Review – Thread.com 'Innovation in a Clothing Marketplace'

Thread.com Review Tim Wiggins
Thread.com does not sell cycling clothing. But their concept of personalised online shopping—tailored to your physique, tastes, environment, and even social situations offers an innovative and interesting concept that I was so impressed by, I felt compelled to write about it here on Life In The Saddle.

I have never had the luxury of a personal shopper. I have friends, family, and colleagues comment and guide me on my clothing choices; but my style is very much my own: created from my own tastes, preferences, and the kind of clothing that is most suited to the environments and social contexts that I often find myself in.

I do have preferred casual clothing brands, but I am by no means loyal to them. I opt for quality clothing that lasts, looks good, and remains timeless despite changing fashions. My style, if I could define it, would be a rugged outdoor profile with neutral tones and colours inspired by nature.

The above list of preferences is not the easiest to shop for. A lot of 'fashion' is there to stand-out, be bold, and only last a season; all things that are the opposite of my personal choice. Add into the mix the fact that my rower-turned-cyclist physique has left me with abnormally broad shoulders given my small waist, and the fact that I have longer legs and larger feet that most people my size, and shopping for clothes can be a little difficult.

Until I found Thread.com


Thread is an innovative new virtual personal shopping platform. When you sign up you enter details on your physique, eye colour, hair colour, style preferences, social situations, budget, and even select examples of styles that visually work for you. Then, Thread.com generates a personalised selection of clothing that suits your profile: considering all of the above factors and what is on offer from a vast range of mainstream and boutique brands.

Using the platform is a bit like walking down a high street with a personal shopper on your elbow; going just into the shops that catch your eye and then being guided to just the products in those shops that fit your style and budget. It is time efficient and effective shopping at its best.

To highlight the experience, I decided to have a little experiment… I fixed myself a budget of £150 to get a complete winter outfit: including trousers, a tee, a jumper, and a pair of boots. Ambitious, but it turned out very achievable.


After plugging in my sizes, preferences, and style into the programme, Thread's virtual shopping assistance spun out a great outfit:
  • Jack and Jones Navy Slim Fit Chinos
  • Base London Clifton Leather Ankle Boots
  • Prolific Slim Fit Tee
  • Selected Homme Organic Cotton Crew Neck Jumper

I was quite amazed that all these products were the kind of products I would choose if I was out on the high street. I was also extremely impressed that every item fitted perfectly and was particularly suited to my physique.

Even with the boots, where I overruled the Thread.com recommended size and went one bigger (my usual size), I wish I had not; because they were too large, and I returned them (very easily) for an exchange. Further great evidence that Thread's personalised sizing is more than just a simple 'all brands' Size 10 are the same' filter.

Overall, the service provided by Thread.com both before, during, and after purchase was superb. It was a seamless development of inspiration, selection, purchase, and delivery; all with an exceptionally fair value and excellent result.

Thread.com do not do cycle clothing, yet. But, this model of personalised shopping is extraordinary, and it should be attractive to all shoppers looking to have an efficient and effective shopping experience. Who knows, perhaps Thread will branch out into sports kit soon as well…

If you register on Thread.com via one of my links, you will receive a discount on your first purchase if you are a new customer. Find out how much after the 3-minute registration process on-site.

Thread Tim Wiggins

Thread Tim Wiggins

Disclaimer: The above links in this article are affiliate links — a commission is earned from sign-ups
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