"Thanks!" to GigisGoneShopping (in this post), also posted the catalog up on her blog, check out her "September 2014 catalog" post.
* Love this outfit!
* I love this photo, cast and all!
* This photo is beautiful!
I simply do not care for the styling shown in these photos. I am sure I will love most of the individual pieces in person. But not as they are currently shown. Frankly, I am just not excited with what I see. This bums me out. Really. It does.
The Men's photos all look amazing! The styles are on point and the offerings look like the perfect mixture of "classics with a twist"! Even the Crewcuts photos show kids styled in fun, exciting ways. Which makes the Women's side of the catalog all the more disappointing.
On a bright note, the catalog is already available in J.Crew stores. Plus, it is being shipped out to customers via snail mail.
Word among several JCAs is that the next roll out of new arrivals (online) is this Wednesday. Brick & mortar stores might already have items on the floor.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming collection? Are there any pieces you are super excited about? Does your local store carry any of the new arrivals yet? If so, please share!
Boring. I was looking forward to Fall colors since summer was ho hum this year for the Crew.
ReplyDeleteAccording to my B&M, they are getting "the big fall rollout" pieces tomorrow. That makes sense, they're usually in stores on Monday and online on Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI do find it a little curious that the Pinterest images were put up over the course of the weekend. I wonder if that still would've happened if Gigi and Suzy didn't leak them first (go JCAs!).
As far as the images themselves, I'm not feeling too much, and this is coming from somebody whose 'power color' is grey. The pinstripes feel very 90's to me and a lot of the other things are straight repeats from last fall. (The combination of Ieva Laguna's brushed-up eyebrows and bitchy resting face aren't doing much for me, either.) That being said, I usually find something that interests me once the whole thing is out online.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering about the rugby team models (and I hate that shirt-tail sweater...good sweater ruined at least for me...)
ReplyDeleteHere's some info from the catalog: "In the running for their fourth consecutive league championship game, New York City's American National Rugby League team has been holding court at "The Castle," their home field in Hudson River Park, for over a decade."
DeleteSimilar colour story over at BR and Club Monaco. Looks like the fall palate is a little darker and muddier than was expected. Like Silver Lining I am all about the grey. The men's side once again looks strong; The rustic merino elbow patch sweater in heather indigo looks like a winner with the cable added to give it a different look.
ReplyDeleteand no to wool bermuda shorts in the fall/winter.
ReplyDeleteJust plain....bad.
ReplyDeleteVery very interested in these Maddie wool pants - are my eyes deceiving me or is this pair in this picture CHOCOLATE BROWN?
ReplyDeletehttp://pinterest.com/pin/224335625164041904/
Yea, love the chocolate brown! I wonder what the difference is between the Maddie and the Pixie or Minnie pants. The Maddie looks pretty similar to these.
DeleteYES to a nice brown basic. I'm hopeful that we'll see more of it, one of the new perfect fit t-shirt colours is a chocolate brown, I've got one arriving tomorrow. I have so many JCrew pieces in my closet for autumn, though most are from 07-08...hope I see something this week I can add to the group.
DeleteAnother pin shows the Maddie in grey - looks like an interesting button detail at the waistband. Not sure how practical that is but we shall see!
DeleteBlah. The only outfit I'd wear is the one with the camel blazer. I love fall color palettes but this is just boring.
ReplyDeleteI picked up the camo shirt because I really like the fit, a lot of other items seem like repeats from the past rollouts.
ReplyDeleteOkay...One thing I like about this style guide is the first few pages they didn't use models, which is refreshing to see. They're smiling, its candid, and it might look like they are wearing J.Crew clothes mixed with what these women own.
ReplyDeleteI'm also not very excited about this rollout, which I guess is okay since I shouldn't be spending money right now! There's just a few things I want for fall and I'm waiting for good sales to pick them up, or they're at different retailers.
ReplyDeleteHave you guys seen this pin? It's so bad... I don't know what's going on.
xo Kimi
I love the kids' section, too bad I can't wear it. The girls' leggings are adorable, the puffer vests and coats come in great colors, cute slip-on sneakers. I love the grid dress and skirt pattern. The boys' cords and Macalisters come in fun colors (and a blue/gray camo pattern). The women's section is a bit morose but there are some nice basics such as the jackets. I am interested in seeing the Needle-punch Lace sweater.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you, the mens and crewcuts side of the catalog look great! Especially the men's styling- classics with a twist, to perfection!
