Seek & Find: Will you visit J.Crew this Weekend?

This is the weekly "sale watch" post, to help each other find sale items at our various local J.Crew stores. ;)

If you are stopping by a J.Crew store this weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SALE, or to see some NEW ARRIVALS {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!

Also, please let us know if your local store is carrying an additional percent off sale. Thanks in advance!!! :)

P.S. I noticed that many of you have already been reporting sale items (and in which stores) in other posts which by the way "thank you!" :) I really appreciate how helpful we are for each other!

Happy Thanksgiving Day! {celebrating w/ J.Crew}?

First and foremost... Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone! (I am pretty sure we will all be super busy eating celebrating today.) It's the time of year where we can spend time with our loved ones and enjoy a fantastic meal. It also officially starts the Holiday season. :)

Per JCA tradition, this post is to find out what everyone is going to wear. I find it really interesting to see what other Aficionadas and Aficionados plan on wearing (and of course it gives me lots of wonderful ideas for future outfits). :) So for this post, what we are planning to wear on Thanksgiving Day? :)

I am planning on wearing an outfit centered around J.Crew's French Hen in Acorn. (I have both colors, navy and acorn. I even wore the Navy version for last year's Thanksgiving Day.)

Yes it is not a turkey, but seems like a good sweater to wear for today. I am pairing it with Madewell's Skinny Skinny Ankle Jeans in Nightfall (love these!), J.Crew's Cece Ballet Flats in Suede, and J.Crew's Bow Collar Necklace. Cute and comfortable is what I am going for.

What are you planning to wear this Thanksgiving Day? Are you planning to go "head to toe" J.Crew or parts J.Crew?

JCA "Help Style Me!" Weekly Post

This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this post) says it best, "You know, that thing you bought because you love it and you keep pulling it out and then putting it away without wearing it?"

Please share your J.Crew item (either that you own or are thinking about getting) that you would love help creating an outfit with.

Also, please help out by offering your styling advice. Feel free to include links to your blog (where you incorporated that piece) or to Polyvore (where you showcased an outfit with that piece). Thanks in advance! :)

"Looking to LOVE" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to LOVE with J.Crew" post, a place to share our favorite experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a positive situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including stellar experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

J.Crew Updates Website with New Arrivals!

"Thanks!" to many of you, who let us know that J.Crew had an update to its website (click here to view online).

There are some new arrivals for men (click here) & women (click here). {wahoo!} It looks like Crewcuts (click here) has been updated, but not the J.Crew Collection (click here).

The DECEMBER catalog (click here to view) is up. However, the latest HOLIDAY catalog is not. As mentioned by several JCAs, J.Crew posted several images of the newest catalog over at Pinterest (click here to view).

J.Crew is offering an additional 30% off select items (marked as so) and an additional 40% off sale with promo code HOLIDAY. This offer expires today, November 26, 2014.

What items are you most excited about and why? Which items are you surprised (or not surprised) to see? Which items did you hope would be included? Were you expecting a bigger roll-out? Also, did you receive the latest catalog? :)

J.Crew's Jenna Lyons on Creating J.Crew's Look

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Molly K., as well as Suzy and GigisGoneShopping (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew's Jenna Lyons was featured on CBS's This Morning last week.

To read the transcript in its entirety, as well as videos, click here.

J.Crew creative director's secret to fashion
CBS News
November 19, 2014

Jenna Lyons is one of the most influential women in fashion. As creative director at J.Crew, she is credited with giving the brand its unique style, catering to everyone from celebrities to students. But as the company struggles with falling profits and tries to expand abroad, Lyons has her work cut out for her.

She's more than game for a challenge, reports "CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell. Walking around with Lyons at the J.Crew office, you might notice one thing about her: she wears five-inch heels.

"I feel like I can see everything better," she said. "I can see over all the aisles, I feel a little bit more glamorous, especially on those days when, you know, I have a lot going on." But at six feet tall, she doesn't have a height complex.

And if Lyons has no aversion to heights, it's because she's scaled a lot of them. As president and creative director at J.Crew, Lyons helped transform a once-homespun mail-order brand into a multi-billion dollar retail powerhouse.

"I always liked being surrounded by pretty things, and sometimes those pretty things looked beautiful next to each other, and sometimes they actually created a strange magic. Those things happen when you come home after a night and you throw off your blazer and all of a sudden it's landing on top of your necklace and it's landing on top of a blouse that you wore the day before. Clearly, I'm very neat," Lyons said, laughing. "And all of a sudden they form something different that you might not have thought about."

