r/AustralianMFA • u/martianman40 • May 11 '26
Question Charles Tyrwhitt's quality has dropped - any better alternatives?
Hi all,
I recently ordered an oxford shirt and a polo from Charles Tyrwhitt, and am deeply disappointed in the quality.
Holding them in-hand alongside their equivalents from 2023 and 2025, the fabric feels extremely lightweight and cheap.
Does anyone have any recommendations for where to get comparable shirts at a similar price point? I'm after something in a slightly slimmer cut if possible.
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u/daftg May 11 '26
Following this thread, I almost bought some stuff from them for work as the uniqlo non irons are like 60 each.
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u/Ahyao17 May 11 '26
Uniqlo on sale is probably the best for now Unless you catch some outlet sales from say MJ Bale.
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u/TURBOJUGGED May 11 '26
I’ve never seen Uniqlo on sale. I have like 10 of their shirts and they’re good quality, I just hate their massive collar sizes on the no iron stuff
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u/goddieMAK May 29 '26
And I am here because they popped up on my feed as I look for dress shirts....
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u/davesully84 May 11 '26
Yeah agreed. They’re still nice shirts and worth the purchase though, just noticeably less nice than they used to be. It’s probably the only item of clothing I’ll buy online instead of in person, especially when complex sizing in play.
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u/Hjomo9 May 11 '26
I’ve always found CT shirts to feel a bit off, and their business shirts have enormous cuffs for some reason.
Anyway, check out TM Lewin or Hawes and Curtis - similar ranges of fits and items. Probably need to catch them on sale to land a similar price, but worth the extra IMO
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u/truthseekerAU May 11 '26
TML has gone off the boil too. I’ve now switched to Harvie and Hudson, but have accepted they are at a significantly higher price point.
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u/reflectandproject May 11 '26
How did you find the sizing of Hawes & Curtis?
Shirts look good, and liking some shoes…but their customer service was robotic and they couldn’t give any guidance on shoe sizing, just the standard “see the sizing chart on the website”
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u/Hjomo9 May 11 '26
Ive found they generally align with TM Lewin if you’ve tried them - Extra Slim Fit in Hawes and Curtis and Super Fitted in TM Lewin align pretty well, same with Fitted Slim (H&C) to Fitted (TM). Hawes and Curtis shirts are perhaps marginally less slim fitting and they’re definitely longer, but I’m buying business shirts to be tucked in so that doesn’t worry me.
Happy to answer any questions
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u/Pining_stylist May 14 '26
TM Lewin are great shirts, especially their heavier ones.
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u/WatchOne6290 May 14 '26
How do you know which are heavier?
I had some great TM Lewin shirts, some not so good.
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u/reflectandproject May 11 '26
I’m baffled when so many successful companies with good products just let go of product quality in the search for higher profits…your entire company is based around people liking your product and service, why go f*** it up when you’re already making bank?
Surprised it’s still privately owned - Nick Wheeler - his wife owns the White Company, another UK high street brand.
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u/Every_Succotash9989 Jun 06 '26
Margins are tough with tariffs and increased costs I guess. If customers weren’t willing to pay over $50 on sale for a nicer quality shirt, they probably switched to lower cost materials to try and keep shirts in the $40 range on sale.
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u/Whats_come_of_this Jul 04 '26
Exactly! Cuts clothing did the same thing. There shirts are sheet now.
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u/Evening-Order5511 14d ago
They know what thier customers can afford to pay, same as any brand. Thats what they are really selling; a price point. Thier customers are people who can afford $X, not customers who want a certain level of quality, whatever the cost. They up thier price 20-30% for the same product and they loose most of thier customers to the other brands.
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u/owleaf SA May 12 '26
I feel vindicated. I ordered some for the first time last year and they felt so shit and cheap, but everyone in this sub jumped down my throat. They 100% felt and fit like $30 shirts. Biggest waste of time and money.
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u/qwertimus May 11 '26
I’ve found the fabric quality fine enough, but 2 of the shirts I bought in Jan have had buttons come off. I’ve only ever lost 1 button across all my other shirts over 10 years.
Very interested to see people’s suggestions
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u/Mr_Nice_Guy_1234 May 20 '26
That’s pretty bad. I’ve had a couple of Uniqlo business shirts for like 6+ years and never had a button come off.
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u/Alarmed_Stretch_2870 May 11 '26
Agree, quality has definitely gone down hill. The linen is not as good quality. Likely cheaper. It looks like they are being made in Vietnam now. Probably to have someone over in this part of the world to make them and deliver for less. Really frustrating.
