"Thanks!" to Anonymous at 10:28 AM (in the "J.Crew Email: Just In... Crewcuts New Fall Styles" post) who let us know that J.Crew Crewcuts has its own Collection of high (read as "really high") priced items.Even though there is a Men's and Women's Collection, I am surprised that J.Crew is offering the Crewcuts version. I just didn't think there was a market for high priced children clothes among J.Crew's customers. (Although I know there is a market for high priced children's clothes- as lots of celebrities like Kate Holmes and Posh Spice outfit their cute children in). My reasoning is: since children grow so quickly, a J.Crew customer may not think it is worth spending the $348 on the Girls' houndstooth Prunella coat (Item 97016), $328 on the Girls' Striped-silk pouf skirt (Item 95160), or $385 on the Boys' cashmere cable cardigan (Item 97096). :)
What do you think of the Crewcuts' Collection? Would you consider purchasing from the Collection for your kids? Do you own any Crewcuts Collection pieces?
LOL! *These* lovely pieces will not be in our closets unless they are on supersale! The designs are adorable, but not on our budget :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and it's funny to see that the boucle jacket for DD would cost more than the Lucille boucle for me, the one paying! :D
Definitely not in my budget, either. But very cute and perhaps someone with unlimited funds could buy them! I wait for the sales before I buy any crewcuts for my kids. The clothes I choose need to be easy care so I won't get upset if they get them dirty. Although I have sprung for a few cute argyle sweaters for my daughter but they were also on sale.
ReplyDeleteVery cute. :) But wow, VERY expensive. I wonder how many they make of each item?
ReplyDeleteAudrey: I do agree with you that the designs are great! And it is funny that Lucille coat costs more for the girl-version than the women's version. ;)
ReplyDeleteShopper555: You raised an excellent point- that kids are active so they need clothes that can be easily cared & washed. I am pretty sure that the Collection items are not machine washable. :)
Not only would I not buy them because of the reasons you mentioned, Alexis, I also would be very upset if they got dirty or torn due to how expensive they are. Kids are naturally going to want to be rambunctious and it's inevitable that their clothes will suffer as a result.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the pouf skirt is adorable. :)
Melanie: I actually wondered the same thing- how many of the items do they offer? I also wonder how successful the Crewcuts Collection is. :)
ReplyDeleteLaura1: The pouf skirt is cute! ;) I also completely agree with you about worrying if the expensive item would get dirty or torn (which would take away the "fun" of wearing the outfit in the first place). :)
ReplyDeleteI would need to win the sweepstakes to buy anything from this line:)
ReplyDeleteMy kids (yes, my son too LOL!) would love this skirt, at a fraction of the price:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chasing-fireflies.com/prodinfo.asp?number=23799
So, in thinking about this more, I can't reconcile the fact that I'm somewhat ok with an adult spending $1000+ on an ensemble but not a child...maybe because the child didn't make the choice to spend the money? Maybe it's the current economic climate? For some reason, there is a big disconnect in my head - you could easily spend a grand on a kid's outfit from the kid's collection...
Normally I always say, To each his own..., but this kid's collection strikes me as a little odd for more than the obvious reasons. Maybe it's a "value system" thing...
I don't have kids and my cats hate it when I dress them up, so I don't see myself buying any of the kids collection items. However, if I was one of those tiny girls who can fit into XL kids clothes, I'd be stalking the orange houndstooth coat. That is adorable, and certainly wasted on kids!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not at these prices!! Perhaps if they go on "supersale". I have bought silk skirts when they were being offered at $20-30. Who wants the headache of worrying what they will spill on a $300+ coat. Not me.
ReplyDeleteBut I have bought their some sweater coats for my daughter in the past and love them. I buy them 1-2 sizes bigger and they look good loose and layered. And she gets more mileage out of them.
I think that someone who has this amount of money to spend on their childrens' clothing doesn't care if it gets stained or destroyed after one or two times of wearing it, because they will just buy the child something new and toss out the ruined one. I personally can't do this, and always carry a Tide To Go stick in my handbag, as we always have at least one mishap when we are out and about. :)
ReplyDeleteCute, yes, but not for my niece and nephew. I think the regular crewcuts are expensive, and only buy them on sale. If I saw one of the collection pieces at a huge reduction, then I might think about it; otherwise, not.
ReplyDeleteI think the girl's CrewCuts are so adorable. The boys boys are a bit more "classic" and not as interesting, IMHO. In either case, I would not buy these clothes for my close to 4YO boy unless they are on "supersale". They're just too expensive for something he'll out grow pretty quickly. Whereas when I buy from JCrew for myself, I get more than one season's wear out of the clothes. I wouldn't want to be worried about him getting them dirty or torn. I'm a big MiniBoden fan, though!
