Friday, April 30, 2021

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!

35 comments:

  1. It’s Derby/Oaks here and the weather couldn’t be better. We’re not heading to the track this year, but it’s still so nice to be here for the festival vibes. I wore a hot pink cashmere tunic (2016) to work today to celebrate. Anybody else have Derby outfits planned?

    Since we don’t have a store here any more, I’m buying way less. I was waiting for the new colors of the perfect fit bra tank to come out and lo and behold, they’re beige, white, gray and black. Disappointing to not even have a blue/navy and the straps are different this year (thicker). Anybody try these yet?

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  2. No visit for me to any store or site. Still not shopping. I'm not even tempted because dealing with all of my excess is effective aversion therapy.

    I took my hour's drive again today (once weekly for four weeks in a row now) to donate a huge amount to the Discovery Shop. If you saw the amount, you would think that there shouldn't be much left, but there is. Of course, this was an accumulation of about ten years.

    As I've said before, it's the older, higher quality items that I have kept because they are classic. The fabrics are nicer, and the sweaters are not pilling. My cotton Jackies look ratty, and they have not been laundered. There were so many that they didn't get worn enough to need washing, which is interesting that they have this pilled look. Also, the seams around the arms look puckered and crooked to me.

    I only talk here about my clothing issues, but there is so much more for me to deal with: china, crystal, silver, table linens, etc. I know that I will no longer be involved in this type of entertaining. My choice. I still like it, but I no longer have it in me to do that. I know what I have to do, but I have not started the process with those things.

    I have been thinning out our books and donating them to the library. They are in perfect condition (nothing torn, moldy, or dusty). My husband and I are taking a good hard look at this "collection" (all hardcover) and trying to be realistic about those which we will not read again AND those which still remain unread. It seems that we had to own them and know that they were there waiting for us. No more of that. We both agree.

    My husband is the paper monster with waaaayyy more file cabinets than we ever needed or will need. He has been chipping away at it, but there is so much that has to be looked at and shredded.

    All that is to say that we are very tidy and not really hoarders, but we have been married for 40+ years, so there's stuff. Our current lifestyle is nothing close to what it used to be, and we are pleased about that. Still, however, we need to lighten the load so that we are more nimble if there are changes (chosen or necessary) to be made in the future.

    This has been and will continue to be rather exhausting even though I try to pace myself. I don't want to get frustrated and become so tired that I give up.

    If this "purge" only involved my clothes, it would still be quite a chore. No more unnecessary things are coming into this house. Some furniture will eventually go too. Family antiques will go to a cousin later in the summer when he and his wife can get here.

    And with all that I just mentioned, I really have to put the shoe part of this project on hold. That is daunting, and I don't want that to hold me up. Sounds so ridiculous, but some of you might understand. It's easier to sell the silver for melting down. Sigh...

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    1. @MmeJacqueline, your future self will thank you!

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    2. Yes. As someone whose parents moved out of need recently after fifty years I know how daunting it is. We have moved every 10-12 years since 1996 and when we moved the last time in 2018 the amount of storage we had Reduced significantly. We still have stuff I need to get rid of and although we still have a lot of living space we downsized significantly.
      I refuse to buy anymore books. Aside from some non-fiction I don’t want to add to what we have.
      When we visit the girls I will ask if they need any kitchen stuff and bring whatever.
      I’ve made a conscious choice not to just buy new dishes. I took an old noritake set from my mom she was tossing and will use that and another vintage set we have until they’re unusable. I like eclectic and when we entertain I break out my assortment of mid century (not modern) dishware and have fun with it.

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    3. @pbanos: You are so right. My future self does not need these things that I'm no longer going to use. One never knows when you might not be able to deal with it, so there's no time like the present.

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    4. @Suz Has: Actually, the catalyst for all of this minimizing has been the situation with my 94-year-old mother. She still lives in her own place, but that could change any minute with all of the problems she has been having. I know that I will have to deal with her stuff, but I don't want to disrupt anything in her life until it comes to that.

      In the meantime, I thought I had better get started on my own excess and things that are no longer necessary to have around. I envision a downsizing in our future, and I want to be prepared for that. At least I want to make it a bit less daunting.

