Monday, June 16, 2008

Love it or Leave it: City-fit Buttery Twill Trouser

City-fit buttery twill trouser
(Item 91708)
Click here to visit product page
Regular: $69.50
In some stores now: $39.99 (not including the potential of your store carrying an "additional 25% off sale")

After a visitor mentioned in one of the posts that she bought this trouser for $30, I had to rush out to my local J.Crew to get my hands on one (and I did in the navy!)

Was the pair of pants worth the trip? Yes! (... and so were the 11 other items I purchased at J.Crew!)

The city fit buttery twill trouser is both comfortable and stylish. The cotton twill fabric is unbelievably soft and drapes very nicely into its trouser-leg shape. These pants are actually great for the summer time: light & airy enough for the hot days but enough coverage to keep you warm on the windy days. With a fitted tee on top, these pants will quickly be a staple in my everyday wear.

I would have bought more than the one pair in navy, but I could find only one pair of pants in my size! (These pants clearly sell well.)

Do you own a pair of the city fit buttery twill trouser? Do you love it or would you leave it? Let us know what you think! :)

35 comments:

  1. I own these pants in the light pink color...although I paid full price :-( I really, really like these pants!

    I do have a few complaints though... they wrinkle REALLY easily. They come out of the dryer an absolute mess. Even after ironing, they're still pretty bad. Maybe the wrinkles aren't quite as obvious in the navy color. Another gripe is that the fabric is slightly sheer. The pockets show through in the front and back. Again, that's probably not a problem in the navy. But these are things to consider if you are looking at buying the lighter colors.

    I hope they go on sale online soon! It seems like they might if the stores have them for $30-$40!

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  2. Hi Lynn! Thanks for pointing out the wrinkles, I did notice that a bit. But like you mentioned, it is not too bad because of the color (which is darker).

    Also I didn't realize the fabric is a bit sheer. I guess that is another benefit of the navy pair.

    This is great to know (the wrinkle & sheer issues) because I actually wanted to get the light khaki color! :)

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  3. Alexis, how much did you pay for the trousers? And what location was this at? I'm just curious b/c I really want to get a pair of these pants!!

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  4. Hi A! I got my pair at the Westport, CT J.Crew. They were on sale for $39.99. I was able to use my educator's discount for another 15% off, so they came out to $33.99. (Unfortunately, the Westport store did not have the "additional 25% off sale items" sale.)

    I think most J.Crew stores carry the pants. So I am sure your local J.Crew will have them as well. :)

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  5. I have 3 of these pants (light pink, navy & graphite) and paid full price for all 3 pairs because they were so comfortable! I especially love the graphite ones, which I don't think are sheer like the light pink ones. I bought the "short" length since I'm only 5'2" and they still end up sweeping the floor but it's a small sacrifice!

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  6. Hi Anonymous at 1:13 PM! First I totally wanted to get the graphite pair as well. Such a nice color!!!

    Second, I noticed at the store that some pairs were "s" (short) while some are "r" (regular). I thought the short was for petite. But when I linked to the pants webpage, I noticed they were selling "short" in addition to "petite". So I have to ask (question is open to everyone), what is the difference?

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  7. That's an excellent question. I have no idea what the difference between 'short' and 'petite' is. All I know is that even when I buy petite pants, they are still too long! I usually hem them myself (my mother is an excellent seamstress and teacher!). Is 'short' shorter than 'petite'? Or is it the other way around?

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  8. In J.Crew pants, short has a 31" inseam and petite has a 30" inseam.

    Besides the one inch inseam difference, the whole proportion of petite pants is different, for example it has a shorter crotch area. The short pants are proportioned the same as the regular and tall but just have a shorter inseam. Hope this helps!

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  9. Thanks Lynn! I just didn't understand what "short" was. But now I get that "short" is the same proportions as "regular," minus an inch. Thanks again Lynn! :)

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  10. I have had such a bad previous experience with J crew gray dies, that it precludes me from buying any gray/graphite items. Several things that I bought in gray color discolored after couple of times wearing/washing. I am hesitant to buy Twill pants in gray color, although my store carries them. Could someone comment on the item look after wearing and washing, please? Thank you!

