This is the weekly "J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs}" post, to help each other share our reviews.So if you have recently purchased, or stopped by a J.Crew store to try on an item (or two) from J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.
Also, this request is not just limited to clothes. Please feel free to discuss bags, shoes, jewelry, accessories, etc.
In particular, if you could mention a few of the noteworthy details like fit, size, fabric, and the like— that would be fantastic! Thanks in advance! :)
ReplyDeleteA few reviews here.
My black perforated leather Vans slip-ons have stretched out. I don't mind, they still stay on, but they are a bit floppy.
ReplyDeleteI just picked up the Oversize Turtleneck in Gray Stripe. I sized down to my smallest tee size which was perfect for the torso but the sleeves are snug. In a way that's good because it gives the appearance of being oversize without being sloppy. That being said, I have really small arms and it's really snug there so that might make it a more difficult fit for some. HTH
ReplyDeleteMadewell reviews: Maria from The Brooklyn Fig blog shares her review of the Silk Spotlight Shirt in this post, and there are numerous other Madewell reviews here, as well.
ReplyDeletePSA: The ever-popular Madewell Transport Tote (and other Madewell goodies) is currently on sale at Shopbop for 25% off! In the two years that I have watched this bag, it has never gone on sale, so this is a great opportunity to snag one. I will also be posting up some Madewell reviews later today, so stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteGreetings JCAs - I wrote a review of the Remi Harness Boot on the website, but have to amend it by saying that while they seem to fit, and they look great on, I am going to end up returning them. Why? Because they are too hard to get on! There is only one side zip, compared to the Remi Double-Zip boots, and the one zip is not enough. I have to unbuckle the "harness" and even then they are tough to deal with. I got them on sale, but luckily not a final sale. It's too bad because they are really great looking - I just wish they were easier to get into :-(
ReplyDeleteBoiled Wool Zip sweater in Lavender Silver.
ReplyDeleteBased on the measurements I got from on-line chat, I ordered one size down from my usual sweater size. This sweater has a boxy, structured fit. I don't know if it would drape more in my usual size, but I kind of doubt it. It hits at high hip on my 5'3" self. I like it best with the zippers slightly unzipped. The zippers are a bit annoying under the armpit without a tee under the sweater. I plan on wearing it with the painter tee in heather chalkboard and my grey Andie chinos or black matchstick jeans. I loved the catalogue styling on page 35 and subbed the painter tee for the tissue tee, since I don't trust that the tissue tees will hold up.
I think this will be a nice cozy sweater for winter. Just debating on whether I should try hand washing it. Thoughts anyone??
Toothpick jeans in grey dove.
I've really been wanting a pair of grey jeans and finally bit with this last promo. They are a nice medium shade of grey, but I didn't like the frayed edges at the bottom of the legs and on the pockets. I know the worn/destructed look is in style, but I just can't bring myself to wear this look. Being on the short side, my jeans were always dragging on the ground, getting frayed and raggedy. I caught a lot of grief from my mom for 'ripping up my pants'. (Ah, childhood memories).
The pair I received also had an odd rectangle of darkness on the tops of the thighs. I can't see this in the on-line photo, so maybe it was just the pair I received.
Any way, I tried my usual size in these and they fit fine. I returned these.
Maybe I'll try the Parker wash some time.
Hi maryeb - I felt the same way about the grey toothpicks! I didn't like the distressing on the pockets. Do you ever wear LOFT jeans? I got the Modern Skinny in Iron Grey Wash and like them better than the grey toothpicks. The color is very similar, fit is great and comfortable, no frayed edges, and the price is right. They also have petites. HTH!
DeleteThanks!! These look great.
DeleteI looked over the reviews and saw some people complained that they stretched out. Have you had any problems with them stretching out? How is the sizing?
I'm a pretty consistent 28 in JC jeans, but after reading reviews of another modern skinny wash I ordered a 27 and was happy with the fit. They do stretch a little with wear, but IMO not enough to warrant sizing down again. For me, they stretch enough to be comfortable but not overly baggy.
