This is the weekly "Other JCrew-like Retailers" post (similar to the "Off On A Tangent"
posts), where we can share our finds from other
retailers that have offerings similar to J.Crew
(like Anthropologie, LE Canvas, Gap, BR, Talbots, Ann
Taylor, and the like.)If you have recently encountered items that are similar to J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.
Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including experiences with certain merchandise pieces, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.
im probably really late on this but just got my first pair of ashley bow ballet flats from banana republic and theyre amazing! really comfy, seem to be good quality, come in a ton of cute colors and textures, and with the frequent 40% off promos at banana you can usually snag them for about 60 bucks...nice cheaper alternative to jcrew flats!
ReplyDeleteOff topic J crew has free shipping on all orders good for Sept 18 only!!
ReplyDeleteI've shared several J.Crew-like items in this post on my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, all. With all the pretty at J. Crew today, it seems this is the time for yummy rollouts. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, Boden officially rolled out its winter items on Monday, and I wrote up a post here (it also includes a link to the picks post I wrote during the winter preview).
There were a few new items in the rollout that weren't part of the preview, including some really lovely looking leather gloves.
Dina, I want one of everything at Boden. Just love their offerings!
DeleteHa, yeah, my budget curtails me, but I definitely agree. Decided that the Ingrid Coat in the hot pink would be worth the order, though. :)
DeleteHas Banana been providing 40% off codes every Wednesday in September?
ReplyDeleteAlso: Does anyone have any opinions about their suiting?
Phoebe, I have tried BR suiting. I have and love one suit from there, it is the lightweight wool, and I purchased it just a few months ago. Their other suiting (the "sleek suiting") is cheap polyester and does not look professional. It looks like they aren't even offering any right now, which is a good thing.
DeleteI highly recommend the lightweight wool suiting, two button jacket. The 1 button (not sure they even make this anymore) jacket was horrible. Too long, too big, ugly. The jackson fit pants are also odd, very wide leg/flared in a dated way. The martin fit pants are very sleek and streamlined, but not tight or anything... they are just a very timeless cut, IMO. The pencil skirts are lovely, very similar to the JC suiting pencil skirts.
As far as sizing, I take the same size in BR suiting as in JC suiting. Unless you are very tall, you may not need a tall size jacket. I am 5'9" and the tall jacket is practically too long. I still love it!
If you can catch them on sale, or use the 40% off codes, the pieces are also pretty affordable!
I like their "sateen" line of suiting (98% cotton) for more casual suiting. For formal suits, I still stick to Hugo Boss and Theory. From their "sateen" line, I have a few of their solid pencil skirts and a couple matching blazers to form a suit. They are lined, comfortable, and do not easily wrinkle - a huge plus when traveling. For pants, I have a pair of tall Martin Fits that I absolutely love - they have just the right amount of stretch and the fabric is a nice weight.
DeleteMost of my office bottoms are from BR. I have their sateen crops (summer 2012) for the warmer months, and the Martin trousers for fall/winter. Also have 2 of their blazers in lightweight wool. Love that they're fully lined (trousers and blazers), quality and CS. I managed to snap up all these pieces with promo or on sale. Watch for sales on weekends as well. I know they have the 40$ off one item every wednesday, but if you can buy a whole suit with a 35% promo (which they run on weekends all the time), you may be better off since you get both pieces at once :)
DeleteI've got a in-store coupon for 40% off one full-price item on Wednesday the 25th.
Deleteemail if you want me to mail it. brooklinian at gmail
Phoebe - I think yes - 40% off one full-priced item every Wednesday. I haven't tried their suiting. Most BR clothes just don't fit my body type up top. I love their Sloan fit pants though and Ashley ballet flats. It's gotten to the point where I won't even consider buying anything from BR unless it's at least 40% off!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has a Madewell $25 off coupon they're not using, I would love one. Thanks! email: findingcate@gmail.com
Not sure if this was mention but if the Tommy Hilfiger books shirtdress is not for you, Garnet Hill has a bookshelf print skirt with pockets. Search under smocked waist detail skirt. It's a pretty poofy skirt according to the reviews.
