The JCAs have seen previews of the Fall 2010 Collection for sometime (refer to the June 16th "J.Crew Email: Exclusively yours: a behind-the-scen..." and April 2nd "J.Crew's Fall Preview Is Here!" posts).But here's some more for your viewing pleasure!
"Thanks!" to many of you, including Lyssa, Twiga, Danielle, Jordyn, LouiseR, JCrew Guy In Canada, as well as Silver_Lining (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew has posted the Fall 2010 Look Book on their website, as well as share those images with us.
I decided to not post the slide show of the images because I find it slows down the blog a bit (i.e. it takes awhile for the page to load on some computers). Instead I will post the following links:
Men's Collection looks absolutely amazing. Everything is flawless in its execution. For the Women's Collection... Personally, I am not crazy about the styling. It's also hard to see what the individual pieces look like with all that layering goin' on. With all that said, I know me. I know that there will be an item or two from the Fall Collection that I will fall "head over heels" in love with. So I will reserve final judgment in the Fall. ;)
What are your thoughts on the Fall 2010 Collection? Do you like the Look Book recently released? Would you like to see more styles from J.Crew?
ITA with you, Alexis. The women's styling is completely over the top. I can barely pick out the odd coat or top that pique my interest. The men's styling is indeed perfection. Maybe a bit "clean" but the utilitarian theme is coming through loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at the men's ensembles (in JC catalogs as well as GQ) for years to get styling tips for my own outfits. I've always been more inspired by the colours and textures that menswear offer. Maybe that's why most of my outfits look "borrowed from the boys".
I know I'm crazy and in the minority, but I guess I want to look like a homeless girl scout :-) I love the styling that J Crew has been doing. My taste is probably different than most, because I feel like the pieces I've liked the most lately are the ones people have not loved.
ReplyDeleteI know most of this is over the top and needs to be way turned down, but I'm super excited to wear something like a flannel shirt with a sequin skirt and heeled oxfords with fishnet socks with crazy pink lipstick. Oooh and a fur wrap or cape over it!
Sigh.....at least I'll be the most stylish girl at the asylum :-) Anyone else out there crazy like me???
I'm with you Alexis - I'm not loving the women's styling at all. It's too much - too many pieces and I can barely see the detail on anything. I don't like anything I can see either :-(
ReplyDelete"Edie Beale goes to summer camp"--you know, that is *exactly* what my office dress code says!
ReplyDeleteI'll be happy if this year JC offers a suiting dress that isn't cut down to the navel!
(Nordstrom anniversary sale catalog arrived today . . . that wasn't very encouraging either.)
I always like the mens's styling but they focus on really classic things for the men's things.
ReplyDeleteFor the women, it can be hit or miss and a lot of it has to do with the quality. That said, I really like looking at that online Look Book. Would I wear those outfits like that? No, but I think they use that as more inspirational. That's the way I take it anyway.
I love the lookbooks and while the stuff is definitely piled on I can see little bits of things I am really intrigued with. That said I am too old for mini skirts and will be buying several items from the men's side as usual so I guess I am going to the asylum with Maggie but will be seeing Closet Crisis in the men's ward!
ReplyDeleteThe menswear is to-die-for but I'm like everyone else on the women's collection: I'm just not that into it. I totally understand the concept of high fashion and these looks are more for inspiration than completely recreating (especially because a lot of them look very movement constricting) but I can't tell what the heck I'm looking at! I'm going to try and reserve judgement until I see them in person but of course then several of the items I'll like will fail a basic quality test. I don't want to buy an item I love if I have to baby it because I'm afraid it'll fall apart. *Sigh* Why can't J. Crew love me the way I'd like to love them again?
ReplyDeleteThe only item that interests me (because I can actually see it!) is the leather jacket in look 10 - per my PS, it's the washed leather moto jacket in Dark Mushroom for $550.
ReplyDeleteWe know now that the lookbooks have to be taken with a grain of salt, but wow - the first thing I thought when I saw this was, "I can't wear this stuff - I have a job!" I would've liked this look in the mid-90's in the heyday of grunge, though.
Not sure it's a good sign when the designer can't explain the gist of a collection - i.e, Edie Beale goes to summer camp - without giggling. Also, why is Edie Beale going to summer camp in fall clothes?