Lyons has no problem admitting to the inspiration for her genius; she gets her ideas from the pile of clothes on the floor.

"I'm not gonna lie, I do," she said. "There you go, that's the secret."

Lyons grew up in California, sewing her own clothes and dog-earing catalogs from her future employer. She moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design and, after interning at Donna Karan, joined J.Crew in 1990.

She described her role there as an assistant to an assistant to somebody else's assistant.

"Yeah, it was like that," she said. "I think I sat in a hallway with my computer sort of with an extension cord plugged in."

But she felt much more at home at J.Crew than she did at Donna Karan.

"Having not been sort of like the cool kid in school, and being a little bit of the outcast when I was younger, I remember one of the first couple of times when I felt attractive or beautiful," she recalled. "And I realized that that was important to me, to be able to do that for everyone, not just people who had the ability to write a $2,000 check for a jacket."

She insisted she wasn't the popular kid growing up. "Oh God, not by a long shot," she said. "No, I was unfortunately incredibly tall, oddly skinny."

She also dealt with a personal issue that had other students making fun of her. "I have a genetic disorder called incontinentia pigmenti," she said, "and the result of that means that I had bald spots on my head, which I didn't even know I had until the girls were talking about me behind my back in school."

Lyons faced bullying. "I got beaten up quite a bit... on the way home from school, yes," she admitted. "It's traumatic, but it also, I think, is an opportunity to decide what you wanna do with that. Like, you have two ways to go. You can crawl under a rock, or you can actually decide to do something with it."

Lyons didn't seek out a rock, though she did endure some hard places. Her early career survived a decade of turmoil as J.Crew shuffled its looks and its leadership. It took Mickey Drexler, the so-called "king of retail," named CEO in 2003, to finally define J.Crew's aesthetic and five years later, to charge Lyons with curating it.

People have said that she and Mickey have a very special relationship, drawing comparisons to the relationship between Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive at Apple.

"I was going with Sonny and Cher, but okay," she said. "There is no question I think he is an inspiration. He gets excited to the same level of excitement he did the first day he walked in here."

In a few seasons, J.Crew clothing went from cloistered and collegiate, to laid-back, grown-up, big-city cool. Its stock surged when first lady Michelle Obama and her daughters wore J.Crew outfits at the 2009 inauguration.

"I do a hula dance when I'm in the airport and someone walks by in a coat, you know?" she said. "When Michelle Obama came out in our outfit, I think the hula dance turned up a notch. And to have the First Lady feel accessible for America? That's really never happened before."

For some, it still hasn't. J.Crew prices do start in the single digits, but can reach well into the hundreds of dollars. There are some sweaters that sell for $98, but others are priced at $800 -- not necessarily the most accessible price.

"We had some of the more expensive pieces in the catalog, that was something that we got feedback on and we have changed," she said. We still have that product, but it's certainly not for everyone."

They've also received feedback on a recent addition to their clothing line. In July, J.Crew suffered criticism for introducing a 000 size. "Interestingly enough, part of that was driven by the fact that we launched a store in Asia, so we opened our first store in Hong Kong, and some of the people that were living there had tried on our double zero and said, 'it's actually not small enough,'" she explained.

They were shocked, and knew they had to change to fit their new customer base. "I think there was some idea that maybe we were doing it for, you know, vanity sizing, which, I mean, absolutely was not the case," Lyon said. "We got a lot of negative feedback; we also got a lot of positive feedback from people who are like, 'No, no, no. It's for me, it's for me. Don't take it away.'"

Beyond Hong Kong, J.Crew also opened in London and, come Spring, will be in Paris. The expansion comes despite a bruising year, in which second-quarter profits fell almost 40 percent.

"I've been incredibly fortunate, I have to say, oddly enough, to have been through this before -- we've had tough quarters before," she said. "We've had tough moments. As much as it's hard to go through, I'm not worried," said Lyon, adding, "We have not peaked."

There is another video about the behind the "behind the scenes" interview:

This is a great segment showcasing Jenna Lyons and her passion for J.Crew.