ReplyDeletecuckoo, I saw that skirt, it is really cute! I just wish it had a normal waistband. Still, tempting!
DeleteDoes anyone know how Garnet Hill sizing is in skirts/bottoms? I do want that bookshelf print skirt but don't know if I should get an XS or S. I'm a 25/0 in J.Crew, if that helps.
ReplyDeleteAlso, like Dina said above, Boden has some beautiful items for winter. I ordered the Fun Breton, Ponte Roma pant, and Embellished Flats in rose gold. I can't wait to get them! Their CS is also excellent, and adjusted the price of an item before it shipped out for me.
Garnet Hill customer service is legendary, they're happy to provide size measurements. GH offers free exchanges and 100 percent satisfaction or complete refund on all purchases. And no, I don't work for them.
DeleteThanks! I'll take advantage of that. I've never bought anything from them so I wanted to check.
DeleteI find GH runs kind of big, with an occasional exception here and there. The jersey pieces/pjs run large, while I find the cotton woven/structured pieces are a bit more true to size. Everything I have from them I L.O.V.E., so I am a bit biased. :)
DeleteI think those embellished flats in rose gold from Boden are beyond lovely, and a far better price for a nice quality pair of shoes than J. Crew. I cannot stomach J. Crew's shoe prices anymore, so flipping expensive, even on sale.
Thanks Dina! I'm excited to order the skirt!
DeleteI must confess, I ordered them after I saw them on your post about the Winter Preview. They'll be perfect for holiday parties! And well, every day. :)
Gilt City is offering a discount code of 40% off (full price items) at Ann Taylor. Good thru Tuesday (9/24/13).
ReplyDeleteFor those interested in a Janey alternative, check out BR's "Peggy" shoe. Heel is a little more pronounced, but I bought the calf hair pair on promo today for a great price (about $85). I don't think the calf hair is as nice as on the J.Crew shoes, but good enough for me.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone tried on the Sloan slim windowpane ankle pant at Banana Republic. I just received a trend report folio in the mail and these pants look so fun. Ivory with black window pane and only $89.50 full price. Maybe these would help me get over those darn gorgeous $300 Tattersall cafe capris! I would love to hear someone's thoughts about the sizing and fit.
ReplyDeleteI've been stalking the BR site since I saw the Sloan slim windowpane ankle pants in InStyle last month. They are now pre-order on the website. I like the Sloan fit overall - somewhat similar to a Minnie but with a little more room in the leg. I take the same size in Sloan as I do Minnies. Even though the FP seems reasonable it's really hard for me to pay FP at BR because they always have a promotion. This version of the Sloan is marked as a BR Pick so the promos don't apply :( Although, I have noticed that things will start out as a BR Pick and then later (weeks) that will change. Not sure I'm willing to wait this one out or not.
DeleteI also love the new Tattersall Collection Cafe Capris! They are lined and I bet the fabric is beautiful.
I have a pair of solid Sloan ankle pants. They are similar to the J.Crew Minnies, but as mentioned above, they do have more room in the legs. I also found sizing to be the same, but their regular length is comparable to J.Crew's tall length in the Minnies. I also found the fabric of the Sloans to be a tad thicker than the fabric of the Minnies.
DeleteThanks Luxette and Lauren Elizabeth! I may check these out ( with a promo of course).
DeleteKate Spade surprise sale (like a sample sale) today, with up to 75% off. Everything is final sale.
ReplyDeletehttps://surprise.katespade.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-KateSale-Site/en_US/Search-Show?cgid=ks-view-all
I feel compelled to share this link to a Dorothy Perkins sweater, which features a very familiar looking hen. Only, she's in sequins. About $50.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/ojhevfw
I have some Anthropologie Reviews here and here
ReplyDeleteSome Garnet Hill reviews here
and Madewell reviews (can't remember if I posted this last week or not) here
Hmm since i haven't seen reviews of the Philip Lim/Target collab, my 2 cents on what I picked up at my local store.
ReplyDelete-navy silky skirt: size up! i'm usually a 2 in Jcrew skirts and got an 8 here. 4 was uncomfortable, there wasn't a 6, but the 8 was fine... sits lower on the waist and ends right above the knee (i'm 5'5"). It's a nice thick, silky fabric and drapes well, also lined. The waistband has a little stretch, which is nice.
