by Karlton Miko Tyack · Product Reviews May contain affiliate links (what's this?)
Interested in this comfort-focused casual essentials brand? Read this hands-on review of Mugsy Jeans to get the details!
Table of Contents
Mugsy Jeans centers around, as the brand name implies, their jean pants, which are built to be comfortably soft, and roomier in the lap area for men, all while sporting a slim, clean fit.
From here, they’ve expanded into a decent range of essential garments, from jackets to button-ups.
I’m here to answer a few questions: Are their clothes actually that comfortable, and does that compromise durability? How do they accomplish a simultaneously roomy and slim fit? Is their coverage in a range of outlets, from ESPN to Esquire, and their large social media following justified?
I’ll be judging based on Mugsy’s specific brand promises, but also the overall general quality of the pieces I tried.
Chicago-based Mugsy Jeans was founded in 2015 by Leo Tropeano. After finally accepting the fact his baggy jeans weren’t flattering, he set out to build a non-suffocating slim-fit denim pant.
He prioritized flexibility, lightness, and a roomy lap area that won’t strangle you the way early-aughts skinny pants did — but also, a neat and complimentary look. The resulting technical fabric took five years to perfect.
Mugsy has since expanded, with sweatshirts, jackets, stretch chinos, and other casual basics, all with the same brand promise: Comfort and style.
I reviewed a pair of Clutch Jeans (a collaboration with Barstool Sports’ Pardon my Take), the Ports Stretch Chinos, the Sad Boy Denim Jacket (another Barstool collab), and the Moss Oxford Shirt.
I’m 5’7” and a half without shoes, and 130lbs at my fittest. I have a 35” chest and wear XS tops. My waist is a size 28, but my equestrian thighs sometimes mean I have to size up for non-tailored, slim-fit pants.
Here are the pieces in this review:
Let’s go through them one at a time.
The Clutch Jeans are a classic light wash and definitely felt broken in as soon as they came out of the box. They had super light fade lines on the upper thighs, which I prefer to overly defined, less versatile fades.
Cool details I immediately noticed were the rose-gold-toned, branded front button, the fact all of the hardware is branded, and the interior pocket fabric.
They feature a fun Barstool PMT motif with (more) branding and football-themed print patterns. This very same fabric construction continues on into the inside seam of the outer legs, acting as the seam’s fortification.
The stitching is 95% perfect. As mentioned, the outer leg is well-secured and sewn inward, for a clean silhouette. The inner legs are fortified with double stitching, overlapping pieces, and a folded hem.
Basically, it’s standardly stitched, but there aren’t any shortcuts, so theoretically, these pants should last.
The only places that looked slightly sloppy were on the back pockets, which had some uncut, but not loose, threads. Still, I wouldn’t put anything in these pockets that wasn’t perfectly flat anyway, as to not interrupt the clean lines.
I did like the fit overall. I’m a good test case for pants because I’m super slim and pretty short, but decades of tennis, soccer, and horse riding mean I’m proportionally bigger in and around the thigh area.
In short, few pants fit well on me, and if they look fine on me, they’ll look good on most people who know how to pick their right size.
I ordered a 28 waist, and a 30 length size.
I’d say the fit is somewhere in between slim and classic, but definitely neat looking, and super diplomatic. Those who are used to relaxed fits, but want to convert to a slimmer style, won’t be intimidated by these jeans.
Due to my body type, they were a little tight in the seat area, but the roomier lap and the wildly stretchy waist (two of their brand promises met) ensured the pants were comfortable overall.
Moreover, the back yolk was a bit straighter instead of having a dramatic V shape, which contributed to the overall neat lines of the pants.
I think this would flatter a wider range of body types than a yolk that dips too deeply, which would overly enhance bigger seats and create a baggy effect for smaller ones.
As I alluded to when describing the flexible waist, these pants are super stretchy. I’m not exaggerating when I say they almost feel like sweatpants. I was fully able to play hours of backyard football in these pants.
And of course, there’s one break right above the shoe, just as I like my jeans to fit.
For those that don’t know, Pardon My Take is a comedic sports podcast from Barstool Sports that commentates on sports, but in a way that satires traditional sports commentator shows.
So this might be a touch conceptual, but other than this subline being a merchandising opportunity for both Mugsy and Barstool, I do think there’s something self-aware about these jeans.
They’re basically elevated dad jeans, a sort-of satire that’s still cool and stylish, with a design not lost on its inspiration.
The Port Stretch Chinos have a super smart-casual aesthetic, which is definitely more my style. There’s 34% rayon in there, and while I’m not a fan of rayon as a silk simulant, it works well in these pants as an additive, giving them a soft surface and a dressier look.
I ordered the maroon, and the color is truly top-notch. It’s dark enough to fit into any smart casual situation but still vivid. The maroon is an eye-catching hue, tempered with a neutral and versatile dark tone without going too murky.
