Emily in the ("Plea for Common Courtesy :)" post) suggested a great idea for a post which is to find out and share what each person's oldest J.Crew item is.I have to admit, I didn't own anything from J.Crew until I was a freshman in college. (Even back then it was only an item or two- their long sleeve tees that were both soft and comfortable.)
This was mainly because there was not a J.Crew store in my immediate shopping area (and I wasn't willing to drive at least a half an hour to one, like I am willing to now!) I didn't purchase much through their catalogs either because I didn't know what my size would be. (Remember J.Crew had those clearance catalogs they would send out a couple of times each year?)What is your oldest J.Crew item that you still have in your closet? Do you still wear it? Have you found the quality of J.Crew lasted over the years?
OMG, ok, now i feel old especially since i'm the first one posting! but i'll c&p my post from last night if that's ok...:)
ReplyDeleteemily: great idea!...OK, i'm 39 and i know i still have a t-shirt from when I was in highschool lying around somewhere!! :0 that's when the baggy/oversized t-shirt look was in...i have a lot of sweaters that were unisex from like 10/15 years ago...i don't wear them anymore but they're so nice i can't give them away! i actually gave one to my husband and it fits him perfectly! and does anyone remember the barn jackets?
and i know what you mean about the lighter weight merino coming out...my favorite black cardigan is made of the lighter weight merino. when i first got it i also thought jcrew was getting cheap! i think it's 10 years old now and it's held up wonderfully...i still wear it all the time!
i have many more old items but i don't want to bore you all :) thanks for letting me share!
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ReplyDeleteI have a white dress shirt in my closet from J. Crew that is six years old.
ReplyDeleteheather: ooooh, i had a wool rollneck...heather oatmeal...i still have it ;)
ReplyDeleteHmm ... the oldest thing is a pair of chinos I picked up when I was in Vegas. Wore them for a few years then decided the leg was too wide a cut so I cut off the legs, frayed them and now they're a favorite pair of shorts. The chinos are about eight years old. And still in great shape.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for a post, I can't wait to hear everyone else's responses! Now I am reminiscing about all my jcrew relics... :)
ReplyDeleteI STILL have a black wool rollneck sweater from winter 1990 that I wore to DEATH and now my husband wears it on really cold days! Still looks awesome too, need to shave it with a sweater shaver every so often. ( so funny, I bought my three little boys cotton rollnecks to wear on Christmas last year from Crewcuts.!! The joy...!)And I also have a women's red peacoat, probably from 1997, that will hopefully never go out of style!
ReplyDeleteso - I think I own the pink turtleneck sweater in the picture Alexis posted! If it is indeed cashmere, it was my first ever cashmere purchase. I still cherish it, even though it's six years old...:)
ReplyDeleteI didn't really start buying j.crew until college (no stores in my area, although I used to get the cataloge in high school and drool over everything. there is a store there now of course...). I remember my first j. crew purchase ever - a pair of blue really thin waled cords that looked like jeans from far away. They have since been given away. I should have framed them! The oldest things that are still in my closest are sweater sets, but the "shell" was a tube top! I loved those - I thought the line was so much better and more "sophisticated" (I was a senior in college - tube top and sophisticated still made sense) than a shell. They are from 1999/2000!
I grew up in Florida, and while I did actually row on the Crew Team in High School (we were actually the 1st Girl's Crew Team for our school/area, and had our pic in the local paper, too)...I didn't wear J.Crew (though I did wear the "deck shoes" functionally, of course). It wasn't well-known here, so I don't have any pieces that are very old...to be honest, I don't really keep any clothing for much more than a year, two max, except maybe for Handbags, Shoes, and Jackets (another reason I like to shop sale).
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do intend to keep my J.Crew Cashmere sweaters if they will hold up well enough. :)
ReplyDeleteI have two ribbed merino turtlenecks that are at least 10-11 years old and they are still in great condition. I find that similar items now are not the same quality.
ReplyDeleteI also remember the rollnecks...I had one at one time. I also remember the little mini sale catalogs they would include with your package. I think the website probably was the death of those, since they can manage sale stock in real time (well, pre-website snafu).
I'd like to contribute to the post too, but sadly I think I've cleaned out my closet so many times the oldest thing I have now is only a year old...
ReplyDeleteThe very *first* J.Crew item I ever bought - was a Barn Jacket with Thinsulate lining - back in 1996. And thus started my love affair with J.Crew. :)
I have a rollneck sweater and barn jacket from the early 90's.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of J.Crew from the mid-90s (I'm probably a bit, erm, older than some of you here). I actually was not at all a fan of J.Crew in my college/grad school days but have found that I'm getting much preppier as I erm, mature. I know that I have a wine-colored scoop back body suit from 1993, several linen shirts from mid-90s, and lots and lots of cashmere, some of which I still wear.
ReplyDeleteThe fit has changed a LOT. I used to be a perfect 2. I still have a pretty pale blue pea coat from 1999 and it's a generous 2, plenty of room to wear a jacket underneath. Likewise skirts. Now, a 6 is snug in the shoulders (getting a 6 petite in the lady day coat was a mistake). Very puzzling that my old 2s still fit but I need a 6 in the new stuff.
Actually, I might as well come out and say my age, which is 42. (I am old enough that my husband teases me a little about liking J.Crew, since it is certainly marketed to younger women. But, sheesh, what am I supposed to do? Switch to Chico's just because I'm over 40?
Um, I think my husband still has his black rollneck and barn jacket from the late 80's...my oldest item still in my closet is a french terry jersey circa 1991 or 1992. Oh, and I still have gray wool flannel pants from that time period that I wear occasionally. They're high-cut on the waist and pleated, but I wear them when I'm having a Katharine Hepburn moment.
ReplyDeleteBefore my area had a Jcrew store they would have these spur of the moment outlet things where they would set up shop in empty retail spaces and sell all of their items.
ReplyDeleteOf course as time went on it got less and less expensive, but you had to get there early to get good things and you obviously couldn't return them. I think this lasted a few days or a week. Did anyone else have that in their area? -- This was like 10 years ago.
I'm curious what they do with the left overs now... surely they can't be getting rid of all of it with these online sales and I don't see it at the Jcrew outlets which have subpar quality.
I've given a lot of mine to goodwill so I can't think of an oldest piece although I have some with the different / older tags.
This topic is making me long for old jcrew stuff I had that has been lost over time!
ReplyDeleteThe oldest thing I still have is a camel colored pea coat from about 1997.
I had a black wool zip-up coat around the same time, but wore it so much the lining totally shredded.
The thing I miss the most and wish I could have back was a navy blue woold sweater with orange/multi colored stripes across the chest and a turtleneck. I LOVED that sweater and would kill to find it.
I also had a pair of really shiny brown oxfords that I wore in high school. Oh the days. I miss the late 90's and all my great jcrew clothes that are gone!
emily - we had those giant J.Crew sales here too! And yeah, it was at least 10 years ago - held at Vets Memorial in Columbus, OH. They'd give you a giant mesh bag when you walked in the door and it was just piles and piles of (cheap!) tank tops and shirts and pants for as far as the eye could see! I didn't come away with much - but SO fun.
ReplyDeleteLets just say I am in my mid 40's and I have a crew pullover sweater in a mint green color I bought my freshman year in college. There weren't any J.Crew store near by so it was also one of the first things I ever bought through a catalogue. I still wear it to this day. To me it just brings back good memories and it is comfortable. It is actually in pretty good shape.
