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.
I miss "classic" J Crew. Today I'm wearing the Tilda top in white, layered under a bright pink cashmere Tippi, with the light grey Cafe Capris in wool, & the metallic mirror Sloan pumps. It's not even 8am & you wouldn't believe the number of compliments I have received on this outfit already! I don't think I'd be able to put together a whole J Crew look I feel as good in using this week's rollout. I don't want to be a downer but I think out of the last six months' worth of new arrivals I've Pinned maybe two from each release & have bought a grand total of two brand new items? The rest has either been deeply discounted or old stuff found via Poshmark or eBay. I look at my Pinterest outfit inspo boards & I have so many J Crew outfits Pinned from years back - but hardly anything from the last year or so. It's bumming me out. I guess I either need to start looking elsewhere (I have been buying a lot from LOFT lately) or trying to buy duplicates of items I already have & love from seasons past.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on that! That sounds like a cute outfit :-)
DeleteI gave up on J.Crew pants long ago. Today I'm wearing Old Navy's black pixie ankle pants, a white button down from BR layered under the gray Gayle sweater I found on Poshmark, and some old JC black t-strap flats with a gold detail.
Pretty basic, but with just a few fun details. Whether or not this is true, my perception of recent JC roll outs is that there's been more a focus on the twist part of the classics with a twist concept they used to do fairly consistently.
Your outfit sounds adorable too! I love that sweater... & I LOVE me some ON Pixie pants. They're cheap, come in so many fun colors & prints, & fit well. They're great with any type of shoe / bootie I have tried too!
DeleteI agree with your last statement, completely. Too much "twist" & then running that twist into the ground.
Taylor, I love my Tilda top, too. Special and beautifully made. The exact type of item J Crew used to do so well and I miss them too.
DeleteYour outfits sound lovely, ladies. I really miss classic J.Crew too, especially Café Capris. I had them in so many colors and fabrics! My favorite pair were a wool herring bone that I regret selling on Ebay years ago. Sigh.....J.Crew...wish you would bring back your classic, quirky, smart style with high quality instead of fast fashion and trendy clothing that lasts maybe one season.
DeleteI had this item in my checkout bag for several days (https://www.jcrew.com/p/womens_category/shirtsandtops/topsblouses/longsleeve-offtheshoulder-top/G2654?) and the price was originally 69 or 69.50. Today it's 75. Customer service told me they had no record of any price change, and said the item must have been on promotion. It was not. I think that's a pretty sleazy business practice.
ReplyDeleteJust noticed the Geometric Eyelet Top went from $98 to $108 overnight. Definitely not cool. I had it on my wishlist for weeks as it was showing up under prerder. Really not a good business practice.
DeleteThe Downtown field jacket in Moss went from $148 to $165 overnight. And I was waiting for it to go on sale. Moving on from J. Crew.
DeleteThe polka-dot lady jacket (g0730) went from $298 to $328.
DeleteI'm not positive, but I think the Thomas Mason pieces in my wishlist increased in regular price as well.
JC (since we know you read here) - we're talking about changes in the "full price", NOT a promo.
I noticed Collection Thomas Mason perfect shirt with velvet bows item F9515 went up from $138 to $152.
DeleteSarah in Calif, I have a NWT field jacket in that color I was going to list for sale here and on poshmark. Let me know if you're interested...
DeleteMeant to add the jacket is a size small.
DeleteHi everyone - the price of the item just dropped back down. Also, when on the phone with JCrew earlier this morning, they asked me if I had a screenshot of the lower price for the item. I said of course not, why would I think to take a screenshot of my shopping bag. I guess if you can provide "proof" of the lower price, they can (hopefully will?) price adjust for you.
DeleteMostly lurker here. I emailed CS last week twice and got two totally different responses. One response was super friendly, accommodating, and kind while the other was just the opposite - condescending and chastised me. I ended up writing the 24-7 email as my experiences in store are similar (hot/cold). I know they can see on my account (if they look it up) that I only buy sale items but I'm a teacher and can't afford it otherwise. Plus I agree with the declining quality comments. I never had a sweater or t-shirt develop pills/holes until the past few seasons and I've been shopping there for 20 years.