ReplyDeleteNot at all a fan of shorts over tights, and the one skirt I can see clearly looks, usual, extremely short. Can't wait to see the items in real life - some of them look like they have potential.
Agree, agree. Too much going on to evaluate individual pieces, which is how we wear them IRL. Too many minis and furry trims. Like Hexicon, I see little that would be appropriate for my office. They would refer me to Counseling Services if I showed up looking like that!
ReplyDeleteI can get over the exaggeration for purposes of inspiration, but I am mostly reacting to the color palette. Is anyone else bummed? I'm glad Jenna has gotten over the orange, but these hues are just BEYOND drab to me when I want to see lovely copper, rust, teal, berry, and eggplant for fall.
Believe it or not I'm very excited about several pieces...the skirt in looks 1 & 13, the vest in look 5, the rounded collar coat in look 8 and even the wrinkled dress in look 9 (love that olive color!). My main concern though is that everything seems so trendy. I can only imagine someday when I have a daughter, she'd be poking through my closet and I'd have to embarrassingly explain the crisis of fashion that was 2010.
ReplyDeleteLong story slightly shorter, I might buy something from this collection but I'd be hesitant to dish out full price.
Anyone know when the next round of new arrivals will hit the site?
ReplyDeleteWell, I absolutely hate anything in browns or olive so that alone is a strike against this collection as they seem to dominate.
ReplyDeleteI also do not love the crazy short skirts J Crew has been doing for the past year or so.
Still, I see at least a few pieces I am very intersted in and am sure a few more will appeal to me when I can see individual items.
Right now, I am looking forward to the LE Canvas after seeing a few promo pics. Their fall rollout looks more like J Crew than J Crew's. Also, Talbots' lookbook has given me several ideas, so I think I will be able to find plenty for fall.
does anyone have a free shipping coupon?
ReplyDeleteEdie Beale makes me sad. Why would you want to conjure that up (which I think JCrew does) in a fall collection.
ReplyDeleteIt's a broken record at this point, but I got no complaints with the guy's collection for fall. It looks like they're sticking with a pretty consistent palette of olive, khaki, charcoal, and navy. To some, that would be boring, but I think Frank has done a nice job adding lots of fresh military/workwear details to bring something new to the table. Seems like nearly every look has some type of military influence.
ReplyDeleteOrdinarily, I can see something I like amidst the women's rather chaotic styling but I really can't see much I like here either. Maggie hit the nail on the head: homeless girl scout!
Hmmm....so the look for fall is "20's Flapper Hobo"? I'll keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteReally JCrew? Really? I buy JCrew because of the CLEAN, SIMPLE, PREPPY lines. You are JCrew, found in practically every mall in America-YOU ARE NOT HIGH FASHION!!! They need to get over that delusion really quickly. As someone else mentioned, I can't even pick out a piece I'd wear from one of these "looks". What happened to the feminine, preppy clothes JCrew is known for? I want those back!
Two thoughts struck my mind as I flip through the Look Book:
ReplyDelete1) Please, please do not bring back the loose knee socks over sheer panty-hoses, oh please!
2) How come no one is smiling? They all have this look of disbelief as if saying, "You are putting me in winter clothes when it's 100 deg F outside?"
I am allllllllll for lookbooks being 'inspirational' and not meant to portray real-life styling, but whoa. ITA, I can't really see anything individual amid all the layers. I'm kinda bummed. I'll do my usual and just brows IRL when it all arrives!
ReplyDeletethey are not doing anything cutting edge. just ripping off miu miu, a.p.c., etc.
ReplyDeleteI'll wait until I see the individual pieces. Maybe there will be something there that I like once I can pick it out of all the layering. For now, I see nothing I can wear to work and very little I would want to wear in my brief casual life. I can appreciate the interesting styling of the look book. It just didn't get me excited about the clothes like the fall previews of other retailers have.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, you're not crazy :) I'm glad you're excited about the possibilities you see. If the flannel shirt with sequin skirt and heeled oxfords with fishnet socks works in your life, I say go for it. I think the dismay you hear is mostly from women for whom that won't work in daily life. No sense spending hundreds of dollars on things that you can't wear, that's my opinion.