Deletemaryeb - I looooove Loft jeans. I wear the modern skinny ankle zip in 28 regular. I usually get 29/8P if they're not ankle zip. I wear 29 in J. Crew. Hope that helps for sizing. As far as fit, sometimes they get a little loose in the waist during the day, but they never stretch out horribly. I can often wear them twice before washing. HTH
DeleteReview of the modern straight.
Review of the modern skinny ankle.
Thanks, Gigi. We need a bat signal for LOFT jeans! They get mentioned so often on JCA (with good reason).
DeleteAnother +1 for loft jeans! I wear a curvy fit size 4. I have a skinny waist but a bg butt and hips and these are the only jeans that really fit well. The curvy super skinny is my favorite. Although I prefer the washes and fabric from a couple years ago. This years and last year denims don't feel as soft to me :( but hoping a couple runs through washer will soften them up.
DeleteShiny puffer vest and wet dog smell: in my experience it is hit or miss. The first one I got smelled terribly; I could sense it across the room, so I returned it. (And my sense of smell is not that great, I must say.) I gave it another chance and ordered a couple more. Out of their plastic bags the vests did not smell like wet dog, but once the plasticky smell was gone, some did smell more than others. None was as bad as the first one, though. Thus, I suspect the smell depends on how well each specific batch of feathers was treated. If treated properly, they should not smell.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLeather baseball cap – Thanks to comments last week from Professor Crew and Maqsad, I took a chance on this at FS – 40% off. The leather is soft, and the “deep garnet” color (more red IRL than on my screen) should develop a nice, dark patina over time. The cap does have a strap in back for fit adjustments, but still might be too small if you’ve a larger head or thick hair. I got excited when I saw the care instructions in German, but no – it’s made in China.
ReplyDeleteDip-dye scarf – This was inexplicably excluded from several global promos and is now final sale. It’s a finely woven, almost silky wool, and though only the long edges are finished, the tight weave should prevent (too many) threads from coming loose along the unfinished ends. Both the ivory and charcoal sections are a lovely, rich color, and the ombre transition between them is well-done. A good piece for the office or for dressier occasions.
I love the dip-dye scarf also, I had my eye on it for a while and it was finally on sale in store over the weekend with the additional 40% so I got it for $26. I did have to look over a number of them before I found one that did not have snags in it, so not sure how durable it is but it is stunning.
DeleteI've had this scarf sitting in my cart. I love both colors, but it sounds like I should not order it on-line.
DeleteThanks for the reviews.
Yay! Glad the cap worked for you! I love mine. FYI, I also got the leather brim cap. Fit is the same and I like the contrast of black leather against mousy charcoal wool. Perfectto!
DeleteA review of the J. Crew Harper Fabric Flats in Black/Houndstooth here and a review of the Sleeveless Blouse in Graphic Plaid here HTH!
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts on the Point Sur jean in Klutky? I have almost ordered several times and now it is a nicer price.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline, I wrote on my blog about point sur abs other jeans a while back. The blue point sur jeans that are pictured are the Klutey wash. They didn't for my slim legs and petite figure at all. The high rise point sur are a different story entirely. Love those, in all washes. HTH!
DeleteI tried the wool melton boyfriend coat in my usual 4 and found the same funky sleeve issue as JSR reported last week. They are so strange, and the only thing that I can figure is that they were intended to be scrunched up. You can tell how strange they are in the picture of Saada Ahmed here. I don't know if they're a total dealbreaker, but I think it may take too much fussing with the sleeves to be worth it. I thought the color was great and they were on the right track with the design, but as JC often does they make a wrong turn along the way.
ReplyDeletesilver_lining - Wrong turn along the way. lol I still don't get the sleeve issue. JSR did a thorough job describing it. Unfortunately, I need to *see* it ti get it. Do you have anything to add that would help me understand what's wrong? So far I'm trusting JCAs and did not bite. But popbacks are the kryptonite.
DeleteThe best way I can describe it is like they tried to do a dolman sleeve, but without the dropped shoulder. The armpit of the coat hits at the middle of my ribs. Then the sleeves kind of taper from there, and because the shoulder seam is actually at the shoulder the excess fabric kind of bunches up at the top and makes the sleeve seem more like a funnel. It's so hard to describe... it's like they used "Mom jeans" for the sleeve silhouette. I think that if they had just taken a man's coat and shrunk the proportions they would've nailed it. I'll try to get a pic up on my Insta today or tomorrow.