DeleteI love Michael de Feo's artwork but I don't love the T-shirts. They're so blah - the striped tee actually takes away from the floral pattern, and the black-and-white one is so boring when Michael's art is colorful - the lack of color strips the whimsy and fun from his art. I wish they'd used it for a shift dress or a tunic - not as an all-over print but let him create a pattern that mimics the curves of the body on a shift dress so it looks like you're wearing the canvas of one of his paintings - similar to what he did for Milly's jackets but on a bigger scale. Printed T-shirts are so common these days - they had a great opportunity to let him be very creative and it totally fell short.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked that striped flower t-shirt without the stripes and on white instead of ivory.
DeleteI was selected to participate in a Boden focus group and did it yesterday
ReplyDelete(and get a generous $200 credit for it woohoo!). We discussed what Boden could do better and looked through the upcoming catalogue to point out what we liked/disliked. I wish JCrew would listen more to its customer base and do more of this sort of thing. Maybe they do already, but it isn't working too well. I mentioned that I wear mostly JCrew items, and the women at the focus group unanimously agreed the quality has gone downhill yet prices have risen so for that reason they've stopped purchasing so much from JCrew and stick to Boden, Anthropologie, etc. Such a shame. I'm not super excited by anything in the new rollout either.
I was studying the newest JC styleguide (Feb 2017) last night and on page 57 there is a "FUN (customer) FACT". It reads "We read every tweet, letter, and email you send us, then make changes based on what you think - like that time we brought back the Maddie pant just because you asked. Don't you wish your mom/significant other/therapist was a good listener?" Thought this was interesting because I have been hearing that a lot of you feel the same way about Jcrew style & quality is not what it used to be. Maybe there will be positive changes in the future? We'll have to wait and see.
DeleteA few weeks ago, there was a survey for which they offered 20 bucks as a "token of appreciation". And whenever I respond to biz rate survey after placing an order, I get a response from jcrew.
DeleteBut would love a focus group, too.
@tdmazz Interesting, I hope that positive change will come!
Delete@anon I'm glad to hear they're reaching out with surveys! I'll make a point to respond to the biz rate surveys. The more input the better.
I think Anthropologie's quality has gone down as well and that seems to be the sentiment over on Roxy's blog (Effortlessly with Roxy). I live about an hour away from Anthro headquarters and have been invited to focus groups in the past so I know they used to do this. Not sure if they still do. Not sure what J. Crew does to get feedback. I got an email that I was invited to participate in an online survey in November or December but never received the actual survey. I think someone mentioned they got it and the questions seemed to be about pricing. I love a lot of Boden items but find the fit in tops and dresses do not to work well for me. Pants and skirts have been successful though and their quality is awesome.
DeleteI think that just reading their reviews would give them a lot of good information, not to mention the almost 9 years of free focus group data from JCA. Unfortunately, I don’t think that can or plan to do anything with it.
DeleteI participated in a focus group with Gap a couple of months ago - they sent out item pictures of a future rollout and asked for feedback based on the pics and item descriptions. I think it would be good for JC to do something similar. We have a lot of anecdotal evidence from JCAs that are not tall but purchase talls in skirts and dresses to gain some extra length, as well as lots of feedback from JCAs that can tell that a top is going to be too short right off the bat from looking at the online pic. It might help JC to get some of this customer feedback before an item goes to production (and help to avoid the dreaded sale section purgatory!).
I noticed on Instagram last week that J.Crew asked for feedback regarding the colors of the chateau parka for next year...all of which were blah IMO. they said to watch for "more like this." While this is fun feedback I do agree that I wish they would listen (or at least take some recurring feedback from JCA. We clearly love J.Crew and don't like to stray!)
DeleteHi Anne! I remember this - it was like, a heathered green that I think they did in the past, a yellow, and maybe an orange-red that they've done a million times? (ha ha) Personally, I'd vote for a rugby-striped chateau parka.
DeleteSilver lining- I would vote for a stripe or print as well. Loved the windowpane this past year.
DeleteAnne, I saw that too and meant to comment here. I was thinking the same thing about the colors. They all looked practically identical to colors from the past.
DeleteSeriously? How about no chateau parka next year and instead they get off their butts and design a new coat? Anyone who wanted a chateau parka could have bought one the last several seasons, or can buy one at significant discount off eBay.
DeleteAlong these lines, can't they tell by how much they have to discount the downtown field jacket (how many on sale racks in the JCs I go to??) that maybe everyone who wants one has one now and they should move on to some new styles? Same as the excursion vest, etc.... Just leaves those of us who have no interest in these items without alternatives we may actually want to buy.
