Lands’ End vs L.L.Bean: which dress shirt is actually worth it?
Side by side on the specifications that decide how a shirt looks after a year: the collar interlining, how the size is arrived at, the cloth, and the price each brand actually advertises rather than the one on the ticket.
L.L.Bean delivers more shirt per dollar than Lands’ End
L.L.Bean scores 54/100 on specification per dollar against 0/100 for Lands’ End. The score weighs two things a shirt is actually judged on after a year: the collar interlining and how the size is arrived at. Lands’ End does not publish its collar interlining, so there is nothing there to check. Price is the lowest per-shirt figure each brand advertises itself, not a list price neither of them expects you to pay.
- Lower advertised price: Lands’ End — $42 against $65 a shirt
- Fit control: L.L.Bean — Neck + sleeve length against alpha sizing (s/m/l/xl)
| Specification | Lands’ End | L.L.Bean |
|---|---|---|
| List price, one shirtWhat a single shirt costs at full price. | $7012 | $6545 |
| Lowest advertised priceThe per-shirt price the brand itself promotes — its multi-buy ladder or standing sale. | $4212 | $65 (no multi-buy)45 |
| Collar interliningA glued collar is what bubbles and curls after a year of washing. Most brands decline to say which theirs is. | Not published by the brand13 | Not published by the brand4 |
| How the size is decidedAlpha sizing asks you to fit the shirt; a drafted pattern fits the shirt to you. | Alpha sizing (S/M/L/XL)13 | Neck + sleeve length4 |
| Cloth | The UK page states 100% cotton in an oxford basketweave; the US pages for the same shirt do not render a fibre content at all, so the same garment is documented differently in the two markets. No weight, ply or yarn count anywhere, and no non-iron claim.31 | 100% cotton stated as a blend of 69% pima and 31% upland, in a 5.5 oz oxford cloth with a lustrous finish. That is both a staple blend ratio and an ounce weight, neither of which any other brand in this comparison publishes. The cloth is a wrinkle-free, no-iron fabric in the brand’s own words.4 |
| Published construction | The UK page publishes a garment wash, a rear box pleat with locker loop and a patch chest pocket — details most of the off-the-rack field omits. Interlining, stitch density, single-needle seams, split yoke and button material are not published.3 | Classic single-needle tailoring with double-needle stitching at stress seams, and a shirttail hem. Interlining, stitch density, split yoke and button material are not published.4 |
| Where it is made | No country of manufacture is specified on any Lands’ End page read, US or UK.13 | Says only "Imported". No country of manufacture is named.4 |
| Returns | No returns policy was reached on any Lands’ End page read for this record. | Returns accepted within one year with proof of purchase in most cases — by a wide margin the longest window of any brand in this comparison. Who pays return shipping is not stated on the product page.4 |
| Turnaround | No dispatch or delivery time is published on the product pages. | No dispatch or delivery time is published on the product pages. |
| Spec per dollarCollar construction and sizing method against the price actually advertised (0–100). | 0/100 · Paying for the name | 54/100 · Fair |
Who each one is for
- Lands’ End
- A shopper buying on price with a code in hand who needs Big or Tall sizing that most oxford sellers do not carry.
- L.L.Bean
- Someone buying by neck and sleeve who wants the cloth specified in ounces and does not want to iron.
Questions people ask about this pair
- Is Lands’ End or L.L.Bean cheaper?
- Lands’ End. Its lowest advertised price is $42 a shirt against $65 for L.L.Bean. At full list the two are $70 and $65.
- Which has the better collar?
- Neither can be separated on published evidence. Does not publish whether the button-down collar is lined. Neither the US nor the UK page addresses interlining. Does not publish whether the collar is lined or unlined. The page describes a gentle collar roll and stops there, even though it publishes more construction and fabric detail than most of this field.
- How do I get the right size from Lands’ End or L.L.Bean?
- Lands’ End: The Sail Rigger oxford is sold in alpha sizes with chest ranges — S 34 to 36, M 38 to 40, L 42 to 44, XL 46 to 48, XXL 50 to 52 — crossed with Regular, Tall, Big and Big & Tall, in Traditional and Tailored fits. Lands’ End does sell neck-and-sleeve sizing on its dress shirt lines, but this casual oxford is alpha only. L.L.Bean: Sold by neck and sleeve — neck 14.5 to 18, sleeve 32 to 37 — in a single Traditional fit described as relaxed through chest, sleeve and waist. The page adds that the 36 and 37 inch sleeve lengths run two inches longer in the body. No made-to-measure.
