Thursday, May 22, 2014

J.Crew Catalogs of Yore {eye candy time!}

 

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Robin, as well as LilyBart (in this post), who let us know that there are several images of J.Crew's older catalogs over at Into the Gloss. (Click here to view all the vintage images of J.Crew.) Below are just a few of my favorite images.

 * Gorgeous and stylish for today!
 * I want this skirt!
*Remember how the catalogs would bring a special offer code on the front?

What image is your favorite? Are there any styles you are happy to no longer see? Any styles you would like to see back? If so, please share! :)

23 comments:

  1. In complete agreement about the look in pic#6. I'll be copying that look this summer.

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  2. I love how happy they all look! I really miss the old J.Crew!

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  3. Have you noticed the models in the swimsuits are in great shape, and they actually have hips and curves? Love that, not the super skinny models we see today! And yes, everyone looks happy!

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  4. I want that skirt too!

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    1. Me too. Maybe we can petition J Crew to reissue it - like that swimsuit.

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    2. +1
      I really wouldn't mind the shirt that goes with it either :-)

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  5. The one model on the Spring 1998 cover (on the bicycle) was my "I want to be her" idol. I still do, lol.

    I have a ton of these old catalogs in my stash of catalogs (such a hoarder of old catalogs). Maybe with all that spare time I have on my side (ha) I can go and get a few images from the old old school J. Crew put on the blog again.

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  6. The biggest difference between those images and today's is that the models look like they're really having fun. Even the dog looks like he just got a treat.

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    1. Agreed - by contrast, look at the image on the front of JC's homepage now of the forlorn, extremely skinny woman in the Public School jacket and pj bottoms. A little creepy if you ask me.

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    2. It's true. The more recent J.Crew is more about high fashion and high prices...

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  7. My favorite is the girl with the picnic basket and of course the beautiful Lauren Hutton.

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  8. Love seeing these old catalog images! I REALLY miss Lauren Hutton. She's gorgeous and older than me....hee! The Crew seems to think only 20- somethings wear their clothes...what a shame to ignore whole generations of women. I adore the image of the woman on the beach with the big hat and old fashion picnic basket. I have a basket like that and I love using it! I agree.....much happier looking, not overly styled with stupid hairdos and poses like in new catalogs. I liked the "stylist" free world alot better....real people don't have stylists! Much to my surprise I actually saw a couple of things in the new catalog that I'm going to look at today. Will report later on my thoughts! Have a great day!

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  9. Wow, this makes me nostalgic. And really, a lot of the styles then were so timeless. It wasn't unusual to keep something for five or even ten years. Not anymore...

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  10. the one with the picnic basket is NOT from an old jcrew catalog. it is from a sunny afternoon - http://www.asunnyafternoon.com/

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    1. Yup, it appears that the chambray top she's wearing is not even THE keeper chambray shirt, which was my initial guess.

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    2. HA! That is too funny. Well it did look like something J.Crew would do. ;)

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  11. Does anyone know of upcoming sales at the Arden NC distribution center? I'm heading to Asheville NC next week and hoping I can stop by at some point.

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  12. Not sure why but for some reason I particularly remember that last cover with the model in the red jacket!! I really miss the old J. Crew catalogs. I remember when I started reading them in my early high school years (25ish years ago?) and they made such an impression on my style. Plus I feel like they really evoked a happy and healthy lifestyle that I could relate to. Nowadays I don't get that lifestyle feeling anymore...sure the pics are pretty but to me that's it - just pretty pictures.

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  13. That seventh picture is perfection. The shirt is actually fitted to the woman's body instead of so loose that no one can tell if she has a waist or not, and the skirt is...sigh. What happened?

    I haven't bought anything from JC for a while (my $$ has been going to Bloomingdales and Nordstrom instead), but I caved and ordered some basics (just shorts and a pencil skirt) that should arrive today. None of the recent offerings haven't really gotten me excited at all, and with a lot of the garments being made of polyester at a highish price, I prefer to spend a little more money and buy clothing from contemporary designers that are composed of natural fibers.

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  14. I just love looking at these older catalog images. The first one is my favorite, then the one with Lauren Hutton and the girl in the wide-brim hat at the beach coming in a close second and third.

    I know that J.Crew felt the need to be 'fashion forward', and thought the way to do that was to move away from the type of styling, clothing, and images in these old catalogs, but now they are just like every other mall retailer out there. They used to have a unique niche in the market but those days seem to be long gone now, and it doesn't look as if they'll ever come back...so sad.

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  15. Love, love, love these pics!! Oh how I miss the "old J.Crew!" Classic looks, clean lines, models that looks like they're real (albeit still gorgeous) people having a great time! None of the crazy prints and ill-fitting clothing, stark white backgrounds and models with open mouth blank stares. I would glady wear any of those looks. I haven't purchased anything from J.Crew in months due to my lack of interest in their current stylings.

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Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

And now back to J.Crew! :)