Yikes. Yikes. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI am a staunch J Crew supporter and get really excited about new arrivals. Unfortunately I am so turned off by the styling and the drab colors. And shorts with tights. I agree - where are the rich eggplants, the olives, the beautiful tweed jackets? Sigh.
That said, I just went to town with the 20% sale in stores and loaded up on all the pretty patterned pencil skirts - the cream and orange ikat, the ink blossom, and the fleurette. So for now I am very content.....but for Fall, I hope the lookbook is not representative of the whole collection as we'll see in stores....
I know the lookbooks are supposed to provide styling inspiration, but I am feeling less than inspired after looking at this. Other than the concept of layering, there's not much I can take into my real life. As a teacher, If I were to show up to school looking like one of these models, I'm pretty sure my principal would want to have a little "chat" about my mental state while working around children.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I do agree that once I see the pieces by themselves with some simpler styling on the website stock pages, I'll probably find something I like and want. I'm actually REALLY excited for the fall rollouts!
Oh, and fingers crossed HARD for some decent skirt lengths this fall!
ReplyDeleteI want the heeled oxfords and a fuzzy bag. I will love it and hug it and squeeze it and name it George.
ReplyDeleteI love all the hats. They make me happy.
ReplyDeleteWell, it doesn't thrill me, but I do see a few pieces that look like they could have potential: the bracelets in 16, the coat/jacket in 8, and the cardi in 2. I think the leather jacket in 10 looks gorgeous but I'm sure it will be way over my price range. And, I'm curious about the pants in 15. I have stayed away from leggings, but I would like to try these on.
ReplyDeletesilver_lining, "I can't wear this stuff - I have a job!" was also my first thought. I get absolutely no "inspiration" from seeing a bunch of random, mis-matched clothes piled on together. What are the stylists thinking? Are they getting fashion tips from the homeless guy on the corner?
ReplyDeletekitsmommy, Have you seen Talbots latest catalog? LOL, I want everything! It's funny to read their facebook page, though. A handful of people post a constant stream of whining about the "new" Talbots being too fashion-forward and not appropriate for women over 40. I'm 53 and it infuriates me when people assume everyone my age wears shapeless, dowdy, out-of-style clothes.
AppGal, I agree with showing up dressed like that to teach! :O Shorts with tights? Even the kids would think I was crazy. :D I am also hoping for some longer skirts - I love the material used in many of the minis, but they're just too short for me.
ReplyDeleteI just keep thinking about Jenna's response in a recent interview (linked to from JCA) where the mag is reviewing the fall roll-out and asks her how J Crew is responding to the minimalist rage that is coming this fall and winter. She responds along the lines of - J Crew wouldn't want to change to fast for their customers - they wouldn't be ready for that.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all - J Crew is not a couture house. Should it respond to trends? In the past I think they've done a great job of incorporating some trends but keeping their identity. But looking at this, I think they have missed the boat on both ends - from the couture perspective and from their "identity" perspective. There are always gems in the bunch and once you actually see them I'm sure well all drool, but overall - I feel like J Crew kinda missed the mark.
ooh, I just took a peak at Talbot's fall lookbook - I see some pencil skirts, long gloves, a coat and several other items that pique my interest. Impressive.
ReplyDeleteIt's soaring into the high 90s here again today, so a cooling little visual trip into autumn is just perfect :-)
Oh, J. Crew... and my friends at J. Crew Aficionada... I love you so. Even if you're making me poor. :-)
ReplyDeleteI know the state of the economy is dire but I don't want to look like a homeless person! With the sad state of the economy, I want to look pulled together as I count my pennies. I don't see this happening with items which look tattered and unfinished. I think the photography of the Look Book is wonderful but the styling not so much. Isn't styling supposed to make you crave and buy the items? I feel the recent styling in the catalogs and the website have caused sales of some wonderful items to suffer (Lollipop, Contessa, Dauphine). On one hand it's great for us as we can buy these unloved items cheap on sale. On the other hand, I feel sad to see some of these beauties languish in the sale section. Somehow these items lose their luster and I don't wear them as much.