DeleteOn a roll now...
DeleteAlso, how many years in a row do we have to ask for more full length pant options in fall/winter instead of having 75% off the offerings cropped?
Since the cropped pants are trendy, why not offer some cropped and some full length?
DeleteYes they should offer some of both, I just think the ratio of cropped to full length is off for fall/winter. I was in a store last night and the clearance tables were stacked with cropped pants.
DeleteGood to know I'm not the only one who thought the chateau parka color choices were boring. When I saw the winning color I could help but think, "A green parka with fur trim for winter. Groundbreaking" in a Miranda Priestly voice. I agree that a stripe or plaid would be great or retire the style altogether.
DeleteThere are currently 81 chateau parkas listed for sale on Ebay, avail in all sizes. There are 227 cocoon coats, 139 downtown field jackets, and 599 excursion vests. Not to mention what's left on sale in JC's inventory and however many are already sitting in closets across America. I think we're good. New styles please.
DeleteCass, I so agree on too many repeats AND it annoys me to no end that the quality falls with each successive version. Has anyone bought a Cambridge Cable sweater or Cashmere Hoodie this go around? They are pilled rags after a couple wears when earlier versions, years earlier, are in great condition.
DeleteI know that all the mid-tier mall stores have declining quality but JC used to be a notch above. It's rare now. I'm sad when I see reviews touting "Great quality!" The bar is so low now. Only Boden - with it's tricky fit issues - has consistently top notch quality IMO.
Yup, and when they repeat the same style across retail and factory it just makes it worse.
DeleteI have occasionally shopped at White House Black Market, the items I do have, have lasted and for a number of years! They have their Spring collection out as well, just received their catalog, lots of cute things. Perhaps a consideration worth while.
ReplyDeleteWHBM uses a lot of polyester/cheap fabrics IMHO. Same reason I don't shop at LOFT.
DeleteGood to know about WHBM, though disappointing to learn about their current fabric use. I have older WHBM summer dresses in cotton, still in great shape, but haven't shopped there at all really in recent years. Unfortunately, I think many retailers are falling into the poly/cheap fabric trap lately -- can add Ann Taylor into that mix as well. I think poly/blends probably works *OK* on SOME pieces (like say, a sleeveless, summer top maybe) but definitely not good for others.
DeletePoly is huge in pretty much any mid level store J. Crew, Loft etc....so if you want to steer clear go very high end or just avoid poly pieces at the mid priced stores
DeleteYeah but I find that at least some of the stores like J.Crew still offer some natural fabrics like silk for some items whereas at WHBM and LOFT there is nary a silk top in sight. JC had several options this past season in silk like the margot top, the ruffle button up blouses, etc. the wolftooth dress/pant. This is why I still shop at JC despite all the other issues they're having right now.
DeleteI have been loving LOFT lately - I actually have a LOFT close by so I can go in & feel everything before I buy. Yes, they do have some poly pieces but it's not "icky"-feeling, IMO. They have great prints, which is something I have found sorely lacking @ JC lately.
DeleteI appreciate nice fabrics as well, but for my lifestyle, poly is often more stain-resistant and easier to take care of (ex. machine washable, less wrinkle prone). I think there's room for lots of different fabrics, especially at different price points.
DeleteMy big issue with synthetics is that they hang onto odors. I am a corporate trainer, and I often sweat a lot while I'm teaching, which has meant some items only get 1-2 wears before I have to ditch 'em.
DeleteAgree with Monica about synthetics hanging onto odours. I also hate how staticky poly is, it makes me crazy especially in linings. I'm happy that jcrew doesn't use near as much poly as some of the others and I pray that doesn't change. In Canada, Banana republic is priced about the same as jcrew but the overwhelming use of poly at BR is crazy. I haven't shopped at BR for a long time.
DeleteI have been loving LOFT lately, they have a lot of the fun designs I used to go to Anthropologie for. I agree that they use poly over natural materials as Cass said, but sometimes I do want poly over cotton (i.e. tops, unless they are pima cotton or silk crepe I sometimes find them unbreathable).
DeleteI use these stores -- WHBM too, I agree they have lots of cute new stuff! -- to supplement my closet rather than build it. But I'm also pleasantly surprised how many LOFT items I still have in my closet after a few years.
I do hold J.Crew to a higher standard. I expect them to use more organics with better quality for their price point.