What are your thoughts on the article and video? Any points that you found very interesting? Please share! :)

"Looking to VENT" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to VENT with J.Crew" post, a place to share our not-so-stellar experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a frustrating situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including poor experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

Weekly Share: Other JCrew-like Retailers

This is the weekly "Other JCrew-like Retailers" post (similar to the "Off On A Tangent" posts), where we can share our finds from other retailers that have offerings similar to J.Crew (like Anthropologie, LE Canvas, Gap, BR, Talbots, Ann Taylor, and the like.)

If you have recently encountered items that are similar to J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including experiences with certain merchandise pieces, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

Take 25% Off Your Purchase at Madewell

"Thanks!" to  many of you, who shared the following email & promotion from Madewell.

Madewell is offering 25% off your entire purchase (with a few exceptions) with promotional code GIFTON. This offer expires November 30, 2014. The fine print includes:

Offer valid in Madewell stores and at madewell.com from November 25, 2014, 12:01am ET through November 30, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases or the purchase of gift cards and cannot be redeemed for cash or used in combination with any other offer. Offer not valid on Barbour®, Chimala®, Penfield®, Rachel Comey, Saucony®, Sézane®, Sorel®, Vans® or Woolrich White® merchandise; shearling coats and jackets; The Transport Tote, The Transport Rucksack and The Transport Weekender. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code GIFTON in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Offer valid in the U.S., Canada and Japan only. Terms of offer are subject to change.

This is a pretty great offer for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Although it is not that surprising that the Transport Totes were omitted.)

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? If so, please share!

J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs!}

This is the weekly "J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs}" post, to help each other share our reviews.

So if you have recently purchased, or stopped by a J.Crew store to try on an item (or two) from J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Also, this request is not just limited to clothes. Please feel free to discuss bags, shoes, jewelry, accessories, etc.

In particular, if you could mention a few of the noteworthy details like fit, size, fabric, and the like— that would be fantastic! Thanks in advance! :)

In Store Coupon at J.Crew: $20 Off $100+

A big "thanks!" to Shopalot (in this post) who shared the following news with us:

OT: Stopped in store at lunch today to pick up a few things and received a receipt sleeve coupon. One side says "Here's a gift you don't have to wrap." Other side is coupon: "Take $20 off your next purchase of $100 or more. In stores only. Valid through January 4, 2015." Fine print reads " . . . on purchases of $100 or more after other discounts and before taxes are added. One-time use only." It appears this will be stackable with other in store promotions. Nice!  ...

J.Crew does not offer coupons very often, so I am pleasantly surprised about this. It doesn't hurt that it is a pretty nice offer too! I love that it is stackable with other offers.

Make sure you double check your in-store purchase to see if you got a coupon too!

New Promotion Over at J.Crew! Enjoy 30% Off

"Thanks!" to  many of you, who shared the following email & promotion from J.Crew.

J.Crew is offering 30% off most regular and sale priced items (with a few exceptions, so double check!) with promotional code GETFESTIVE. This offer expires November 25, 2014. The fine print includes:

Offer valid in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com from November 24, 2014, 12:01am ET through November 25, 2014, 11:59pm ET. In-store discount as advertised. Online discount valid on items marked "30% off with code GETFESTIVE." Offer not valid in the 769 Madison Avenue store, Liquor Store, Ludlow Shops, J.Crew Factory stores, at jcrewfactory.com or on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases or the purchase of gift cards and cannot be redeemed for cash or used in combination with any other offer. Offer not valid on select men's suiting or Ludlow shoes; select boys' suiting; women's fine jewelry; select women's jackets and outerwear; select girls' special-occasion dresses; select Collection, wedding, Garments for Good or third-party branded merchandise. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code GETFESTIVE in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Offer valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Terms of offer are subject to change.

This is a pretty sweet deal. Too bad it only lasts until tomorrow. Makes me wonder what the next promotion might look like...

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? If so, please share!

The Great (Weekly) Exchange {looking to sell}

This post (of weekly posts) is for individual members who want to swap/sell/share among yourselves. This post is where you can mention your items and outside listing/ auction site (like eBay and eCrater & the corresponding user ID).

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Please note: this posting is not for resellers, retailers or businesses. If you are a reseller, retailer, or a business, your comment gets automatically deleted & you will get publicly called out on it. :( So instead of this, simply do not post in the Weekly Exchanges. Thanks in advance for your cooperation! :)

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Please note that any transactions are independent of this blog. (Especially since you will be using an outside listing/ auction site like eBay or eCrater.) I have no dealings or interactions with any of the potential communication, listings, or transactions. :) Moreover, please limit comments about items to swap/sell/share to the "Great (Weekly) Exchange" posts. (Refer to "A Quick Note to J.Crew Aficionadas" post.)