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    5. It’s smart to do so. My mom was very obviously afraid of change. We suggested this move for many years and until they couldn’t handle the steps (it was a high ranch) she told me she intended to die there and we would have to deal with it. Luckily it didn’t come to that. I have no desire to burden my children or my
      Future self with too much stuff.

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  3. I will stop in since I have to pick up online Mother's Day orders at Nordstrom. Ordered Parke stretch linen blazer and matching Hayden pants during the magic hour, so there are still glitches. Items were still 40% off and able to stack 25% off sale & educator discount. Fit is tts. Green is one of my favorite colors, so I ordered transit green white and love it. Suit works well with the Liberty petunia flora print & previous prints too. Slingback pumps in Liberty Margaret Annie work well. Since I'm going to be back in the office a few days a week with my new job, I'm looking forward to "dressing up" and getting lots of wear.

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    1. How nice to be able to get dressed again!

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    2. Thanks @ Suz Has! It’s been a nice adjustment, particularly since it’s been incremental in that I’m only in the office a few days a week. That slow pace has been a helpful transition. Even though I’m fully vaccinated, I still wear double masks and practice social distance.

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  4. Nothing for me this weekend. Trying to clean out closet and reorganize and stuff. Also dropping off donation this week... Which means everything in my poshmark closet is going too. If there's anything you like, comment with JCA for a super deal. @couchtot1

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  5. I’m still working on my endless remodeling, plus cleaning and decluttering this weekend. My plumber was here for several hours yesterday, working on the two bathrooms. The countertop guy is coming on Monday to measure the bathroom vanities. The 2 guys who were supposed to demo the tile floors in the back entry and laundry room today didn’t show, but I’m kind of glad for a break. I need to clean my house and finish sorting shoes.

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  6. I’m also organizing and changing over the closets for spring/summer this weekend. I’ve purged the obvious stuff, but I am struggling with uncertainty about what kind of wardrobe I will need/want post COVID. I don’t want to get rid of special, high-quality items that I just won’t be able to replace, and lots of older J Crew items fall in that category. I feel like this might not be the best time to purge too much. Will we go back to the way we dressed in the before-times?

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    1. Hi, ruffles, this is exactly what I’ve been grappling with - Gresham’s law for clothing! I dont want to let the bad replace the good. That said, I don’t foresee “office dresses” making a major comeback. Office (or Zoom) to dressy dinner or show or orchestra will, I think, continue to be managed with a blazer or similar jacket and changing the button-up or crewneck for a dressy tank that lives in a demure file folder - yes, finally a use for those velvet tanks! Otherwise, I’m holding on to my Old and Older JC, my Real Donna Karans, and my Ralph Lauren museum pieces.

      Open issues:
      —problem feet - long, narrow and pointy and prone to plantar fasciitis, so when I find shoes that work, I pounce. The alternative would be to grow wings.
      —Real leather jackets. Keeping what I have, but probably won’t buy any additional. Wearing plastic doesn’t appeal.
      —Handbags - planned deaccessioning. I had a few good bags stolen from a former office WHERE I KEPT THEM IN A FILE CABINET SO THIS IS WHY I AM OPPOSED TO BRING YOUR FAMILY TO WORK DAYS… anyway, not planning on creating temptation again. End of rant.

      Actually I think my pencil skirts are on borrowed time, black tuxedo jacket and maxi skirt - same. Watchful waiting.

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    2. Hello @ruffles and @ wellfedfred -- same feelings here. While I'm not wearing everything, I'm loathe to purge any of the really good quality items and good cottons, silks, wools. I've been on the hunt this year for a couple of solid not-to-dressy tops to wear under blazers for work and it's difficult finding things that aren't poly (which I feel like makes my skin crawl in hot weather). I'm just not seeing great options for swaps so want to work with what I've got.

      I've been in-office about 60-80% of the time since last summer and our dress code has evolved to "dress for your day" from business casual during the week and nice denim on Fridays. My blazers are getting a lot of use compared to the rest of my wardrobe and I did have to get some additional jeans. I know for summer I'll want to switch to pencil skirts and dresses in the heat so those will be fine. Wool pencils might be on borrowed time, but I also have a job where I need to present to people regularly so once that's more in-person again I'm thinking I'll be moving back to those more (maybe?).