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ReplyDeleteHeather -- I had a long-sleeve cotton crewneck in heather acqua, too! Still do! I remember being in history class in high school, somewhat...erm... uninterested, and staring at my shirt thinking, "Wow, look at all the different colors in this heather blue!"
ReplyDeleteAlso -- Alexis -- I totally remember those paper clearance catalogs! I love them. That's how I bought my floral cardigan (oldest piece in my closet). Those were great...
-emily
emily, yes the color is nice, even still! the heathered colors are so interesting. :) I had another in pink which I actually got rid of about a year ago, and it had light pink, salmon, peach, grey, white mixed together.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE my old J.Crew clothes! Remember the Boulce sweaters that were popular in 98/99? They stretched out pretty badly after a year or two. I think it was 2001 or 2002 when EVERYONE I knew ordered from the catalogue (sophomore year of college). The Shetland sweaters were always popular, and remember those clogs? I LOVED the summer blow-out sales when J.Crew rented a warehouse, put an ad in the paper, and crowds of people sifted through cardboard boxes full of last season's clothes. I think t-shirts were $10, sweaters were $20. I bought amazing leather boots for $30!
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ReplyDeleteAprildi: i have/had some of those shiny brown oxfords too. i just gave them away...they were in good condition because i actually didn't wear them much...they weren't very comfortable at all.
ReplyDeletei also had a great peacoat that i gave to my mom because it was always too big for me...again, oversized used to be in. i still have my barn jacket and it fits my husband!! by the way, even though it fits him, we can't decide if it's dorky or not on him...but we're still keeping it..:)
jcrew womens clothing has definitely become more feminine and fabulous...which i'm happy about for my age now...my joelle blouse, cute fitted jackets, etc. are a far cry from my old unisex jcrew stuff!!
I just Goodwill-ed of a baby pink and ivory sweater from who knows when. (I know it is old though because of the dark green label on the inside!) Love the sweater, but unfortunately it is a bit too cropped to wear now. But other than that, I'm not much of a "keeper". My rule is that if I don't wear it an entire season, then I need to give it away to Goodwill. (Doesn't apply to wedding and formal wear though) Obviously I won't be wearing it again if I went a whole year without it, and that way others can get wear out of a good quality, stylish piece! And I get more room in my closet! :)
ReplyDeleteEmily & ccbmum: I think that all the items that they absolutely can't get rid of in the stores or on-line in final sales goes to J.Crew Clearance stores or Outlet stores. I have a Clearance store (which technically is different than an outlet) about an hour away from me, and it is the oddest thing. Some things are older, some things are brand new (that is where I found the emerald patent peeptoe Mary Janes for $50!)...You never really know until you step foot in it (which is why it is hard to justify the hour drive there). Anyone else have any thoughts? Is there a J.Crew heaven somewhere? :)
heather:
ReplyDeletedon't worry , i'm enjoying this...but i am definitely feeling like an "old person"...i need to go and check out my new stuff in my closet for a reality check...also, i have a few bathing suits lying around...don't ask my why i still have them, but they are still in great condition!! my jcrew addiction has been going on for a very long time...:0
Believe it or not, my oldest J Crew item is a pair of plaid flannel boxer shorts. I sewed them closed and still wear them (around the house, of course!). They must be 17-18 years old by now. I loved wearing them in the dorms back in my college days. :)
ReplyDeletehi math teacher: i believe you...i STILL have some flowered MENS boxers that i used to wear all the time and STILL wear them when i'm doing a fake tan...:) ok, i need to stop...i have a 3 1/2 year old here who needs me and i keep sneaking away to blog!!!
ReplyDeleteMy oldest J.Crew item is a wool jacket from 1998. It's in a good condition although the lining looks a little worn. I wore it this past winter, and STILL got compliments. I was rather shocked cos I wore it out to the mall on a frumpy day when I didn't bother to dress up.
ReplyDeleteAnd boy, do I remember those boucle sweaters circa late 1990s!
-- Vivian
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ReplyDeletevivian: ah yes, boucle sweaters!!!!
ReplyDeleteI clean out my closet pretty often as well... the oldest J.Crew item in there isn't really that old compared to everyone else's! It's from Spring 2005, and it's the sailboat print skirt. I love this skirt!!! Does anyone else remember this pink and green sailboat print from 2005? I had a bathing suit in this print too!
ReplyDeleteLynn: I have the pink and green sailboat print in a strapless dress that I still have and love! Haha... :)
ReplyDeleteit's a southern thing...
ReplyDeletewhere is this clearance center? I never heard of one. (My bank account probably appreciates that)
I've been to several outlets but always walk away disappointed.
ok, i posted this a while back but no one remembered - now that there are some "older" jcrew fans here like myself (i don't want to offend anyone :)), do you guys remember Lauren Hutton in the catalogs? i always loved the ones with her in them...they always had her at the end wearing the more expensive stuff...jcrew really can be worn by ALL ages...:)
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ReplyDeleteccbum---
ReplyDeleteI was just going to post about supermodels in the old jcrew catalogs! I do remember Lauren Hutton, though Jacinta Barrett (from MTV's Real World London) was more on my radar at that age. I remember thinking, "hey she was on mtv and now in jcrew, cool!" :P I think Helena Christensen also modeled for jcrew?
a poster brought up a good point: What does J.Crew do with the stuff that doesn't sell/overflow? I know it doesn't go to Factory stores. I wish J.Crew was like Talbots, which sends it's out-of-season items and overflow items to outlets - so outlets have the exact same items that were in stores.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few things I would have bought extras of with J.Crew...and just in general, I wish they had outlet stores, not Factory, which isn't the same quality. So I'm curious - does anyone know what J.Crew does with the items that aren't sold, even via final sale?
I agree on the disappointment of the J. Crew outlet stores.
ReplyDeleteI went to one this weekend and saw Jackie cardigans, which I always wear to work. I was excited upon seeing the 44.95 price tag. Since I had a coupon for an additional 15% off anything in the outlet, they would have only been $38, s nice discount from $62.
After trying them on I realized that they were much thinner than the ones in the regular stores and felt extremely cheap as did pretty much everything else in the store.
ok, just saw It's a Southern Thing's post on this subject...I've never heard of clearance centers. Lucky you. This is exactly what I wish I had near me.
ReplyDeleteNever, ever come across one. I don't even see a link to such stores in store search option on the site, and yet they will list outlets.
Now I have to admit that I am also "older." I can't remember what first J.Crew item I had was, but I do remember going through the catalog. My whole family loves going through catalogs, so J.Crew was passed around. I do remember wearing a light pink pocket tee shirt a LOT, but don't know if it was J.Crew or Gap. I think my mom would buy us a few things for Christmas (socks, maybe sleep or lounge pants). I have a couple of things (at least I think I still have them) that are pretty old (early 90's?). One is a pink mock-neck sweater, and I remember wearing it to TGI Friday's on my 21st birthday (1991). It had shoulder pads in it, which I didn't take out 'till after that day, but I wish I had taken them out immediately, because I look kind of Frakenstein-y in the pictures. What a great day that was. Later that night (after dinner) one of my roommates and I went to 7-eleven. I had changed clothes somewhat, but still had the sweater on (with cotton pants and mis-matched socks). I had curled my hair to the max with rollers, so it was super-bouncy. Anyway, we met this guy in the elevator, and he and his roommates continued to cause various amounts of drama in our lives for a year and a half.
ReplyDeleteI also have a really big oversized (also light pink) sweatshirt with a mockneck that I still wear on really cold days. It's probably from around the same time.