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  11. I have the favorite fit everyday chino in gray and I have washed them several times without any problems. I realize that the fabric is different, but maybe this will help a little.

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  12. Slastena- I am sorry to hear about your experience with gray items from J.Crew. I can definitely understand why you would hesitate purchasing anything in grey if they discolor badly.

    I own the city-fit classic twill chino in grey (and buttercup too) and love them. The shade of grey is absolutely beautiful. I have been wearing them for a couple of months now and the color seems to be fine.

    I also did wash the City-fit Buttery Twill Trouser today. The pants didn't come out wrinkled (probably because I didn't leave them in the dryer too long). They still look very nice. The only thing I noticed was that the seems on the leg "scrunch" a bit. But that can easily be fixed with my steam iron.

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  13. I haven't tried these yet, but I'm going back to my store tomorrow to switch my Bright Pink Lana Top for the Light Pewter, so I will definitely have to try them on...my store is still having the additional 25% off...I asked what the policy was on the Final Sale, and the employee told me that ALL the sale items are Final. I personally think this is just RIDICULOUS, as I often get items home, then don't like them as well as I did in the store and take them back (usually to be replaced by something else, so they actually don't lose out on any money). Now that I know everything not full price will be FINAL...I will be less willing to buy as much, even if it is sale, just because I can't return it if I want to.

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  14. My store had the additional 25% final sale, but they told me that I could pay the marked sale price (i.e. not take the additional 25%) if I wanted, and then the merch wouldn't be final sale.

    Just a thought if you're on the fence and don't mind paying a little $$ more for the option to return.

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  15. I am hoping that someone will be able to help me. I have never been to a J Crew store. I'm going to Niagara Falls Canada this summer and there's a J Crew store at the Walden Galleria - which is approximately an hour drive from where we will be. Has anyone been to the J Crew at the Walden Galleria? Is it worth the trip? I am primarily a sale shopper. Do they normally carry a good selection of sale merchandise? If you were me, would you go or just continue to shop online? I love to hear your opinions. Thanks.

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  16. FabulousFloridaMommy- I totally agree that finalizing sale items is ridiculous. (I might be more understanding about "final" items if the item is being marked down severely like 95% off the original price).

    I also 100% agree with you that sometimes you need to try on the clothes at home. Especially since I find that the mirrors & lighting at J.Crew stores make me look a lot better than the mirrors I have at home. (Haven't you notice that J.Crew's, and other retailers', mirrors make you look slimmer and taller?)

    Ali.cee- I didn't know that! and that is great to know in the future. Thanks! :)

    Hi Anonymous at 4:08 PM: That is a tough call. I probably wouldn't travel two hours (round trip) out of my way if there wasn't anything else you wanted to visit/see while in Walden Galleria.

    However, are there other stores you would like to visit? If so, then it might be more worthwhile to go. It could become a "shopping day-trip" and those are always fun. :)

    (I have personally made many a weekend trips to the King of Prussia Mall in PA, just to shop.)

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  17. Hi Lynn, like the other post, I was also wondering about the petite versus regular/short. On the website it says as we all know, if you've been ordering regular, order 1 size up in petite. No mention about the shorter crotch area. I ordered some cords in P4 because they didn't have the color I wanted in size 2. Anyone have any experiences they could share? (I'm really hoping it wasn't a mistake to go with P4!)

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  18. In normal J.Crew pants (which are too long on me), I wear a 4. If I buy a petite size, I get a P6. If I buy a short size, I get a 4 short. I find they all fit me (I personally haven't noticed any difference in crotch clearance). That being said, I can only ever buy city-fit because the favorite-fit always gives me weird bunchy crotch issues.

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  19. Does anyone own, tried on, or seen in person the Red and Pink Rugby Skirt? What is your opinion? Like it, hate it? Is it practical for the office?

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  20. To: the anonymous shopper who is considering the Galleria...

    I'm currently in Buffalo, so this is the store that I frequent. The current sale section isn't outstanding...I don't find many of the really fantastic deals that Alexis and others often come across, but it's ongoing, and they have a pretty good selection overall. Unless you're using an educator or student discount, I usually find better sales online. They also lack a petite collection, which is why I normally shop online, and go into the stores only for returns (and while I'm there, I do browse the sale section).(I'm curious--do you pay American dollars for items shipped to Canada, or do you get smacked with the usual markup?)