ReplyDeleteif i had a disposable income (which i don't) then i would consider this stuff...but like audrey said...it just seems wrong. kids grow out of stuff SO fast that it's just a waste of money. they don't know what cashmere is or care. i'd buy myself the Cashmere Butterfield jacket at $398 that would last forever (hopefully) before i'd buy my son a $385 cashmere cable cardigan which he would ruin...the girls stuff might be a bit more worth it...talk about gorgeous, cute, stylish girls clothes!!! but still out of my price range....good thing i don't have a girl or i'd probably be tempted to buy a lot of crewcuts on sale for her ;)
ReplyDeletei do mostly old navy, gap on sale and sometimes childrens place for my son. their styles are cute enough for me (and him)...kids get clothes dirty/stained so fast, i can't imagine having to take care of cashmere for a child!
I bought my 7 year old daughter a yellow (her favorite color) cashmere Land's End sweater last season at a big discount. It will get a second wearing this season...I think their cashmere is of higher quality...than JCrew's for women and children.
ReplyDeleteSo after talking to my husband about this topic, he came up with a really great point. He said that J.Crew probably doesn't care too much if the Crewcuts Collection does well, in so much that it properly conveys the image of J.Crew being associated as a luxury brand (and moving away from the casual brands.)
ReplyDeleteHe rightfully pointed out that a few years ago I thought of J.Crew in the same category as a Gap, BR, Eddie Bauer, etc. But today, I know consider J.Crew better than the other brands (in terms of brand perception and quality). Which is exactly what they want me to think (because then they can charge me more money).
Well done J.Crew. Well done. ;)
Alexis: Your husband is so right! The Crewcuts go along with J.Crew selling a *lifestyle*, as many of us have previously discussed on numerous occasions.
ReplyDeleteI would also imagine that the J.Crew customers that can afford the Collection pieces for themselves can probably afford the Collection pieces for their children, as well.
Collection pieces are always very limited, and I imagine the Crewcuts Collection pieces are the same. There are quite a few celebs who shop at J.Crew, and even if a few of them buy for their kids, some of these items will probably sell out quickly.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the people who design these clothes have ever actually seen kids? :-) Most kids don't carefully prance around - they play, they get dirty; even trips to stores can be dicey because who knows when a spill to the floor is coming? I think these clothes are adorable, but ridiculous, both in price and practicality.
ReplyDeleteOT - FFM, it looks like you could be feeling some of the effects of Gustav. Are you getting more rain, or are the weather pictures deceptive? If you are getting some of Gustav, I hope that it's nothing bad for you.
ReplyDeleteYes, FFM, our thoughts are with you...
ReplyDeleteHave to disagree. I don't think JCrew is better in terms of quality and name. Yes, they are trying to make themselves into all that and more but remember...their stuff has been made in CHINA for years...I looked at some of my old tags and most say Made in China. I stay away from their dream sweaters and cashmere as it pills terribly. Yes, they do make some beautiful fabrics but the quality of sewing is reflected at times in the fact that their garments are made cheaply in China and these poor workers are in distress. (I do know what I am talking about here...) I have become know by my PS as the customer who finds all their defective goods. He sends them free of charge to the JCrew employeed tailor and has them fixed/sewn for me...it is almost to the point of funny....
ReplyDeleteI have seven children. I have to shop in BULK. I do Old Navy, Children's Place, even Target! I would only buy CrewCuts on a 40% off final sale. As an experienced, yet fashion-conscious mother, I know that my kids are super rough on clothes. And as trends change, and bodies grow, any savvy shopper wouldn't spend $385 on a child's garment. I must add, however, that years back, I bought 6 or 7 pairs of JCrew Kids "cowboy" jeans and they are still in rotation with my kids (hand-me-downs). They look hand-distressed and unisex. I bought them on super-sale for $7.99 each. Now, THAT was money well spent! (I will only buy the really 'good stuff' for me, the mommy)
ReplyDeleteJenG.
P.S. I have to say that I do love to 'copy' the kid models outfits. They can be re-created less expensively.
ReplyDeleteJenG.
Just took a closer look at some of this crewcut collection stuff - I must admit, I wish that girls wool bubble coat was available for women. It looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteMy son wears tons of Crewcuts. I suspect he will wear even more, now that Talbots Kids is history. We buy it on sale at the end of the season for the following year. So, my son has a full wardrobe now for the entire fall and winter season.