They put a J.Crew store in in Philadelphia (my college town) around them (early 90's.) I can't remember if I bought anything there or just went in and looked around a lot.
I also can't remember if I went to a tent sale (terrible memory here), but I know they had them. A young lady I worked with (around 1997?) told me they had them (we worked by the NJ shore) near there. She told me she liked to study the catalog before she went, and I thought that was great (that other people did stuff like that).
I also remember the little paper catalogs from around the mid-1990's. I bought some pink capris (that was my super skinny time, so those wouldn't fit me now). They're probably at my mom's house though. By the way, my husband HATES capris. Is that common?
Finally, can someone tell me more about the difference between outlets and clearance stores. How do you know which you are going to.
Sorry, one more thing. Does anyone remember when Banana Repuplic looked all safari-ish? Kind of like the outside of Hollister does now (I've never been in Hollister, I'm way too old), like a safari hut. Inside they had piles of luggage and books and stuff. No one I know remembers that.
I just did a google search on J.Crew Clearance store and one popped up in Lynchburg, Va. Don't live anywhere near there :-(
ReplyDeleteToo bad there aren't more of these - like specifically, one in my state ;-)
I do have a Factory about 30 minutes away, but don't go there because of the poor quality of the clothes.
mekiki: i remember the BR safari stuff!!! i wish i had more time to write about it but my 3 1/2 year really needs some attention now...i have to TRY to stop blogging!! :)
ReplyDeletemekiki: I remember the old Safarish Banana Republic... ;)
ReplyDeleteccbmum: I wear my boxers when I'm doing a fake tan, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI remember going to a clearance sale in the late 90s in Newport, RI. I don't remember where it was held, but it was not in a jcrew store, more like a ballroom, auditorium, or something like that. It was definitely a temporary set up... I think it was only for one weekend. I got a pair of lace up oxfords for like, $19. (which I also gave away because they were stiff--probably due to the fact that I did not wear them a lot).
ReplyDeleteCcbMum: I actually remember Lauren Hutton doing several J.Crew catalogs. (And I thought she looked great!) In their winter issues, I notice that they use models of all ages. In particular there was a beautiful woman who has grey shoulder length hair, who models a lot for J.Crew. I even bought one of the jackets she was modeling. :)
ReplyDeleteI also remember the Dawson Creek / J.Crew catalog of 1997/1998- where J.Crew had the cast of Dawson's Creek modeling all of their clothes. I remember lending the catalog to a friend who never returned it! :(
Speaking of MTV personalities modeling, Mallory (sp?) from "Real World: Paris" models for J.Crew nowadays. As a disclaimer, I don't watch MTV much at all, but I think I did watch some of that season of Real World so I recognized her in the catalogue.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I had rollnecks in every color..... I went to college out in PA near one of the few outlets, back in the day when outlets meant overstocks, not cheap knockoffs of what they sell in the real b&m shops! I still have a red cotton and charcoal grey wool rollnecks that I still wear on occassion! :)
ReplyDeletealexis:
ReplyDeletei love that they have women/men models of all ages...at least for fall/winter...i also love that their models don't look overdone, i.e. hair and makeup...they always look very natural.
FFM: i love that you rowed for the Crew Team in High School!!
I have a great fair isle sweater from them that I think is from my senior year of HS. Its hard my size has changed a lot since then and so has my sense of style so I haven't kept many items from way back when. But that is pretty good considering I am 25 now.
ReplyDeleteI also remember the clearance/sale catalogs (that was only about 3 years ago) and the roll neck sweaters (threw that fashion mistake out last year, it look awful on me).
I also recall being in high school, maybe it was '97 or '98, and J.Crew's khaki shorts, 5" inseam, were $19!!!
ReplyDeleteNow you can *maybe* get them for that price on final sale with an additional percentage off -- otherwise the price is nearly double now.
Women Men Fashion 18 J.CREW MAIL ORDER CATALOGS 1993-08 - eBay (item 380042601232 end time Jul-31-08 19:30:50 PDT)
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to make this a link, but it's on ebay. I thought there'd be much more.
I bought a navy peacoat in the 90's from JCrew. I believe that started my love affair with JCrew. My closet is still sprinkled with sweaters and fitted chino jackets from about 6-7 years ago. Sadly, I had to Goodwill alot of beloved stuff after my baby was born because I moved up 1-2 sizes (or are they now slimming down the sizes?)
ReplyDeleteAbout the Clearance Store...It is definitely different than the Outlet stores. It is attached to the shipping center in Lynchburg, VA, and I believe it gets some returned merchandise because of this. (It is literally in an industrial park - not the kind of place that you happen upon...)
ReplyDeleteIt can be a great place to snag a deal, but at the same time, there can be nothing there! Which is why I sadly can't always justify the hour drive... Also, J.Crew can be sneaky, and you have to be careful there. I had just bought the Lilah dress for $23 and the Cynthia dress for $32 before I went a couple of weekends ago, and while there I saw each marked for $50...
I don't know if the North Carolina shipping center has something similar, but they definitely aren't really advertised. That is why I think a lot of things end up there...
The shop in Lynchburg is a hit/miss deal...but if you are lucky...you can come away with great bargains. I visited 2 summers ago while attending a graduation in Lynchburg. My husband found leather loafers for $25 ea. I found cotton sweater jackets for $40 ea. But stock varies. The time we visited they had piles of wedding dresses. The location of the store is in an industrial park and can be hard to find.
ReplyDeleteNot too old....but my first year in high school, and it was a white polo with a navy stripe across the middle. It's too big and I never wear it, but I keep it because it's my first J. Crew item and what began my obsession!!!
ReplyDeleteI heard about clearance store for the first time when I called CS to check on my order (first weekend of web upgrading). CS rep called me back, I missed a call, then I called back using their local number displayed on my cell phone. One of the menu options was clearance store. I was so tempted to call the clearance store later and talk to someone about the merchandise they carry (and see if they ship in case they ever have something I missed in the stores). I never called though. The number was 434 385 6700. I even saved it in my contacts :)
ReplyDeleteHi all, I just discovered this blog and feel much better about my addiction knowing I'm not alone!!! I have a question, though, related to this post.. I recently lost my favorite old J.crew item -- a denim jacket from I guess about 5 years ago, and I cannot find a decent replacement anywhere! I even found the very same on ebay, but it's the wrong size. Does anyone have any advice? It's probably a long shot but do you think they still have old stuff somewhere? I'm desperate!! Thanks for any advice!
ReplyDeletejulie
My white linen wedding dress from 1999!
ReplyDeleteI love reading these nostalgic J.Crew posts!! What a great topic! The oldest J.Crew item I have is a pair of brown leather lug-sole clogs with a little red flower embroidered on the side of each shoe. They were the first purchase I made when I got my first credit card (I even remember the price - $48!), so I've never thrown them away, although they are the epitome of bad 90's footwear.
ReplyDeleteAs for models in the old catalogs, does anyone remember they used the artist Ahn Duong? Every time I see a picture of her in a magazine, I am reminded of J.Crew.
anon @ 12:45...i just googled her and i do think i remember her :)
ReplyDeletejulie - when I was at the store last week (georgetown location, washington dc) I saw a really nice denim jacket. It wouldn't be exactly like yours of course, but it was really dark denim, slim-cut, and looked great. I think it's maybe part of the new fall stuff that seems to be trickling into the stores, but hasn't made it online yet. I just checked for it online and couldn't find it, but it might be an option for you. I thought about getting it and I already have a perfectly good denim jacket!