-navy ruffle tank: XS, so take your smaller size. i thought this was "meh" online and in store, but tried it on anyway. i quickly realized that this top pairs well w/ skinny pants, trousers, or skirts (tucked in or not) and was a simple, chic top. plus machine washable! check seams though, the sewing was irregular for some.
-white/black drop dress: XS. another online and on rack "meh" reaction but tried it on and loved it. the cream material is thick while the black portion is more like chiffon, and is lined. surprisingly chic, though you'll have to wear adult shoes (leopard or pointy) to avoid looking like a school kid in a uniform :) but styled right, this looks fabulous.
-grab and go floral undies: XS. cute but in hindsight, don't think i really needed it. the bottoms run a little small, though maybe it's supposed to fit snug. top fits fine.
I was looking forward to the rhinestone dresses and top, but IRL it looked disappointing. Saw some loose beads and the fabric didn't look as nice as the above pieces. The pullovers and blouses were okay... I'm a stickler for even seams and such, so I wasn't a fan of the construction. Didn't try on pants. And was not hardcore enough to go early for the purses :)
Thanks! I'm waiting for my online order to arrive.
DeleteTarget.com was unable to fulfill one item on my order (no biggie), but what was really shocking is they emailed me a $100 gift code. Yes, $100, with two zeros, for being unable to send me a $75 dress! Thanks, Target, for going above and beyond to make me a happy customer.
Rosie - That's fabulous! Reminds me of years ago if you ordered from Talbots, and your item was unavailable, they would give you another selection at 25% off! Even they stopped doing that quite a while back. Go Target!
DeleteI think they must be treading carefully after the Missoni fiasco.
DeleteTo be totally honest, $100 seems way over the top. A little apology and $10 would have made me more than happy.
Rosie, you're so lucky. I recently placed an order with Lord & Taylor for 4 items, 3 of which were later canceled - a week later! They didn't offer me a thing to compensate. Their website is terrible too. Really disappointing.
DeleteMy order arrived today. Meh. It's all going back, and I didn't think for a second about keeping any of the items. The polyester felt icky and everything was huge on my petite frame. They all looked like things that would be on H&M's $5 clearance rack.
DeleteDon't get me wrong -- I thought the Jason Wu and Missoni collections were well done and was pleased with the fit of nearly everything I tried
I think the best designer bargains are to be found poking around the racks of TJ Maxx or, sniff, the now gone Filene's Basement. My go-to cocktail dress is a silk 3.1 Phillip Lim purchased for $36 at Filene's basement.
My friend had a canx Lim order & also recvd a $100 gift card from Target. Crazy. The only thing I kept was the black mini pashli style bag. Hoping to catch the sleeveless peplum top to go on sale, but that's about it.
DeleteJC pants in general don't work for me (except for matchsticks). I tried on the Andies and they were "ok", but I wouldn't pay almost $90 for a pair of cotton pants. Found the Skinny Trousers at American Eagle to fit well, quite similar to the Andies in fact (so those of you who love the Waverly's or Skinny Ut Chinos wouldn't like these). Comes in a range of great neutrals. Love the burgundy and olive colourways. Got mine for under $30 with recent sales/promos. I can spill ketchup/coffee/sauce on these and not cry (too much) over them.
ReplyDeleteIf you can get to a Banana Republic store, the deals are fabulous. Extra 40% off sale and another 10% on top of that if you use BR/Gap card. Prices are generally much lower than what you see online.
ReplyDeleteTarget - A really cute ponte stripe dress & maritime-style jacket reviewed here. Tiered promo 15-25% off ends tonite.
ReplyDeleteMacy's - 25% off shoes ends tonite. If you like loafers & booties click here.
ReplyDeleteAnn Taylor - FASHIONFLASH for 50% off sale items ends tonite. There are some good fall pieces among all of the leftover sumemr gear they're still trying to peddle.
ReplyDeleteI ordered these tuxedo chinos. Hoping they are brighter in tan color than J Crew's Andie tuxedo stripe chinos. They better be & they better fit because I paid shipping! lol A net $40 w/the shipping.