ReplyDeleteThe women's side needs serious improvement. The look feels "blah" so I feel "blah". I feel like I own most of the stuff, so why bother. Again, I know I will love lots of the individual pieces but I am disappointed with the catalog's styling. I will even take the crazy layering of 2008-9 over this! ;)
For some reason I like the pinstripe bomber and striped cropped sweatshirt, but that's it. Maybe something'll catch my eye when the rollout comes too, but at this point who knows.
ReplyDeleteThat bomber caught my eye, too and I like the whole outfit shown with the cropped sweatshirt.
DeleteYou're going to have to change the name of this site soon to j crew bashing because that's the majority of the comments. This style guide is right in line with the trends for fall 2014. The colors, the simplicity and the lines are what's in style for fall so I don't understand the negative comments. J crew stays current and leads the way for major retail fashion trends. Greys, blacks, golds,darker greens, some reds, some blue's like cobalt are the major colors this fall. I'm sure they will be adding some color in the next few rollouts, but these were the major colors on the runway for 2014. Oversized, longer lines, sport influence is what's currently in style. Thank god fashion and styles change so we don't wear boring wool pants and cardigans every year. As for the styling...it's current and on trend, but these are great basics that can be styled however you want to wear them. I'm a professional in my late 30s and would wear every single one of these looks.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we are all negative. I feel we do expect alot of excitement from the style guides....I do not feel that this time. Maybe it is missing alot of that "location" feel.....also not alot jewellery ,bags and shoes/boots.Not very accessorized at all . Maybe that what it is missing.
DeleteI feel that my expectations were just too high for this one......
I'm confused as to what the shoppers who visit this blog are looking for. One minute everyone is complaining about too many fashion forward {collection pieces} and not enough classics. The color scheme is on target for fall ... Take a look at DVF or Tory Burch. This collection appears to be very classic if you break down the outfits and look at individual pieces. I don't buy outfits I buy separates and create my own. Compared to most mall retailers J.Crew is on trend with high end designers. If you don't like it don't buy it.
DeleteApologies if my comments come across as bashing. As I mentioned, I am sure I will love most of the individual pieces. However, I am not a fan of the current styling direction. (As the post was about the catalog, where the styling and the outfits are forefront, I thought I would share my thoughts on it.)
DeleteI think that it's great we all have different takes on JCrew! I want for everyone to feel free and comfortable to express their own views here, the good and the bad. :)
Katie, i totally agree with you
DeleteI think a lot of people just don't like the current fashion trends. I actually like them (aside from the high waists), but it's not everyone's cup of tea. And even though I like the current trends, I still miss the more cheerful vibe from a few years ago.
DeleteJ. Crew lost me a bit when they changed from catalog to style guide, though. It's more of a sneak peak into the rollout now, rather than a fuller look at what they are selling. It's still fun to see the new style guides, but there is always a lot left out of them.
Thanks Katie for your comment. I sometimes feel that the focus on the blog is too much on the things that disappoint while the loves aren't mentioned.
DeleteLadies please remember this is a personal blog. The way I see it since it's Alexis's blog she gets to say what she likes and if I don't Agee with her I just look elsewhere. I also don't think anyone needs to appologize for their opinion on JC's styling or lack there of.
DeleteRespectfully White Knighting Alexis and the other criticisms about J Crew here....I think she does an excellent job of presenting J Crew in a fair light on HER blog. She shouldn't have to apologize for her opinion that the way the 2014 fall line has been styled isn't as great as previous seasons. It isn't. Besides, just because it's "in style" and on trend for 2014 doesn't mean it's going to be fashionable or in good taste for everyone (remember many styles of the 80s? They were on trend and current at the moment, but they were nonetheless ugly and questionable).
DeleteNo one unanimously loves everything and anything from a line season after season, and when J Crew does or puts out something questionable, I think as a long time J Crew shopper, it's fair to call them out on it. A little well meant constructive criticism now and then is a far better way to show love for a brand than constantly saying "I love it" to the Emperor's new clothes.
what she said.
DeleteI note further that it will be worth watching to see which items get marked down and how fast.
Um, this is where I need to add that experience has taught me not to put any credence in "sold out" since I've seen items marked sold out on Monday, back in 2 or 3 sizes on Tuesday, and back in all sizes for the next 10 days. This is why I think that promos and markdowns are more accurate indicators of popularity.
