Vintage French Terry Tuxedo PantClick here for product page
Item 97650
Regular: $69.50
A big "thanks!" to Heather and Kater who suggested this item for a future post in the "J.Crew Emails A Reminder About Free Shipping" post.
At first, glance these pants seem fine. Definitely not an obvious choice for a "questionable item" post. However, upon closer examination these pair of pants are quite questionable. ;)
The name alone of these sweatpants should be of some concern: "Vintage French Terry Tuxedo Pant". The description only confirms the concern: "You won't want to take this one off. Soft, lightweight french terry cotton. Straight fit. Elastic waistband with silk drawstring tie. Silk stripe detail at side seam... Import. Dry clean.".Now back that up... these are "dressed up" sweatpants? Isn't that an oxymoron? Aren't sweatpants the antithesis of dressed up clothes? Also (as both Heather and Kater pointed out,) these pants are "dry clean". Dry clean... really? These must be one of the most expensive pair of sweatpants ($70) that you cannot really even wear (because of the dry clean factor). I have to say that these pants are a "pass" for me. ;)
What do you think? Do you think I am being overly critical about these pants? Do you think these pants are worth the price tag? Will you purchase these pants? If you already own them, please let us know what you think. :)
Who wouldn't want to jog in style?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, these designers are way over their heads.
I wouldn't but I am not one of those people who paid $$$ for Juicy Couture and wears 'juicy' embroidered on my back side either.
ReplyDeleteThese seem so random. No jacket to match? The person who would wear these might want a matching zip hoodie. I guess a hoodie would be too casual for these tuxedo pants. *lol*
ReplyDeleteYou could wear one of those tux print tees I guess . . .
ReplyDeleteI love tuxedo styling, but this is just too much. I wouldn't mind the look itself (cleaner than your typical sporty stripes), but silk drawstring? dry-cleaning? boo!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's simply the silk drawstring that makes this dry-clean only. If so, I'd be in favor of waiting until it's on sale, snapping it up for $10-$20, and replacing the drawstring with something that isn't so high maintenance...
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ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 12:32 am, I was just thinking of the Juicy Couture phenomenon. I thought it was silly then, and these sweatpants do appear to recall that trend. Expensive, ridiculous, and dry clean only!?! Calling them questionable, Alexis, is very tactful.
ReplyDeleteBy adding expensive touches like silk to the garment makes these pants a no go for me. If they adding grograin ribbon/taping on the side it would not be so bad, but dry cleanable!
ReplyDeleteJC seems to be adding alot of expensive touches to their clothes to make them more upscale. I do not agree with this direction.
However the pants are the same price as last years $69.50 teddy bear fleece ones.
I LOVE the teddy bear fleece pants from last year (in fact, I'm wearing them right now!). I got them on Final Sale for $20 or so, but given how much I wear them, I would've paid full price. They are the warmest, most comfortable "sweats" ever, especially in the winter months.
ReplyDeleteGood point, casual-crew I'm not a fan of these "upscale" touches, especially when they're not up to the level of quality that we expect from JC.
I will be in the minority and say that I DO like these and I would launder them in the washing machine, too...they are Dry Clean, not Dry Clean only, which tends to mean it's not a requirement, but merely a suggestion. I would NOT however pay full price, but would definitely consider purchasing once they are on sale. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! I like mixing tuxedo styled pieces into casualwear, but this is too far! For me, sweatpants do not leave the house, unless I am jogging or going to the gym.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell they (jcrew) really aren't into these pants as everyday wear because the model isn't even wearing shoes! Maybe if these pants were even $50, they wouldn't seem so egregious. Simply too expensive for sweatpants. But, I don't wear Juicy or Pink either, so maybe I just don't get the whole phenomenon!
Oh, and the white ones are even worse. I could see the them worn by a bride-to-be on her wedding day (getting ready with her bridesmaides, etc), but really, when else are they appropriate?
ReplyDeleteI can see these going the way of my Juicy sweats...to Good Will. If they were deeply discounted I would most certainly purchase them, but not at full price, no way!
ReplyDeleteAs Tim Gunn would say this is the epitome of the "slobification of America!"
ReplyDeleteI refuse to drop more than $30 on a sweatshirt! These are pants that really shouldn't be worn outside of the house or on a resort. And I certainly don't want to pay to have sweat pants dry cleaned!
Certainly an odd choice on J.Crew's part!
FFM: way to be in the minority! They could be cute. But not worth the price for me and if you don't do your own wash (as we don't) they could be a real pain in the rear end.
Are you ladies telling me that none of you will be wearing these to the Emmies? How about the Oscars?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't buy these even on deep discounted sale! Dry clean?? Are you kidding me??
ReplyDeletei do appreciate that there are options for people who are going to wear sweatpants anyway to look nicer. these probably look like normal pants that you could maybe wear to do errands, etc. i'm not a fan of the tuxedo stripe, but i think the general idea is ok. and like FFM says, i'm sure you can wash and air dry these. but no, there is no way i would ever pay $70 for loungewear.
ReplyDeleteThanks blumre! I guess I should clarify that I don't condone wearing these any place other than the house or perhaps to the park with the kids this Fall. I live in a very casual State to begin with, and I personally cannot stand to see people at the market, mall, or restaurant in sweat pants, which I must say is a VERY common occurence. I do think however that these pants are cute for lounge or workout wear, but as I said before...only at sale price, and laundering in the washing machine, as well. :)
ReplyDeleteThis one could be questionable item for the next week: Herringbone Hayward coat (item 96636). This one reminds me of my grand mother's gown.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction was ugh, but the pants have grown on me! They style adds a little luxe to lounge wear and movie night at home.
