Thursday, August 18, 2011

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! :)

41 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. The website has flipped. I see:

    * $8.95 flat rate shipping to US. Free shipping on $175 or more for US. Updated shipping info page is here.

    * Ship To feature added in upper right-hand corner. You can select shipment to US (obvi), Canada (as we expected), Japan & UK.

    I did a few mock checkouts. Looks like it's functioning well. And yes, you'll be paying $8.95 to ship that $4.99 watch strap. Flat rate is flat rate. The upside is that you can add a promo code to your order. I like the idea of entering a code during a sale, then paying a flat rate on $100 or so. It really beats jacking my total up to $212 to get free shipping on a net $150 during those types of promos.

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  3. Omg. The prices in CAD are insanely high. I'm so sad!

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  4. J Crew online is officially off of their rocker....$8.95 flat rate shipping....WOW J Crew:(

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  5. Woke up bright and early here in London in anticipation of the new shipping to the UK. As a Philly girl living in London for 2 years, I have desperately missed JCrew. However, I about fell off my chair when I saw the GBP prices. No way I am going to pay that kind of money given the quality issues. Back I go to shopping at Zara, ASOS, dept stores etc. So sad.

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  6. I have to agree on the canadian prices. To pay flat rate, on top of a minimum 15% price increase is too much for me. I will be buying significantly less now. Like teeny84, I am feeling quite sad...

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  7. OT: How completely annoying that the Teddie Dress has an exposed back zipper that is not noted in the description. I pre-ordered the dress and am currently on waitlist for it, but am seriously contemplating cancelling the order now due to the zipper issue.

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  8. I calculate a 54% markup for the UK prices at today's exchange rate. I get that you need to mark up 20% for the VAT but I think 54% is shocking.

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  9. Boo hoo, no Sale section on the UK site either. I'm still pleased though, I used a shipping service and it cost me about £50 to ship before, but the UK prices do seem high even before taxes and duty.

    FFM, I saw that zip - it ruins the dress doesn't it?

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  10. Cripes LInda, is that what it is? That's appalling!

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  11. I'm glad for the flat rate shipping, but I'm not happy that they price jacked for the international buyers.

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  12. Tabitha: It does completely ruin the dress! What a let down...I'm cancelling my orders now.

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  13. I did a mock check out from the UK site for a total order of GBP 292.13.
    The additional costs were: Tax GBP 52.10 and Duties GBP 25.75, bringing the total to GBP 379.93 shipping included.

    So, the question is why are the product prices so high? The exchange rate does not justify them, and I haven't seen this much increase in any other US retailer selling in Europe.
    I was looking forward to the Euro site coming online soon, but no more, especially if there will not be a sale section.
    I having a hard time understanding how this can be a good international marketing strategy for J. Crew.

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  14. i also pre-ordered the teddie dress... not so sure about that zipper... wish i knew about that before i ordered it... but i think i'll hold off on any final opinions until i actually see the dress... you never know...

    i do spy a few other things i can't wait to get my hands on (hello flair skirt in double serge wool in henna and pine... i love your '70s vibe)...

    birthday wish list in full effect :)

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  15. :< I was sad and surprised to see the exposed zipper on the Teddy. No longer buying it.

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  16. I just did a mock Canadian checkout for the tweed skirt, priced at $148 on the US site, $180 on the Canadian site.

    I'm in Alberta so we only have 5% GST here and $9.50 for that was added in the "calculate tax" section but when I went to the final checkout more tax was added:

    Order Summary
    total $ 180.00
    gift options $ 0.00
    subtotal $ 180.00
    promotions $ (0.00)
    shipping $ 9.95
    tax $ 41.13
    total charge $ 231.08

    WTH is with $41.13 for tax? So a skirt that costs $148 + $8.95 shipping in the U.S. will cost Canadians $231.08 ?!!! It's over 50% markup, which is insane.

    I can certainly shop elsewhere with that kind of incentive. It's way more than what we paid previously, the markup including UPS brokerage services used to be as much as 25%. Over 50% is ridiculous.

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  17. BTW, I did see the PayPal option at checkout but I just could not click through to complete the purchase and try it out. Not at that price, I need to think about it, maybe wait for a promo.

    Hugely disappointed. :^( I wonder if the added "tax" will be somehow included in the Canadian prices in the Toronto store.

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  18. I've been living in the UK going on five years now, but maintain a US address and JCrew credit cards. I manage to spend a few thousand per year at J.Crew, mainly shopping online sale and having it shipped to my parents to pick up when I visit home.

    The UK site is disappointing because it's overpriced, but I had expected that. What I hadn't expected is when I choose the US site and try to view the sale section, I get a message that the option isn't available for international customers. Hoping it's a website upgrade fluke, but if it's not then they have lost me entirely as a customer. I haven't bought anything full price since 2009!

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  19. CH in London:

    I can get to sale items by putting a product name into the search box. I am guessing there is just an upgrade glitch with the Sale button.

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  20. CH, I am in Italy and I can access the sale section on the US site.
    You can try using a different browser, it should work also for you.

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  21. CH, click on Womens at the top and then page down and click on Sale on the left side at the bottom of the page. This worked for me.