I value Alexis' opinions because although I've been shopping J.Crew since they were a little catalog business from Garfield, New Jersey, Alexis watches the line much more closely than I do, and is much more patient than I am.
Thank you for the comments to those of you who understood my comment. I was not putting Alexis down in any way. I was simply stating a fact, that the comments on this blog are usually negative and it has become a place to bash j crew. I like j crew and fashion so I came to this blog to find a community that had similar interests. Unfortunately the majority of comments are negative and rarely positive. The only time you see a positive comment is in regard to factory or when someone buys something at a deep discount- neither of these really have anything to do with j crew clothing. The looking to love section is always empty so apparently no one likes anything they're buying at j crew. Again, this has nothing to do with Alexis as it is more the commenters. I feel there are a few people on here that actually love j crew, fashion and what they purchase, but they get drowned out by the overwhelming negativity. I actually think Alexis stays pretty neutral and has absolutely no reason to apologize. Egyptomanic- in style and on trend doesn't mean it's going to be fashionable? The word fashionable literally means currently popular. And the 80s were not ugly or questionable in the 80s- that's a bit of hindsight bias. We loved wearing those cloths in the 80s and thought we looked great. And I agree, constructive criticism is needed and creates change, but that's all there is here.... Criticism.
DeleteWhy shop at j crew any longer if you hate the clothes and the direction of their styling. And why waste time complaining about the same things constantly. I guess I'm looking for more people like rynetta from j crew ismyfavstore, who likes j crew, puts great outfits together for herself and has great reviews.
I think there are a lot of people on this blog who like clothes not fashion, and have outgrown j crew. J crew does beautiful basics, but in a current fashionable way. They are imitating what's on the runway at a low cost and great quality for the price. I don't always love everything j crew does, but I know someone else will wear it and look amazing. I don't complain about it because it doesn't look good on me. Not every style is going to flatter every shape, especially if you're overweight. And that's not meant to be rude, it's a fact when you're overweight you'll have a harder time with fit regardless of where you shop. But to criticize an item because it doesn't fit your body is just odd. For example, I'm short and wish I was tall. There are certain items that look amazing on taller people, but horrible on me. There's nothing wrong with the fit- it just wasn't cut for my body. I just get to admire it on all you tall girls. More recently people are complaining about this huge oversized fit that's in style right now- I love it and think it looks amazing. I get everyone can't wear it, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Wear what looks great on you, but don't put it down because you can't wear it- that's not really a true fit review. I'm just hoping to see more positivity on here and I'm at fault too! I need to take more time to review all the things I'm loving at j crew right now.
I think the opinions expressed on here are in line with the general reception JC's women's line is getting lately. Just look at the exploding sale sections online and in stores.
DeleteIf all anyone did was gush about JC the comments would be meaningless and unhelpful to people who are really curious whether an item is going to work for them.
I liken this to being a devoted fan (aficionada) of a favorite baseball team. They might be having a good season, for which you cheer, or they might be in a slump, which you hope they'll get out of. It's still your team and you are rooting for it to do well, even when you don't like what it's doing at the moment.
DeleteComplaining about others being negative is a bit rich, to me. ;) I'm grateful Alexis has nurtured a place where smart women can share their opinions and yes, their good buys.
Delete"The looking to love section is always empty so apparently no one likes anything they're buying at j crew."
DeleteCorrection. I've posted several positive comments in the "looking to love" section myself and overall made a conscious effort to be as objective as possible about all my reviews here, whether good or bad. Many positive comments appear in the "reviews" section. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't remember seeing any love posts/reviews from @katie.
I believe every comment to be valid, even the ones I personally don't agree with simply because they offer another point of view and that is something that's valuable to me. Frankly, I'm hoping to see less responses that feel a little agitated with the posters here and more love posts/reviews that might just totally blow our J.Crew-outgrown minds. Peace!
On trend or not, the real question is what makes these clothes so unique that I need to spend my money at J Crew vs all the other retailers carrying these "trends". Nothing is very exciting to me, therefore nothing will end up on my wishlist or in my cart.
DeleteUm, yum on the menswear!
ReplyDeleteI see a bunch I like! It has been so long since I said that about a J. Crew catalogue. I am really looking forward to this rollout so I can see the pieces individually. Like Alexis, I'm not a huge fan of the styling. I do think I'll see things I will want once they are on the site and I can get a good look at them. I am crazy about camel, grey and cream for fall. There's a number of images that pique my interest.
