A Transitional Spring Asket Review: Sustainable and Stylishly Modest-Man-Friendly
I’ve been wearing clothes from the environmentally minded Asket brand. They deliver on their brand promises and are (mostly) short-guy-friendly—but are they for you?
I’m a fan of slow fashion. Who isn’t? Why not have less clutter on the planet? And believe me, though I don’t participate in it, I understand the market for fast fashion. I never want to judge people who are on a budget but need clothes. Still, it’s important for all industries to do their best within reason and for there to be enough sustainable brands to balance sometimes necessary problematicness.
Swedish clothier Asket is one of those brands. After scrutinizing their collection over the past few months, I’ve found them to be unique. I’ll get into that in the review itself, but they’re more me from a style perspective. Are they more you, though? Moreover, do they cater to where you fall on the modest-man height spectrum?
I’ve been wearing these clothes for a good two months now. Here’s everything you need to know.
About the Brand: Is Asket Legit?
August Bard Bringéus and Jakob Dworsky, who met in Stockholm during university, started Asket in 2015. They wanted the brand to focus on trend-resistant designs that are well-fitting but not boring. Perhaps most importantly, they focused on sustainability. Asket was, and is, meant to have the environment at the heart of the business, not simply greenwashing it.
The Pursuit Of Less is a brand trademark for Asket’s sustainability initiatives. It avoids limited drops and seasonal collections, instead focusing on essentials. The footprint of every garment is tracked and calculated in an attempt to contribute less to landfills (and more quality to your closet). Asket even offers repair and return programs and access to your progress report on the matter.
I’ve done some research; I looked into several third-party qualifiers and read the progress report on the website. Of course, no brand can achieve 100% sustainability. However, Asket might be as good as it gets. They get high ratings on their relationship with the planet, animals, and workers. Even the packaging my clothes arrived in was sustainable.
I appreciate the overall transparency and the pursuit of improvement. That being the case, I do believe Asket meets the environmental part of the brand promise. But what about the style and quality part?
Asket Hands-on Review: What I Tried and Overview
Here are the pieces I’ve been wearing:
Overall, from a style perspective, Asket gives you what they say they will. These are fad-proof pieces, both in looks and fit, that aren’t irrelevant. Yes, they’re classic, but they aren’t musty. I’d say that even if you prefer trendy clothes, you can work these guys into your wardrobe as solid anchors — if you like trends, then you know it’s all about styling.
What I love most about Asket’s designs is that they achieve that organic aesthetic you often get from sustainable, slow fashion brands. However, unlike so many, it’s not “crunchy” looking. Personally, I’m not really into granola, folksy fashion. It’s a more natural, harmoniously minimal, and well-grounded look; it’s very Swedish. This also makes it very universal.
And as far as the quality of construction, I give these clothes an A+. You can feel how well-built they are upon initial try-on. You’ll see what I mean when I get into specifics.
My Build
I’m 5’7” and a half (easily 5’8″ and up in shoes) and 130 lbs at my fittest. Still, I’m generally a “skinny” guy. I have a 35” chest and wear XS tops. My waist is a size 28, which means I even have to get XS shirts tailored half the time. I figured knowing this could help you figure out how you might fit into the shirt and pants I tried out.
The Asket Oxford Shirt
The Asket Oxford is a pretty standard OCBD but in the best way possible. I ordered it in an extra small size and a regular length. I figured that, this way, I could wear it tucked in or not. I also went for the blue stripe variation, though there are several offered. Of course, there’s blue, white, gray, and a gray stripe. There’s also a dark navy and a dark green, which would look fantastic in the autumn.
Quality and Style
Not to be effusive, but the first time I put this Oxford on, I literally said, “Wow, this is a good shirt.” As in, out loud. My dog thought I was talking to him. I immediately felt how soft it was, as if someone gently wore it in before me. However, it was also perfectly structured. It’s an effective balance of crisp and effortless that you want from an OCBD.
Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was because there’s clever, selective double-stitching where it matters the most. It’s on the inner edge of the cuff where it meets the sleeve and on the sides. Meanwhile, the cotton itself (100% organic, of course) is pre-brushed. This ups the softness, breathability, and strength.
Essentially, Asket combined comfortable and durable cotton with a comfortable and fortified composition.
From a style perspective, I’ve worn this shirt in every dress code except for extra formal ones. It’s what I like to call elegant smart casual. The stripes are soft, resulting in an obvious pattern, but one that isn’t overly bold. Even more, the mother-of-pearl buttons really elevate the shirt without taking it out of the running for casual outfits.
It’s become my go-to shirt for weekends. It pairs beautifully with chinos, jeans, shorts,
I’ve even worn it to work with a suit and tie. However, I avoid wearing it on extra formal days, such as meetings with major clients in the boardroom.
Is The Asket Oxford Modest-Man-Friendly?
Yes, absolutely. I ordered the extra small with a regular length. There’s also a short and a long, the former for shirts you never want to tuck and the latter for shirts you always want to tuck.