Learned my lesson with poly. Had a jcrew shirt and a Madewell top. Both didn't breathe, and were very staticky. Gross. I donated it. The design were nice.
DeleteI agree with the poly disdain, TMI but I sweat so me and poly are not besties. I also hate the static, but I also find that with some silks so it's not a poly exclusive problem.
Delete@Monica I read your comment quickly and misread "I often swear a lot while I'm teaching" (which makes perfect sense) and now I am cackling in my office. Alone. I think I've finally lost it :) I DM'd you on Insta.
Monica,
DeleteI've never heard anyone else make the same complaint about polyester, but YES totally. I've always said polyester tops smell like b.o. after a couple of wearings. No detergent ever gets the smell out. I thought I must have some sort of weird body chemistry. I used to get sucked in by cute prints but finally gave up. Glad it's not just me.
Who remembers the poly of the 80s? I like natural fabrics, but the poly today is rock star compared to the slippery/shiny (and sometimes sort of embossed?) polyester of the 80s.
DeleteAgreed about poly. It seems to make me sweat, which I don't do much of. That or it is so poorly wicking that it feels damp. I made the error of wearing a poly undershirt the other day, because it looks nice. It was uncomfortable and by the time I took it off I decided it had to go to the clothing recycler's drop-off.
DeleteI was thinking about all of the press that JCREW had this year about realizing that they were losing customers because they didn't have enough sweaters. Well, I kept waiting for better quality merino sweaters, and still have unused gift cards on my desk.
ReplyDeleteAs afar as colors go- if some colors always make it to the sale rack- maybe they shouldn't continually resurrect them : )
(KnitYarns)
This is part vent: one of my college girls is going job hunting this weekend and asked me to put $ in her account to buy some nice pants, She went to her local J.Crew and found the Teddies on sale. She told me what she paid and even with her student discount it's more than what they are online. I asked her to send me her receipt because I'm going to ask them to pricematch the online price for her.
ReplyDeleteAlso, please send PVs because she's actually applying for a job at that store. She loves working and has always had part time work through college but needs a new opportunity!
My local store consistently has clearance items priced well above the online pricing, but unless you know to check online and ask for a price match, you'd have no idea that you were paying too much. I was grateful to learn this through JCA a few months ago (after walking away from an item several times as I was waiting for the in-store price to drop to the online price), but I'm sure many shoppers are oblivious.
DeleteMight sound crazy, but it's worth checking out the Old Navy pixies. I have a black pair and a navy blue pair that I wear fairly often, and so far, they've held up pretty nicely. I wanted the Ryder pant to be my holy grail work pant, but depending on the color, they stretched out like woah. ON Pixies are the next best thing I've found, and it's nice that they're machine washable.
Delete@shopgrrrl, agree, I'm just surprised it's THAT. much of a difference.
DeleteOh , I know! On the Ecru Denim Jacket I think the in-store price was $30 more than online (and they'd been on the clearance rack for months already).
DeleteThat is a bit of a hassle having to get the price adjusted. Regarding price discrepancies, I was going to buy the Field Mechanic jacket in store, but my size was gone. They offered to order it for me, checking online inventory, and quoted me 168.00. I thought I would wait for a better sale, and meanwhile noticed it was available for 93.00 on the website. I want to support the store, but didn't want to risk my size selling out or the price increasing. I ended up ordering off the website. I didn't know stores did price matching, but I'm not thrilled about having to ask for the best price in the first place. It seems unfair that some people would pay such a ridiculously higher price for the same item from the same retailer on the same day.
DeleteI just received an email in regards to double points for cardholders 1/24-1/30. I know they did this once before but I don't recall being able to figure out if I ever actually received double points. I remember thinking it seemed like I did not. This comes back to the fact that j crew on line order numbers are not referenced anywhere on the Comenity site. I think it was further complicated by the fact that items were shipping separately and showing up as separate charges. This is a nice perk and not sure why they don't do it more often just wish it was easier to track.
ReplyDeleteI just got the same email. I think they've done it before but I'm not 100% sure.
ReplyDeleteVery tempting but there isn't anything I want other than the fatigue jacket and I would like to use my reward card towards it if it ever arrives.