ReplyDeleteOT but does anyone have a free shipping code they'd like to share? :) TIA!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the new fall collection. J Crew is proving to be fashion forward and ahead of the curve. While Talbots lookbook is nice, it is J Crew about 3 years ago and Ann Taylor every year. There is nothing fresh, new or innovative about it. When the fall catalogues come out and the styling is toned down a bit I think many more people will see the beauty of the collection.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll chime in with those of you wondering how the men's collection can look so great (and classically J.Crew without being boring) while the women's collection has the models looking like they'd be sleeping under a bush. It is hard to even pick out the pieces that I might like. And ugh, it is so drab. Poo.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing what LE Canvas has to offer for fall.
I love the tweed jacket (with all the pins) and the platform heels.
ReplyDeleteTo pull off the "homeless girl scout" look, you have to be tall, tiny thin, and under 25!!
If they styled Lauren Hutton this way, she'd look like a shopping bag lady!
well, i love looking at the new pieces no matter how crazy they are styled...no, not many people will wear outfits styled exactly like this but i think the individual pieces are beautiful...the look book and catalog are eye candy for me (always have been) and i love it. :)
ReplyDeleteYay for Jules and her Ode to Bugs Bunny!
ReplyDeleteSorry but I'm completely charmed by that photo and think the Look Books and catalogs are more fun than most fashion magazines.
IMHO, 40+ ladies have to be careful about dressing to "suitish" because it is aging. Which is tricky because that is such an easy way to dress. So while I have no idea how I would wear a fuzzy bag, J. Crew is good at mixing up the items to rethink styling. Do they jump the shark sometimes? Yep! And I wish some of those beautiful English inspired pieces with the tweeds and adorned shoes would make their way into the fall season.
Some of the outfits remind me of Naomi Watts in the opening scenes of King Kong. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Boho chic/dilapidated luxe, as j.crew is making a stab at with the fall collection, isn't fresh or innovative - it's been around for years. I just hope whatever ends up actually going into production is well made.
ReplyDeleteJust took a look at Talbots fall look book as suggested by Jeanne. Oh my!!! Now that is a fantastic look book. I want everything in it too. So chic, so classy. I think this is where I will get my fall wardrobe this year. Thanks Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI do like some part of the styling and individual pieces like the black jacket in look no. 2 ; I have always wanted a similar jacket since forever. I also like the tights with ankle boots and socks look. Moreover, these looks anyone can create by shopping their closets and layering one piece at a time till you are warm enough !
ReplyDeleteAs the other ladies pointed out, I am also thinking that such is the styling even when kept at its simplest, may be inappropriate for regular work days. I guess they could be reserved as weekend outfits unless one works in the fashion or art industry or is a student. Now I wish that I were in college right now :)
I had an email from the g-town store this morning and apparently the look book they invited me in to see has more pieces (and w/o the twigs and bird nest hair) to look at...July 10th was the date I got for Sept pre-orders and August 14th for Oct pre-orders...I will report back :-)
ReplyDelete@theacquisition - but I love J.Crew 3 years ago. Can we have that back please?
ReplyDelete@Jeanne - Yes! I'll take one of everything in the Talbots look book too! Those who whine about its new fashion-forward styles should look at look books from Coldwater Creek.
"Drab not Fab" comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteThat being said once the layers are gone and the rollouts come online I am sure there will be peices I will die for and just love. Fall is my favorite season at J.Crew.
Thank you for the heads up on the Talbot's look book. That was fierce. I kinda want every single thing in there. When did this happen? I always thought Talbot's was a granny store.
ReplyDelete@Susan, there was a big article in the WSJ a few months ago about how they're trying to re-invent themselves because their old customer base is, ahem, passing on. They were in deep economic doo-doo (apologies, but that financial description always makes me giggle) and have managed to reduce their debt a bit thanks to re-invention. Naturally all the old customers are complaining, per the WSJ, but the bottom line is improving.
ReplyDeleteI bought a pretty pink tweed sheath there back in April, and was delighted to note how much of their selection comes in petites! I will most definitely be checking out their fall offerings down the road.
Apologies in advance for long post:
ReplyDeleteI revisited the lookbook after I read everyone's comments and still no likey. I agree with some that once the layers and over-zealous styling is peeled away, there are pieces that are desirable (like the 2 jackets featured in 7 & 8).