ReplyDeleteI went to a clearance center once in 2002 - it was in the ballroom of a hotel in Cape Cod. I remember I bought two wool coats (remember that deep red one with the stand-up collar?) for $60 for BOTH! It was amazing. I remember scrounging through the bathing suits, which were just piles of tops and bottoms, and trying desperately to make a match!
ReplyDeleteI still have a gray thinsulate peacoat from high school - that thing was so warm! Last time I went home, I just found (and immediately gave away) this horrible yellow/green (and I don't mean "citron") V-neck sweater that is made of the itchiest wool, and is basically a cube. It was the boxiest thing I've ever seen, and then sleeves are SO much longer than the body. It was very Joey Potter from Dawson's Creek.
Remember how boxy those wool sweaters were? They had turtleneck ones as well, I remember everyone at my school had this aqua color, and we'd wear it with the dark jeans that had no back pockets! I thought I looked so sophisticated.
Sky: Don't worry, you didn't miss much by not calling them! They don't ship anything from the Clearance Store. Everything is sold final sale in the store.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great topic! I've got TONS of old stuff - an original charcoal colored Thinsulite pea coat that's at least 12 years old, and it shows in the lining. But the outside still looks great!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is a *shimmer* french bikini that's 8+ years old, which was sold as a SET (had to get the same size top/bottom!) that I rarely wear but the fabric is so unique that I can't get rid of it (purple-irridescent, looks incredible in the sun). I remember it came in green and orange too, and one of my girlfriends got the orange which looked even better :)
ccbmum: Thanks...I almost deleted the comment, since it doesn't really pertain to this topic, except that I never even heard of J.Crew until the 90's even though I rowed on the Crew Team and had many friends who attended Prep School (I did not), and I am left wondering if I was just clueless, or if it was just a case of growing up in Florida? We always shopped at the mall, and of course there was no J.Crew store back then, so we wore GAP, The Limited Express(before it was just Express), Izod Lacoste (before it was just Izod or just Lacoste), anything from Ron Jon Surf Shop, etc. I can remember looking through the catalogs in the mid 90's, but never ordered anything out of catalogs back then anyways...I am just in shock that some of you still own clothing pieces from the 90's...I am truly amazed. :)
ReplyDeleteFFM: I was going to ask if anyone remembered that it was called Limited Express! I had a lot of stuff from them.
ReplyDeleteWe probably got close to every catalog that was out there, because we (my family) were catalog people, so we were on every mailing list. Maybe your family wasn't? Or is it possible that they (J.Crew) targeted certain areas for their mailings back then? We were certainly getting the catalog in the 1980's. When did it start, anyway? (Oh, I guess I can look it up.)
What a fun post!
ReplyDeleteI am 35 and have worn J. Crew pretty much since college. I still have 2 ribbed merino wool sweaters from probably 12 years ago? One is a charcoal turtleneck and the other is a sky blue v-neck. I still wear them - fantastic quality.
But my most prized J. Crew possession is a charcoal-grey pea coat, circa 1997. It is my favorite piece ever and I wear it every fall/winter. I have had to have it relined about 3 times by my tailor, but it still looks good as new. The pocket lining has ripped upteen times, but this last time my tailor lined the pockets with some type of teflon type fabric so I think I'll be wearing this coat into my 70s.
As an aside, I am pretty disappointed lately with J. Crew's quality to price ratio. Sometimes I see their prices in their catalog and I think, "who the hell do they think they are? Armani?" If they want to market to the tweens and young college crowd, then that's their decision. But I'm a 35yo loyal customer and they should remember us oldies but goodies (we have more money anyway). ;-)
" J.Crew was founded in 1983 with the launch of its catalog and expanded into brick and mortar retailing in 1989 with its first store at the South Street Seaport in New York City"
ReplyDeleteI got this from some website.
Sigh, nostalgia...I remember the days when BR mails out really classy and elegant catalogs with cool elderly models. These days, BR's style has gone downhill faster than a Duracell bunny on skis on Aspen Mountain.
ReplyDelete--- Vivian
Thanks Mekiki
ReplyDeleteHaha I love that I am the same age as J Crew! I wonder why they didn't do anything special for their 25th anniversary! They totally should have! But maybe it is still coming up...
Not really on topic totally but Banana Republic / Gap has a similar clearance outlet in Northern Kentucky. I just thought I would throw that out there.
ReplyDeleteNow I want to hit up the J.Crew one - maybe the next time I am in the US!... As for the wedding dresses there I think at least 3 were mine. I desperately wanted to wear one but none of them looked good on me.
mekiki: My family didn't receive catalogs back in the 80's...we shopped at "The Mall"...it was THE thing to do back then. I think you are also probably right in that they only mailed catalogs to certain marketable areas, and I doubt that Florida was one of them...
ReplyDeleteHey, remember Outback Red?
FFM: i know...i'm in shock that i even have jcrew stuff from the 80's! i also remember Limited Express...it actually used to be just The Limited...i wore a lot of that stuff in the 80's...jr. high and highschool....this is all sooooo nostalgic!!! :) i still think it's so cool that you were on the Crew Team...that's awesome :)...
ReplyDeletei also was so excited when GAP first came out. i grew up in so. cal. and remember coming up here to San Francisco to visit the first GAP stores! it was so exciting!
but back to the present...i'm still looking forward to hearing about your joelle blouse...hope it comes today :)
Thanks for the info on the clearance store. Too bad they don't ship.
ReplyDeleteMy first purchases at J.Crew were a sheer pink neck scarf and a thick cable sweater. I remember paying $78.00 for the sweater and $18.00 for the scarf :). It seemed so very expensive to me back then but it was worth it. I still have the scarf and just recently gave up my sweater. I think it was winter of 1996. How sentimental :)
Having been born and raised in New York city I dont even think I went to a mall until I was about 9 or 10. Even when we went on vacation we never shopped at malls. The mall is still such an odd concept to me. I love running around the city to different stores (and I feel like the j crew stores are well placed, though one on the UWS would be nice as would one on the UES). But yea... I still feel odd in malls. I got the catalog in college and I remember getting very excited for it. I dont think I got it at boarding school but I can't remember.
ReplyDeleteI have a grape wool crewneck sweater with ribbing at the bottom and the cuffs (so you can fold them back, naturally) that I got when I was 14, so it's now almost 11 years old! It's actually still in good shape, I wear it a lot to slum around in.
ReplyDeletevivian:
ReplyDeletehahaha...i totally agree with you about Banana Republic...i think they started to go down hill when their CEO left and went to JCREW...and jcrew got even better when that happened!!!
ccbmum: Crew was really a great experience, especially for a high school student...we actually traveled to Georgia, west over to Tampa, and down south to Miami for Regattas, and actually rowed against college teams such as Boston University and Tulane. It was really a unique experience! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I' really thinking that J.Crew could have targeted the Northeast more then, because it seems like most of their stuff was meant for cold weather climates. At least the stuff I remember.
ReplyDeleteYep, Outback Red was the Austrailian-ish line at Limited. My sister had a lot of their stuff. I remember tee shirts and henleys I think (with little floral patterns). Wow, I had forgotton all about that!
blumre: i too love the City. my city of SF is not nearly as big as yours (by the way, i have been to manhattan and love it!)...but i love shopping in downtown SF. i moved to the 'burbs to raise my son after 15 years of living in SF...and i miss the city sooo much! i still go there often...sigh :) the mall is not the same but at least the one near me has a jcrew...thank gawd!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember B reps being safari-ish! the one in the King of Prussia Mall had a big jeep sticking out of the store front!!