DeleteHi Silver_lining and Gigi, here are some photos of the Boyfriend Melton from Pinterest.
Deletehttp://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164279548/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164279265/
I think the construction of the sleeves were not cut right, and I can't believe they approved it before it went to production. Regardless of the coat being boyfriend or cocoon style, the sleeves shouldn't be like that.
To compare..here's a Ludlow Topcoat, to which the sleeves fall nicely.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/224335625164272214/
I realize this is a different product...but all of the 10 -12 dresses I have tried on in the last few years fit...well....terribly. the key holes on the necklines are too deep . the sleeves are huge under the arm...just who is cutting the patterns ??? they do not fit at all......
DeleteReview of the madewell Sidney boot - a nice sleek look in high quality leather. Pretty comfortable too. I have very skinny calves (less than 14in circumference) and they actually fit pretty snug! However they are just too tall on me. I'm 5 ft 6in and the boots come up to just under my kneecap. Doesn't look too flattering on my leg. I believe the shaft height is 15 in 3/4. They are going back and unfortunately since they were a gift I will be getting store credit for them
ReplyDeleteGot cut off before I could finish! Anyways if anyone is interested in buying this gift card off my hands please see my post in yesterday's great weekly exchange.
DeleteThank you for your review of the Sidney boot, drg. They are currently on my wishlist, but I do not have skinny calves, so it sounds as if they won't work too well for me. I wish they would have made them in an extended calf version like the archive boot. Hopefully they will in the future.
DeleteBtw, what color did you get, and how was it IRL?
I got true black. It's a nice rich black. that. No antiqued or faded look like some shades of black. I have also seen the pecan IRL and honestly wasn't too big a fan of it. It was a little too light for me. Would have preferred a darker, more cognac like shade.
DeleteI also tried the Archive boots (they were the ones I originally bought before exchanging them for the Sidney). These fit snug on my skinny calves too, and were a little baggier in the ankle than I would have preferred. IMO they had more of a casual, "biker" look than the Sidney. I wanted something sleek and more professional looking so unfortunately the Archive didn't fit the bill for me. But it's still a beautiful boot and I think it would look good on more casual outfits.
Thank you drg! :)
DeleteFactory order just arrived - grey contrast-sleeve sweatshirt, and the merino Charley sweater in geometric tile (Bloomsbury Blue). The Charley is not quite as vibrant a blue as it looks online but is a lovely soft cobalt, and fits TTS. The tile design is printed, not intarsia. The sweatshirt I ordered down a size as I often find them too wide on me, but kinda wishing I had stayed with my regular size as it feels a little short. Also because of the poly crepe sleeves there is less give around the armhole. It is still very cute but will have to think whether to make the effort to exchange.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first post in a long time! I just bought the Classic duffle coat (short one) in the store. I got the heather cement (gray) color, but the crazy thing is that the size 4 fit me perfectly, and I'm usually an 8 in j.crew coats. It was 40% off the $219.99 sale price. It fits in the shoulders, sleeve length is just right, and it zips up without being snug. I love j.crew coats and I have my fair share of them, but I've been wanting a short gray duffle/toggle coat for a long time so I'm pretty jazzed about this.
ReplyDeleteSide question, since I haven't been on here for a while, what does everyone think of the Arquiste perfumes? I'm wearing the No. 31 and I find it a little sweet. I might try the other one. But so far, no headaches, which is great.
Big Shopper - Good to see you. Great price on the classic duffle coat! I purchase No. 31 and liked it, initially. I found I wasn't reaching for it, so now it's become a house fragance. I purchased the rollerball, so I roll it along the top of my (fabric) couch on occasion. I didn't care for the other scen whe I tried it, but I think I might've liked it longer than 31.