The Chinese and Japanese trendsters have been sporting the 1930's-Depression-Era-hobo look for years. There are magazines in Japan that are entirely devoted to that style. So Jenna is a wee bit behind. The shorts + tights look? I pranced around in that when I was in college (navy wool shorts, navy tights, glen plaid jacket and denim shirt...almost 20 years ago!!!), so NO, I do not care to repeat it, but if you're find that new/fresh, by all means go ahead. just don't get me started on the wrist warmers (#13)...
I want fall colours like plums, chocolates, amber, pine... I see the dash of colour on the model's lips as an attempt to inject some colour into the looks.
I see J.Crew aiming for a crowd that's younger (or more adventurous stylistically) than their core followers, just as Talbots is moving away from their 50+ audience onto a younger demographic. Nothing wrong with expanding/updating your business, except Talbots' lookbook put the merchandise front and centre, and IMHO hits the mark for achieving this: it makes you WANT their merch. You don't have to GUESS at what the stuff looks like.
One last point. All that money and effort J.Crew puts into producing this look book is all for nought. They still have to shoot the catalog, and peel away all that crazy layering to showcase the items. Whereas Talbots is "done". They can present their lookbook pages as actual catalog pages. Who ends up paying for the extra cost at J. Crew? The customer of course!
I am puzzled by the piled on styling we've seen in the last few Look Books. Why does anyone think it would help preview/sell clothes? To me it appears to be quite wannabe. My chief complaints with the Crew of late are twofold. One I would put in the Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean you Should category- yes, you can choose to imitate high echelon fashion houses and promote your version, but in doing that you "dumb down" your customer- they can now buy the same pseudo-couture pair of distressed overalls a la Ralph Lauren, a la J Crew, much more cheaply at Forever 21, and in the process, you've managed to lose your preppy with a twist identity that heretofore has carved out a definitive niche for you in the retail rat race. My second beef is poor quality materials and craftsmanship. I don't like to buy cashmere that pills, tees that have holes in them before you even wear them and "shedding sequins" shirts with uneven hems at the seams. How many design/production hours do you think were spent on those 100+ tees in the online sale section? "OK team, in March, we're going to sew the ruffles at the neckline, in April, we'll anchor them upside down, with chiffon, on the right, in May we'll use last months ruffles on March's tees but with sequins on every other one, etc..."To me, Talbots Fall lookbook is very pretty and the pieces look like they could easily be styled for work or play-I just hope they do a good job revamping their sizing. Sorry for the long post, but IMHO,in this lookbook it rather appears that JCrew is digging themselves a deeper hole into the realm of disposable fashion.
ReplyDeleteI find myself in total agreement with so many of you! And while we still have homeless people pushing carts right past the JCrew stores on Madison Avenue, the Women's lookbook is -- well, tasteless. The Men's, on the other hand, makes me think that that tired phrase "borrowed from the boys" is at the very least insincere. I want JCrew to be JCrew.
ReplyDeleteI think that we need to borrow Frank back from the boys to design for women again. ;)
ReplyDeleteOT: just got back from my local Crewlet. I found it hilarious to see that, in their sale section, they had gotten a shipment of retail jcrew's ratty tees that have been sitting in THEIR sale for months now. The funniest part? The prices have been jacked up from the $9.99-$15 of retail to $24-$30...HA!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing of interest I found was a replica of the denim safari jacket at $19.97-40%...really cute, but I'd rather spend my $ on my upcoming vacay.
OH--if you need any black jeans, the Crewlets have a pair of black toothpicks that are AWESOME for $9.97-40%...what a steal! I bought mine a few weeks ago for $20, which I thought was a good deal then.
Best idea yet, Silver Lining.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the men's lookbook. I'm mad...don't ask me why but that's the first emotion I feel. Their lookbook is clean, simple beautiful, ours is for homeless people, and homeless people have more dignity.
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone who is not barking mad (or over 30) want to look like Edie Beale at summer camp? Why, Jenna, why?
ReplyDeleteThere are a few pieces I like but I agree with others that the styling is too much.
ReplyDeleteI looked through the lookbook a few times and can't really see much I want but I've steadily been losing interest over the past few months. It happens sometimes that I find very little at J.Crew and then a season or two down the road I love almost everything.