ReplyDeleteBGD I am cracking up at some of these posts!! And I guess that I, too, am one of the older ones...at the ripe age of 36:)
FFM: that's awesome...i used to sail often and miss it so much...love the water!!
ReplyDeleteblumre: That is so funny that you were never in a mall until the age of 9 or 10...seems so strange to me. However, I have been to Manhattan...as a matter of fact I lived on Long Island in Dix Hills back in 1994, I think it was? I was there the winter of the "Biggest Blizzard in 10 years", and you have to realize...it was only the 2nd time in my entire life that I had actually been in snow. I ended up snowed in the house where I was living, and actually experienced my key locks being frozen...this had never happened to me in Florida!!! I used to take the LIE into the city...it was really alot of fun! You are fortunate to be there! :)
ReplyDeletebgd: yea, i have to say i've been getting a great laugh out of this one!!! thanks emily and alexis...(and everyone for posting!) :)
ReplyDeleteI have a beautiful medallion print silk scarf from J Crew 20 years ago. It's 36" inch square and it says it's made in Japan. I roll my scarf with my jewelry inside to use as storage.
ReplyDeletethe limited and limited express were actually 2 different stores...the limited has been around a LONG time, with Outback Red and Firenza (remember THOSE sweaters????? shaker knit...)as their staple brands, and Limited Express was way more trendy and bright, marketed to a younger crowd. then they changed to just "Express" and expanded to all over the place, in every mall, in every town. I am pretty sure Limited Co. owns them, and they used to own Lane Bryant, and Lerner as well.
ReplyDeletethis topic is so much fun!BGD
Outback Red! How about Forenza? And Chess King for men? LOL.
ReplyDeleteccbmum: Tks! I didn't know that bit of juicy info! That explains a lot!!! I used to shop BR and JCrew in the late 1990s but I've ditched BR totally. My last purchase from BR was leather jacket circa 1998. It's still beautiful, and has grown even more buttery soft over the years.
ReplyDeletebgd: I DO remember them being seperate stores...do you remember the store they had just for men at one point? I can't remember the name, but I think it was opened when they split into The Limited AND The Limited Express. And Oh Yes, I remember Firenza...
ReplyDeleteoops...I meant Forenza. :)
ReplyDeletebgd and FFM:
ReplyDeleteOMG FIRENZA...and outback red...yes, i remember and you're right Limited was first, then Express and then they combined!!! i had some dyed green straight leg (like skinny fit) jeans with zippers at the ankle from the limited...remember those? and yes, i totally remember those shaker sweaters...tooo funny!
Hi everyone! I've been reading this blog for a while, and have thought about posting sooner, but I just couldn't resist putting in my $.02 on this topic.
ReplyDeleteI've been shopping at JC since my freshman year of college. I honestly don't know how I was able to afford it at the time (living on ramen, perhaps?), but I had a TON of stuff. Sadly, I lost of many of my clothes from that time when my dry cleaner burned down (Kater, I had that same twinset with the tube top "shell", and I still miss it).
One of my favorite things that I still have, however, is a men's flannel size XL one-piece pajama. It's so soft and cozy in the winter, but a bit inconvenient if you have to, um, go.
One more thing, does anyone remember the catalogue that featured the characters from Dawson's Creek? I thought that was one of their coolest catalogues ever! I still can't get enough of DC; I have several episodes saved on my DVR right now.
Lastly, I just wanted to say that this is a really great blog! Thanks, Alexis, and everyone else for making this such a fun place for me to goof off at work.
Leslie
was the men's store Structure?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletemekiki: YES, that WAS it...Structure!!! Great memory! :)
ReplyDeleteFFM: Structure:)
ReplyDeleteheather and webbysuzy: It was Structure...thanks...you both have great memories, as well! :)
ReplyDeleteheather...
ReplyDeletei just gave away some of those clogs...they were charcoal grey with mint green lining...they were SO not practical. i could barely walk in them...but i kept them this long! i have given one of my sweaters to my husband and still have the rest...they are sooo oversized!
I guess this is off topic but has anyone heard about messed up tracking numbers? I just got off the phone with CS and was told than most of my packages (more than 12 orders dating back to June 26) have probably shipped but the tracking numbers (stating that only the billing info was received by UPS) are totally useless. And CS asks me to wait another 7-14 business days for my June 26 orders.
ReplyDeleteOutrageous!!! Plus DH will be back from his conference this weekend. Darn...
-- Vivian
Vivian: You are SO funny with the hubby comment...I keep hoping mine get here by Thursday, as my DH is taking Friday off. ;)
ReplyDeleteI was told the same thing about the tracking numbers...they are being recycled and you can end up with one that was actually used to deliver a package 2 years ago in Wisconsin, so you cannot depend on them at all. I hope your packages come this week...they are trying to stay within the 4-7 business day delivery as the site promises...we'll see, I guess.
Gosh, I didn't have alot of money when I was a teenager. I was so lucky if I had a pair of Vans and my mom saved enough money to buy me a Members Only Jacket:)
ReplyDeletevivian & ffm: you guys are cracking me up with the packages arriving without the DH being home! I do the same thing, but my fiance definitely has picked up more than his fair share if I'm traveling or something and the shipping gets slowed)! When he does get the box, I always tell him, it was on sale, you have to buy ___ (insert cashmere, suit pants, suit jacket, etc - he is more "understanding" about work clothes) if it's only 75 dollars!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I found this blog! there are people like me! :)
kater: It's a real "downer" on delivery day if they are home, isn't it? ;)
ReplyDeletevivian & ffm and kater: i know the feeling...my UPS guy usually comes around 11-12...so i am able to open up and hide the evidence! sometimes i forget and leave the box out but he doesn't say anything anymore...if he does i just remind him of some of his spending habits, then end of discussion :)
ReplyDeleteThis is really funny. I'm expecting a package from Olive Juice Kids this week, and was hoping my husband wouldn't be home when it gets here.
ReplyDeletevivian, kater, ccbmum, & mekiki: Isn't that one of THE main reasons to have a CORRECT TRACKING NUMBER????? ;)
ReplyDeleteThe first J Crew item I ever bought was about 15 years ago in college.... it was a navy and white polka-dot bandeau bikini. I don't have it anymore, but I think it's pretty funny that this year I did purchase the navy and white polka-dot glamour bikini and wore it today actually! I had completely forgotten about that other bikini until this post made me go back a few years and remember....
ReplyDeleteIt proves 2 things:
1.)My taste hasn't changed all that much in over a decade, and
2.)J Crew clothes are timeless :)
On a seperate note, just wanted to share a cute find I got today. It's very similar to J Crew's Tie-front dress that has been talked about recently, and also reminds me a bit of the bateau knit dress in the dark slate color (yes, I have both, but you can never have enough knit dresses---especially for teaching, they're just so easy. I can throw it on with a bright colored pair of heels (I'm thinking my raspberry patent peep toe mary janes), add a great ring, and I'm set. It runs big though....I'm a size S in JCrew, and the XS in this dress fit perfectly. For $20 it's a steal---very cute on and the fabric is really comfortable. I don't know how well it will wear (it is Target after all) but for $20 I won't be expecting more than a year or two anyway. Here's the link---it comes in gray and black:
http://www.target.com/Mossimo-Black-Knit-Dress-Gray/dp/B0014H5KL2/sr=1-1/qid=1215543962/ref=sr_1_1/601-6212373-3378542?ie=UTF8&index=target&field-browse=1041790&rh=k%3Amossimo%20black%20knit%20dress&page=1
I had to delurk and jump in.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest J Crew item is a lt yellow cableknit cotton v-neck sweater. I still love it and it looks like new. I bought it in 1987!
