Scotch & Soda

Despite my last experience at scotch and soda I decided to go back in today and I’m happy I did. I told the two guys working today about my last experience and they were very apologetic and very friendly. And like I said in my last review they have great clothes. You’ll have a hard time not finding something when shopping at scotch and soda.

This is easily one of my favorite shopping spots in Chicago! For the guys out there, I hope you find this review helpful.
I’ve been a fan of Scotch and Soda for years. My first experience was with their denim when I tried on a pair of Ralston fit jeans about 6 years ago at Saks. They fit like a glove so I bought them and they have been my go-​to jeans ever since. I then tried their casual button-​up shirts, blazers, and outerwear.
Needless to say I was more than thrilled when I learned that they would be opening a store in Bucktown!
THE PRODUCT
Excellent quality and a great price point. Jeans average around $ 120, shirts around $ 90, tees around $ 50, sweaters $ 100 — $ 150. Outerwear between $ 200 — $ 500. Blazers around $ 200. The style is a bit «california-​cool» meets «urban-​casual» — so I’m not a personal fan of all of the pieces, but (from my personal experience) they definitely have a lot of pieces that can integrate into anyone’s wardrobe.
From a fit standpoint… I’m about 6ft, 180lbs, wear M tops and 32×32 bottoms.
DENIM — offer multiple fits from skinny, slim, and regular to other specialty fits (like drop-​crotch). I haven’t experienced the denim stretching out. I do find that i have to buy a 32×34 to get the length and ankle coverage I prefer. As I mentioned, my favorite fit is the Ralston. I am liking the Skim — which is their skinniest fit and it has a bit of stretch in it so they are easy to pull on and off. I typically don’t like skinny jeans with stretch because they end up looking like leggings/​sausage casings lol — not a look i’m going for. But these just look like skinny jeans that give a great slim effect below the calf — and look great with a pair of dress shoes and paired with a crisp button-​up.
PANTS — they have a pretty decent selection of chinos. I’m not a fan of chinos personally, so this doesn’t interest me much. Every once in a while, they’ll offer a pair of slacks (usually in the Fall) and I’ll snatch them up.
WOVEN SHIRTS — historically, I haven’t purchased a woven shirt (button-​up) in a while, the fit has been shallower in the chest to where it pulls at the buttons at the chest for me. I’m also a classic size medium everywhere, but find that I have to go up a size to large. Each retailer is different and the patterns they use are designed for certain body types so this doesn’t bother me so much. To be fair, I haven’t tried their woven shirts in a while so I’ll follow up and provide an update soon.
KNIT TOPS — I have better luck with knits (sweaters and tees) than I do with wovens, partially because theres a bit more «give» you naturally get with knit product. I still generally have to go up a size to get the right fit in the shoulder and chest. PRO: their knits are generally slimmer through the waist, which is great when you’re buying a sweater and don’t want that billowing effect with excess fabric. CON: the length of some knit products is off. Tees are ok, but hem on the sweaters can be so long that it looks more like a women’s tunic than a men’s sweater. This can be great if you have a longer torso (which can be perfect for slender guys taller than 6ft). This varies by style, so check the length when trying on sweaters to make sure it works for you.
OUTERWEAR/​BLAZERS — If I had the dough, I’d buy almost all of their outerwear pieces. They ware so well made, offer great style and variety, that every season I have trouble picking out what I like most. They also offer a cool selection of blazers. Well constructed, slim fitting, and a nice price point. Their outerwear and blazers come in S M L XL and sometimes XXL. Similar to their other tops, I generally have to go up a size from M to L, but this varies by style and fabric. My advice: try them on to see what fits you best.
THE STAFF
By far this store has the friendliest, nicest, well-​informed, and helpful staffs in Chicago. If you have questions about the product, my best advice is ASK! They are so knowledgeable about the construction, fit, and how to wear it. They always offer great ideas on how to put something together and what I love most is they make it a point to try on their product so they have first-​hand knowledge about how it fits, feels and how to wear it. They also give you the space you need to get the «lay of the land». Even though the store is small, they’ll offer to assist you but if you’re just looking, they’ll let you look without hounding you as other places do.
I’m a pretty experienced shopper, but I always walk away (whether I bought something or not) feeling like I got a great experience. Talk to Brian or Mike on the men’s side… or for ladies talk to Nikki! I’m telling you, these guys are the best!

Love the aesthetic and the quality of this line (finally, some European style). What makes this place extra great is that you can find classic work staples and more unique bohemian pieces with equal ease. Being really picky about fit, I’m always pleasantly surprised that most things I try on here are flattering (which is also kind of a curse, because I wanna get EVERYTHING). The staff is the right level of attentive, very courteous. Scotch & Soda is a great addition to Chicago shopping scene.

Customer service rocks!!! Found about fifteen articles of clothing that I loved immediately. Cute stuff you won’t see everywhere, proving once again that Europe is so far ahead of us in fashion. Can’t wait to wear my new outfit from here!

First of all, the place smelled incredible. I was promptly greeted by three employees with warm smiles and offered assistance. Not only did they being me exactly what I asked for, I was provided other styles and options; which I ended up liking more than my original choice. Scotch and soda is now my go to clothier in the city.

This just might be my new favorite store in the area! The style is a combo of urban and vintage chic. The quality of the clothing is high and the prices reflect that. Fortunately the sales are good and currently they have a good selection for 50% off. I like how each of the women’s tops come with a necklace. One of my buys came with a mini harmonica necklace, fuuuuun! And the sales people get to wear gun holsters for their walkie talkies. I want one.
These urban-​style stores come with urban-​style lighting, which can make colors looks off. Also the dressing room area is not ideal for those who like their privacy and individual mirrors.
Sizing is european which means they fit asians and hipsters.