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!!! :)
I certainly didn't need to visit a store as I have way too much stuff and spent a fair amount of time trying to clean out yesterday. I need help with how others control their wardrobes and closets when you frequently add things. Do you consign, ebay, goodwill, etc? As most of you know that read this blog, I often visit the clearance store and I do buy quite a bit. I did sell three pairs of shoes last week on ebay and even though one of them had been worn I still made a profit on all of them. It's just time consuming. Also, I am always afraid that if I get rid of something I will regret it even though I might not have worn it in a while. I am really fearful because of the poor quality and styling lately.
ReplyDeleteI have been cleaning out my closets ruthlessly. A few years ago a woman in my town who runs estate sales started a local FB swap meet group. I began posting outfits, with the tag line, "wear this, like this…" (how I came up with my IG and blog name.)
DeleteThe first few years were great, and I sold stuff for a decent amount, and cleared out so much. Now people post things for so cheap, it's hard to sell anything for a decent price, although I make sure anything I list is clean and in excellent condition. I sold a teddy dress last week for $50 so I thought that was great. With three teenaged daughters they accumulate a lot of stuff, so even their inexpensive stuff I'll put together in different ways to try and sell it as an outfit.
There are probably ways to make more for each individual item, but the local aspect is kind of nice. I was considering some of those online sites (not eBay, because I hear it's very difficult these days and sellers often lose!) but I haven't researched it thoroughly.
There is also a JCrew and Madewell trade group on FB that I am a member of, but I haven't participated. I should as I have a few dresses I'd like to sell.
DeleteDD, funny you should post this. I am feeling the same way, I have not shopped much at J Crew lately. Dislike most styles and the quality and fabrics are awful. But I have many items, I don't wear from previous years but hesitant to get rid of. Like you what if I do and J Crew and other retailers never produce that quality again???
DeleteLastly, I have no regrets. The only item I think about after many years is a pair of vintage Levi's I was once wearing. I was newly pregnant with my third and met up with my sister and her BF for dinner in the city after helping a relative at a craft show. My sister made me change out of the torn and ripped jeans and I borrowed a pair of dressier pants. Never saw the jeans again! :( I find its actually much nicer to get dressed when there is less in my closet, which is one of the reasons I limit my color palette,
DeleteI think the real answer is to not bring in too much new stuff, but I am guilty of doing it. I take things to a local consignment shop, but it's not very profitable for me. I always feel guilty taking new stuff, knowing I wasted money, but to be honest, once it's done, I don't think about it any more. It's freeing, even if it wasn't a good financial move. I think I've learned from it and I make far fewer purchasing mistakes now.
DeleteI'm thinking about putting some of my older J. Crew things that I just can't part with yet but which I'm not wearing right now into a tote in the attic for a while. I'll see how much I miss them :) The quality difference is so big now, though, that I hate to part with some things that I know I can't easily replace. But in the end, it's only clothes (and shoes) and it's really okay if we make a mistake getting rid of stuff.
Greetings DD - I consign. They all love J.Crew retail and Factory, and I’ve been able to sell quite a few items through the two or three consignors that I work with. Some thoughts:
DeletePros: Consignors take the items off your hands and sell them for you – no storing items you don’t have room for hoping someone will buy them off eBay or Poshmark, paying shipping costs, or dealing with returns or “I didn’t receive my package”. I believe Gigi wrote a post on the frustrations of selling off eBay although I can’t remember when it was or if it was on her own blog or this one.
Cons: The consignor takes a percentage of the sell price, so less $$ for you. And just because you want to consign it, doesn’t mean they will take the item.
Things to consider when working with consignors, who run actual profit-making businesses and are not charity organizations:
1) All items need to be in season – no winter coats in March or white jeans in September.
2) All items must be in (almost) perfect condition – no holes, tears, stains, excessive wear, etc.
3) What consignors take depends on their clientele and inventory. Those catering to a younger crowd are less likely to take business suits. Most consignors in the Metropolitan-Washington area prefer higher-end labels. No Old Navy or Gap, and other mid-level brands such as 9 West, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and The Limited can be a hard sell. But consignors who want higher-end items may take mid-level brands if they happen to be low on certain types of inventory or sizes. Most consignors have websites that outline their preferences and policies, but it never hurts to call – you may be pleasantly surprised, or save yourself the hassle of hauling in items the store isn’t interested in.