Do you have any items you would like to swap/sell/share among yourselves through your outside listing/auction site?

Sidenote: What's up with JCAs writing "sub" or "subscribing" as their comment? It just means they are subscribing to all the comments (which are then automatically sent to their email) in that particular thread. This way they can stay aware of all the comments posted. :)

The Great (Weekly) Exchange {looking to find}

This post (of weekly posts) is for individual members who are looking for and interested in buying certain items. Please feel free to share a J.Crew store location and/or your outside listing/ auction site if it matches the requests made in this post.

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Please note: this posting is not for resellers, retailers or businesses. If you are a reseller, retailer, or a business, your comment gets automatically deleted & you will get publicly called out on it. :( So instead of this, simply do not post in the Weekly Exchanges. Thanks in advance for your cooperation! :)

---

Also note that any transactions are independent of this blog. (Especially since you will be using an outside listing/ auction site like eBay or eCrater.) I have no dealings or interactions with any of the potential communication, listings, or transactions. :) Moreover, please limit comments about items to swap/sell/share/finding to the "Great (Weekly) Exchange" posts. (Refer to "A Quick Note to J.Crew Aficionadas" post.)

Is there an item (or items) that you are looking for and interested in purchasing?

Sought & Found: Did you visit J.Crew this {past} Weekend?

This is the weekly "sale watch" post, to help each other find sale items at our various local J.Crew stores. ;)

If you are stopped by a J.Crew store this past weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SALE, or to see some NEW ARRIVALS {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!

Also, please let us know if your local store was/ is carrying an additional percent off sale. Thanks in advance!!! :)

Run Down of Current J.Crew, Factory, & Madewell Promotions

Quick Update: Apologies for not keeping up with the blog this week. Truth be told, I went on a family vacation and fully intended to post updates on the blog during the trip. However my days turned out to be a lot busier than expected and I barely had time to check my email. But I am back and ready to discuss all things J.Crew!

J.Crew is offering 30% off select Winter Picks, as well as 30% off sale, with promotional code SHOPNOW. This offer expires November 23, 2014.

It is worth mentioning: brick & mortar (B&M) stores are offering an additional 40% off sale, however it is Final Sale.

J.Crew Factory is offering 15% off purchases of $75+, as well as 20% off purchases of $125+, with promotional code NOCROWDS. This offer expires November 23, 2014.

Madewell is offering 20% off their top picks with promotional code YOURGIFT. This offer expires November 24, 2014. 

Will you be taking advantage of any of these promotions? If so, please share!

Seek & Find: Will you visit J.Crew this Weekend?

This is the weekly "sale watch" post, to help each other find sale items at our various local J.Crew stores. ;)

If you are stopping by a J.Crew store this weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SALE, or to see some NEW ARRIVALS {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!

Also, please let us know if your local store is carrying an additional percent off sale. Thanks in advance!!! :)

P.S. I noticed that many of you have already been reporting sale items (and in which stores) in other posts which by the way "thank you!" :) I really appreciate how helpful we are for each other!

JCA "Help Style Me!" Weekly Post

This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this post) says it best, "You know, that thing you bought because you love it and you keep pulling it out and then putting it away without wearing it?"

Please share your J.Crew item (either that you own or are thinking about getting) that you would love help creating an outfit with.

Also, please help out by offering your styling advice. Feel free to include links to your blog (where you incorporated that piece) or to Polyvore (where you showcased an outfit with that piece). Thanks in advance! :)

J.Crew + Band Aids = Why Not?

Did you notice that J.Crew has partnered, of all companies and products, Johnson & Johnson's Band-Aid? Yes, that Band-Aid. The ones you go to for cuts and scrapes. (Now you are probably singing "I am stuck on band aid brand cause band aid's stuck on me...")

J.Crew has two versions: one for adults with the Band-Aid® Brand adhesive bandages by J.Crew
(item B3283; $5.00), and one for kids with the Band-aid® brand adhesive bandages by crewcuts (item B3143; $5.00). Personally, the kids version is much cooler.

This seems like one of J.Crew's more random partnerships. However, I totally dig them. Is it weird that I am going to get them? I mean, look at how awesome they are. Amiright?