We had friends who lived near Lynchburg, and when there was a tent sale, she would pick up a bunch of things for me and send. In 1989 she sent me 9 pieces of clothing for $45.00! When we visited there, she took me around to all the outlets carrying J Crew. I also used to go to the rented space sale when it was held at Potomac Mills in Northern VA.
I worked for Banana Republic during the safari era (really dating myself). Our store had a giraffe sticking out of the roof. It was a lot of fun to work there. Sunday we cleaned the store before opening for two hours; it took a lot of time to dust all the props, and mop those dusty, wooden floors. We also spent a lot of time folding tshirts!
And, last but not least, I'm always trying to sneak packages in the door without DH seeing them! Sometimes the UPS truck comes late, and then DH finds them sitting outside in the morning when he leaves for work -- caught!! Too funny.
Love this blog!!
Oh, by the way, it is much cuter in person--- the picture on the website isn't bad, but doesn't really do it justice. It looks a bit frumpy in the pic, and it is more streamlined IRL.
ReplyDeletejosie...yet another great find! Congrats! :)
ReplyDeletewe were on vaca last week and I had a JC package arrive. On the way home, we drove past the front of our house and I saw it on the front porch waiting for me. we drove around to the back of our house ( we have an alley) to unload the car and I faked having to pee so I could run in and snag the box before my hubby saw it.
ReplyDeletelater that night, my next door neighbors were on the front porch talking to my hubby. they asked him if he got the jcrew box and totally got me in TROUBLE!!! I was asleep by this point( duh, I needed to wake up by 6:45 to do my daily JC checking) and the next morning he asked me I had rec'd my Jcrew box!!!!!!! I was totally CAUGHT!! BGD
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteccbmum, vivian, and FFMommy, I am LOL about the DH comments. I totally thought I was the only one who got mad when the UPS delivery comes on Saturday (when he's home!) He jokes that the UPS man visits our house so much during the week that he's beginning to wonder if there's something going on between us..... after all, I did tip him at Christmastime ;)
ReplyDeleteAlso, Forenza, outback red, structure..... Goodness I feel old! My first job was at the Limited--- I hated it so much. They would call you in and track your sales, how much you were pushing accessory sales etc. I was 16 years old! LOL
ccbmum, FFM, Mekiki, Josie, bgd:
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing so hard my sides hurt. I'm so glad to know that I'm normal!!!
-- Vivian
vivian: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteBtw...I thought you weren't going to be anonymous anymore...what happened to posting as Vivian?
ffm: it is totally a DOWNER when they are home on delivery day. well said!
ReplyDeleteyou guys could not be funnier. I love the "peeing" story BGD! I have been tempted, however, to tell my doormen that the packages are "presents" for my fiance that I don't want him to know about, so not to give him any when he comes home!
OMG...Grandpa cardigans. I remember when they had those Grandpa cardigans and they were cashmere (I mean really thick luscious cashmere) in ivory, orange, and an dark pink colors with the suede patches on the elbows. I LOVE those things and still wear them as a wardrobe staple in the fall/winter/spring. I also have a couple of oxford type blouses (pink stripe and blue) that I wear under J Crew cardigans. ALSO, do any of you remember when J Crew had, for a VERY short time, items with real fur? I have a camel cardigan with fox collar somewhere in my closet that my husband purchased for me as a Christmas gift (although the color of my hair seriously clashed with the color of the fur trim!) I also still have 3 pairs of those beach (lounge) pants that they used to sell. Soooo comfy.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are cracking me up talking about the UPS man! When I was a kid and my mom would take us shopping when we came home we had to leave the bags in the car if my dad was home. Then when he would leave, we would sneak it all inside! haha.
ReplyDeleteIt's an advantage to being single...I don't have to justify my shopping habit to anyone! haha
Aprildi: I also do the "leave the bags in the car" trick... :)
ReplyDeletejcrewjunkie: You aren't ANONYMOUS jcrewjunkie anymore...YAY!!! :)
yay, jcrewjunkie, you got your name to work...don't know if you all noticed but i finally made my name blue...i'm an official blogger now...
ReplyDeleteccbmum: I did actually notice...YAY!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteBGD: that "peeing" story is great.
ReplyDeleteit's funny, sometimes (when i'm ordring often) i actually worry more about the UPS man thinking i'm wierd with all the packages than i do about my husband saying something...:)
Testing!
ReplyDeletevivian: you're blue!!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry I haven't been posting frequently today (I have a lot of work between today and tomorrow). But I just have to comment on how everyone rushes to get their packages from the mailman before their husbands sees them- well I do that too!!!
ReplyDeleteI not only rush to get them, but to also discard the evidence, I mean boxes in the garage so it looks like there were no deliveries. I have also left packages in the car to be "retrieved" at a later time. Too funny! I thought I was the only one. :)
I'm sooooo blue! Feels so good to be blue.
ReplyDeleteVivian is blue! Congratulations Vivian on becoming blogger-official!!!
ReplyDeleteYay Vivian!!!!
ReplyDeleteHeehee. The leave-em-in-the-car trick isn't new, huh?
ReplyDeleteI'm also very quick to discard evidence (boxes) in the trash, making sure the "J.Crew" isn't visible.
I save some boxes for returns in the basement. I hide them in another larger box (Britax Marathon Car Seat)). DH doesn't have a clue!
That marathon car seat box comment is from me. By habit, I hit anonymous.
ReplyDeleteVivian- I am happy to hear that my behavior is normal! ;)
ReplyDeleteI also think its hysterical that you hid the smaller boxes in the larger boxes because I use to do that too (until one day my husband opened up one of the boxes!) Now they go straight into the garage and I make sure I am in charge of setting the recyclables on the curb. ;)
vivian, alexis and all:
ReplyDeletehahaha, yes the boxes go straight to the garage and are hidden among amazon boxes, etc. the worst/funniest part about all of this is my 3 1/2 year old...he knows that i always get packages from jcrew and his come from old navy...he now makes up stories about ordering online from old navy and amazon...uh oh...
ccbmum: That is too funny about your son! I also hide my boxes (after flattening them of course) in between other boxes, but for me its the large pizza boxes. ;)
ReplyDeleteIf I dont hav time to take my evidence out to the garage, i hide the empties under our bed. there's quite a lot there right now as a matter of fact. Luckily, I sell alot of stuff on Ebay and save them for that.
ReplyDeleteHAHAH you guys are hysterical with the sneaking from your significant others. I do that a little with my mom (since I am living at my parent's this year to save money while my bf finishes up law school). She will occasionally make a comment and say "how do you save $ like this?" Luckily I still am saving lots. And I have gotten my mom hooked on Jcrew too!!! She was always into Tahari and Dana Buckman and armani but I got her out of the "mom jeans" and into jcrew!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLuckily my bf fully supports my addiction and for our anniversary he got my a JC gift cert with a card saying "I know this is only a small step towards supporting your insatiable thirst for J Crew. But just know that I am happy to help support it now and for the future." It was the most romantic thing he has ever said!!! sigh......
Are we all really so alike? My boxes are "stashed" one inside the other, dropped between the garbage can & the wall in the garage or smooshed in with other boxes until trash day. The internet has literally dropped the mall in our laps - what are we to do!