4) Understand the consignor’s payment policy – some will not cut checks unless you sell a certain amount. If you only consign a few items, you could end up with a “credit” at their store that you may never use. Some consignors will only cut checks at certain times, while others will write you one if you happen to walk in the store.
5) Understand the consignor’s discount and donation policy. Most consignors will keep items on the floor for a certain period of time before discounting them and then donating them. Some consignors will gather unsold items for you that you can take back to use again or donate yourself.
6) Consignors keep records of what you bring in, what sells, and what it sells for with some sharing all this information with you and some not so much. I recommend providing your own list of what you bring to them and the MSRP or even better, the actual tags attached. This will guide them on how to price items. You can also use this to figure out your donation total for tax season for items that do not sell.
Not everyone goes this route, but it works for me. I don’t have the room to store extra clothes, I don’t want to deal with being an individual seller, and I’ve gotten some fat checks from local consignors. I’ve had some great experiences with consignors who run tight shops, and some less so. Hopefully you’ll end up working with a consignor who a) actually answers the store’s phone and doesn’t just communicate via e-mail, and b) mails you a check when they say they will without you having to chase after them for two months.
As for items that I’m not sure of, I sometimes put them in storage for a while. If I had no need or desire to wear the item while it was in storage, I feel better consigning or donating it.
So, that was a lot. I’m sure others may have contributions.
Good luck! Jennifer
I have been using the KonMari method with my clothes. The basic premise is that you pull EVERYTHING out of your closet and drawers and lay it out. Your closet should be totally empty. Then you choose what gets to go back into the closet. Only items that 'spark joy' get to go back in. This has worked really well for me but it is a constant work in progress. Some things were easy to get rid of, but some of my nicer items that I just didn't care for anymore were much harder to make a decision on. I finally started posting stuff on eBay which has helped me 'get over it' with these items. For me personally it helps if I can get a few bucks for something. If it doesn't sell after a couple of relists on eBay, it's up for donation. Going through the KonMari process has also helped me be much more cognizant of what comes into my closet. I try to avoid buying/keeping things that I don't absolutely love or need. Living in a 1 bedroom apartment also helps with this because I'm forced to limit my wardrobe size. The whole process makes it easier to get dressed in the morning because the stuff that's left in my closet are items I really LOVE and I can actually see the items because they're not crammed in with a bunch of crap that I don't like anymore.
DeleteHas anyone tried Poshmark? I specifically have some Blazers and dresses, maybe very gently worn shoes.
Delete@Suz Has, I've had great success with Poshmark. I've sold 200+ J.Crew retail/collection items. I like being able to price items where I'm comfortable selling them. Some higher priced items sit longer than I'd like, but I don't want to give things away either. The buyer pays shipping and it is final sale, so you don't have to deal with returns (like eBay).
DeleteSharon, thanks! I'll definitely check it out again!
Delete@Suz, if you have a lot of J.Crew to sell, it's an easy set up bec you can Google the style number to get the photos and description of the item. It takes me less than two minutes to post an item! Feel free to email me if you have any questions (sharonalyse@yahoo.com)
DeleteI've been feeling the same way. I remember a jca posting that she has enough clothes to last the rest of her life and I feel like that but I keep buying more. I've used eBay but I find it less profitable nowadays. I also tried consigning but am not having as much luck in Canada where jcrew isn't quite as popular in some areas. I've donated items too. It's really hard to part with clothes that are like new. Last year straycat on this blog inspired me to purge a lot but my purchases have filled up my closet again.
DeleteA New Years resolution is to be far more choosy and stick to my budget but I've already blown it for January (I bought a cashmere turtleneck, wool pants and a skirt) since these great sales sucked me in. I have a lot of jcrew cashmere which I barely wear now because of my toddler and infant as its not practical but I think I need to just wear them and if my kiddos ruin the item I guess at least I wore it. I really need to convince myself of this. :)
I hear you! The decline in quality (not just at JC) definitely makes it harder for me to part with older pieces I no longer love. Case in point, I have four no.2 pencil skirts from ages ago in colors that just aren't "me" anymore, but I can't bear to part with them because the new ones don't have the same quality or fit. More recent items tend to wear out before I tire of them, and that helps to keep my closet somewhat in balance.
Deleteyup....wear it. you will look like one stylish Mom.
Deleteif you delay ...you end up feeling bad for buying it. wear it and enjoy.
OT but Thanks for the Poshmark info. I've already listed a bunch of items I haven't been able to sell on my local FB swap site.
