"Thanks!" to WMM, who let us know about a humourous post over at BlackBook (click here to read in its entirety):Things That Only Happen In The J.Crew CatalogToo funny! And the small army of Jenna-drones is very creepy. I am surprised J.Crew is keeping up with that.
By Jessica Wakeman
September 15, 2012
Oh, the J.Crew catalog. 89 aspirational pages for me and every other middle-class working woman with big sartorial dreams and not enough disposable income. Will I pay $45 for a tee shirt? Will I really pay $45 for a tee shirt? Sigh. ...If it helps, remember that the J.Crew catalog is like Dr. Who's space-time continuum where things happen between its pages that don't actually happen in real life.
First of all, they call it the "the J.Crew style guide" because catalogs are for companies like (sniff) Boden. Other ways the J.Crew-niverse is not like the real world:
If Old Navy would just make a catalog — excuse me, style guide — it would really be better for the self-esteem of every woman that I know.
- Orange lipstick is not a thing women wear.
- Monogrammed cashmere sweaters, unless you live in Greenwich.
- Only in the J.Crew catalog does the phrase "VERY personal stylist" not sound like someone who is going to style your pubic hair.
- Clashing.
- A small army of women who look and dress like Jenna Lyons is actually creepy.
- $400 for a pair of slippers.
- Matching your "red pepper houndstooth popover" to your "red pepper popover pant."
- What is a "red pepper houndstooth popover" and why does it cost $525?
What are your thoughts on BlackBook's take on J.Crew's style guide? Agree or disagree with any points made? Do you have any points to add to the list?
I agree with the Jenna creepy factor. It's tired and over played.
ReplyDeleteSERIOUSLY! I wonder if she realizes that forcing all of her employees to look exactly like her makes her less cool and unique as opposed to more.
DeleteYes, Tammy, esp. when you see SAs wearing them as well.
DeleteLOL, I loved the line about VPS the best!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout-out, Alexis - I thought it too good not to share! I wondered if a JCA was writing it! I have heard so many of the same sentiments expressed here!
ReplyDeleteHilarious! Did a JCA'er write it, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteVery funny and very true.
ReplyDeleteOh my so true! Thanks Alexis and WMM for the excellent laugh!
ReplyDeleteoh joy!
ReplyDeleteThere is a similar article at BlackBook for the alter ego store, Anthropologie...And I love the October 2012 catalogue!
ReplyDeleteSo true, and very funny! Thank you for sharing WMM and Alexis! :)
ReplyDeleteThat was great! Thanks for sharing, & I loved the bullet line about the VPS. They went well beyond the thought of visible panty lines. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the morning chuckle Alexis and WMM. Totally agree about the Jenna lookalikes - enough already!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Alexis and WMM, what a fun way to start the day!
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm quite drunk on the crewlade because until I read this, alot of these points seem quite normal to me!
Well except the Jenna clones, really over that ...
Hear here! Well said. Any funny to boot. The "style guides" have become a self-referential caricature of aspirational fashion.
ReplyDeleteLast night I viewed the Anthropologie catalog... so beautiful. So well crafted. I wanted so many things.
I wear orange lippy!!
ReplyDeleteLove it, but like Sinead, I wear orange and orange-red lipstick all the time - suits my coloring!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteBlackbook also has a delightful commentary on the Anthro catalog by the same author. Very close to Jane Austen IMHO.
ReplyDeleteHilarious, and oh, so true!
ReplyDeleteHA! I wear orange lipstick...not just orange, BRIGHT orange and I'm old and woman ask me all the time what color it is. As for the rest of the list I couldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the exact same thing. I actually copied that orange red lipstick from the style guide. Its my everyday color and ppl love it.
DeleteThanks for sharing this Alexis and WMM, hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHilarious. J Crew can take themselves too seriously at times. Then I wonder, how can I take them seriously this season when their stylists are pushing bedazzled shirts and sweaters?
ReplyDeleteOK, I LOVE this but at the same time, I'm MAD-- why didn't I think of it first?!?!
ReplyDeleteToo funny. The Jenna clones thing is a bit creepy when pointed out. I checked out the Madewell opening in Colorado, and this poor SA was completely decked out in Jenna wear. It's just not a good(or flattering) look. But their "style guides" just keep me coming back for more. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteLOL, so I'm not the only one who thinks the Jenna clones are super creepy. It makes Jenna appear extremely narcissistic.
ReplyDelete