      I am purging some pants that never fit well, and some things that are simply too worn to repair. I'm enjoying reading what everyone else is doing with cleanups and upcylcing though because we have made good inroads in clearing towels, sheets, linens, etc and that has certainly been freeing!

      @wellfedfred - I have problem feet too (quite wide and rather flipper shaped) so also tend to keep the shoes that work so other than tossing the worn out ones everything else is getting some cleaning and polish!

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    3. Hi Fred, nice to see you. Your points exactly describe my angst.

      - Ah, the velvet tanks!

      - Shoes. Not sure what my fussy feet will tolerate after 15 months of Big Buckle Birks.

      - Office Dresses. Their day in the sun is over. Sent mine to a women’s shelter for interview outfits.

      - Blazers. Kept most of these for work and going out.

      - RL items. I never part with these. They are timeless.

      - Leather jackets. I visit these in my closet frequently and I ask myself, will my J Crew Leather Moto REALLY never go out of style?

      - Handbags. Haven’t mustered the fortitude to tackle this yet.

      The struggle continues.

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    4. Did anyone else’s feet get bigger during quarantine? I feel like mine went up half size in width maybe due to not walking/lack of use/not wearing shoes regularly? (I go barefoot at home) I went into the office last week a few days and I hurt from the shoes I left there a year ago! I felt like I was squeezing in the sides of my feet!

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    5. Actually, why the Bring Your Family to Work Day was so terrible - there was also a sample sale 3 floors above us and some kind of open call on another floor, and the security people just couldn’t deal. Plus the day before, our file room had a clean out to look nice for company and hid boxes of unfiled materials adjacent to the service elevator where the shredding service made pick-ups... and the following year someone left wearing a cashmere coat formerly the property of a generally disliked senior partner which was considered natural justice by many except that ...

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    6. @eeps! Yes and I even wear shoes sometimes at home. Fortunately I have someone who is 1/2 size down from me to give them to.

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    7. That’s so weird! Mine did not but my tolerance for uncomfortable shoes is minimal these days.

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  7. I browsed through the sale this morning online and aside from the 13.99 Willa leopard calf hair boots, I was not tempted. And they were gone by the time I tried to check out. But I’m not bummed - didn’t need them but hard to say no to the price after the promo. I totally hear you guys on the decluttering. I had two cross country moves in the past 15 years, bought and sold 2 homes, and my family sold the childhood home last year so I went through decluttering work at least 6 times. Each time was less work, but the amount of stuff that can accumulate in 2-3 years is appalling, let alone 30 years in the family home. My parents were total sale hoarders and the garage had multiples of things beyond the number of occupants in the house. There was so much leftover even after my mom moved stuff to her new apartment and at least 4 family members also went through and took things home. We ended selling the house with a lot of stuff inside, luckily the new owners were next door neighbors and didn’t mind. I think they were using the cleanup process as a Covid project. My moms new place is just full of shelves and closets for storage of those things she moved but didn’t actually go through carefully, and I never want to live that, esp if I’m spending the rest of my life in an NYC apt!

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  8. Good morning and happy Sunday to all!!!
    I congratulate all of you on the cleanup! I been following along and although we all need it I have not had the energy to start! (Even though I want and need to do that). Some how after my vacation I feel extra tired! Lol 😆
    This covid year I had been going on single breath and I guess after having some days off I realized how tired I am. Lol.
    I am sorry to let of you down: but this morning I did buy 3 cashmere pieces:

    Cashmere crewneck sweater shell, Item AV996
    $33.34 in RUSTIC ROSE
    Relaxed-fit cashmere cardigan sweater, Item AW112
    $51.28 also in rustic rose
    And my fave : I been waiting for a sale : Cashmere crewneck sweater with tulips, Item AW614
    $51.99, HTHR MUSLIN
    I also got my husband swim trunks and 2 pairs of pants for me: Pleat-front easy pant in 365 crepe Item AV644. Took both colors. Will see what they look like!
    I don’t see myself decluttering until my next vacation! But looking forward to it!
    Also, applepay code works with jcrew card.I used it on my orders this morning!

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    1. Nice to know the applepay code works,would never have thought to check.
      I am still considering the red stripe slim fit shirt with puffy sleeves but it’s more $ now than when I first considered it AND final sale so I’m waiting. There’s really nothing else right now.

