Modern Citizen
Established · Under $200 · San Francisco, United States
Minimalist desk-to-dinner essentials in a clean modern register, polished pieces at a genuinely fair price.
Think: workwear basics, modern cuts
The buy: the work-appropriate top
What to buy
the work-appropriate top
Categories
Occasions
Why Modern Citizen is worth it
Modern Citizen makes polished work clothes with one considered twist each, a pleat, a draped collar or a ruched neckline, at prices a wardrobe can be built on.
The pieces start from shapes you already wear, the knit midi, the pleated trouser, the fine sweater, and add a single detail so they read as designed rather than basic. Organic cotton, merino and cotton-silk sit alongside easy stretch blends for tailoring, and most of it is meant for the washing machine rather than the dry cleaner, so it keeps up with a working week.
Modern Citizen picks
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Is now a good time?
The sale pattern
From 4 months of sale tracking.
It's been 9 weeks since the last one against a rhythm of about every 6 weeks — they're due.
- Runs a sale
- about once a month
- Last sale
- 2 months ago
- Typical markdown
- 40% off
- Deepest we’ve seen
- 70% off
About Modern Citizen
Jessica Lee and Lizzie Agnew started Modern Citizen in San Francisco as an online label, and its first fans were women in tech looking for a sharper way to dress for the office. The brand dates its founding to 2015.
It grew into a women-led label that designs its own collections, known for modern workwear with a design detail in every piece, made in small runs planned around waitlists so it avoids producing more than it sells.
- Founded
- 2015
- Founded by
- Jessica Lee and Lizzie Agnew
- Based in
- United States
- Made in
- China and India
- Made of
- Mostly cotton, much of it organic, plus polyester, viscose, wool and merino
- Shipping
- Ships across the US with free ground shipping; abroad it ships only to Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with duties and taxes payable at checkout, and those orders are final sale.
- Where to buy
- Modern Citizen's own site · Our Modern Citizen picks
What shoppers say
From reviews and try-on videos, in our words.
- Fit
Sizes run XS to 1X, with petite versions of select dresses and a short inseam on many core trousers. The brand says sizing varies by style, so check the garment measurements under Size + Fit on each product page.
- Fabric and care
Expect organic cotton, merino and cotton-silk alongside polyester and stretch blends in the tailoring. Most pieces are a cold machine or hand wash and very few need dry cleaning, which is part of the brand's pitch.
- Demand
Styles are made in limited quantities around waitlists and pre-orders, so popular sizes can sell out fast. Many of the most-wanted pieces come back, and joining the waitlist gets you an email when one does.
- Returns
US returns and exchanges are accepted within 30 days of delivery. Exchanges and store credit are free; a refund loses a small handling fee unless you added return coverage. Final Sale pieces, and sale pieces bought with an extra discount, can't come back.
- Shipping
US ground shipping is free. Abroad it ships only to the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with duties and taxes paid at checkout, and those international orders are final sale.
What Modern Citizen is made of
Cotton · Polyester · Viscose, with wool
- Natural
- 50%
- Plant-based
- 17%
- Synthetic
- 33%
Works most in: cotton, polyester and viscose
From the fabric listed on 403 pieces · 98% of the range lists it · Checked October 2026
Modern Citizen in our edits
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Modern Citizen, answered
- What is Modern Citizen?
- Modern Citizen is a US women's label making modern work clothes and everyday pieces: knit dresses, fine sweaters, tailored trousers and blouses, each with a design detail that lifts it past basic.
- Is Modern Citizen a good brand?
- Yes. We like it for work clothes with a point of view at a fair price: organic cotton, merino and cotton-silk in the mix, mostly washable fabrics, sizes XS to 1X with petite cuts, and small runs planned around waitlists.
- Who founded Modern Citizen?
- Jessica Lee and Lizzie Agnew founded it in San Francisco; the brand dates its start to 2015.
- Where is Modern Citizen from?
- It started in San Francisco and describes itself as based in New York, with stores in both cities.
- Does Modern Citizen run true to size?
- It varies by style, the brand says. Sizes run XS to 1X, select dresses come in petite and many trousers in a short inseam, and product pages list each style's measurements.
- Does Modern Citizen ship internationally?
- Only to the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with duties and taxes payable at checkout, and those orders are final sale. Within the US, ground shipping is free.
- Where can I buy Modern Citizen?
- On the brand's own site, or through our Modern Citizen picks.
- When does Modern Citizen go on sale?
- Across the 4 sales we have tracked, Modern Citizen has run one about once a month. The last one was about 2 months ago.
- How much does Modern Citizen discount?
- Their sales usually reach about 40% off, and the deepest we have seen was 70% off.
- What is Modern Citizen made of?
- Across the 403 Modern Citizen pieces we could read in October 2026, about 50% of the fabric is natural fibers, 17% plant-based fibers like viscose and 33% synthetic. The most common fabrics are cotton, polyester and viscose.
- Which brands are like Modern Citizen?
- If you like Modern Citizen, look at Marcella, Cos, Because of Alice and Almina Concept.