J. Crew Fall/Winter 2011 Discussion

[Texastyle]

That's really weird. I have the straight leg cords from a year ago and they fit perfectly.

 

[Froosh]

Do the utility shirts all have a slim fit variant? I noticed there was a slim fit vintage chambray utility shirt online, wondering if the other ones have em too.

 

[Ippo]

Anyone have these pair of pants (484 slim-fit garment-dyed jean in dusty camel)?

http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/NewArrivals/pants/PRDOVR~47890/47890.jsp

Worth it?

 

[BoboMax]



Do the utility shirts all have a slim fit variant? I noticed there was a slim fit vintage chambray utility shirt online, wondering if the other ones have em too.

not all, i think certain ones

 

[aaaeeeiiiooouuu]



JCrew pants (and their clothing in general) fits like ****. They're a brand I try so hard to like, but I just can't get past their bloated prices and ****** fits.

I agree about J.crew pricing themselves out of their own market. Even at the outlet store here, you fall in love with a piece and then check and it has two things: a three figure price and a made in china tag. Same with the BB stores around here. We have three and it's incredibly hard to find something not made in China, again with a triple digit price. Honestly after perusing the three stores over and over I'm starting to not understand the hype behind Brook's Brothers quality around here.

I agree w/ the general sentiment here. 2 years ago I had several JC pieces in my closet, but I've almost sold or given away all of them, and now I only resort to JC for basics like tees and socks. I think JC still pulls together some good collabs and has some OK accessories from time to time. But I'd like to say something about JC's mainline. I don't really like the argument that JC "is what it is", b/c that implies that JC offers some sort of value, which it clearly does not. Almost everything at JC is tremendously over-priced, and a lot of the staple pieces are terrible quality, even for a mall brand. For example, their shirting fabric is terrible - just terrible. I'd expect that sort of shirting fabric at a store of maybe Old Navy's caliber, where it's 3 for $30 on mens' shirts. But (if I remember correctly) isn't a JC shirt like $50-70? Their washed shirts feel and look like tissue paper, what else can be said for them? Gap shirts are both cheaper than JC's shirts and basically the same quality, and by that I mean paper-thin, crumply, tissue-like fabric w/ a billowy cut to accomodate the beer gut of whomever was cajoled into going to the mall w/ his significant other. Honestly, Gap is closing in fast on JC, and if it weren't for JC's meticulous marketing/positioning, collabs, and what not, I don't see how they could compete into the future. So JC, in my opinion, offers terrible value, but I detest JC for another reason, which is that they shamelessly import other designers' ideas and export it to the mall masses. I made a picture a while back in MS Paint of JC's misdeeds from that particular season (ie side-by-side photos), but here's the basic gist: 1) Directly copied a Gitman shirt 2) Directly copied a Wings + Horns shirt 3) Pulling cues from heritage brands (eg, RRL, Crescent Down)- harder to prove, but I think if you take JC's lines season-by-season, their general lack of creativity adds up and is clearly apparent I remember someone pointed out that, "who cares - it's not like there's that many shirt patterns you can conceive of; moreover, I'm not the sort of person who wants to pay $175+ for a shirt," which brings me to my next point, that JC is a make-pretend old-timey mens' clothier that really specializes in appealing to the lowest common denominator. Have you read the copy on the items on JC's website. Everything reads like, a) "Our designer ventured to the furthest isles in South Asia w/ world-renowned National Geographic photographers to source our totally-authentic madras fabric" b) "This leather was sourced from the oldest tannery in the universe, where an 80-year-old Frenchman skins virgin calves all day, so you know it's authentic" c) "It's like that sweatshirt you used to wear in college; you're going to wanna slip into this when you drive your Volvo down to Whole Foods to ogle college-aged vegetarians" It's insulting and embarrassing to talk-down on your customers like that. JC is the Pottery Barn of mens' clothing. By that I mean it's OK on a piece-by-piece basis, but I don't see how you can defend the store overall

 

[Philip]

Gap shirts are both cheaper than JC's shirts and basically the same quality, and by that I mean paper-thin, crumply, tissue-like fabric w/ a billowy cut to accomodate the beer gut of whomever was cajoled into going to the mall w/ his significant other. Honestly, Gap is closing in fast on JC, and if it weren't for JC's meticulous marketing/positioning, collabs, and what not, I don't see how they could compete into the future.