- What are the return policies?
- Lands’ End: No returns policy was reached on any Lands’ End page read for this record. L.L.Bean: Returns accepted within one year with proof of purchase in most cases — by a wide margin the longest window of any brand in this comparison. Who pays return shipping is not stated on the product page.
What a made-to-measure shirt costs from the workshop
We are not on this page to sell you a third option you did not ask for, so here are the numbers to compare against the table above. A shirt cut to your own measurements in our Hoi An workshop is $39–$59 garment-only, depending on the cloth, with shipping quoted separately. There is no size to pick and no fit name to guess between: the pattern is drafted from your measurements.
Neither Lands’ End nor L.L.Bean is a bad shirt at its price. The question this page exists to answer is what each one publishes about how it is built — and that is in the table, with the sources. See how the measurements are taken.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the Team at Nathan Taylor’s, I had the absolute best experience from the WhatsApp video call to the customer service… they are top notch. I can’t recommend them enough and will definitely be purchasing more suits from them. Cảm ơn!”
“Suit arrived! It’s incredible, amazing job thank you.”
“Ordered two suits and four shirts, remotely from the US. They fit great and are great quality! Was able to do everything over WhatsApp for measurements, etc. Will definitely visit if I ever make it to Hoi An. Highly recommend!”
“Being a short and stocky person, I could never truly get clothing that fitted properly. "Off the rack" was never an option... As I opened the small box, I got nervous and wondered if I made a big mistake and basically gambled away a fair amount of money. I ordered a 3 piece suit, 2 shirts and had a pair of leather dress shoes. Everything fitted nicely... the shirts were absolutely PERFECT.”
“Very satisfied; incredibly skillful to make clothes fit so perfectly. Beautiful fabric exactly as promised, very neat — would simply love to order from here again!”
“They did such an amazing job, my suit fits perfectly and the craftsmanship is superb! Linda was a great help and she knows exactly what she is doing. I can't recommend this place enough and I will be getting more suits from them in the future guaranteed!”
“Great place to get perfect suit, they send me to Poland with no problems.”
“WOW! Ordered a suit online with Linda. She contacted me by video call to go through the measuring process and once confirmed measurements again, around 4 weeks later a made to measure suit arrived in the UK. Fitted perfectly and I didn't even visit! Fantastic quality and customer service from Linda. Would definitely recommend!”
“Exceptional experience from start to finish. I ordered a fully custom two-piece double-breasted suit remotely from France, Linda and Jennifer guided me through every step with patience and professionalism. The suit arrived in under 3 weeks and the result is flawless: fabric, cut, lining, silhouette, everything is perfect. Nathan Tailors delivered exactly the vision I had in mind. I will absolutely be ordering again. Highly recommended.”
“This was my first time buying suits online so I was a bit apprehensive. However, the online order form was both easy to use and very thorough, and they did a video call with me to make sure of a couple of measurements that were out of the normal range. Two suits and a shirt arrived here in New Zealand in less than two weeks, are well-made, and fit perfectly. I'm thrilled with the service.”
Other shirt comparisons
Sources
- 1. Lands’ End — Men’s Long Sleeve Easy Fit Sail Rigger Oxford Shirtbrand · read 2026-09-29
- 2. Lands’ End — Men’s Short Sleeve Sail Rigger Oxford Shirtbrand · read 2026-09-29
- 3. Lands’ End UK — Men’s Sail Rigger Oxford Shirt, Traditional Fitbrand · read 2026-09-29
- 4. L.L.Bean — Men’s Wrinkle-Free Classic Oxford Cloth Shirt, Traditional Fitbrand · read 2026-09-29
- 5. L.L.Bean — men’s oxford shirts listingbrand · read 2026-09-29
- 6. L.L.Bean — Men’s Wrinkle-Free Pinpoint Oxford Cloth Shirt, Traditional Fit Tattersallbrand · read 2026-09-29