We are in for a treat as there are two related quotes on J.Crew's French Hen Sweater (Item 14492; $95.00) :
Straycat (in this post):
...All I think when I see it is "put a bird on it"....ha! I'm from Portland, Oregon and it's a joke around here because we really embraced "putting a bird on it". ...
Life as a Cat (in her "Overheard: J. Crew sales associates puzzle over the French Hen Sweater" post):
HA!Store Associate 1: I don't get it. I mean, I don't have to get it, I guess, but I just don't get it . . .SA 2: It's like in Portlandia - you know, "put a bird on it"?
SA 1: Yeah, but that's supposed to be making fun of the whole put-a-bird-on-things trend, not advocating for it.
SA 3: Well maybe we're being ironically ironic?
SA 1: No, that just doesn't work . . .
I think the bird is the new heart. I don't like it because it is instantly recognizable as JCrew and then give it a little time and there will be knock offs everywhere. A bird is cute only if you can wear it and not walk by someone else wearing the same bird. I stayed away from the heart sweater for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteHah, thanks for posting this, Alexis! I've been very bemused by the hen sweater and everyone's theories about it. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more on the internet soon as the fashion world picks up on this sweater! I seriously wish I'd known how to record audio on my phone at that time to pick up that conversation in its entirety - it was just too good!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw it, my first thought was, "I don't know why, but I just have to have this."
ReplyDeleteHaha, too funny. I am glad I'm not intrigued by this new design/trend, and can totally live without it. Looking forward to see where this is going. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm swinging by a store to see it in person today. For some reason I'm enthralled by the idea of a beret on a bird. I really can't explain it.
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeleteHen sweater review in this post.
I'm all for cute....and love me a bird...HOWEVER....for some reason I feel like I should be wearing it to hawk my goods at the county fair (not knocking this, as I do grow lots of goods....)....or wearing it to a joke sweater party. Just doesn't have the same effect for me as the heart....but I'm just sharing!.....
ReplyDeleteIt appears people the hen strikes many opinions.. I find it cute, but not for me. But I equally like the little owl that they are hawking over at Target this fall, too!
ReplyDeleteI bought the owl sweater from Target and wore into a J. Crew store. All the SAs thought it was J. Crew! It was so funny. Each SA who saw me immediately asked, 'Is that J. Crew?' or 'Is that from the new roll out?' I love my owl sweater, and it so inexpensive for a trend.
DeleteBurberry actually made an owl sweater for its fall 2012 collection, shown on the runway.. So it's nothing new that designers are jumping in on the trend. I'm all about whimsy but I might just pass on this. Haven't caught the (no pun intended) bird flu yet.
DeleteEven though I'm a big Portlandia fan and a fellow PNWer, I didn't even think of "put a bird on it," probably because I tend to see chickens as filets walking around on drumsticks. Now all I can think of is the skit about the kind of life the chicken had.
ReplyDeleteThis particular image is not for me, not so much of age but mostly because it's a *chicken* . . . but if it were a cat in a beret I would totally buy it.
Hexicon - does this mean you're wondering if the chicken is free-range and has an individual file with photo? ;)
DeleteAnd I have to ask....Is it 'local'?
DeleteAhh...it's COLIN!!!
DeleteI don't mean to be harsh, but if we're all being honest here, I freakin' hate it. I mean $95 for a sweater that has a 4 year olds interpretation of a french carton... that's what I think of. Seriously punch me in the face if this ends up on my blog. I haven't seen it on anyone else, but I'm sure the second that I do, I'll kind of like it. Oh the irony... and yes, I was sucked right into the heart sweater, at full price, no less. Hope y'all have an awesome weekend!
ReplyDeletexx-
sarah
@Sarah rofl
DeleteThere was a children's store here in town that had a very similar hen as their logo - the store was called Henny Penny. I always asked the staff if they were planning on using the image on a tee, but unfortunately the store went out of business before they printed any (very high-end designer stuff for kids). When I see the hen sweater, I keep thinking it's part of this kids store...and I want it, but I don't $95 want it :)
ReplyDeleteSomeone here mentioned that their local store was almost sold out of the hen sweaters yesterday, and my first thought was, "oh, no..,that is really not the message we want to be sending corporate"...is it? Keep sending us more cute animals...we will buy them.
ReplyDeleteIf you scroll down through my lengthy ramblings on the topic of age appropriate, I have irl pictures and review of the French Hen sweaters HERE . And yes, my store was almost completely out of it, go figure.
ReplyDeleteI love quirky animals on clothing, but I wouldn't pay $95 for this sweater. $50, sure. ;-P Hey, it's a pretty cute hen!
ReplyDeleteOh but I have to admit that I did buy the Madewell Meerkat sweater, and I will probably get one of those adorable sheep sweaters when they release their fall collection, haha.
DeleteThe hen sweater is definitely either a love/hate! Looking forward to seeing how you JCA's style it!
ReplyDeleteLots of hen sweaters in the Vancouver store. The floral brocade skirt, however, was gone in sizes 2, 4 and 6 already since yesterday when they were displayed. And that's not a skirt I would have thought Vancouverites would rush to buy. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteThe hen sweater doesn't really do it for me but I'm hoping if its popular they'll bring back more of the classic critters.
ReplyDeleteYes. I agree.
DeleteHee! Just checked in to see what was up with the group and saw "put a bird on it" in discussion! Here's another thought.....would a French woman wear a (presumably) French beret wearing hen on her sweater??? Maybe a little French girl would.....
ReplyDeleteThe hen sweater phenomenon reminds me of the Zebra Tee a while back ... remember the lively debate over that one?
ReplyDeleteI am sure J. Crew is loving the blog frenzy over this whimsical little hen, and I am sure it will sell out.
zebra tee...tissue rose tee...bug pin...
DeleteLet's not let these things divide us JCAs. lol
Gigi, yes the bug pin! A classic!
DeleteI had a turtle, elephant and snowman cashmere sweater similar to this in my closet until recently from the 2006 collection. Just goes to show if you keep it around long enough it comes back into style! Should have kept them I guess. Or not:) I think I'm over the critter phase!
ReplyDeleteI love reading everyone's comments about the French Hen sweater, you guys crack me up :) As for myself, I think it's adorable, but it's not for me. I'd look like I was trying too hard. Plus, I'm not buying anything made out of that Dream yarn ever again. I believe it was xoxo who commented once that after a few days of wear, her Dream sweater had pilled so badly that it "looked like a pair of muppets were sitting on my chest." I LOL'ed big time at that mental picture.
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