    Just one note: if you haven't made the border crossing before, it can take a while to come INTO the US (we've never been delayed going the other way). The border can take as long as 2 hours, and usually takes at least 30-60 minutes.

    Alexis: Thank you for the review! I've been looking for a pair comfy summer pants. I haven't seen this for sale in my local store (and besides, I need the petite sizes that I can't find in stores)...so I'll be waiting for it to be on sale online.

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  21. Hi auryane, I'm a Canadian shopper, online orders are all calculated in US dollars but my credit card statement automatically does the conversion (but there's also a conversion fee for foreign currency transactions, about 2.5%). It helps that the CAD is doing relatively well. JCrew also includes the duty and tax in the final total. I guess this is a good thing because the UPS guy doesn't have to collect anything from me when he delivers. But it's pretty hefty, for instance, a 150 USD order with duty and tax comes out to about 180 USD (NOT including shipping).

    Anyways, hope this is helpful for Canadian shoppers thinking to place an order. There are definitely some hassles, (returns/exchanges can be a pain) but once you figure out your size, and the colors/styles you like, it's really great. Shopping at local stores can be equally expensive/equal hassle in my experience.

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  22. I have the buttery twill trouser in pink (paid full price). I wear the papaya boatneck perfect tee with them and carry the sour lemon clutch. Get tons of compliments and the feel of both the pants and the top is simply wonderful!

    jcrewjunkie :)

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  23. What about the City-fit buttery twill cargo pant, item 93763? I ordered the soft fuschia pair currently on sale for $39.99. If these are wrinkled it won't be so bad since their "cargo's". Not sure about the color but if I like the pants I can watch for the other colors to go on sale. I typically stay clear of cargo or sloppy pants but I bought the ripstop cargo's last year and love them. I also love the mini ripstop shorts this year but not so fond of the ripstop cropped pants.

    Hey what about an educators disc. for us homeschooling moms? hee hee

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  24. I meant "they're" not "their"...Is it safe to say we don't judge on spelling/grammar since we're typing in a hurry? ;)

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  25. Annon 4:08pm. If you are going to be in Niagra falls I am pretty sure there is a j.crew factory store at the prime outlets on the US side. Well it used to be the prime outlets I think they are called something else but they are on Military Trail just over the Queenston Lewiston Bridge. I have made the drive over the border a few times, the line ups aren't too bad but can get pretty busy on a long weekend just make sure you have all your travel documents ready. You also have to be careful about how much you can bring back over and what duty you have to pay etc. I'm not sure how that works if you are an american staying in Canada and then shopping in the US.

    Annon 9:42pm: I think there is about a 40% premium shopping from Canada. The best thing to do is wait for sale items and use the shipping codes or if you can't wait then bundle with someone else and share the shipping costs. Also I have noticed that NAFTA does apply so if I order jeans or a bather that is US made there is no duty.

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  26. Auryane: I hope you like the pants if you get them. (I really do think you will like them a lot!)


    Hi Anonymous at 9:00 AM: I think an educator's discount for mom's is totally a great idea!

    Also, don't worry about proper grammar here too much. I think we are all "in the same boat". Personally, I am awful when it comes to grammar for this blog- I want to write something (and quickly) that I don't realize I should spell check first! ;)

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  27. Thank you Auryane for the info about the Walden Galleria. It is a long trip, isn't it? While I shop online quite a bit, I wish that I could somehow stumble upon those "extra 50% off Sale Prices" Sales that others were talking about. With your info, I'm thinking that I likely won't want to drive that far. The deals online are pretty good and I'll just stick to that.

    However, thank you to Yogichicki for the info about the J Crew outlet in the Prime Outlet on Military Road. I will likely visit that. I know exactly where it is and it's relatively close without having to drive too too far to reach.

    I am Canadian and live on the West Coast. I buy regularly from J Crew. I also return what I don't like back to J Crew. Shipping back to J Crew is costly. As a result, I normally combine 2-3 orders and return it in one box. Shipping costs me approximately $19. With respect to returning items to J Crew, I personally haven't experienced much difficulty returning items I don't want. J Crew charges me GST and Duties at the time of my purchase. This normally costs me about an additional 30%. I buy only with a free shipping code. If I don't want something or somethings, I will ship it back to J Crew. J Crew then refunds me the item plus all applicable GST and Duties. Now, I have been told that J Crew will only refund the GST and Duties provided that they are the ones who collect it.