And when people ask me where I got the amazing band-aid covering my paper-cut, I can tell them I got it from J.Crew. Yes, that J.Crew. ;)

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's partnership with Band-Aid? Do you already own them? If so, would you recommend them?

"Looking to LOVE" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to LOVE with J.Crew" post, a place to share our favorite experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a positive situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including stellar experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

"Looking to VENT" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to VENT with J.Crew" post, a place to share our not-so-stellar experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a frustrating situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including poor experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

Shopping Tip for Madewell Customers!

A big "thanks!" to JRSConifer (in this post) who shared the following news with us:

OT a little. Just a comment on the % off at Madewell. I know I read it here from a much wiser JCA, I certainly am not that smart. But if you have a store locally, go in and ask them to put you on their mailing list for in-store events. I did that at both of my local stores and have been invited to two events, one for new arrivals and another for a jewelry show with a local vendor and they both included a 20% off $125 purchase. The times were off for me, I work full-time but if there was something I was really looking for I would have made it work. HTH ...

This is a great shopping tip for all J.Crew Aficionadas shopping at Madewell, but also J.Crew too. (J.Crew often hold similar events at their stores.)

So make sure you sign up with your local J.Crew and Madewell stores to be included in their local events!

Weekly Share: Other JCrew-like Retailers

This is the weekly "Other JCrew-like Retailers" post (similar to the "Off On A Tangent" posts), where we can share our finds from other retailers that have offerings similar to J.Crew (like Anthropologie, LE Canvas, Gap, BR, Talbots, Ann Taylor, and the like.)

If you have recently encountered items that are similar to J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including experiences with certain merchandise pieces, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs!}

This is the weekly "J.Crew Reviews {straight from the JCAs}" post, to help each other share our reviews.

So if you have recently purchased, or stopped by a J.Crew store to try on an item (or two) from J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Also, this request is not just limited to clothes. Please feel free to discuss bags, shoes, jewelry, accessories, etc.

In particular, if you could mention a few of the noteworthy details like fit, size, fabric, and the like— that would be fantastic! Thanks in advance! :)

How J.Crew Names the Colors {delicious!}

J.Crew is known for their delightfully rich hues. The following article is from the Huffington Post (click here to read in its entirety) shares some light on the process:

How J.Crew Colors Get Their Wild Names
By Katy Hall
November 13, 2014

Looking through the J.Crew website this season may give you ideas for a holiday party menu. There's a cashmere sweater in harvest grape, moccasins in dark nutmeg and chinos in melted caramel and fresh sage.

"People really respond to food," said Tom Mora, head of women's design at the company. "I've never heard a person not feel happy about eating. It's that emotion or smile on your face. These colors all have distinct smells or tastes to them."

Food is just one of many things that inspire the names of the more than 100 colors J.Crew invents every season. Seasonal smells, flowers and destinations can all work to shift a red to dark poppy, or a neutral beige to sandy shore. The continual supply of bold new colors, painstakingly curated and named, is one reason the catalog resembles a lifestyle magazine and the brand has earned cult status.

But before the colors are named, the colors themselves have to be selected. Mora and other color creators, including color librarian Cherie Zavitz (who has "the coolest job EVER," she said), start with a "mood board" in the company's color library in downtown Manhattan. They post items that set the collection's mood: vintage clothing, leather wallets, scraps of paper or silk. This season's neon electric flame, seen here in the stadium-cloth cocoon coat, started off as a "really intense shoelace," Mora said.

Once the seasonal palette is set, each color is dyed onto a fabric swatch and given a name that reflects the feel of the collection. "Whether we're going on a trip to Spain or the 1920s in Berlin or the California coast, you start thinking of what that does in your head," said Mora. "That's where you start getting the words you can kind of associate with the colors as well."

Summer collections may have a tropical or warm feel: neon flamingo, reef blue and even pebble can evoke a sunny day at the beach. Fall takes on a more weathered, outdoorsy tone with rich colors that are burnished or icy or crisp or rusty. Color names can go in a lot of directions -- and they have, considering J.Crew has coined thousands of them -- but there are a couple of things the company tries to avoid. One is being creative to the point of obscurity.

"We don't want to start naming names in terms of a town or get too specific," Mora said. "That confuses people. They need to get it immediately from the sound of the name. Sometimes when you have a name that doesn't include the color, like dusty cobblestone, it kind of does feel like a cobblestone. They still know what that is."

He added that sometimes colors just sound like they would smell bad: "Sometimes the two words together, like burnt something or ripe something, are like, ew!"