ReplyDeleteI expect there will be lovely sweaters, jackets and coats for fall. I don't mind the shorter skirts because I wear them casually more than jeans or chinos. Not sure how I feel about the super-high waisted styling though. Looks like my Mom in the old photos. :P
I did like the Talbot's lookbook much better. It's a lot more, what's the word I'm looking for... Oh yes, PRETTY!!
Goodness! Somewhere under (or over) all those layers, there must be something that will catch my eye. I'm just having a hard time finding it.
ReplyDeleteI usually like to take inspiration from catalogues and the Look Book, but this one is too out there even for me.
Something I noticed when I perused the lookbook again: a lot of the items have already been rolled out in the last year or so, like the cotton check shirts, jacquard skirts, sequin skirts, marled grandpa sweaters, boyfriend chinos, sequined tops, denim cutoffs, cropped wool pants, silk tops, chambray shirts, and military jackets. So are these Fall items going to be slightly different dupes? Are they just running out of ideas, or going with the sure things that they know will sell? And if the latter is the case, why were they styled in an (IMO) unappealing way? Food for thought...
ReplyDeleteWent to the shop today and the new cashmere is luscious! I agree with the (very) few comments that also love the lookbook. I found the Talbots stuff sort of matronly but that is probably because I AM a matron. So I guess it just depends on age, profession and lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI am REALLY disappointed about all of the fur that I see here. I will certianly not buy any of it. Secondly, I think that the styling is not very good, and I can't think of a single item that I want from the book!
ReplyDeleteI hate it period.
ReplyDeleteI have decided to stop shopping at J Crew the quality is crap on alot of items, the sizing is all over the map and unless you have a store nearby to check things out which I don't it is a real crapshoot ordering on-line. There are so many other retailers offering similar clothes for less money and better quality it is time to give them a try.
silver_lining, I was thinking the same thing as I flipped through...
ReplyDeletegot it
got it
don't like it
got it, etc.
So many things I already have. Some of them I really love, mind you. But not enough to buy more of the same.
casual-crew, I have been shopping other stores more often lately and you are right, there are some really good alternatives out there.
Those sequined baggy pants made me recoil. They even look horrible on the gorgeous and perfect model. All of the fur is also very disappointing. I hope it's not real.
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ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the LE Canvas fall lookbook for anyone interested
ReplyDeleteGo to LE Canvas Lookbook
I am in the minority here. I love the lookbook, styling and all. I have seen J.Crew over the many many years (since the 80s) and feel that change is good and Jenna has brought some freshness to what was an otherwise stodgy, aging, stale brand. If I want my solid preppy standards sure, I can look to LL Bean and LE. But for me, I am enjoying the evolution of J. Crew.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love the lookbook! It's fun and a bit over the top but it gives ideas and possibilities. Just what a lookbook should be.
ReplyDeleteDesert Flower, you're absolutely right about the clothes not working for a lot of women in daily life. Unless you work in a very creative field or a gallery type environment, this styling would look pretty ridiculous at an average 9-5. Hopefully the original pieces are enough to stand on their own without the crazy looks.
ReplyDeleteMe, I was in the Army for 6 years and now wear scrubs to work, so I've never had had to dress like a grown-up. I guess that's why the over the top looks appeal to me! In fact, these styles are eerily similar to the way little kids pile on the clothes playing dress-up :-)
But I still love it.....sigh...
I absolutely love the new lookbook. I am obsessed with the "piled on look" and think that once the product hits stores, many more will see the beauty in the fall collection.
ReplyDeleteTo check out Jenna's muse for fall go to http://iheartujcrew.blogspot.com/
A few points.
ReplyDeletea) Because I'm short (5'2) and not leggy, and Jenna is 6 feet tall and is, I feel that she does not 'get' that some of us can't wear short skirts or matchsticks, and that is disappointing, because as a mall store, she should design for the gamut of body shapes out there, not just for the Madison Avenue types.
b) I agree with tastymoog, the fall lookbook is a rip-off of MiuMiu and I feel that Jenna is always trying to prove to us just how 'cool' she is by doing this 'homeless chic' and getting 'cool' brands to sell at J Crew. I love J Crew's vibrant prints and there is still some out there (the sunshine peonies, etc.), and sure a brand should evolve, but to me, it looks like Jenna is trying too hard to appeal to her NYC peers and losing sight of what the nationwide Crew customer wants and needs.
c) Yes, Jenna may get a gaggle of younger customers who don't know the old J Crew, but those same customers will move on to Anthro or more obscure brands if the Crew offerings stay as disposable fashion. Seriously, you can't put heavy stones and beads on a tissue tee without it snagging or ripping the thin fabric, even with dry cleaning. Simple logic. But maybe disposable rip-off fashion is the direction J Crew is taking? I hope not.