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    2. I just got Applepay as we bought My daughter a new laptop last weekend! So I was going to pay with it! Buy it allows me to use jcrew card so I quickly checked out! 😂

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  9. I certainly appreciate reading the struggles and experiences others are having in dealing with the stuff of life.

    I definitely agree that the older classic items are the keepers! My black Armani suit purchased toward the end of the 20th century is never going away. Bury me in it! Also, I fell in love all over again with a Ralph Lauren cavalry twill riding skirt that I purchased in 1989. Not sure why I haven't been wearing it because I truly still love it as much as the day I bought it. Then I noticed a blazer I have that looks lovely with that skirt.

    The silver lining of this process has been unearthing the gems that were hiding in plain sight among the rubble. For the most part, those things were purchased more recently, and my decision was driven by some too-good-to-pass-up price rather than more thoughtful consideration.

    I have gained so much clarity in removing the unloved items. Oh, there is still plenty left, but I am going to get through the summer and see what I end up still wanting to have in my closet. This is a process, and I know that what I have done so far is just the first sweep. I'm at the point of having decision fatigue. I was going to revisit the shoe collection, but I'm giving that a rest too until the end of the summer.

    Besides all of the sorting, trying on, and donating, for me the most important thing right now is to continue the shopping freeze so that I don't muddy the waters or lapse back into clicking too quickly, which contributed so much to this excess.

    Asking myself this question helped me make decisions: Would I purchase this today?

    Keep sharing!

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  10. I pulled a few more pairs of shoes yesterday. I’m thinking about listing them on Poshmark instead of donating them. I’m not sure if it’s worth the trouble, but I feel like I should give it a try. Here’s what I’m getting rid of: burnt orange Frye penny loafers, grey Frye Alex oxfords (I love these so much but they hurt my feet), tan Frye Carson perf oxfords, brown Uggs Caelyn oxfords, Quoddy shearling lined ring boots and Quoddy chukka boots (tiny bit tight). I’m also contemplating getting rid of one or more pairs of Sebago Claremont brogues. I have this shoe in 4 colors! I used to also have 2 pairs of the boot version of this shoe, too, but I already sold them on Poshmark a couple years ago. I don’t know why I bought so many. No one needs that many versions of the same shoe.

    I also went on a huge Marshall’s shopping spree yesterday. It was mostly things I was already planning to buy but also some things I didn’t need (philosophy!). I’m probably forgetting something, but here’s my $400 haul: 2 prs Champion sweatpants ($13 on clearance rack), Speck phone case, 2 pads for under gym equipment, a trigger point foam roller, a cardboard cat house, 4 philosophy Amazing Grace gift sets, Chloe Rose fragrance, 2 boxes exfoliating foot masks (baby foot knock-off), 2 boxes Teavana tea, OPI nail polish and an almost perfect reclaimed wood bistro table. The table adjusts from coffee table height to dining height, but I wish it adjusted from dining height to countertop height, so I could use it with either chairs or barstools. Still, I really like it.

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    1. @Jeanne: As I've admitted previously, I'm guilty of multiple pairs of the same shoes. I honestly can't say that was a good decision. I was usually tired of one of the multiples while the others went unworn. I hope I've learned my lesson. Old habits die hard.

      At least your Marshall's haul wasn't clothes (other than the sweatpants). I am staying far away from Home Goods because I WILL find something if I go in there.

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    2. Home Goods! My pulse races just thinking about it! I used to have one right down the street, maybe 5 minutes away. It was common for me to stop in several times a week, but since I moved in late 2019, I no longer live close to a Home Goods. The closest location is around 40 miles away. Sad for me but good for my budget.

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  11. Home Goods, Marshall's and Ross sitting like ducks in a row. 5 miles up the road is a HomeSense and a hugh Goodwill store...talk about being in love ;>)

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    1. Nice! My previous residence was like that, too. 2 TJ Maxx, 2 Marshall’s and 2 Home Goods all within 10 minutes drive. There’s much less selection where I live now. And the best things at my local thrift stores are the items I donated.

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    2. On the F.L.O.O.R. cracking up!!

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Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

And now back to J.Crew! :)