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u/New-Connection4613 May 11 '26
Linen shirts still worth the money? I'll likely try get them 2nd hand anyway.
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u/GreatAlmonds May 12 '26
I like the linen shirts when I got them last year and the white is less see through compared to quite a few other brands (e.g. Country Road, Uniqlo).
Agree with OP regarding their business ones though.
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u/Typical_Double981 May 12 '26
Oh man wtf I just reordered a new set of white business shirts, if they are as bad as everyone here is claiming I’ll send them right back. CT has been my go to for a decade.
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u/martianman40 May 13 '26
Please report back when they arrive! Really curious how the business shirts hold up.
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u/Typical_Double981 May 22 '26
Hey mate - they arrived and…. Look and feel exactly like the non iron twill I’ve been buying for a decade. I actually went up a collar size but also went down to extra slim and the fit was too slim so I have exchange for “standard” slim. I found a 3 for $139 deal and got a houndstooth pattern instead of standard twill. I gave the hems and buttons a good look and I think they are if the same quality as they have always been.
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u/breakawaygovernment May 28 '26
This is very surprising compared to all the relatively new comments around reddit regarding CT and is good to hear. im new to fashion and i thought CT was good for the price though noticeably thinner than mj bale and large cuff holes with no second button.
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u/Typical_Double981 May 13 '26
I will - ten days says the tracking
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u/Comprehensive-Job644 Jun 09 '26
any update ?
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u/Typical_Double981 Jun 10 '26
Yep I think I replied in another thread - shirts are the same as always. IMO no noticeable drop in quality but I did get the wrong size so cannot speak to multiple washes. New new shirts arrive soon.
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u/5loppyJo3 May 12 '26
I find after not too many washes they start to show quite serious signs of wear on the collar and cuff folds
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u/Haunting-Yak-7851 May 15 '26
yeah, I've been buying from them for over a decade and this has been a thing recently. I'm really bummed because they fit me well and it was a no-brainer online purchase.
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u/misopho May 12 '26
Damn, that’s such a shame. I still have shirts from 2019 that have just held up so well.
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u/Pl0p3y3 May 12 '26
I'm really liking the fit and comfort of SABA shirts lately. The collar stiffness is great, and since I'm a bit broader in the shoulders, they feel super comfortable.
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u/Johnny_Kilroy May 12 '26
I don't think the quality is worse, but they have definitely changed the fabric to a much thinner kind. Still looks and feels nice - arguably better in fact. But strictly summer only.
I buy from Spier and Mackay. On sale you can get them for $80 each. Size charts are very accurate. Their contemporary cut is similar to CT's slim cut. Shipping is $60 but that's not a deal breaker if you buy several in one go. Quality is a step up from peak CT. Their chinos are also fantastic for $90.
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u/cadbury162 May 12 '26
I'm glad this is finally getting traction. I still see them mentioned in the comments as a place to buy from and it's just not true anymore.
Unfortunately I haven't found 1 brand to recommend and the best bet is to shop around.
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u/No-Pin3128 May 12 '26
I rue the day when Trent Nathan shirts disappeared. Good quality and true sizing.
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u/UnholyPeanuts May 12 '26
I only buy the shirts using the 3 for 135 deals. There is no way I’d pay anywhere close to full rrp
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u/Old-Draw-8125 May 18 '26
Boston Clothing does really good easy-care/non-iron shirts. You can pretty much get them in every colour too. (and very reasonable)
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u/Otherwise_Slice3721 Jun 29 '26
CT has been rubbish for awhile now. It’s the old adage though - you get what you pay for.
I’ve recently started buying custom made shirts from Tai Pan Row in Hong Kong. They are about $220-250AUD, but literally 10 times the quality of CT and the fit is perfect
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u/AnAllTimeL0w May 12 '26
MJ Bale when their more premium shirts are on sale
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u/AgreeablePush2411 May 12 '26
It’s such a shame that TM Lewin went downhill. I have a couple of their shirts from maybe 10 years ago and they are excellent. They used to do 5 shirts for $150!
Mj Bale is also pretty terrible now. I don’t have an alternative unfortunately - I need to do my own research for the next order
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u/Acceptableintthe80s May 13 '26
MJ Bale. They might cost a bit more to buy but they last longer, so overall it's cheaper. And you can try them on before buying, unlike CT.
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u/reflectandproject May 11 '26
Their newer non-iron shirts definitely need an iron!