A lot of what I mentioned about the Clutch Jeans can be applied to the Port Chinos: It’s a standard, but well-stitched pair of pants. Of course, since they’re chinos, they have less hardware and the pockets are simpler and more formal.
The front pockets sport a traditional trouser style with a slight scoop, while the back pockets are fortified slits that lead to interior compartments. That being the case, these back pockets don’t have any uncut threads, so the chinos get half a point on the jeans.
Another fun detail is, like the jeans, the inner seam on the outside of the leg is secured with an extra piece of fabric. In the case of these chinos, it’s a cobalt blue fabric, which if you cuff the pants, can serve as a stylish accent.
I personally love this, but I’m sure some people won’t. I will say that there’s nothing particularly provocative about this shade of blue, so while it’s one more tone to consider when putting an outfit together, I’d say it’s still neutral enough.
Unlike the jeans which get their architecture from, well, their architecture, these pants get it from the clean drape. There’s less stitching, but the material just lands in a straight and sharp manner.
When you cuff the pants, the weight of the folds further neatens the lines, for an even sharper shape.
It has a similar slim-ish fit as well but doesn’t have a big break by the shoes, which is what we want from chinos.
And like the jeans, it’s an overall classic and trend-resistant look but is easier to style because chinos by nature are more versatile. They look great with a t-shirt or a blazer and can be worn year-round depending on how you style it.
As their name suggests, the stretch chinos are super flexible, one of their most impressive qualities. They’re even more flexible than the jeans. I can probably get a good few inches of stretch when I’m pulling on the fabric, and there’s zero sign of it wearing — it just snaps back into shape.
There’s a good 6% spandex in there, which explains why it’s so comfortable and easy to move in.
Mugsy’s Oxford Shirts are definitely an example of the casualization of fashion. While with the Clutch Jeans, Mugsy adds structure and shape to the classic dad jeans, with the Oxford Shirt, they add stretch and flow to a traditionally structural design.
I have zero complaints about the stitching on this shirt. The top of the cuff, the sides, and the inner arms are double stitched, and the button holes are neat and strong. Truly, this shirt gets an A+ on that front.
The website description mentions that the Oxfords are hand-crafted in Portugal, so it’s definitely one of Mugsy’s more artisanal pieces. For about $100, that’s not too shabby.
Small details that I found charming include a subtle blue contrast stitch at the bottom button and the corners of the chest pocket, and the branded rivet at the bottom of the side seam.
The stitching is the same blue as the inner accent fabric on the chinos, and the rivet is the same warm gold tone as the button on the jeans. It looks like Mugsy is going for some brand signatures à la the gold stamp on the Common Projects Achilles.
Okay, so I’m 5’7” and slim, and I ordered a size small. When it comes to guys who are similarly smaller in stature, this shirt is not going to work for everyone.
However, it does fill a need in my closet: A casual but structured shirt for days I literally just want to throw a baseball cap on, but need something more than just a t-shirt — say at a relaxed brunch with close friends or when I’m doing the groceries on a lazy Sunday.
This shirt fulfills this need uniquely because it’s as comfortable and breathable as advertised, wears super loosely, and yet the lines stay put, draping as smoothly as more fitted shirts do.
It’s more comfortable than a tailored button-down but isn’t sloppy the way an equally comfortable and equally loose t-shirt would be.
Now, I understand that this look can steer you into little-kid-wearing-dad’s-clothes territory, and that’s why I mentioned this shirt won’t work for every guy with modest height. Even the model on the website, who is 6’3”, is wearing a medium.
Out of the box, the sleeves are super long and go past my knuckles when my arms are hanging straight down while I stand.
Since it’s such a well-made shirt, you might opt to simply get it tailored if it doesn’t fit you perfectly. That’s fine too.
I’m of the belief that most of your clothes should be tailored anyway. The only issue here is that you’ll definitely have to move, maybe even shrink, the shirt pocket to fit the new proportions, and not all tailors can do this successfully without leaving marks.
Overall, this shirt is more casual and more stretchy than the average Oxford. Without tailoring, I can definitely pair it with super slim, cuffed chinos,
Again, it’s definitely a youthful kind of casual that isn’t for everyone.
Another option for this shirt is that it goes under a sweater beautifully because of that well-made collar, and more comfortable than regular Oxfords.
Another collaboration with Barstool for their Sad Boy season subline, this denim jacket is not that different from their core line of denim jackets, so I’m sure a lot of my insights here can apply to them as well.
This jacket is probably my favorite piece from the line. It has a light wash and vintage-cool look and is the most comfortable denim jacket I’ve ever worn.
This jacket is another example of a well-built essential. Zero loose, or even uncut, threads, and buttonholes that are effectively secured with extra gold-toned stitching.
This stitch color is prevalent throughout the entire jacket. It’s too subtle to call it an accent or a pop of color, but it definitely adds to the visual dimension, compared to if they used a tonal stitch.