    I hope this helps other Canadian Buyers.

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  28. Hi Alexis...I made it to my J.Crew store today, and unfortunately they only had these pants in the Short length in the color I wanted (Graphite), so I didn't get them. I did however come across another great deal, and it was on the Favorite-fit Everyday Chino . They were marked down to $19.99 in my store with an addt'l 25% off PLUS I used the educator's discount, so I got them for $12.74. Needless to say I bought 3 pair...white, navy, and warm stone. I also purchased the Slub-cotton Wrap-front Tank in black for $19.12, and the Featherweight Cotton Pleated Top in Bright Aquamarine for $12.74...not too bad, huh? I ended up keeping the Lana Top in Bright Pink, as it just seemed so much more "Summery" than the Pewter. I wish now that I had gotten another of the Slub Cotton Tanks in the Heather Gray or Pink, as they are SO comfortable and cute for the smoldering Florida days...maybe next week. ;) Have you gotten your Chambray Skirt yet?

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  29. FabulousFloridaMommy: You really found some great pieces at some fantastic prices- well done!!! ;)

    I did get the Chambray skirt today in size 8- it is definitely loose on me (waist-wise) but it does fall at my knee (not below though, but not above either!) They definitely look better than the size 6. So I guess I will have to decide when I get the size 10 on which I will keep, and which I will take back. :)

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  30. I bought a pair of these in white and absolutely love them. I am only 5'4'', so I did have to have my cleaner hem them for me, but the pants are so comfy that it was worth it! I would love to get a few more pairs...when they are go on sale!

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  31. Anonymous at 3:11 PM: Me too! When these go on sale online, I will definitely pick up another pair or two! ;)

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  32. I went to J.Crew today to return the favorite fit everyday chinos that made me look short and stumpy. :) While there, I of course browsed the sale section and saw these pants. I didn't know what they were but I was like "Hey! Straight legs! I think! I need to try these on." They were slightly baggier in the legs than I would have liked but fit great in the waist and the material felt great. I immediately wanted eight other pairs but they didn't have my size (4S). I wanted to use the magical red phone to see if I could say "They're out of my size in these colors, can I also have them for the store price?" but was running short on time.

    So there you go! I am now officially on the buttery twill trouser bandwagon too. These are super!

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  33. Hi Melanie, and congratulations on finding a pair of pants that you like! :) Try giving customer service a call and tell them you were told that if your store price was lower that they will honor it online, as well. Have your receipt handy for the store number and associates name...they may need to call the store to verify, but they may only need to have the info off of the receipt (which is what happened when I called the other day to get a price adjustment). I would also ask for Free Shipping since you would not have had to pay shipping charges IF the pants had been available in the store, in your size. If there is anything else you are lusting after, have the item # ready because if they do agree to the free shipping on your pants, you can add other items that will also ship for free with that order. YAY!!! If the associate you speak with is not accomodating, then call back later or tomorrow to try with a different one. :)

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  34. Welcome aboard to the twill trouser bandwagon Melanie!!! :) I am happy to hear you liked them too.

    FabulousFloridaMommy: That is a great tip about calling in. I was thinking about doing the same too, but wasn't sure if they would honor the store price.

    Incidentally: I have noticed that these pants stretch a bit, so I tried a size down from my normal size (i.e. tried a size 4 instead of my normal 6). Turns out they worked out fine. So if your store doesn't carry your normal size, you may want to try the next size down. :)

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  35. Hi Alexis: I had no trouble at all calling in to get the store price on an online purchase...I bought the slub-cotton wrap-front tank in black at the store for $19.12, and decided I should have also gotten the pink, but didn't want to drive back out to the store again. Anyways, I called customer service, and they honored the $19.12, instead of making me pay $29.99. YAY!!!

    Thanks for the fit info on the Buttery Twill Trousers...I will definitely give them a try the next time I'm in the store, or if this Final Sale ever ends! :)

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