Completely agree with this. Much of J. Crew's success is reliant on in my opinion its catalogue presentation and its online store. All the work put into photography, clothing ensembles, and the look of the website.

So JC, in my opinion, offers terrible value, but I detest JC for another reason, which is that they shamelessly import other designers' ideas and export it to the mall masses. I made a picture a while back in MS Paint of JC's misdeeds from that particular season (ie side-by-side photos), but here's the basic gist:
1) Directly copied a Gitman shirt
2) Directly copied a Wings + Horns shirt
3) Pulling cues from heritage brands (eg, RRL, Crescent Down)- harder to prove, but I think if you take JC's lines season-by-season, their general lack of creativity adds up and is clearly apparent

This is a valid point but it makes shopping for staple pieces so much easier for people like me who can only really shop online to avoid relentless internet searching and piling shipping costs

Everything reads like,
a) "Our designer ventured to the furthest isles in South Asia w/ world-renowned National Geographic photographers to source our totally-authentic madras fabric"
b) "This leather was sourced from the oldest tannery in the universe, where an 80-year-old Frenchman skins virgin calves all day, so you know it's authentic"
c) "It's like that sweatshirt you used to wear in college; you're going to wanna slip into this when you drive your Volvo down to Whole Foods to ogle college-aged vegetarians"

lol this reminds me of Seinfeld and the J. Peterman catalogue

 

[TACO_FLAVORED_KISSES]

Gap shirts actually fit slimmer.

 

[Johdus Fanfoozal]



Anyone have these pair of pants (484 slim-fit garment-dyed jean in dusty camel)?

http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/NewArrivals/pants/PRDOVR~47890/47890.jsp

Worth it?

Don't know how they fit, but I've seen them in person. The color is great - a rich, darker khaki. The denim was hefty. It almost felt raw to the touch, but I don't believe it is.

 

[Froosh]

Has anyone seen the "Selvedge Chambray Utility Shirt" (item 23096) in person? How's the quality of the Japanese chambray? Wondering if it looks as light blue/faded as these shirts:

 

[otc]



Nah man, vintage slim fit. I even double checked the style code on the tag. Unless they were tagged wrong. I'd hate to see how the relaxed or bootcut fit. I woulda rather had the 484 slim fit but they didn't make those in merlot.

To be fair...I had a pair of cords with mismatched tags. I think they were straight fit (but many years ago...probably different cutting now) and they were usually only to be found online. I wanted more in other colors but there were two tags and one said 34x32 and the other was flipped with 32x34. I was always too lazy to order both and return one, so I never got another pair--and now the original got bleach stains on the leg somehow and is now gone.

 

[Ippo]



Don't know how they fit, but I've seen them in person. The color is great - a rich, darker khaki. The denim was hefty. It almost felt raw to the touch, but I don't believe it is.

Thanks for the info

 

[donaldducktm]

"It's insulting and embarrassing to talk-down on your customers like that. JC is the Pottery Barn of mens' clothing. By that I mean it's OK on a piece-by-piece basis, but I don't see how you can defend the store overall"

Pretty much agree on this.

 

[donaldducktm]

I have a question. Is there a big difference in quality with Jcrew.com and Jcrew.com/factory?

 

[tv2177]

quality? i think there is minimal or no difference btwn jc or jc factory.

 

[BaaBaaBlackFleece]



I have a question. Is there a big difference in quality with Jcrew.com and Jcrew.com/factory?

varies by item......