The wash features darker moments closer to edges and stitchings, which also provides visual intrigue.
And finally, Barstool’s Sad Boy motif is on every single silver-toned button. It’s pretty cute and funny, but not in an overly irreverent way. The Sad Boy is basically just a stick figure that can easily be registered as an abstract design.
I’d call this jacket a cleaned-up classic fit. The shoulders are structured, but not overly defined to the point it gives ladies’ power-suit-from-the-‘80s vibes.
This means I can wear it with just a t-shirt underneath, despite my small shoulders, without it looking like I’m not properly filling it out.
Plus, this gives room for you to layer. I wouldn’t recommend this style-wise, but here’s a good example.
I have to wear a full suit and tie to work and my commute home is a 15-minute walk. One randomly cold evening, all I had with me was this denim jacket, and I was able to comfortably put it over my suit jacket, the sweater vest underneath that, and the shirt-and-tie.
The sleeves are built with a little extra fabric for mobility, but the cuffs are tightly secured with Sad Boy buttons, which means they’ll stay right on your wrists.
And not to tack on another superlative here, but this is the most immediately comfortable denim jacket I’ve ever worn. Out of the box, it felt like someone broke it in for me already.
I actually slept in it on a camping trip. It’s soft, but not cheap-feeling, and cozy but doesn’t lack structure.
The Mugsy Chino Shorts are a standard four-pocket piece made with the brand-promised extra stretch. I tried two of the exact same shorts in the Anders variant (red), and in the Skylines variant (an extra light blue).
They’re essentially shorter versions of their chino pants, so a lot of what I mentioned about the Port Stretch Chinos apply here too.
Again, these guys are classic chino shorts with solid, probably plastic buttons. They, along with the zipper pull, are branded with the Mugsy M.
The stitching is mostly perfect, with extra fortified weaves where it matters most (where two separate fabrics are initially connected, for example). There was a fly-away on the buttonhole of the Anders, as well as on one of the back pockets of the Skylines, but nothing that screamed “bad quality.”
The front pockets are a scoop style, while the back pockets are, like the chino pants, fortified slits that lead to an interior compartment. One of them is buttonable.
Also like the pant versions, there’s a blue inner seam, though it can’t really be used as an accent the way it can be when you cuff the pants. In my opinion, these shorts are the perfect length (I’ll go into more detail in the next section).
I ordered the size 28 with a seven-inch length. It was absolutely perfect.
I’m a really skinny guy, but am relatively larger in the seat and upper thigh area, considering how thin my waist and calves are. I often have to size up with certain pants, then pick up the slack with a belt or tailoring.
Since these shorts are so stretchy, everything fits comfortably.
And speaking of stretchy, you can probably do yoga and gymnastics in these shorts. Along with the chino pants, they’re the most flexible and comfortable garment that I’ve tried from Mugsy. Since they’re shorts though, they offer even more mobility.
Style-wise they fall perfectly above my knee. In fact, I often go just a touch longer than these with my shorts. I personally wouldn’t go any shorter than where these end, but that’s subjective.
The drape is clean, and all of the lines go back into place, when you go from sitting to standing to kneeling.
The Anders is a light, washed-out Nantucket red with a maroon hue, which I really enjoy.
I think it’s a great, non-intimidating color, even if you never wear red bottoms. It’s tempered enough so it isn’t loud, and the fact they’re shorts mean they won’t take up too much real estate on your body.
The Skyline, meanwhile, is a super light blue. It’s basically white, with the grayish blue more prominent where seams meet.
This gives it a cool semi-ombre effect, which I like because it adds dimension to the otherwise simple color.
Overall, I’d say I like the shorts as much as I like the chino pants.
Based on Mugsy’s brand promise, to provide comfortable jeans and essentials with a slim and clean fit, I’d say they hit the mark. The only caveat here is that for small guys like me, I’d call the fit somewhere in between slim and regular, but it’s still super neat and versatile.
As I mentioned on several occasions, Mugsy elevates relaxed looks using structure, without compromising the comfort factor.
Style-wise, there are good details throughout, like the blue inner stitch of the chinos. The fades and colors look premium, and the Barstool collab adds a touch of youthful fun that’s still wearable for all ages.
And while I found effective uses for the “small” Oxford shirt, I think they would do well to add an XS to their shirt options.
Finally, the pieces are easy-maintenance (mostly cold wash), and the prices are more than fair.
Their Clutch Jeans, which again are immediately comfortable and well-built, are $128 at the time of this writing, which is right around the standard price for a decent pair of denim pants.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
Product Reviews chinos, jackets, Men's Jeans, Mugsy, Mugsy Jeans
Karlton Miko Tyack is a freelance writer covering watches, gear, and style. He was born in LA, studied art history in Boston, and is a lover of rugby, football, and optimism.
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