Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Product Review: Indigo Pea Jacket

Indigo Pea Jacket
Click here for product page
Item 39331
Regular: $148.00
Now: $89.99

I mentioned awhile back (refer to the "J.Crew Jackets & Blazers... Still The Same?" post) that I got this jacket. I thought it was time for me to actually review it now that it is in the sale section! J.Crew describes this jacket as:
A spring classic beautifully rendered in a new metallic-threaded cotton and given a fresh update with artful weathering and outsize metal buttons. (The metallic threads are specially woven throughout, lending a subtly tousled, essence-of-the-season texture we adore.) Notch collar. Long sleeves. Welt pockets. Partially lined. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean.
So now my review... My initial reaction is that the jacket is super cute for Spring. I love the nautical inspiration behind it.

When it comes to sizing, I went with my usual size 0. The shoulders were a tad snug, but the body fit me fine. And here's the thing about the body: it was a great fit from the front view, but it was certainly not fitted from the side. So overall, not a fitted or tailored jacket.

The shine of the material is subtle, not in-your-face glitter. It was not scratchy either. Which is a good thing, since it is not fully lined. Honestly, the jacket could have used full lining, and a pretty one at that. When you take off the jacket, the body (which is not lined) looks cheap with its exposed seams inside. Moreover, it didn't look great when I tried rolling up the sleeve.

The gold buttons on the front and back are a great shade that provide a great contrast against the navy blue backdrop. But the buttons feel and look cheap. They should have used the gold embellished buttons of the Schoolboy Blazer.

Although the jacket does not have that much structure to it (it's a bit floppy and seams like it would be prone to wrinkles), the collar does stay up like in the first image of this post. This is actually pretty great as it frames the face nicely.

Overall, it felt to me that J.Crew should have spent a bit more on the details (like the lining & buttons) to make this jacket a classic staple that would be a "go to" for years.

Ultimately, I ended up returning it because I found I never wore it (let alone took the tags off).

What are your thoughts on the Indigo Pea Jacket? Do you own this jacket? Have you tried it on at a store? Do you like this style? If so, please share with us your review. :)

17 comments:

  1. Just like you, I bought this, took it home, had second thoughts and returned it. Noticed it was reduced again to $49.99 in store. Now, if my store was offering an additional 30% off sale items like some other stores are, I would probably repurchase at the low, low price of $34.99. It was not worth the $89.99 I paid for it. Definitely could have used some lining!

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  2. Shopalot: Good to know I wasn't the only one who wasn't feeling this jacket. :) The jacket looks great, just not a keeper at the $89.99 price tag.

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  3. I bought this last week in store for $49.99. I agree with everything Alexis said - it's really cute but not the best quality. I wish the buttons were metal (they feel like plastic to me). This was a problem with the double breasted Bonnie blazer too, which I ended up returning even though it was only $39.99. This jacket is sitting in my closet with the tags on. I bought a 4 (the smallest size my store had) but it will get returned if I find a size 2 or it goes lower in price. I like it, for $49.99. I would not buy it if it was more expensive. I think it's really cute and I love the subtle sheen to it, the fit, and the style of the buttons but the quality isn't great.

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  4. I thought this jacket had great potential! My
    biggest turn off was the side profile, reminded me
    of the Thandie jacket this fall. If it's not buttoned
    it just isn't flattering, and I generally prefer not to
    button my jackets. I've learned this is generally
    the case with double-breasted styles... Too bad
    though because I really lived the concept.

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  5. I agree with Alexis review! My PS found this for me when it was on sale in stores and had the extra 30% off. Somehow my teachers discount was applied too, so I thought it was a great deal. I have to say it wasn't apar to my expectations, but I'm such a jacket person that I kept it as it cost me under $55. Wouldn't pay more than that and at $49.99 in stores, I would then recommend it.

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  6. Catrina: So true! Cute but not the best quality. It has potential if J.Crew just finished it properly.

    whistlingwings: LOL! I was going to actually compare it to the Thandie too in terms of fit in the body! It looks fine from the front, but not tailored from the side. Also, I agree about how its not flattering when its open- which was completely unexpected!

    newyork0311: That's great about the teacher discount! :) I think you are right about the price point- this jacket is not worth full price, but for less than $50.

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  7. Off topic, sorry, but if you're a sale section stalker like I am: the current promo expires tonight at midnight ET.

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  8. I have this jacket and love it. I like the length & fit. I never did check the side profile as I can't button it. Perhaps I would feel different about it if I could. It tooootally works for me & I've worn it a ton. We have a number of micro climates here, so without the lining, it's super easy to layer it over cardis & tops. Irl pics.

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  9. I tried this on in store but the inside of the one I tried on while wearing a short-sleeved top was scratchy and poking my skin. I also found it needed a lining and better looking buttons, although those could be replaced. I was disappointed.

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  10. re: not wonderful gold buttons - as I write this I am gazing at a sweater that I want to keep for Spring into Summer except for its totally undistinguished gold buttons. The buttons are in a black border at the shoulder. I am thinking of giving them several careful coats of black nail polish, probably not matte and definitely not crackled. This might work with navy or other dark blue as well?

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  11. I bought this at the 49.99 sale price in store, but I will be returning it. I LOVE how it looks, but I wear a lot of denim bottoms and I wouldn't get enough use out of it b/c it looks weird with jeans of any wash. However, the real thing for me was that the lining was so, so itchy--especially in the sleeves. I think it's the metallic thread that's woven through it, it almost seems like it pokes through the fabric and feels very scratchy. Not a fan.

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  13. Looks like I am in the minority as I really like the jacket! But I pretty much love everything Navy:) I did pick this up when there was the 30% promo.

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  14. Thanks for this review Alexis. I recall reading some negative comments about the buttons being cheap, which was a disappointment. Your thorough review is really helpful because there are more drawbacks than just the buttons, which is great to know if some of us are contemplating the jacket if it goes on sale. The lack of lining is almost always a dealbreaker for me.

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  15. Meh. The styling is pretty common. I wouldn't have bought it, either. One little pet peeve about JC blazers, lately: They seem to be photographed looking much slimmer than they are in reality. I got the nylon schoolboy blazer and had to take it to the tailor in order for it to fit correctly. It also doesn't have a lining. Bottom line: I'm not surprised this jacket didn't float your boat.

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