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  22. @xoxo: I guess the international duty fees weren't changed at all. Frustrating! Is anyone going to the Toronto store today and can report on prices? I intend to go tomorrow, but I have cirque du soleil tickets for tonight.

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  23. Wow, crazy tax markups for the international customers. It's things like this that keep me from moving to Canada, although I'm a Canadian citizen (have lived mostly in the US). I love my country but many people/corps. in the US do not.

    For the original topic... I have to attend a business meeting "retreat" this weekend and need styling help. Dress code is "comfortable," but many of these people usually dress in suits. For my personal role, I'm going for creative styling but conservative cuts (no bare shoulders, cleavage, or sheer).

    I want to wear the Inkwell Skirt from Anthropologie, with nude wedges, but am stuck on a top (can be sleeveless, I have lots of cardis). Price limit is around $40, so not full price at Anthro or J. Crew, but I could use styling ideas in general. I am uncomfortable and awkward in button-downs, so maybe something drapey and tucked in?

    Going to the mall tonight and I still have no idea what to look for!

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  24. I got the Silk Blythe blouse in the mossy color when it was on sale and I love it, but I don't know what to style it with! Untucked it looks a bit too sloppy for work, but I have a short torso so tucked in it almost looks worse. Ideas?!

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  25. I'd love some advice on how to Fall/Winter-ize the maritime dress. The fabric is definitely heavy enough for the colder seasons, but sail blue nautical stripes? Not so sure how to make those work.

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  26. I have the Silk Lucinda blouse in roasted chestnut. Gorgeous rich color and perfect for fall. I plan on wearing it untucked over a pair of skinny cargos in green (similar to the pipette in elm) or tucked into a pair of denim trousers. Other than that I'm sort of at a loss.
    The top is a bit large on me, and I'm busty as well as hippy so I need to create a balanced outfit or I look frumpy, so please no untucked and wide leg combos.
    Thanks!

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  27. HI! I was hoping for some help with the Bennett chino in warm redwood. Can I please have some suggestions for some jcrew ts/shirts/sweaters to go with that color, and some interesting color combinations. I do not want to just pair a neutral top or sweater with them, and I LOVE the color and fit of the pants! Any suggestions out there! Thanks, and I love this blog!! Athena

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  28. 78d50a16-45b0-11e0-a88f-000f20980440, how about some dark blue tights that are a close shade to the stripes in the dress, brown boots and a brown or burnt orange scarf?

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  29. KateD, I kind of like this pairing with it. I would also dare the right caramel colour, or a steel grey. HTH

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  30. teeny84, the prices you see online are what are in the store, so it's about 15% higher, plus there's 13% HST on top of that. If you got the 20% off $150+ postcard in the mail, that helps to knock off the tax. Unfortunately, when I left the store this morning, many of the popular sizes (i.e. 4,6,8) in items like the double serge skirt were gone. I hope they have more stock in the backroom!

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  31. Jen - Sounds like a belt might help to bridge between pants/skirt & the top. If you wear a sweater over it, that will obscure the top a bit, but it's another option. If you're not going to work, you could try the half tuck. Half of it tucked in and half out.

    78d50a16-45b0-11e0-a88f-000f20980440 - The stripes might simply look very spring like, but you can try. I would start w/some brown boots and maybe tie a purple or brown scarf around the neck. I'm not sure how thick the dress is, but if you can get a jacket or cardigan over it, that would be an option as well. I would definitely start w/browns & purples. Orange would look good, too, but also possibly too spring like. Hee hee. Just read what xoxo said. We're on the same page :)

    KateD - It's not JC, but Anthro's diverse density tank might be an option. Worn similarly by Chloe (scroll down). I would start with blues to contrast with the pants. Looking at the finespun blouse, I would try navy, frosty mint, and vintage forest. Dream crewneck sweater in heather marine. It will depend on your coloring, because there's a possibility you could pair something in the red or orange family w/that color as well.

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  32. Rose and Gigi...Thank you so much for the suggestions, I really appreciate them! I am fair, so a pale beige blouse, I think, does not really flatter my skintone, but will probably look great on someone else. Gigi, I really love the interesting colors/tops suggestions, you are fab!! : ))

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  33. Hello! I'm looking for some help on styling a camel colored wool skirt. I'm thinking red or charcoal can go with this color, but what other colors can I use with this skirt. Thank you!

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  34. Momoberry: Camel is a neutral color, so you can wear just about anything with it such as Navy, Ivory, White, Chambray, Bright Dahlia, Cobalt, Black, Mustard, Poppy, Bright Pink, Brown, Viridian Green, and Emerald Green, just to name a few.

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  35. KateD - similar to Gigi's recommendations, I made this Polyvore set for you. It was inspired by an Anthropolgie outfit.

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  36. Thanks, FFM! Sometimes I feel like I hit a wall when it comes to color combinations. So glad that we have this community!

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  37. MEI!!!

    Thank you so much! I love this anthro inspired outfit...I bought the tank today, and hopefully the cardi will go on promo soon, and I plan to pick up that beautifully colored item as well! THANKS, great eye! : )

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