I totally agree they missed the boat on showcasing Feo's work effectively. The stripes distract and you can barely see the art work. Instead it looks like red paint splatter lines on a stripe shirt. If they showcased it on a white skirt or white tee then we could see his artwork better. Too bad... I do like the black white daisy tee but agree it's been done before and doesn't feel special enough-- wish they could have done a colorful tee for spring. Oh well-- until the next roll out....
ReplyDelete@peis, I have to agree with these points about de Feo's work. That striped long-sleeved tops looks more like it's been randomly hit by paint splatter, and while I much more like the Black/white floral tee, I wish this print had been done on something besides tees (I noticed if the tee gets tucked in, as shown on the model, the 'vase' part of the painting gets lost.) It's too bad his art seems really beautiful and unique and this collab. seemed like it had much greater potential.
DeleteHave to wonder how that featherweight cashmere bodysuit will work out...
ReplyDeleteI totally missed that, since the photo just looks like a sweater, and my eyes skipped over the product title. So weird! I can see Madewell doing something like that (it's more of their 70s vibe), but seriously, whaaat?
DeleteYikes! That just sounds supremely uncomfortable.
DeleteI am actually very interested in it and can't wait to see it in person. Their featherweight cashmere, unlike "normal", is usually very soft. Have hight hopes for it. Love that 70s vibe.
DeleteSounds extremely complicated to deal with when you have to pee...also seems like it could be prone to cause some serious butt sweat.
DeleteAnd it will look really odd if someone gets carried away with styling and tries a half-tuck or a front-tuck....
DeleteI think body suits are one of those things you either love or hate. With a long torso, I can't even imagine wearing a one piece anything, yet, in the past few years, rompers, jumpsuits and now bodysuits are back,
DeleteThe bodysuit must have velcro I the crotch for the easy on/off, otherwise how to put it on since it is not made of a stretchy fabric.
DeleteYeah, definitely not for those with sweaty butts, agree!
Please report back if you try it on. I don't think the product description mentions velcro or buttons in the crotch.
DeleteI probably won't have an opportunity to check it out. What concerns me most is the inevitable chafing of the cashmere against the waist of pants or skirts- and the butt, too. Comfort notwithstanding, it seems like there would be pilling and general material degradation very quickly.
DeleteClass and WFF, you had me snorting and LOLing at your observations of the potential drawbacks of cashmere bodysuits. Might I add that if one intends to own one of these, one should definitely scoop one up now at full price: I would not want to get a bodysuit that's been tried on by one or more previous customers, each with their distinct butt and hygiene standards...
DeleteApologies, Cass, not class. Autocorrect is the bane of my existence!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletelol maqsad good point! I'm willing to bet there's no hygienic liner like they have for swimsuits.
DeleteToo many ruffles and I like ruffles, but I don't need them on everything.
ReplyDeleteMy new jeans arrived ... with the plastic store security tag on them. Back to a store this weekend to get it removed so I can wear them.
ReplyDeleteLaura, something similar just happened to me. On a cashmere shell....someone mud have felt that that heavy tag was still on!
ReplyDeleteI could sort of see not feeling it on jeans - but how could it be missed on a shell? Any issues at the store getting it removed?
Delete@Laura, CS said it won't be a problem. I have to bring the receipt, though. I'm not too bothered, but for customers in a brick&mortar desert, it would be really inconvenient to have to mail it back and wait for it to ship again.
DeleteI agree with the ruffles. Yuk! Very 1985.
ReplyDeleteShipping confirmation was just received for an order I cancelled by phone the other day...
ReplyDeleteI looked at my order history and I see what happened. CS cancelled the wrong item :( I first ordered the Maxi Dress in Stripe, but within the hour the Collection Tiered Silk Dress popped back in my size. I immediately orders it. I called CS to cancel the first order to stay within budget. All sounded well. But now I see that the silk dress, and not the striped one (which is on eBay in my size, as a last resort, anyway, for the same price). This is super disappointing. I have been eyeing the silk one for a while and was planning to have it tailored and be my general party/holiday dress, replacing my worn out ones.
DeleteHi
Delete@Sarah Folz..please let me know what you think of the collection tiered silk dress! I have one coming too. Hoping it fits!
Also wanted to add that I really, really wish they would bring back the old Tippi sweaters. I had one in about a dozen colors and adored them and their old quality and fit. So flattering. Or even the Factory Charley Sweater which was a great Tippi alternative. I know many others feel the same way. Just wish J.Crew would listen.
ReplyDelete