemming. If you’re a size 30, you might want to opt for the smaller sizes when you can (not all of their pants go smaller than 30, though). Skinny really means straight-cut. And finally, there are no 28 inseams.

As all of the reviewers mentioned above, though, the materials are great. We love how soft the t-shirts are, and even mention that the lack of a tag on their shirts makes them that much more comfortable. There’s definitely a great handcrafted attention to detail.

Some improvements have been made since that review, though, particularly on the comfort front. Mott & Bow really knocks it out of the park when it comes to comfort.

So much so that we include Mott & Bow pieces in our best casual jeans round-up, as well as our best chinos round-up.

So in short, confusing sizing, but excellent materials that are durable, comfortable, easy-maintenance, and high-value.

FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions about Mott & Bow!

Where is Mott & Bow from?

Mott & Bow is a New York City-based company.

Who owns Mott & Bow?

Alejandro Chahin founded Mott & Bow and is the CEO. He grew up in Honduras, where his family owned a denim manufacturing facility. There, he learned everything about jeans.

What is the return policy for Mott & Bow?

You can return your order within 30 days of placing the original order. They don’t return the price of shipping, and there’s a $9 processing fee for mail-in returns or a $5 processing fee if you drop off your return at a Happy Return Bar location.

Conclusion: Is Mott & Bow for You?

Ultimately, Mott & Bow fulfill their prime directive: Good materials at a below-market price. 

Their jeans are durable yet comfortable, and their chinos have great attention to detail. The fact that you can get a t-shirt made out of combed Peruvian cotton for $33 in a pack is truly compelling.

Their curated packs of pants and t-shirts are also a neat offering that provides some nice savings.

When it comes to pant sizing, there are brands that accommodate smaller, slimmer men better. If you’re a size 30 and over and have an inseam of 30 or more, this won’t be a huge issue. Any smaller, you’ll either have to get some tailoring done or look elsewhere.

Have you tried Mott & Bow? What pieces? And what are your overall thoughts on the brand?