J.Crew used to be a lot more elegant and classic than they have become recently. This new fall collection probably has some great pieces that I will be interested in, but I do not appreciate the weirdo faux "edge" they are trying to impose this fall. The models are different, too. Less real than they used to be, it seems. I rather always enjoyed the natural, almost-bare faces and sun-kissed hair and skin that the models used to have. Now we have bleached, unkempt looking hair and ugly shoes with socks. Someone please pull the plug on anklets, by the way! They are flattering on no one and a waste of fabric. So far, I'm feeling pretty "meh" about the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm also in the minority here but I like what i'm seeing. There are some very promising pieces. I guess I'm ok with the direction Jcrew is taking as far as being more fashion forward. Frankly, pre-2007 Jcrew was boring (IMHO). I've never bought so much Jcrew before as I have these last 2-3 years. I do wish, however, they wouldn't sacrifice quality; there's a reason why I shop at J crew and not F21. Oh, and I absolutely love the men's lookbook. So sexy.
ReplyDeleteI liked Talbots' fall preview, cute stuff, looks promising, but when did this re-invention occur? Or is it about to happen this fall? Because not long ago I stopped by one of their stores and i couldn't get out of there fast enough...their clothes were not exactly Jcrew-ish nor young looking. IDK...
Apologies in advance for the overly long diatribe...
ReplyDeleteI was at both of my local B&Ms last week. At one store, the SA was excitedly talking up the women's fall collection. He described it as a "glam girl scout look...very vintage-inspired." At the other store, two SAs behind the counter were more than vocal about their utter disdain for the new lookbook - especially the massive overdose of moss green and the messy, bag-lady styling. The only element they liked was the pink lipstick.
I'm on the fence. I realize the lookbook styling is meant to be arty and over-the-top, but I can't picture myself in any of these ensembles. At all. I'm sure there will be one or two items that will be nice updates to my existing pieces, but you can bet I won't have ivy in my hair or wheat protruding from my pockets.
It seems that, for about the last year, a good percentage of the comments on this blog have expressed a common sentiment: We're not sure where J. Crew is going with their new collections, and we're really not sure we like it. It's not the same brand we fell in love with. Although we like some new pieces - Dinster referenced the sunshine peony pattern, for example - we tend to style those pieces a la circa-2007 J. Crew, instead of the way the lookbooks, catalogs and Web site suggest. We also don't seem to treasure the newer pieces the way we do our older ones. (There's a reason we're always trying to track down classics from previous seasons...)
JCAs represent a group of core consumers who are heavily invested in J. Crew, both financially and emotionally. We're seeking an experience with the brand that transcends just wearing the clothes.
With so many on this blog expressing sincere disappointment in the recent collections, correctly insisting that many "real world" women can't and don't dress this way, AND pointing out that other brands who are picking up where old J. Crew left off, I have to wonder: Exactly WHAT market research is the J. Crew design team utilizing? What is the profile of the consumer they're hoping to win over? And WHY do their retail sales keep climbing?
Sad. Sad. Sad. I used to be so excited about the lookbooks. I too have been a JCrew fan since the 80's and am NOT enjoying its evolution on bit. Wow. The hair is even more disturbing to me than the clothes. (esp. the orangy tinged hair in the second picture I believe) I mean the pink lips are gorgeous. I cannot even find words for the clothes....:( sigh and cry for sure!
ReplyDeleteThis quote from a recent interview with Jenna (Style File - March 22) discussed earlier on this blog sums it up for me: "Women want candy. Someone else said this: “Ask a woman what her favorite thing in her closet is, and she’ll pick the thing she bought yesterday; ask a man, and he’ll pick the thing he bought 40 years ago.” So for men’s, we’re looking into heritage pieces."