ReplyDeletemath teacher and audrey: Thank you so much for the thoughts! Gustav is bringing us rain and higher winds, but is headed away from us. Our main concern now is Hanna because she is predicted to become a Hurricane by Thursday and is headed towards us as of right now...I feel horrible for the Floridians on the East Coast as they are still without homes or else barely cleaning out from the flooding that Fay caused, and now Hanna is headed straight for them. We really need Hanna to turn out into the Atlantic and miss the coastline altogether, otherwise it will be another week filled with rain, high winds, tornados, and potential loss of power...UGH!!! Thanks again for thinking of me...I really appreciate it! :)
ReplyDeleteI've started buying a lot of Crewcuts clothing on sale. My kids are small so most of the things are too big for them, but the clothes are so cute! I only buy things that are very inexpensive or are fairly inexpensive but super cute. You really can get some cute things in the sale section.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Alexis' husband said, that the Crewcuts collection probably helps to see J.Crew as a whole (it's like Chanel showing some $30,000 dress, and then making a bunch of money selling Coco Mademoiselle fragrance). I also think, as I have said before, that J.Crew is still making a profit on a lot of clearance stuff (why else would they keep getting more pieces in stock? They're still having them made, because pieces are selling and the company is making money).
Also, I think that people are spending piles of money on children's clothing. Celebrities and other well-off people probably buy quite a bit of stuff from J.Crew. (Do you think they order on the phone, or over the internet, or what? Do they have an assistant do it? Do they use personal shoppers?)
This is an interesting thread to me, because I really do like Crewcuts. I understand the psychology of it (competitive parenting, buying stuff that is marked down because it feels as if I'm getting a good deal, etc.), but I still buy it. I want my kids to be cute and updated/preppy, although part of me doesn't like that I want that.
Off topic: what tv shows is everyone going to watch this fall?
oops. helps to see = helps to sell.
ReplyDeleteSorry to be a bit OT but speaking of collection items, I just got the Soiree Jacket in Htr Silver, size Small for my bday. As much as I love it, I need $$ so I'm willing to sell it at a discount. Let me know if you are interested!
ReplyDeletemekiki: the one new show I want to see is the mentalist. I loved SImon Baker when he was on the show where he played a lawyer, so I'm looking forward to seeing him again. I hope it's a good show. As for returning shows, there are lots that I like, but I'm most curious about Ghost Whisperer. Rumor has it that they're going to kill Jim and I'm NOT happy about that. If they do kill him, I'm not watching anymore. I'm also curious to find out if Warrick is really dead on CSI.
ReplyDeleteffm: sorry for all the rain, b/c I'm sure you don't need any more. I guess with all the talk about Gustav, that I missed that there's another storm out there. Hopefully it will turn away - you Floridians need a break.
If J Crew wants to be thought of as a lifestyle brand, where is the maternity line? I personally would love to see one. I bought most of my maternity and baby clothing at Old Navy and Baby Gap. It seems odd that you can buy children's clothing and even clothing for your dog but not for pregnant women or babies. They seemed to have skipped a step. Ann Taylor Loft is offering a maternity line now. Maybe J Crew should as well!
ReplyDeleteOK. Off Topic....I know this was mentioned a while back in the high heat of the JCrew upgrade/downgrade but where is the link/info. to contact that a lawyer or someone posted about bad business practices/not getting refunds in a timely manner. I need to do some contacting...had enough...I know it was not the Better Business Bureau...it is too early for me to think straight:) but would apprciate some help very much.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous---I had a similar problem. You could do 2 things before you do that (Things that would get you your $$ quicker.)
ReplyDeleteFile a dispute through your J Crew card. Call to get the address, and you just write a letter giving them as much information about the refund you haven't received as possible. Secondly, try calling one (yes, just one) more time and say that you have called several times and the problem has not been resolved. Request to speak to a supervisor right off the bat. If the supervisor isn't able to push through the refund, but is clearly able to see that you are due a refund, they can put through a refund "order" if you will.... you'll receive an email confirmation with a receipt much like you do when you order something. Except it will say "Misc. refund." This coupled with disputing the charge on your card should be enough to cover you for now through the next billing statement (J Crew card also waived my min. payment/late fee to allow extra time for he refund to go through.) and get you your money back!
I don't have any kids, but if I did, I could see getting something if it were for a wedding or xmas, perhaps. And like others have said, kids grow so fast, it seems like kind of a waste to spend so much on one item of clothing. But I guess it'd be a very special hand-me-down! :)
ReplyDeleteshopper555: Like you, I think that they are very cute but I would wait for a sale before I would buy them.