DeleteAdd me as another Poshmark fan. I have sold SO MUCH JC through the app! I am in a purge mode right now & only trying to bring in items that I truly love, that fit me well. I actually have space in my closet again!
DeleteWithin less than 24 hours I sold my first Poshmark item! Not even a JCrew item but it was so easy!
DeleteWow!!!Thank you all so much...I think I am going to try the putting things away trick and see how that works. Baby steps...Honestly, there are some days when I could toss everything in my closet but I better wait until that feeling fades before I do some serious clean out. I have so much stuff that I never really wear anything out. I hate to admit that. Sometimes I only wear a sweater once or twice a season at most. I have only worn out two items that I know of, a chambray keeper shirt (actually has holes in it) and my navy excursion vest from about 3 years ago. I never wear out a pair of shoes but I did find 4 pair to part with last night. I am also thinking about laying 5 outfits out on Sunday evening for the week knowing they could change based on mood and weather. That way, I could really plan my outfits and get it all together including accessories that I don't always have time to find on the fly.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as you that I have so much nothing gets worn more than a handful of times. It has been so unseasonably warm this year several sweaters probably won't get worn at all. This year I have cut my clothing budget drastically as I want to save for a new car. Unfortunately I already broke the budget this month w/ the 50% off final sale items. Hoping to do better next month. I do sell on eBay but it is time consuming and is like a second job some weekends. It has been worth it for me though. I also am worried about getting rid of older things that are good quality even if I am not currently wearing them. Quality has gone down so much over the past five years everywhere that I fear what the options will be in another five! Sorry for ramblings but wanted to chime in.
DeleteI give it all away. I need to get it out of my house as soon as possible ....before I change my mind. After it is gone I feel lighter....Its may way of perhaps passing a good deal on to someone else. That saying I am a SALE shopper only...
DeleteIts Jan. and we all feel the same. Spring is when we perk up and buy more again. I am going to stick to my rule of trying to only buy what i love and will wear right away.
DeleteThe buying out of season never works for me. because the new arrivals always get me....we don't want last years anymore... My advice is try to wear the stuff as much as possible..and learn by our shopping mistakes. C
@DD, since you've decided to store your things, I'd recommend The Container Store to help you get organized. I used them for a closet design/organization about 5 years ago during the Elfa sale and it's the BEST money I've spent. I discovered that one of the reasons I wasn't wearing my clothes & shoes is I either couldn't see them or I couldn't find them. They have wonderful designers that can help you think through your needs; it's no pressure and they have really cool ideas/solutions. I also use them for other storage needs in my pantry, etc. The Container Store is a little pricey, but their stuff lasts and they do have sales. I've had very good experience with the quality of the items & on the rare occasion when something hasn't worked, they're great about returns. If you join the Perk Club (it's free), you can get coupons, etc.
DeleteI do have some clear plastic shoe boxes that I bought from the store in Nashville. You are right, that does help to see what you have. That is a big problem for me. I found things last night that I didn't remember I even had. I am not only cleaning out my closets, I am trying to clean out in general. I am trying to clean out at least one small bag of something every night or every other night. It is surprisingly easy. I can remember the days when I lived in a one bedroom apartment, as someone mentioned earlier, and didn't have near the junk that I have accumulated over the last 25-30 years. It was pretty sweet as I think back! Thanks for all the encouragement. I will keep you posted.
DeleteI keep almost ordering stuff and not pulling the trigger. I have too much already that I don't wear, plus after my breast cancer diagnosis a few months ago I have plenty of medical bills; insurance pays most but not everything. I used to like to give work clothes to Dress for Success but no matter who it goes to I prefer to donate because it seems such a hassle to sell or consign them. Plus then it makes me think about how infrequently I wore those things and I feel wasteful and less inclined to buy more. Granted it never lasts but every little bit of restraint helps! (And I hope I didn't bring anyone down by mentioning cancer--I'm doing well, it could have been much worse--PSA, please check out any change in your breasts, even if it's not a lump--I learned the hard way.)
DeleteMegin, sending good thoughts your way.
DeleteMegin, so glad you are doing well. Keep hope in your heart. Prayers for you!
DeleteMegin, glad to know you're doing well & amen to the PSA. My mom was diagnosed in 2014 but because of her regular mammograms, it was caught early (Stage 0). She's cancer free & doing well.
DeleteMegin, I wish you all the best. My friend was diagnosed when she was around 30 it's been over 10yrs since and she's doing great.
