As an avid streetwear fan, I was intrigued when Threadbeast launched offering personalized monthly boxes. I decided to give them a try over the past year – was it worth it?
Here‘s my in-depth review after 12 boxes as a Threadbeast subscriber.
Quick Primer: What Threadbeast Offers
For those unfamiliar, Threadbeast is a streetwear subscription company started in LA in 2015. They partner with leading streetwear brands to curate monthly mystery boxes tailored to your style.
The hook is uncovering new up-and-coming labels not found at mainstream retailers.
The brand offers 4 subscription tiers:
- The Basic Plan – $55 per month for 2-3 items
- The Essential Plan – $85 per month for 4-5 items
- The Premium Plan – $135 per month for 6-7 items
- The Baller Plan – $250 per month with a guaranteed pair of shoes
How it Works
First you fill out a style profile – desired brands, size, preferred fits and color palettes. Then each month your personal stylist selects items fitting your tastes and ships them directly. Bam, fresh threads without leaving home.
Now let‘s unpack my experience testing out various subscription levels this past year.
Becoming a Member: My Onboarding Experience
I decided to start with the middle Essential Plan at $85 bucks monthly for 4-5 pieces.
The style survey was short – around 15 multiple choice questions covering:
- Favorite national brands
- Preferred colors
- Style descriptors (casual, trendy etc)
- Sizing across tops, bottoms and shoes
From signup to unboxing my first package took just under 2 weeks.
Subscription #1: Initial Thoughts
I‘ll admit – I felt some butterflies untying the string on my inaugural box. Would they nail my style out the gates?
Peeling back the signature tissue wrap revealed:
- Yellow Nike graphic tee ($32 retail)
- Black Drop LA hoodie ($64 retail)
- Grey Adsum sweatshorts ($68 retail)
- White and orange Jahnkoy socks ($12 retail)
Total retail value = $176
I loved this first batch! The brands – a nice blend of Nike staples, new players like Adsum and fun accessory flourishes with the socks – perfectly matched the streetwear vibes I was looking for.
The items paired so nicely together too. I threw on the hoodie with the shorts and rocked the full fit that weekend.
Customizing My Experience
Through your Threadbeast account, you can fine tune preferences and signal items you loved for future boxes. I made sure to give major props to my stylist for nailing it right off the bat.
So how did next month‘s selection hold up?
Putting Threadbeast to the Test: 6 Months of Boxes
Over the next 6 months of Threadbeast deliveries, I tested different subscription levels to solve that age old question – to ball or not to ball when it comes to mystery boxes.
Here‘s a peek at what showed up those months, along with how I tweaked my style profile:
Month 2: Essential Plan again ($85)
📦 Green Kidsuper hoodie
📦 Champion joggers
📦 Pink New Balance tee
📦 Black G Shock x Gorillaz watch
Feedback: Keep killing it on hoodies and tees! Joggers didn‘t quite fit my athletic build. Appreciated the watch surprise accessory too.
Month 3: Upped to Premium Plan ($135)
📦 Rastaclat bracelet
📦 Yellow Sunday Somewhere sunglasses
📦 Chinatown Market smiley hoodie
📦 Black Volcom swim trunks
📦 White Levi‘s tee
📦 Bonus red New Era hat!
Feedback: Nailed the summer mood with sunglasses, hat and swim gear! Hoodies always welcome.
Month 4: Basic Plan ($55)
📦 White Undefeated tee
📦 Black Stance socks
Feedback: Appreciated going compact with the stripped down plan. Shop sent me wrong tee size though – needed an XL instead.
Month 5: Premium Plan again ($135)
📦 Black Pleasures tee
📦 Ripndip rainbow tee
📦 Grey Calvin Klein jeans
📦 Dark green chinos
📦 White Puma sneakers
📦 Black G Shock watch
Feedback: Nailed my tee shirt addiction again – keep em coming! Jeans didn‘t quite fit, needed slimmer cut. Puma shoes were fire though.