ReplyDeleteMy son loves Disney Toontown & has to check in to the game everyday because within the game they send phone orders to his mailbox in the game. He couldn't wait to get his 4th of July shirt. (At least it was free shipping!) Training/conditioning them young!
blumre: Your BF sounds like a DEFINITE keeper...btw...make sure you KEEP that card for future reference...you never know when you may need collateral... ;)
ReplyDeleteFFM: Okay so you're 2 mins behind-keep up! I just responded to your question in the other post - - - Are you following me? ;)
ReplyDeleterach: Was it really that long? It seemed like a much shorter time...do you spell check (preview)? Oh, and yes, I am following you. GRIN
ReplyDeleteOh don't you worry ffm it is on my desk where my eye can see it. Those words were almost better than any future ring I will get. Emphasis on the ALMOST!!!
ReplyDeleteblumre: Yes, almost is right, and that card may just be your key to never having to hide boxes, shop according to delivery date and your husband's work schedule, or track when the UPS man is coming just to have a plan in place...perhaps you should consider a safety deposit box? ;)
ReplyDeletewow...we really are "jcrew junkies"!!! lol :)
ReplyDeleteNew York and Company, The Limited and Limited Too, Express, Victoria's Secret, and Bath and Body Works, and I think Lane Bryant as well, are all owned by the same company. Can't remember the company name. Also this was in 2003 so it may have changed (I used to work in New York and Company formerly known as Lerner New York, and my employee discount was valid at all these stores). I hated that job...they used to make us be "on call" one day out of every week, and that day changed every time in no specific pattern for each employee. So one day a week I had to sit around in a suit and heels at home in case they needed me, which I was not getting paid for! LOL Nurses have on-call days but they get paid for it. I only worked there about a month and called it quits.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest J. Crew item is a white 3-quarter sleeve button-down (I think they still sell it) and I bought it 7 or 8 months ago. It doesn't wear as well as I would have thought, so I was not too impressed. But a few weeks later I gave J. Crew a second try and got the favorite airy ribbon washed tank (I think that's what they call it) and I'm hooked. ;-)
I purchased my first JCrew cotton crewneck sweater in 1993 from the outlet store. It is still in great condition even though I wore it once (or twice) a week for many years. No holes or fraying. (I wish I knew what gauge cotton, etc. so I could request JCrew make this style again. It is a great basic.
ReplyDeleteI had two pairs of khaki's, kind of a stretchy material, that I wore every week for about 4 years. I only gave them up because they never fit quite the same after having a baby. I hope the crew doesn't end up like the gap.
I have a boucle sweater I never wore. The sleeves are have something like elastic in them. It's a horrible sweater.
My first Jcrew items were purchased back in 2000...two really functional and good camisoles that I wore under shirts and blouses.
ReplyDeleteAfter I moved to the west coast, I kind of lost track of Jcrew...It's really not THAT popular in Los Angeles.
Last summer, I moved back to NYC, and, wow, was blown away by the PIAZZA JACKET in tangerine. I love that jacket!
Now I've become so addicted to Jcrew. Just like many of you, not only my closet is full of Jcrew items, but in many cases, I purchase the same item in different colors (alice sweater jacket, frances blouse, candace jacket...etc).
(Alexis, maybe you need to start a blog on how to give our credit cards a break! Hee! :))
newyork0311: i love the alice sweater jacket (i have it in black). i also have the sophie peacoat sweater...in navy and love it. jcrew makes wonderful sweater jackets! i know i've said this before but i'm hoping for a great true red sweater jacket this fall/winter...:)
ReplyDeletenewyork0311: oh, also i agree with you, i don't think that jcrew is that big in so. cal...but it is up here in the SF bay area :)
ReplyDeleteso what you're saying is that we should call L.A. or san diego stores when we are looking for "impossible" items ;)
ReplyDeleteccbmum: A great true red sweater jacket? That'd be a fantastic idea! :)
ReplyDeleteKater: I've thought of doing that too! I think it'd really work during Fall/Winter sales!
ReplyDeleteyou're so right newyork0311! I'm sure all kinds of stuff goes on sale during the fall/winter. L.A./San Diego are so my new plan next time I take it upon myself to call every FREAKIN jcrew in the world like I did yesterday!
ReplyDeleteAnother good one is the one in Lansing MI. Since it's a college town, a lot of the higher end/priced stuff tends to hit the sale rack.
I know, this isn't regarding JCrew but since The Limited has been brought up...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/The-Limited-Inc-Company-History.html
Limited Brands has been selling off a lot of their stores (Express and even The Limited itself is no longer owned by Limited Brands). LB now operates Bath and Body Works & White Barn Candle Co., Victoria's Secret, Henri Bendel, CO Bigelow and La Senza.
But back to the topic at hand....I don't have too many "vintage" JCrew pieces. I have a longer sunwashed cotton skirt in black that is probably from 2000 or so. My husband has some older long sleeve button up shirts and so t-shirts from JCrew but I don't know how old they are.
kater: hahaha, that's a good idea :)
ReplyDeletenewyork0311:
i was talking with an associate in one of my stores...she said that they report customer requests/comments to the higher ups. she said that last year people wanted more true red and they came out with "holiday red" i told her how i wish they would make a sweater jacket in "holiday red" for this fall/winter...she agreed...she and a lot of people want more true red...:)
FFM I will seriously consider a safety deposit box now!
ReplyDeleteI just got a package from Jcrew today... my wellies that i ordered two weeks ago. Not gonna lie I am pretty psyched about them. Of course it does make me a little sad because I got them to walk Pepper in the rain and take him to the dog run not knowing we were going to have to put him down. But I am going to save them for my next dog and I am sure I will get lots of use out of them then.
I do have a pair of wellies in a 10 which are too big and the 9s i just got do feel on the tighter side... what they couldn't do half sizes???
I loved the holiday red from last fall/winter! I don't know if anyone remembers the Adrian felted wool skirt, but I got that in holiday red, and I wore it Christmas eve with the black cashmere bateau neck sweater & a knotted pearl necklace. I wore it plenty of other times, too. Loved the skirt, loved the color.
ReplyDeleteKater: your comments made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteCcbmum: now that I think about it, do you remember the alice jacket came in red too. I have it and love that color - not sure we would call that holiday red though. :)
newyork0311: yes, i remember...i think it was poppy or roasted pepper or something? it was very pretty but the color wasn't great on me...:)
ReplyDeleteHere is how I handle the TON of J Crew boxes that I receive. First, I remove the items from the box. Next, I place the box in a small garbage bag. I then place the bag or bags as the case may be in the backseat of my car. Finally, I find a dumpster and pitch the "evidence". I then take all the clothing and wrap it in a large blanket that we use to sit on during our son's ballgames. I carry the blanket "dirty laundry style" into the house and up the stairs. Here is where is gets tricky (esp. if my husband is in bed watching TV) I then take the clothing into my closet and put it in my large Vera Bradley rolling tote (next to J Crew I LOVE LOVE LOVE Vera Bradley!!) so that I can try it on/look at it after he is asleep. If you think this sound like a lot of work then you should see the amount of J Crew that I order!!
ReplyDeleteoh. my. god. jcrewjunkie, I love this strategy!!! I'm cracking up!!!