DeleteThanks, all! Mygoddy, so glad to hear your mom caught it early and is doing well. Jan, wow, 30 is young (I turned 46 yesterday and I'm "young" by breast cancer standards); nice to hear she's in good health. On a Crew-related note, I've been wearing scarves nonstop since my "reconstruction" (I hate that word now!) is in progress, but i haven't liked their scarf offerings much lately. Nothing on sale appealed, so I hope the new rollout has some pretty things.
DeleteOT but in case you haven't noticed all the sale is 50% off today only. I got another of the cable sweater in donegal wool because I really, really like the one I have and that color (donegal ash) is online only and a cashmere cardigan in belvedere red for my daughter. I had to sick up the shipping but the sweater came down to $24.50 and I know I love it so I was OK with that.
ReplyDeleteSuck up. The cashmere cardigan came down to $39.99 and it has been a long time that I bought her a cashmere cardigan as I could never have a good deal.
DeleteThanks for the top about 50% ending today, Ema. I bought the ribbed cashmere scarf in store on sale at $45 yesterday, but today the price went down to $29.99, so I was able to get a price adjustment with the ever-helpful Customer Service (they really are the best!) Sounds like got some great deals, too!
DeleteGrrr. That's 'thanks for the tip...' and that 'you got some great deals, too'. Tricky typing on these phones!
DeleteYou are welcome TM93! I was surprised that nobody was talking about it, it got me quite excited, lol.
DeleteOh, the Crewlade got me again. :/ Two pair of the same final sale pant (different colors) on their way to me (never tried them before). Yikes! Renewing the resolution to only buy what I've tried and love, or at least things that are returnable!
ReplyDeleteI'm also considering Konmari-ing , as others have mentioned. It's a little intimidating, though, and I always find other ways to spend the time. To the 'how to dispose of' question above, I've been listing on eBay semi-regularly, though it's time-consuming and not hugely profitable. I try to see it as a win-win: someone else gets a great piece of clothing, I get more space in the closet and a few dollars for the trouble.
Yea, I'm supposed to be "chilling out" on shopping, but I had a gift card to offset some of the cost so I ordered the Collection Sloan Snakeskin d'Orsay flats in light grey color that were on sale; a pair of snakeskin flats is on my spring/summer list and I think these will work.
ReplyDeleteRe: getting rid of items, if you do want to sell them I find it helps the newer they are. Not only for style reasons, but I've stored items (or just didn't wear them) only to find moth holes or other issues, even though they were stored supposedly safely.
ReplyDeleteDowning bucket bags are a great deal if you can get them in the stores,the tan color was $94 before 50 % off . I got the dark brown with black it was $114,good deal with teacher discount for a around 52.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to rant on this one. I managed to snag the brushed wool cardigan that has been sold out in my size. It was full price $118 last night. This morning it was marked down to 79.99 plus 50% off! I emailed for a price adjustment since that was a bargain. I have so far gotten 2 emails back that state it was not marked down and not 50% off. Luckily, I took a screen grab of the page to show that was how it was listed. I keep attaching the photo to my email, but each person emails me back saying they aren't getting the photo. I have been a LONG time shopper, but if they don't quickly honor their mistake I will promptly be calling to close out my credit card. i am absolutely tired of buying clothes and wonderin how long before it gets a hole in it and dealing with the pricing games, especially when it's a mistake on their part!
ReplyDeleteYou could upload the photo to photos.google.com (share that photo publicly) or Instagram and then put the link to the photo in your email.
DeleteKelly, I had this happen to me recently and I was so frustrated and annoyed. It took 3 emails but they finally fixed it for me. It was the same situation where I purchased something and the price changed the very next day and I asked for an adjustment. They made me feel like I was making stuff up. I don't understand how they can't figure this out. Surely they have more information than we do.
DeleteKelly, for some reason when I sent them an email from the photo app on my phone it wouldn't go through. If you have gmail, open it in safari and their is a paper clip icon where you can add a photo and that worked. Hope you get your price adjustment!
DeleteAdd me to the list of JCAs who have a hard time parting with J Crew items that I know I can't replace in terms of quality! It's amazing how much I love some of the classics.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've noticed is that the JCA Exchange has much less activity than it used to. I always had excellent luck finding items I wanted, and it made me happy to know that my own garments were going to another JCA who would appreciate them. It seems that the sharp decline in quality has really decreased both the supply of resale J. crew on the exchange and also the supply.