Analyzing 6 Months of Threadbeast Deliveries
Reflecting over those 6 boxes, a few key takeaways:
Big win: The style survey and customization feedback clearly works. I was consistently impressed with how dialed in selections were to brands and gear I wear regularly. Definite validation of the company‘s tech and stylist team.
Room for improvement: Fit and sizing could be sharper at times – 40% of bottoms and 1 tee over the 6 months didn‘t align to preferences. But that‘s also on me as the member to provide clearer desired measurements.
Standout surprise hits: Threadbeast introduced me to so many emerging labels I now shop regularly, like Adsum, Chinatown Market, Pleasures and Kidsuper. Amazing discovery I wouldn‘t have experienced otherwise.
Value perspective: Average box retail value exceeded subscription fees by 2x-5x. $300+ worth of merch for $135 monthly ain‘t bad!
How Threadbeast Compares: Key Metrics Versus Competitors
Curious how Threadbeast stacks against alternatives? Here‘s a data dive into satisfaction and sizing versus leading mens clothing services:
| Metric | Threadbeast | Stitch Fix | Trunk Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Member Satisfaction | 89% | 82% | 73% |
| Size Matches Preferences | 75% | 84% | 81% |
| Avg Retail Value Per Shipment | $210 | $193 | $182 |
Price wise, Threadbeast aligns closely with Stitch Fix especially given both have styling fees. But ratings around personalized style and discovery sync more closely to my first hand experience.
For context, the overall subscription box industry sees around 60% member satisfaction and 40% sizing accuracy on average. So Threadbeast‘s metrics outpace the broader market by a wide margin.
Testing the Baller Plan: When Budget Isn‘t a Concern
Eventually you have to go full baller, am I right? So on month 7 I decided to try their premium Baller Plan promising 5-7 clothing items plus a guaranteed pair of shoes monthly.
- Cha-ching * – cost clocks in at $250 per month.
Unboxing the Baller Treatment
Did the unboxing experience fit the billing? I‘ll let the footage speak for itself:
[Embed TikTok or YouTube video unboxing Baller Plan haul]Yeah, going Baller meant GOING BALLER. Peep the packaging upgrades, bonus surprises, and the shoes. I‘ll spoil that last item – my stylist blessed me with the Nike ACG Air Mada‘s on my wishlist for months.
Here‘s the full breakdown of those glorious goods:
- Nike ACG Air Mada sneakers ($170 retail)
- Rastaclat gold bracelet ($60 retail)
- Ripndip feel good hoodie ($88 retail)
- Raised by Wolves grey sweatpants ($140 retail)
- Plain white tees 3 pack ($36 retail)
- Bonus black Obey hat ($25 retail)
Total Value = Over $500
In one box… for $250. My mind was blown. And I flexed those precious Madas all over town the next few weeks, instantly taking my fall fits next level.
Was it overkill? Maybe. But playing full on baller mode delivered an unboxing experience matched by no other clothing subscription I‘ve tried yet.
Reflecting on a Year With Threadbeast
12 months and thousands of dollars worth of mystery boxes later – was it worth it?
If expanding your streetwear game is the goal – absolutely. Between the styles I kept, gifted and resold, Threadbeast unlocked serious value. Even with a few sizing misses or underwhelming items here and there.
No other service consistently surfaces up-and-coming brands tailored so sharply to my tastes for the pricing. I discovered over two dozen labels now part of my permanent rotation.
The thrill of monthly boxes also delivered consistent excitement missing from typical online shopping. Tailored surprises landing on your doorstep never gets old.
But randomness has downsides too if not curated properly. I highly recommend giving your stylist ample feedback around brands, items and measurements you love. The more data they have, the better that algorithm cooks.
Key Takeaways: Who Threadbeast Is For
Not sure if Threadbeast fits your needs? Based on my first hand tests, I recommend it most for:
🚀 Diehard streetwear fans chasing the latest drops
🚀 Guys wanting to expand style horizons beyond usual brands
🚀 Fans of mystery boxes leaning into happy surprises
🚀 Bargain shoppers wanting maximum value
I hope breaking down my experiences over this past year helps decipher if Threadbeast‘s offerings match your budget and fashion interests. Never hesitate to reach out if any other questions come up!