ReplyDeleteisn't it hysterical how we all do this? even better, my soon to be DH always ask, "is that new?" and I'm like, "of course not, I've had it for ages..."
although I took it out of a box the day before ;)b
JCrewJunkie: I laughed so hard when I read how you get rid of the evidence!!! Too much, too too much! {tear}
ReplyDeleteKater: My husband always asks me if what I am wearing is new too!!! I give him the same response too!!! :)
jcrewjunkie: You are too funny! I am laughing so hard now!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, Doesn't your husband find out eventually when he looks at the cc statements?
When the packages arrive at our building, the doorman always knows the J Crew goes to me. My husband picks up the mail for the family and he would say "Honey, another J Crew. How much has this cost me?" But my husband is a cool guy and I always open the boxes in front of him. He would say "Hey that's nice." Or, "Nah, it's not you."
Outback Red notched mockneck knit tops with shoulder pads and the 10-button tops from 1987! Awesome flashback!
ReplyDeleteooooh, good one anon. @11:00 :)...and shoulder pads...now that's a bad 80's flashback!
ReplyDeleteAh, I finally feel like I'm not totally old!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there with the wool rollneck from way back when. I love and still take my gray wool crewneck snowflake sweater skiing with me. I also have my first JCrew suit from the early 90s and several button downs from that same time. I wear the jacket off and on (really nice lean cut).
I also have a bathing suit (one piece) that I've never gotten rid of because I love the print so much. Don't know when I'd ever wear it again! I also have a pair of city slides too from that era.
Oddly, the cardigans/sweater jackets are the things I have either given away or lost over the years.
The quality is what I love about JCrew--it really holds up. Luckily, I wear the same size then as now.
I don't have these anymore but they were my FAVORITE at the time (high school, about 10 years ago). They were espadrille flat sandals, about 1" thick, with a white eyelet covering. I loved those shoes and wore them everywhere. I even bought multiple pairs, once the white got too dingy. When they were discontinued, I was so sad. I kept them for sentimental reasons for years before finally chucking them.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, my husband ALWAYS says the following:
ReplyDelete1.) "You look awesome in 'that' outfit" which actually sounds pretty nice until you realize that "that outfit" could be a paper bag with cut out armholes, my own skin, or a St. John gown.
2.) DH: "Is that new?"
Me: "Um, no, not really, don't you remember when I wore it to the Pirate's game/dental conference/office/reunion/beach last year?"
DH: "Oh yeah I sure do." as he then goes back to reading the paper...only thing is that I am still holding the plastic bag(s) that the item(s) came in in my hand. LOL.
I am sure that at some level he KNOWS that my clothing is new, but he really does like the way I look so he just says/does nothing. :)
webbysuzy: heck no he doesn't see the CC...I pay all the bills. :)
Kater -- Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out!
ReplyDelete-Julie
Off topic: Has anyone tried on the Fiona Jacket? Does it run small/big/true to size?
ReplyDeletevivian: Didn't you find one at a store via telephone?
FFM-I have the fiona in madras and I think it runs a little boxy/big. I am usually a 0 in jackets and I got an 8 ( yEAH!)BTW, it's $29.99 on thw wesbite now but it's also $null!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGHHHH
ReplyDeleteMake that a 10 in jackets, not a 0. i wish
ReplyDelete-BGD
My oldest item is a navy canvas tote (luggage size) with dark leather trim. I bought it to take to college in 1989. I still use it anytime I travel. My second oldest are a navy cashmere cardigan and a camel cashmere and wool coat purchased in 1990.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, jcrew cashmere is of exceptional quality. It does pill, but so do other brands. You just have to take care of it (hand wash, air dry, and comb.)
Going along with the "preppy" comments. J Crew has silk knot hair ties in their stores! I was so excited to see that... I mean how more preppy can you get. I know one store does silk knot earrings (JCrew if you see this, you should consider that). Anyway I bought two of the hair ties! I wore one yesterday and felt so uber preppy it was great!
ReplyDeleteFFM: regarding the fiona jacket, I agree you can go down a size unless you have very thick/wide shoulders. My fiona canvas jacket in zero works fine, but I love the fit of my fiona madras in P0 even more!
ReplyDeleteFFM: I think the Fiona is a jacket that most people can size down. I'm a 2 mostly but I had to take the P4 in both madras and pale almond. They look pretty good but I think I could have gone with 0 or P2 -- IF only they were available!!!
ReplyDeleteI think the Fiona is like the Tulip jacket - because they both don't have cinched waists, and are more swingy. If you size down, should be alright. I ordered my Tulip in Flame in 0 anyway - same store in Columbus Circle, remember?
FFM: I got the FIona in pale almond one lucky morning on the J.Crew website in late June. For months, it was unavailable but I was lucky. It was the only piece.
ReplyDeleteEsp since I wanted the pale almond.
Same for the Fiona in madras plaid - another lucky find on the website in mid-June.
FFM: What do you think of the Tulip jacket in Citrus lime? I have that but I've ordered the Flame from the Columbus Circle store. I'm wondering if I should return the Citrus Lime. Having two pieces of the same style in my wardrobe may be too much. Would love to hear your opinion.
ReplyDeleteVivian...I probably would return one of them...I wouldn't mind having two if one were a more conservative color...In fact, I ordered the navy and have the citrus lime. :)
ReplyDeleteVivian: I actually tried on the Citrus Lime Tulip jacket in the store today...size 4 WILL fit me fine, so I'm glad I ordered the Bright Flame in it. I personally don't care for the Citrus Lime color, but I have blonde hair, so it just doesn't look right on me, and that is probably why...I am much more into the Bright Flame and Oranges than I am the Citrus Lime and Yellow colors. The Oranges are supposedly big for Fall/Winter, so I think that the Bright Flame will make a better transition, and allow you to wear it alot longer. :)
ReplyDeletemy oldest item is a great pair of tan suede clogs. i have had them for over 15 years. they've never been out of style. i still love them.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine clued me in to the JCrew factory store outside of Asheville, NC. I couldn't find information on it ANYWHERE online, but some friends and I set off today with some sketchy directions and actually managed to find it. I definitely got some good deals - cashmere for $40, chinos for $20, a bathing suit top and ballet flats for $15, and a slew of those cute fabric-covered headbands for $1 a pop. I'll parrot what everyone else said about it being hit or miss, though - it's a big hodgepodge of things, lots of which are samples and lots of which are older looking. Lots of wedding and bridesmaids dresses, though. Men's selection seemed to be good. LOTS of shoes.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun experience, and I'll probably go again while I'm working in the area for this summer, but it's nothing I'd go out of my way to get to.
I must be a virgin all over again. I admit my first official J Crew purchase was last winter -- as in 2007. I purchased a Jackie cardigan & shell. Aww...good classic. I'm sure I'll have them for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI have been a Banana Republic devotee for years, but made a gradual transition to JCrew because of decline in BR quality. It's been easy to become an addict. :-)
I have been looking for a plaid flannel J. Crew button down shirt from 1992 since about, well, 1992. It came in blue, green, and red, and was just about the coolest shirt I'd ever seen at that point, or since. Does anyone know which one I'm talking about?
ReplyDeleteMountaineer boots w/red shoe laces, cica 1993.
ReplyDeleteI also had a pair of lug sole cloges that I LOVED!!! I wish they still had them. I would also buy another pair of the mountaineer boots.
Enjoying the Fisherman's Sweater on our #snowday!
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/iJoshmika/statuses/420207649792081920
Mine was a 1992/1993 XL Red & White two tone anorak pullover. It was stolen out of my vehicle in Atlanta this past Sunday. If ANYONE has one of these I will pay top dollar to replace it. I feel like an old friend was taken from me. i actually broke down and cried. Please help if you can. scott2509@me.com
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