Again, as an extra-thin gent at 5’7”, the extra-small fit perfectly, though it was a touch short on the sleeve. I actually like this style because I prefer it when my watch doesn’t tuck into the sleeve too deeply. And yes, I know technically it should tuck in completely. It’s one sartorial rule I don’t mind breaking.
Anyway, that being the case, the extra small will likely fit guys even below the 5’5” – 5’4” mark. And of course, you can always go for a short cut instead of a regular, and wear it like a regular. There are some excellent options here for modest men.
The Asket Slim Chino
Like the Oxford, the Asket Slim Chino is a classic design with no bells and whistles but fantastically thought-out details. I received it in beige, which also has a bit of an olive undertone. However, it also comes in black, navy, khaki green, and taupe. Green and taupe offer the most obviously military-like aesthetic. I went for a 28 waist, the smallest option, and a 30 length, the middle ground option.
Quality and Style
Asket makes this chinos mostly of organic cotton. The other part of the recipe here is 2% elastane, which provides just a bit of stretch. I like this in a chino. It’s hard-wearing enough, but the added comfort and mobility brings the construction into the 21st century. It’s not a hybrid pant, but its slight elasticity makes it more versatile.
The 2% is a sweet spot that doesn’t compromise the rugged build we want from traditional chinos. Moreover, this allows a bit of give in the waistband for those of us still working off some holiday pounds.
The stitching is perfectly on-point, and the belt loops, side seams, and hems boast different kinds of fortification. Meanwhile, the overlapping button and hook combination ensures a solid closure. Overall, it’s a well-built chino.
You can wear these pants as you would any chino: As part of a broken suit, with a polo or t-shirt, and in a workwear context. I mentioned that the beige has a slight olive undertone to it. I like this added cool tone. It allows you to wear it in a military-esque context (say, with a utility shirt or trench), as well as with academic vibes (with forest green tweed, perhaps).
I also enjoy the midweight cotton sateen. It provides a slight sheen, which balances the rugged look. This is why wearing these chinos with a suit jacket or blazer is so easy.
Is The Asket Slim Chino Modest-Man-Friendly?
For the most part, yes. I went for the 30 length, and it fits classically, with a break by my shoes. It isn’t slim in the early 2020s way, but it’s certainly a trend-resistant look — which is Asket’s whole mission. Plus, that level of slimness isn’t in style right now, anyway.
If you’re around 5’5”, just go for the 28 length; if you fall below that, you might need to get the pants hemmed, which is easy and truly no big deal. I get most of my pants hemmed myself.
Between the mid-rise waist and tapered but not skinny cut, these pants are universally flattering, in my opinion.
The Asket Slim Jeans in Raw Denim
The Asket Slim Jeans are made of dark, raw denim and are even sewn in Italy. Like the chinos, I ordered them in a 28 waist and a 30 length. This model also comes in black and gray if you want a chicer street style look or light blue and mid-blue if you want a more Americana aesthetic.
Quality and Style
These jeans might be the highest-quality item I’ve tried from the brand, and this is saying a lot considering how premium everything I’ve tried is.
It’s Japanese heritage selvedge denim, which, if you didn’t know, is the gold standard. It’s what Swiss watchmaking is to jeans. Of course, it’s made out of 100% organic cotton. I know there’s a lot of stretchy denim pants on the market right now, and there’s a place for them. But truly, selvedge, with its unique personality, ability to patinate, and resistance to unraveling, provides you with a forever pair of jeans.
Everything seam is tightly woven, from the double-stitched pockets to the fortified interiors on the legs. I will say that the all-button fly isn’t the most convenient, but it’s certainly traditional and gives the pants a lot of character.
Even though I’m not a big jeans guy, it’s been really easy to wear these pants. You can style raw denim in smart casual situations, with workwear, and even Western looks. It’s incredibly timeless, and the gold stitching is just so darn charming.
By the way, raw denim is super sustainable since it reduces chemical usage and water waste. Even though I’m not huge on jeans, I’ve always wanted to get one pair of good denim pants since jeans are a menswear staple. I think I found them.
Is The Slim Jeans Modest-Man-Friendly?
I have the exact same notes on the fit here as I do with the chinos. It’s more of a clean, regular cut than what some might consider slim. However, it looks even better on the jeans than it does on the chinos. Jeans are meant to have a relaxed look, after all.
Regardless, the lines are neat, allowing you to wear these pants casually or in a smart casual dress code with a button-down and unstructured blazer.
Conclusion: Is Asket for You?
Overall, there’s no denying that Asket makes quality garments. They’re a solid choice if you’re looking for essentials. Truly, their Oxford shirt is one of my favorite OCBDs I’ve ever worn.
I’m mostly impressed with their genuine commitment to the environment. And not just that, but how they manage to connect that with offering pretty great style — their use of raw denim, for example.
The fits are mostly modest-man-friendly, especially the shirts. Fortunately, the pants are easy to hem. These pants are pretty high-quality and worth the time.
What do you think of Asket? Let us know in the comments below!
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