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree with the notion that most women want of the moment/trendy/disposable fashion. If that is the direction that JC is headed, I will spend my money elsewhere.
@mimi.magnolia - based on the comments I read here, I can't understand how their sales are climbing. I used to shop exclusively at JC but have been looking elsewhere for the last few years.
I'm with Ruffles--can we just have some color?
ReplyDeleteI love, love, LOVE the new lookbook! It's so fun. Just wish I were 10 years younger, then I might be able to pull it off :(
ReplyDeleteThere is hope though, with a little tweaking, I know I can make many of the pieces work for me :)Love the layering. J Crew I am going broke because of you!!!!
LOL, Maggie, Looks like I'll be seeing you at the asylum!!!
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ReplyDeleteLove:
ReplyDeleteSkirt in #1 (although too short for me), #4
Jackets in #3, #6, #8, #16
Vests in #5, #11 (and that had better be faux fur!)
Dress in #9
I think I'm going with Maggie too. :)
Uhhhg. I usually look forward to fall from J Crew. Sigh. Guess we are living in a depression era.
ReplyDeleteIt seems Jcrew is offering free shipping, no minimum when you sign in to your Jcrew account. When i signed in to mine this is what it said:
ReplyDelete"As a special thank you, we will be offering some exclusive benefits throughout the year. To make sure you are taking full advantage of each and every perk, check your email and sign in to your registered J.Crew account each time you visit jcrew.com.
Today, please enjoy free standard shipping."
Yay!! I was desperately in need of a FS code to order the scalloped zipper cardi in black and the candy-wrap mini, on sale now!
Maybe they'll send out an email tomorrow morning. Hopefully this offer is for everyone, not just randomly selected people.
Anyone know when the next set new arrivals will hit the site?
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any actual fur - just shearling and leather (from sheep and cows).
ReplyDeleteI love all of this - I swooned when it came out on style.com. I think the styling is a bit more toned down than it has been and conveys a definite look rather than just pile everything on and hope it looks like something. I see this as JCrew's runway show - trying to convey a feel, and not all of it is guaranteed to end up mass produced.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with the idea that no one can wear this to work - though I completely understand for those who are teachers! I'm an attorney, and can't wait to add the fuzzy jacket in #6, the gorgeous jacket in #8 and the long marled sweater under it, the jacket and pink shirt in #11, the long sweater in #14 and the polka dot shirt in #14 into my rotation.
I honestly think this is preppy with a twist - basics that have been updated to match current trends and styles. LE Canvas just seems to be the same rehash of things that have been out for years and years as preppy. To me, JCrew is offering fresh, grown-up looks for those with a classic preppy style who want to look fashionable.
I MUST MUST MUST have the feather headpiece in image 5! Of course, based on all the past items I have fallen in love with from their look book images, it will end up being a $300 collection piece... ;)
ReplyDeleteMost of you do NOT work in corporate retail. When you make a look book, as with a magazine lay out the looks are VERY aspirational. Yes you probably cannot wear a plaid shirt with a sequin shirt to work. (I can tee hee) But a good look book is supposed to take you somewhere else/ a different time period. No one reads magazines and wears those items exactly as laid out. Ladies show some creativity and relax. Not every season everywhere will appeal to everyone. As it happens the shades they use will be EVERYWHERE this fall. Also I would not judge a line by the disdain of a sales associate who makes $10 an hour, and has worked there for 2 months.
ReplyDeleteI just received the Fall look book by mail and a note from Jenna (I'm sure anyone who received the look book will get the same note from Jenna). Very nice! The look book has more looks than what's shown online. Love a couple of the jackets! A sequin pants? Really?
ReplyDeleteA more glamorous occupation or higher salary in no way equates to better personal style. It's about personality, creativity and self-knowledge, not money or position.
ReplyDeleteI shared my experience about the SAs because I've rarely heard people who are paid to sell a brand publicly complain about it.
We all realize a lookbook represents aspirational fashion. One's personal opinion of a lookbook, then, is a matter of whether the brand's aspirations click with one's own.
If the colors used in the lookbook are going to be everywhere this fall, then it's going to be a pretty drab fall. I need some rich tones for fall....
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