ReplyDeleteFFM: I carry Tide To Go sticks in every purse, pocket, and vehicle. My kids are REALLY messy and we use these on a daily basis. LOL.
The pieces are adorably cute but way out of the range of what I could afford if I had children (unless it were a special event). My best friend has two little boys, and they are happiest in their sweatpants from the Gap or Target.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend was reading the J.Crew catalog in the bathroom this morning (he loves the oilcloth anchor peacoat, btw) and while he expressed shock over the $795 price tag on the leather postal messenger bag, he also feels that there is a market for low-mid range priced luxury items that are in the (higher) J.Crew price bracket. It was nice to get another perspective on it.
The striped-silk pouf skirt is on sale for $198 - everybody take out your wallets ;)!
ReplyDeleteHey all,
ReplyDeleteI wear and x-small sometimes at j. crew, but I don't fit into any bottoms. Do you think I would ever fit in an XL from crewcuts? That would be terrific, really!
loveinlife: I'm the same as you - J.Crew bottoms (minus PJs) don't fit me. I've never tried on crewcuts because I think I'd be embarrassed, (and it looks way way too small) although my sister did manage to get a crewcuts sized bangle on her wrist. I was too afraid of getting it stuck on to even try =)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I think I meant XXL.
ReplyDeleteI just looked at the seating chart and I'm almost 5'2", and the largest size lists up to 5'. Obviously I'm not 70-or so pounds but..
KatherineD : Yeah, I'd feel a tiny bit ridiculous trying stuff on there! but I do know that their headbands fit my head..
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm 5'7 so I imagine that I'd look a bit ridiculous wearing crewcuts. Although maybe I could pull off the pants as capris! =p
ReplyDeleteCrewcuts is too cute!
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous of all of those little kids.
By the way, who does buy clothes from there for their kids??
Not in my budget by a long shot! Kids can be SO hard on clothes and I have a hard time buying light coloured tee shirts for my kids since they get so dirty ;-)
ReplyDeleteMind you, I wish some of the kids stuff came in adult sizes
I have very tiny wrists....I will have to try a bangle or bracelet from the Crewcuts line sometime...I wish JCrew would downsize its chunky jewelry....
ReplyDeleteOT -- When I was in a b&m yesterday I noticed that the J Crew credit card sign said 20% off for new applicants. Isn't that an increase over 10%? I don't know if this is a limited time offer or their new policy. Saw it in Walnut Creek, CA.
ReplyDeleteGigifoca: The credit card/ 20% off first purchase is a limited time offer unfortunately. J.Crew mentioned it in their recent email ("J.Crew Email: Just In... Crewcuts New Fall Styles" post)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 1:36PM: I know what you mean about their jewelry- great designs but a bit too big. :)
alexis: will you be posting the great weekly exchange again this week? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAlexis -- thanks for letting me know. I missed that one. :-)
ReplyDeleteJCrewBug: I completely forgot to post the weekly exchange! Thank you so much for reminding me!!! :) I will post it right now.
ReplyDeleteGigiofca: No problem. To be honest, I thought it was kind of weird that J.Crew inserted that promo with the Crewcuts announcement. :) And they didn't even promote the promo too much, it is just that really small banner on the bottom
ReplyDeleteCrewcuts clothes are way overpriced when full price, but pretty awesome on clearance! They are higher quality than most brands and SUPER cute. I am not crazy and will not spend $49 for a pair of shorts for my son (although super cute with whale critters) but when everything went an additional 40% off I went to town and stocked up a lot for Summers to come! I got adorable dresses for my daughter for under $20 (originally $68+) and those shorts for under $12! You just need to wait it out until Crewcuts comes to their senses and marks it down.
ReplyDeleteTwiga
Talking about good Crewcuts' deals - my sister bought a cashmere sweater for her 6 year old daughter yesterday for $26! Even though she hates to buy dry clean only for her kids, she couldn't resist at that price!
ReplyDeleteI have had no problems hand washing my cashmere from JCrew...I even put my daughters in the gentle machine cycle on the special woolmark cycle on my front loader...came out just fine....I hate dry cleaning b/c of the chemicals...esp. for children...
ReplyDeletethanks, anon. I'll let my sister know what you said. Then it will be her decision what to do with the sweater.
ReplyDeleteI learned something new from your article, you are doing a great job. Thanks for sharing. Is it possible to click in 5 seconds? This article contains the answer to your question, you can find it here CPS Test.
ReplyDelete