ReplyDeleteI don't see very many items I need to have--mostly because a lot seem like repeats from the last rollout! However, I'm sure my in store VPS will have some amazing styling ideas and her enthusiasm for the collection will persuade me!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTotally drooling over the boyfriend coat:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164042751/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164041533/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164042995/
Anyone have pricing, sizing (petites?), and other info on the coat? Thanks!
Hi clotted creame - I like that one, too. Rose has some info on her blog here. No sizing, but $250, item A8907.
DeleteI don't necessarily dislike the items but I agree with Alexis and others that it is about the styling, they aren't selling me on their looks. I get that this palette and style is on trend for fall but they aren't making the case, for me anyway. I find that I end up buying something by seeing it on a fellow JCA before I see it on the catalog. Banana Republic has a lot of the same hues, and similar items, but I find that they show it better.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, void of all color. What a disappointment. This has been one of J. Crew's worst years in my opinion. It's like they took all the fabulous neons and brights from a few years ago and went the totally opposite direction. I hope I'm proved wrong soon, but I have yet to buy anything from J. Crew this year, and I don't look to change that with these photos.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side - I wonder if there are Ceces in this catalog?! :)
Catherine - I don't recall seeing any Ceces in the catalog.
DeleteI like a couple of items that were not in the captions on pinterest! XD I think the style guides are giving me a peek of what the new arrivals are going to be, and then I can wait and see what they actually look like IRL when I hit the stores! Sometimes I fall in love with a piece in the style guide but it turns out to be lame. And then I actually like something else in stores.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, hopefully I'll go to my store today and have a look.
Thanks for the link love, Alexis!
ReplyDeleteI *just* uploaded a more comprehensive catalog slideshow on my blog. Includes pricing info.
Thanks again to Suzy who provide images that we saw over the weekend :)
Thanks so much for the update, Gigi. I was hoping to find the guide in my mailbox today, but no such luck. Your post is much appreciated!
DeleteThanks Gigi you're a total rock star!
DeleteThe latest Banana Republic fall collection, Marissa Webb's first for them, I literally wanted to buy everything they put the models in. THAT'S how you style a collection. That's the difference for me. There's a quite a few pieces here and there I like from the Crew and have wishlisted though.
ReplyDeleteThey styling may be Marissa but the actual designs and cuts are not. She started after this was in production. I have tried on several of the offerings and they are the same old banana cuts. Not quite Marissa yet. Although I still say BR suiting is better than JCrew.
DeleteThat's what I understand as well. Marissa-like styling right now, but her 1st BR pieces will be next spring.
DeleteI liked some of the new BR designs, but they still haven't ditched the polyester. Most of the blouses are poly. I hope Marissa brings back the natural fabrics.
DeleteI just want to thank everyone for their thoughtful comments! I think there is a great discussion going on here. :)
ReplyDeleteI can see both sides of the argument being made: Some of us are disappointed with the styling and are hoping to see a positive change, and want the best for the brand we love. While some of us are really excited about J.Crew's current styling, loving the direction, and are finding that excitement being dampened.
From what I see, I think no matter the rave or critques, we are all still passionate about J.Crew and devoted fans (I love Cate's baseball analogy!). If we weren't, I agree with Amahendra that people would simply stop commenting and visiting, and move on from this brand (& this blog) altogether. (I want to add here, that sometimes it is hard to gather tone from comments. I know that sometimes I think I am being funny and when I re-read what I wrote, it's pretty flat.)
I also really appreciate everyone's view point and comments. For my own part, Katie I can totally see how I have been too critical at times with J.Crew. I own it and I sincerely hope that my viewpoint doesn't dampen someone else's enthuisiasm. I really do wish that everyone feels free to express their viewpoint. :)
Also, I do appreciate that we all have different opinions. It often times makes me look twice at an item. I have several items in my closet from J.Crew that I judged too harshly at first, read something about it on the blog, and decided I had to have it. ;)
Egyptomaniac: I laughed at your comment about the styles of the 80's because when I look back at my childhood photos from that time period, I cringe a little. Don't get me wrong, I love scrunchies, side pony tales, but some of the oversized blazers... yikes! ;)
WellFedFred: Totes agree about "sold out"!!! It makes me roll my eyes when I see something sold out and then back in stock once a promo is over. Just exclude it in the fine print! I know BR has a billion exclusions from their promos too (like the BR picks) but at least they don't pull it from the website.
