J Crew Spring/Summer 2011 Discussion

Originally Posted by Peter1

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I think, as always, you have to pick and choose with J.Crew. I find their shirtings to be crap with bad fits. The pants are crap with good fits. The outerwear is good quality with crap fits. The suitings (at least the loro piano one I have) are pretty good but expensive for what you get. Their current quality is much better than, say, 1999, but much worse than 1990, if that dates me, so be it. Seems like every season there are a few surprisingly good items. I have a canvas blanket lined jacket from like 2004 that has worn like iron and a 20-year-old wool CPO that looks like new; conversely, some of their recent lightweight slim-fit chinos haven't survived one season without shrinking or, oddly, getting diaper butt...
I definitely agree. It's just that now we have to sift through a lot of their newer items to get to their classics. They're pushing the light weight chinos (I think you may be referring to the Essex pant that shrank) more than the broken-in chinos. With fit, I agree too. I find the shirts a bit blousey, but I wash/dry those in high heat to shrink and it works out well. I recently bought one of their Ludlow suits and I was impressed and I can't complain about price given that I got the 30% for holidays deal. As for quality, I can't speak to how it was back in the 90's, but I know back in 07 they still had it. I'm wary about buying their sweaters now, but the again I have way too many from this past F/W season. Wait the jacket you bought in 2004, is that the tanker jacket? Just curious because it sounds similar to mine.

Originally Posted by Peter1

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The outerwear is good quality with crap fits.

Disagree.

I can't think of another mall-based, mail-order, mass-market retailer that makes better jackets and coats than J. Crew.

banana republic makes better outerwear than j crew

Originally Posted by imposter2012

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I definitely still love J. Crew and I like most of the stuff that's currently offered. Just wish they would offer some more classic stuff too. Why don't we have any more of the regency ties? J. Crew was built on offering cheaper alternatives to classic preppy brands like Ralph Lauren. They should stay true to its roots: classic with a J. Crew twist... not something urban outfitters would do. Also, quality has noticeably gone down. I think that's my biggest gripe with the brand.

I agree with you on the layering thing. The most I'd wear would be cardigan over a tee.

I think you should take a look at the Urban Outfitters website and rethink what you just said. Just because a cardigan is featured doesn't make it hipster/UO. Nothing in this lookbook screams UO. Just saying...kinda getting sick of this comparison

Originally Posted by Newstyle

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I think you should take a look at the Urban Outfitters website and rethink what you just said. Just because a cardigan is featured doesn't make it hipster/UO. Nothing in this lookbook screams UO. Just saying...kinda getting sick of this comparison

True, it's no where NEAR UO haha, but I'm just making a point that it's not what it used to be.

Also, I'm not displeased with the cardigan. The jorts aren't working for me.

Originally Posted by Teger

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banana republic makes better outerwear than j crew

This.

I hate almost everything that BR makes, but their outerwear is pretty good. I have a camel colored moleskin coat from last fall that has held up very well. Sized down one it fits pretty slim and the construction is pretty good all around- buttons are attached very well, material is pretty good, etc. Also, its BR - they have 40% off of everything seemingly at least once a month so their outerwear can be gotten pretty cheaply.

All the jcrew outerwear I've tried on has fit really awkwardly.

I just kopped two outerwear pieces from BR. The **** that JCrew has been putting out lately sucks.

Originally Posted by Johdus Fanfoozal

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Disagree.

I can't think of another mall-based, mail-order, mass-market retailer that makes better jackets and coats than J. Crew.

Ha! True. Apples to apples...

Originally Posted by imposter2012

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I definitely agree. It's just that now we have to sift through a lot of their newer items to get to their classics. They're pushing the light weight chinos (I think you may be referring to the Essex pant that shrank) more than the broken-in chinos.

With fit, I agree too. I find the shirts a bit blousey, but I wash/dry those in high heat to shrink and it works out well. I recently bought one of their Ludlow suits and I was impressed and I can't complain about price given that I got the 30% for holidays deal. As for quality, I can't speak to how it was back in the 90's, but I know back in 07 they still had it. I'm wary about buying their sweaters now, but the again I have way too many from this past F/W season.

Wait the jacket you bought in 2004, is that the tanker jacket? Just curious because it sounds similar to mine.

Probably. Mine has a corduroy collar; sort of brownish olive. Zipper and a zippered chest pocket. It's actually worn as well as my Carhartt chore coat -- but then I think I paid $150 for it.

Originally Posted by Peter1

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Probably. Mine has a corduroy collar; sort of brownish olive. Zipper and a zippered chest pocket. It's actually worn as well as my Carhartt chore coat -- but then I think I paid $150 for it.

Although the coat was priced higher, it held up very well. Notice that the price points with the current offerings can fluctuate with deep-discount sales. I don't recall them having such big sales back when I first started shopping them.

I'm pretty pleased with the new collection right now though. I just got one of their lightweight shirts and the plaited cotton cardigan. Have yet to wear those and my trapper.

Originally Posted by Teger

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banana republic makes better outerwear than j crew

I dunno, I find a lot of BR's outwear (along with the other stuff they sell) is just uninspired. I love all the details on the J. Crew outerwear.

And fit wise, I have no complaints.

Complete disaster. Not one good fit.

Originally Posted by Meis

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This.

I hate almost everything that BR makes, but their outerwear is pretty good. I have a camel colored moleskin coat from last fall that has held up very well. Sized down one it fits pretty slim and the construction is pretty good all around- buttons are attached very well, material is pretty good, etc. Also, its BR - they have 40% off of everything seemingly at least once a month so their outerwear can be gotten pretty cheaply.

All the jcrew outerwear I've tried on has fit really awkwardly.

I tried on a brown BR leather jacket last year and was surprised at its quality and how well it fit. Kopped it a little while later with a 40 percent coupon. It's one of my favorite jackets.

That said BR doesn't come close to offering the likes of British Millerain, a well-fitted peacoat or something with the attention to deatail like the Woodland Jacket - not to mention the collabs.

New arrivals online!

what is the quality like on jcrew footwear? The suede bucks are exactly what I'm looking for.