J crew

[shoreman1782]

I'm not defending the quality - and certainly not the prices - of these jackets, but yet another sign that the trappings and the suits of - well - suits have somewhat jumped the shark. Email Catalog I've had some J Crew new faux riche stuff of this type before (I have a herringbone jacket from last year with pseudo pickstitching and working sleeve buttons), but I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay $250 for a blazer that's size "large".

 

[Mike C.]

I do have to say that those jackets do have great styling; I love the higher placed lapels. Though this look doesn't work with cheap fabrics and crappy buttons as J. Crew uses. In additon, it is very rare that one of these jackets will have a fit that looks anything remotely tailored.

 

[shoreman1782]

In additon, it is very rare that one of these jackets will have a fit that looks anything remotely tailored.

That's what I'm saying with my last comment. I'm an OTR 42R in many makers' suits (I can wear 44R in some slimmer cuts). J Crew insists on M(38-40) and L(42-44). In past years, at least, neither of those translates into fitting me.

Same deal with their dress shirts. Their dress shirts in the past year or so have looked alright, and can be had for like $20 on sale. But they're all S, M, or L, and rarely fit like a normal 16/34 or whatever. It's frustrating, because the styling does tend to be passable, and good for the price-point.

I am considering a waxwear bag, though. Much less expensive than the real deal, and I don't put them through the real hell the Filsons and Barbours are built for.

 

[Mike C.]

Quote:

Same deal with their dress shirts. Their dress shirts in the past year or so have looked alright, and can be had for like $20 on sale. But they're all S, M, or L, and rarely fit like a normal 16/34 or whatever. It's frustrating, because the styling does tend to be passable, and good for the price-point.
You get what you pay for (except when it comes to Jantzen). I happen to really like the styling of some J.Crew stuff, but the crap materials always hold me back from making a purchase, reguardless of how much I like the item.

 

[kidkim2]

Goodness. Two hundred ninety-eight bucks for a "Perfect Navy Blazer".  This on the day when Greg at Wilkes quoted me $4,400 for a two-piece OTR Brioni suit in low-end fabric.  By the way, the Brioni tailor will be at Wilkes Bashford (Sutter Street, San Francisco) Thursday through Saturday.  Bring your own loan officer.

Are my eyes deceiving me, or is the jacket of the aforementioned  "Perfect Navy Blazer"--as pictured in the J. Crew on-line catalog--lopped off at the model's wrist?  What's with this?

 

[A Harris]

This on the day when Greg at Wilkes quoted me $4,400 for a two-piece OTR Brioni suit in low-end fabric.

It's amazing how much more expensive high-end tailored clothing has been getting... Kiton suits are running 5k plus these days.

 

[tricket]

Do you guys notice the buttons on the jacket sleeve? They are placed some 3 inches away from the sleeve opening.

 

[Phil]

I think I must be in the minority, but I really like Jcrews offerings most of the time. Yes, made in places like Indonesia and Mauritus (whereever the heck that is), but its pretty reliable stuff. I agree with the boards opinion on the silly perfect blazer and some other of their items, but at least they are starting to offer jackets in true sizes (they even have a 40L, which I have a heck of a time finding in most places). I love quality as much as the next guy, but there is nothing inherently wrong with buying the so called "perfect navy blazer" if thats what your budget allows. Its nice to see people start to get a bit more dressed up again, and if Jcrew helps that cause, I think thats great. I wish they would start offering some of their other coats in longs, even if they stick with the s,m,l,xl thing. I made the switch to Jcrew khakis about 2 years ago, when I finally gave up on Bill's Khakis, which are double the price, and invariably either came apart at the seams, or had most of the buttons fall off (I like the button fly model). My Jcrew versions (made in China), have held up admirably, much more so than my Bill's. Lastly, I think Jcrews ties are a good value. They are something like $35.00, and I cant tell the difference between those and some that are twice the price.

 

[AlanC]

I'll back Phil up here. Sure JCrew isn't Barba, but I think they offer some fine items and you can get steals on clearance. Their ties are often quite nice. They have a range of repp stripes right now that I'm eyeing for clearance later on. Their pocket squares this season are of a nice substantial silk. I wear their socks a lot. I believe it was mentioned here last winter that they were using Loro Piana cashmere in that season's sweaters.

It seems odd to me that there is a lot of (deserved) bashing of what most people wear. Yet when we see a more popularly aimed store incorporating classic designs they are ridiculed. It seems difficult to have it both ways. I for one applaud J Crew and Banana Republic for offering some affordable, classic options.

 

[shoreman1782]

Personally, I didn't intend to come off as bashing j crew, or those who wear it - I'd be lying if I said I didn't own a bunch of their stuff. I wore a lot of it, particularly, in college. I wanted to say: the details/styling traditionally associated with fine clothing are in the mall, and J Crew's sizing doesn't fit my sizing, so I'm hesitant to spend any cash on a piece that doesn't fit. I agree their ties are nice, substantially better than the BR ties I've had. The jackets, though steep for J Crew, are less expensive than "the real thing" and make some of these styles, traditionally reserved for the thick-wallet crowd, much more affordable (this mass-produced trendiness may be the problem for people). I haven't seen the pocket squares in person yet. When these sportcoats go down to $100 on clearance, you can bet I'll be there trying to convince myself that they DO fit. Â

 

[retronotmetro]

I like how only the $498 cashmere one is shown with the lowest button unbuttoned. Coincidence?