Desert Flower: I agree, there are so many things I see in person that I completely ignored in the style catalog. I also think the manequins do a better job with outfits/styling right now too.
TeriLynn13: I am totally guilty of buying something from J.Crew after seeing a fellow JCA wearing it!!! Especially from Gigi's helpful reviews. :)
Too bad grey is not my best color. Otherwise I like some of the pieces individually. And being a petite person the play on the shapes may not work for me. I'll be holding out for the holiday catalogue.
ReplyDeleteAlexis does such an amazing job with her blog that it feels like an extension of J Crew. Sometimes readers forget there's one real person behind it; not a corporation, team or duo. Many bloggers, including myself, have chosen to monetize. Alexis has not. There are no affiliate links here and no ads. All efforts she puts here are at the cost of her own time. Even as J Crew has moved away from her personal style, Alexis continues to devote time, interest and love to the brand. Yes, fashion has changed. J Crew has changed, too. Change isn't easy for the majority of us, but I don't think there's a desire for whale print chinos year after year either. J Crew's constant, and what we all look forward to, has been their masterful styling. Without that touch distinguishing them from the fast fashion retailers, I may as well buy slouchy, polyester pants for $24.80 at Forever 21 instead of $98 at J Crew. If what's going on here isn't working, I respectfully suggest creating a blog and space online to cultivate what you want to see.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the traveler's parable someone told me when I set off for Europe x number of fashion cycles ago.
A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.
"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.
"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.
"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."
"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.
Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.
Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk.
"What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.
"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.
"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."
"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."
This is an interesting comment because i don't think anyone was bashing alexis or suggested that she doesn't do an amazing job. I simply made the point that the commenters on here have become so negative lately and it feels like a place to bash j crew. This has absolutely nothing to do with Alexis.
DeleteIf what's going on here isn't working create my own blog? So, if i don't feel like bashing j crew and joining in the negativity i should leave? That's interesting.... As a fan of j crew, I'm confused as to why anyone would want to come to a j crew fan site and constantly bash the brand and fill it with negative reviews. It seems to me those are the people that should start their own, I don't like j crew anymore, blog. Silly me, i thought that this was a welcoming community for people who actually love j crew. I apologize and look forward to all the negative reviews for the next roll-out.
I didn't direct my reply to you, Katie. It was a general commentary given that others have made it clear that they harbor feelings similar to yours. Which is why I honestly think if you or anyone else feels like something is missing in the blogosphere or J Crew fandom, then create it.
DeleteThe point of the parable is we see what we want to see. I've read unhappy comments, too. Some of which end in the writer hopeful for the next rollout, hopeful for the next style guide for inspiration, hopeful that the clothes look better in person. I don't see the comments as an overarching negative pattern here. I see disappointed fans that are still loyal to the brand. Fans *wanting* to stick with J Crew.
I think all J Crew lovers are welcome here. Are you always happy in love? No. There's always an opposite to an emotion, bad days in a relationship. If you're newer to the brand, perhaps you're still in the honeymoon phase. If you've been a brand loyalist, perhaps you're disappointed. If you want to be enthusiastic and positive about J Crew, be that. It's your lens that will determine & judge whether you're seeing pervasive negativity or not.
I for one do hope that if JCA's don't like the next roll out they will make negative comments! I think the amazing thing about this web site is that it's become a community. I would hate for people to start self censoring in case "we" are being too negative. True we might hurt J Crews feelings but they are a corporation, and frankly their increasing poly content is hurting mine.
ReplyDeleteI think the passion in these comments, on both sides, show that everyone here loves J.Crew. I think J.Crew is pretty lucky to have such a devoted base of fans- really amazing.
ReplyDeleteI echo Gigi's comment that "all J Crew lovers are welcome here". And similar to Amahendra's comment, I also hope that J.Crew Aficionadas continue to give their honest opinions (the good, the bad, and everything in between!) when posting their comments and expressing their views. I hope no one feels censored in one direction or another. Even if they are in the minority of the thread, I want JCAs to feel free to share their views. Honesty is what I find so helpful in everyone's comments. :)
Boring, snooze, blah, tired. That's all I have to say about that. I'll take my navy from last year J.Crew and wear this fall. I do not need to spend a lot more money on items that are not flattering, poorly made and cheap material.
ReplyDeleteI am very enjoyed for this blog. Its an informative topic. It help me very much to solve some problems. Its opportunity are so fantastic and working style so speedy. I think it may be help all of you. Thanks. go now
ReplyDelete