Simplicity can work just as well as the most imaginative names. Bright colors pair well with J.Crew's signature neutrals. Jenna Lyons, the company's creative director, lists adding a pop of color as one of her 10 style rules. "Color isn't easy for anyone," she told The Guardian. "It's not easy for me! It's a challenge. It feels good to embrace a challenge."

Standby colors like black, white and khaki aren't going anywhere. Those swatches are labeled and pinned on the wall in the color library -- along with the thousands of past colors that might make a comeback, if the designers and customers love them enough.

"There are always the favorites," Mora said. "You know it's a great color when the customer comes in asking for it by name." Two old favorites that have resurfaced this season are golden sun and brilliant flame.

There is also a video about J.Crew selecting their colors that is totally worth a viewing:


I found it really interesting how J.Crew gets inspired to create the shades and names. It got me thinking what my favorite color from J.Crew is... It might just be their Poppy Red.

I also did not realize they have over 100 different colors each season! And who knew Luigi was an important part of the process!?! ;)

What are your thoughts on the article and video? Any points that you found very interesting? What is your favorite shade at J.Crew? Please share! :)

The Great (Weekly) Exchange {looking to sell}

This post (of weekly posts) is for individual members who want to swap/sell/share among yourselves. This post is where you can mention your items and outside listing/ auction site (like eBay and eCrater & the corresponding user ID).

---

Please note: this posting is not for resellers, retailers or businesses. If you are a reseller, retailer, or a business, your comment gets automatically deleted & you will get publicly called out on it. :( So instead of this, simply do not post in the Weekly Exchanges. Thanks in advance for your cooperation! :)

---

Please note that any transactions are independent of this blog. (Especially since you will be using an outside listing/ auction site like eBay or eCrater.) I have no dealings or interactions with any of the potential communication, listings, or transactions. :) Moreover, please limit comments about items to swap/sell/share to the "Great (Weekly) Exchange" posts. (Refer to "A Quick Note to J.Crew Aficionadas" post.)

Do you have any items you would like to swap/sell/share among yourselves through your outside listing/auction site?

Sidenote: What's up with JCAs writing "sub" or "subscribing" as their comment? It just means they are subscribing to all the comments (which are then automatically sent to their email) in that particular thread. This way they can stay aware of all the comments posted. :)

The Great (Weekly) Exchange {looking to find}

This post (of weekly posts) is for individual members who are looking for and interested in buying certain items. Please feel free to share a J.Crew store location and/or your outside listing/ auction site if it matches the requests made in this post.

---

Please note: this posting is not for resellers, retailers or businesses. If you are a reseller, retailer, or a business, your comment gets automatically deleted & you will get publicly called out on it. :( So instead of this, simply do not post in the Weekly Exchanges. Thanks in advance for your cooperation! :)

---

Also note that any transactions are independent of this blog. (Especially since you will be using an outside listing/ auction site like eBay or eCrater.) I have no dealings or interactions with any of the potential communication, listings, or transactions. :) Moreover, please limit comments about items to swap/sell/share/finding to the "Great (Weekly) Exchange" posts. (Refer to "A Quick Note to J.Crew Aficionadas" post.)

Is there an item (or items) that you are looking for and interested in purchasing?

Sought & Found: Did you visit J.Crew this {past} Weekend?

This is the weekly "sale watch" post, to help each other find sale items at our various local J.Crew stores. ;)

If you are stopped by a J.Crew store this past weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SALE, or to see some NEW ARRIVALS {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!

Also, please let us know if your local store was/ is carrying an additional percent off sale. Thanks in advance!!! :)

Seek & Find: Will you visit J.Crew this Weekend?

This is the weekly "sale watch" post, to help each other find sale items at our various local J.Crew stores. ;)

If you are stopping by a J.Crew store this weekend to see what's available (if anything!) in the SALE, or to see some NEW ARRIVALS {sigh!} in person, maybe you might be willing to share that with us in this post. In particular, if you could share with us a few of the noteworthy items that are available, at what prices, and potential sizes the store is carrying (as well as the store location)- that would be fantastic!

Also, please let us know if your local store is carrying an additional percent off sale. Thanks in advance!!! :)

P.S. I noticed that many of you have already been reporting sale items (and in which stores) in other posts which by the way "thank you!" :) I really appreciate how helpful we are for each other!