ReplyDeleteBut I won't be paying $70 for them and I will be washing them, not dry cleaning them :)
I never wear sweatpants, so these are a "leave it" for me...FFM: I'm like you, I wash so much that says "dry clean." So long as it doesn't go in the dryer, I can't recall ever having had any problems.
ReplyDeleteOh I am def. buying these! HOORAY for questionable items!
ReplyDeleteThese remind me of those cashmere leggings that JC was selling last winter. Sort of appealing but way too expensive and very confusing as far as when/where/how do I wear these...?
ReplyDeleteIf only for environmental reasons, J. Crew needs to do a lot fewer items that are dry-clean-only.
ReplyDeleteI like them! They will be fun to wear this winter while lounging around the house (with guests!) and will look infinitely better than my yoga pants! As FFM pointed out you could carefully wash and press them and they would be fine. I think the dry clean caution is because of the silk detail. The silk and cotton will pucker and shrink unevenly.
ReplyDeleteI will wait for the sale.
I would rather take the money I could spend on these pants and invest in another J Crew piece that I can get more use out of.
ReplyDeleteI would buy these on sale if they were offered in tall sizes.
ReplyDeleteFor everyone concerned about the dry clean issue, you need to get some Dryel! Then you will never pass up on cute clothing just because it is "dry clean."
They say they have a straight leg, but I sense a mild bootleg cut. Eh. They are nothing more than cotton & silk though and I would be suspect that the 'dry clean only' status denotes their lack of quality construction and is a psychological ploy to validate the hefty price tag of the pants. If I did own them I would TOTALLY shove them in the washer. I'd even tumble dry on low. Put that in your pipe and smoke it J Crew..
ReplyDelete$70 for sweatpants? No thank you. I do think the jersey-knit Whitney skirt looks really cute, but there again, almost $100 for jersey? Maybe if it goes on sale.
ReplyDeleteI tried the jersey-knit Whitney skirt on at my B & M. I wasn't a fan. The fabric is beautiful but heavy. Because the fabric is so heavy, I didn't think the pleats in back hung very nicely. (These are hard to see on the website, even if you zoom in close.) Its also the kind of fabric that shows every little bump and bulge, so approach with caution if you are curvy or pear shaped!
ReplyDeleteAlso the description says its a slight a-line. I thought it had a slight tulip shape.
anon @ 11:23: What is Dryel? I just went to Wal Mart and couldn't find it (although I KNOW it must be there!) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDryel is great. I use it for most all of my sweaters (I still handwash a few with woolite). You put the items in the Dryel bag with a Dryel sheet (it's kind of like a moist paper towel. I think 5 come in a package, and refills are 10 per package I believe). Then, you just zip the bag and throw it in the dryer for a half hour. You should definitely be able to find them at Target, maybe even the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteI hope 7th generation or something other eco company comes out with something similar, because I am a little worried about the chemicals in the Dryel sheets... when I go to the dry cleaners, I go to one that uses natural/non-toxic products.
Lucky you for having that option. The dry cleaner in my town still uses chemicals and I worry about taking my son's dress shirts there (for football, they have to dress up the day of each game) due to the numerous articles I have read about how toxic these chemicals can be!
ReplyDeleteI also tried the Jersey knit Whitney skirt. The pleating in the hip area is not flattering if you have wider hips.
ReplyDeleteOT -- can someone give me the link of the fantastic aficionada who started a blog reviewing J Crew items? I didn't save it as a favorite yesterday.
ReplyDeletegigiofca: It is Shannon who is doing the reviews and her *My Jcrew Reviews* blog is Here. Her site is really fabulous! :)
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone own the featherweight ruffle top, the rosette tissue top?, the star pleated top, or the luxe knit top? I wear an xs in shirts and sweaters and I was wondering if these shirts would be excessively large on me. (Like the luxe knit gathered top.) Three are on final sale and cannot be returned - I hate these final sales.
ReplyDeleteFFM-Thanks for posting my link :)
ReplyDeletekatherine-I have the ruffle tee and it runs tts. I usually wear an xs as well and this fits great in the xs. I couldn't wear the luxe knit gather top though. I was just swimming in it.
Regarding these terry pants. They are clearly not meant for actual exercise. But for ladies who like to wear sweats to lunch and shopping. This is not me, so I will not be buying these pants. Me and dh have a pact. If either of us ever wears sweats in public, it's over
Thanks for the comments about the Whitney skirt - I guess I won't be ordering it after all! Has anyone tried the tailored wool Carrie dress? I'm thinking about ordering a few transitional things since it's going to be in the mid-70s for a few weeks here but I'm worried about it being wool. Thoughts?
ReplyDeletefor katherined:
ReplyDeleteI have the featherweight ruffle top, the rosette tissue top and the luxe knit gathered top. I do my normal medium for the ruffled top, but have to take a small for the other two.
The gathered top can be adjusted at the neck, but the body is a bit billowy. Love luxe knit fabric though
Thank you so much anon and shannon!! =)
ReplyDeletekatherined:
ReplyDeleteI found that the featherweight ruffle top runs large. I generally wear a S but would take this in a XS. For a loose fit the S would've been ok, but to get the fit as pictured on the model I would need to size down.
Allie
anon at 1155am: Your comment made me laugh out loud, quite literally! :)
ReplyDeletePJ bottom albeit a very stylish one.....
ReplyDeleteFFM -- Thanks! I knew you'd come through w/it.
ReplyDeleteShannon -- Yes, the block is fantasmico. We have a silent agreement in our house, I suppose. Sweats only when going to the gym. And I do outfits there more than sweats.
Influence the world in your style by Euro Tailors, because every man need to have at least one tailored suit and shirt!
ReplyDelete