DeleteI have tried both but only in- store. I liked both....as each was quite different. hmmm .....a home fragrance ( wonder what Mickey will think of that )
DeleteAnnoyed J.Crew hasn't posted their November Style Guide! :-<
ReplyDeleteI know! Me too! I have been refreshing the page and its still empty. ;)
DeleteIf you go into that board, the verbiage says that the next online rollout will be on October 22. They probably won't post any images until the weekend or later. Boo!
DeleteYou're right, silver lining. Ahhh...One more week of waiting?!
DeleteYes! Just talked to my sales associate. In store roll out the 20th so it should be online the 22nd. If anyone gets an early copy of the style guide please share!!! I am really hoping for a green velvet blazer this holiday!!
DeleteAny reviews for the Canyon Crossbody Bag, or has anyone seen it IRL? I am wondering about the quality of the leather and how the black hardware looks in person.
ReplyDeleteThe navy cable knit cotton crewneck #08168 showed up today. I can see from the tag that this was leftover from winter/holiday 2013, but I was happy to snag it.
ReplyDeleteIt's substantial without being too heavy. Since it's all cotton it will work well inside, if it was wool it would be far to warm to wear indoors. The cotton is very soft, the cabling is all over the sweater unlike a similar one selling this fall. The color is rich and deep navy. Fit is close to the body but not tight at all. I almost always wear a medium and this one is medium. The sleeves are a wee bit too long, but a slight roll at the cuff with take care of that. Plan to wear it with a plaid button down or a button down oxford. Jean or dress pants will work well with it.
Received the long field jacket (item #05427) and I LOVE it! It runs a little big, but better too big than too small. I didn't realize it came with a detachable hood, although I love how it looks without it. Even though the hooded basketweave jacket has been my go-to when it drizzles, I like having a more lightweight alternative. Very excited to wear this in the next few days!
ReplyDeleteI was at the store and tried on mostly sale items. The one of note that I'll mention are the Dannie Pants. I tried on the ones with a leather waist band and leather where the pockets would be in the front, which I think is pointless b/c these pants wouldn't look good with something tucked in IMO. I think they'd look very "mom jean"-ish with something tucked in. But with something untucked or oversize, they could be cute. For me, they're still not cheap enough at $89.99 minus 40%. But that's more because of fit than style or fabric. I think they could be flattering on some people. However, I'm a high-waisted ruler shape, a deadly combination for a lot of pants. :( The waist hits higher than Pixies or Minnies, but not quite in the right spot for me. *If* the waist stretches out on them, they'd be super cute on me. But that's a big if. I tried the size 6, and I'm pretty much a size 6 or sz. 29 in their jeans. They fit good everywhere but the waist on me, but it was a close fit. So, I'd say they run a bit smaller than their other pants. But again, that could just be b/c of my unfortunate body shape. I loved the length. I'm 5'3 to 5'4" and the length was perfect on me, so for taller ladies, they might be too short. I'll keep an eye on them and might give them another go if they drop in price. Maybe even trying a different pair would change my opinion. I do think they're flattering and if they fit a little better in the waist on me, I'd consider purchasing. I think I need to start doing more Pilates.
ReplyDeleteI've reviewed the Madewell Portland Stripe Scarf in this post. It's a keeper for sure. :)
ReplyDeleteMaria of The Brooklyn Fig shares her thoughts on the Collection Etta & Collection Stella calf hair pumps in this Guest Post on my blog today.
ReplyDeleteOversized Turtleneck in Merino
ReplyDeleteI took my regular size small and it is the right size. It's wide but not super long. Sleeve length is fine/normal. The material is rather thin though. I would need a long sleeve underneath in the cold weather. Not really what I was wanting to do, so it will probably will go back.
Merino Wool Glen Plaid Sweater Top
In my normal size small it is way too big. The plaid cotton front made me look like I was wearing a craft smock. Not good.
Silk Front Tank in Navy Stripe
I take XS in tanks and this was the right size for this top. Hangs a bit lower in the front to half way down my jean zipper; can be tucked in or do the half tuck. It is thin, my white tank looked funny underneath because it was a v neck so you may need to play with what under shirt you wear. Not sure if it is worth keeping if you have to wear additional clothes with it to just wear it in the winter.