American Express + J.Crew = $25 off $125+

A big "thanks!" to Anthro Blogger (in this post) who shared the following news with us:

Check your Amex offers! I got a $25 off a purchase of $125!

According to American Express, customers can enjoy $25 back, one-time, when they enroll and spend a total of $125+ at J.Crew with a connected AmEx Card. You can also sync your card to Twitter to enjoy this benefit.

Definitely sign up and register if you have an American Express card! :)

Rewards Time at J.Crew!

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Danielle (in this post), as well as JRSConifer & fivesouth (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew is sending out their rewards cards to customers.

So if you are a card member, chances are you will be receiving your rewards card via email and snail mail in the next couple of days, so keep "an eye out" for it. :)

Have you already received your J.Crew rewards card? If so, please let us know! :)

Take an Additional 25% Off Sale at Madewell

"Thanks!" to  many of you, who shared the following email & promotion from Madewell.

Madewell is offering 25% off with promotional code FALLBACK. This offer expires November 17, 2014. The fine print includes:

Offer valid on the purchase of sale items at madewell.com from November 13, 2014, 12:01am ET through November 17, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid in Madewell stores or on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases and cannot be redeemed for cash or used in combination with any other offer. To redeem, enter code FALLBACK in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Offer valid in the U.S., Canada and Japan only. Terms of offer are subject to change. Final sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.

This is a nice promotion over at Madewell online. Stores were running an additional 30% off though. I am curious if they reduced it to 25% to match online.

You may have also noticed that two of their Transport Totes are on promotion:

The Bien Transport Tote was $178.00, now $124.50

the Textured Transport Tote was $168.00, now $119.50

Both bags are definitely worth checking out. Happy shopping! :)

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? If so, please share!

J.Crew Sample Sale Coming to the Asheville Area {Nov 22-23}

A big "thanks!" to Molly (of My Closet Travels), who let us know that J.Crew will be hosting another Warehouse Sale:

...I am in the Asheville area and the next Sample sale is the 22nd and 23rd. I was told by J Crew personnel that the inventory will be updated—I go every month and I think they just “recycle” items. I am excited to see what they have. Last sale they had 2 buildings open which was great because more people can get in to shop! ...

The location for this shopping event is:

J.Crew Clearance Store
1 Clifford Way (off N.C. 191)
Arden, NC 28704
(828) 687-6475

If you know any more details of this event (like pricing) and/or planning to attend, please let us know!

Congrats to all those in the area!!! :)

JCA "Help Style Me!" Weekly Post

This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this post) says it best, "You know, that thing you bought because you love it and you keep pulling it out and then putting it away without wearing it?"

Please share your J.Crew item (either that you own or are thinking about getting) that you would love help creating an outfit with.

Also, please help out by offering your styling advice. Feel free to include links to your blog (where you incorporated that piece) or to Polyvore (where you showcased an outfit with that piece). Thanks in advance! :)

"Looking to LOVE" with J.Crew

This is the weekly "Looking to LOVE with J.Crew" post, a place to share our favorite experiences with J.Crew.

If you have recently experienced a positive situation with J.Crew, maybe you might be willing to share that information with us in this post.

Please feel free to share your story on almost any topic— including stellar experiences with purchases & orders, promotions/ offers, in-store visits, transactions with store associates, etc.

J.Crew Updates Website with New Arrivals!

"Thanks!" to many of you, including TeriLynn13 (in this post), who let us know that J.Crew had an update to its website (click here to view online).

There are some new arrivals for men (click here) & women (click here). {wahoo!} It looks like Crewcuts (click here) has been updated, as did the J.Crew Collection (click here).

The NOVEMBER catalog (click here to view) is up. However, the latest DECEMBER catalog is not. As mentioned by several JCAs, J.Crew posted several images of the newest catalog over at Pinterest (click here to view).

J.Crew also brought back their Holiday Gift Guide (click here to shop for Women). It is a visual treat to glance at all the latest merchandise by color!

J.Crew is offering an additional 25% off select items (marked as so) with promo code SHOPNOW and an additional 30% off for cardmembers with promotional code CARDTREAT. This offer expires November 17, 2014. **Color me surprise that there is no additional percent off the sale merchandise. Mmm okay. At least the sale items are not Final Sale.

What items are you most excited about and why? Which items are you surprised (or not surprised) to see? Which items did you hope would be included? Were you expecting a bigger roll-out? Also, did you receive the latest catalog? :)