Tuesday, September 30, 2014

25% Off Select Jackets, Shoes, & Boots at J.Crew! {plus 30% off SELECT sale}

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

J.Crew is offering an additional 25% select full priced jackets, shoes, and boots, as well as an additional 30% off SELECT Sale styles with promo code FALLSTYLES. This offer expires October 2, 2014. The fine print includes:
*Valid on select jackets, shoes and boots in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com from September 30, 2014, 12:01am ET through October 2, 2014, 11:59pm ET. In-store discount as advertised. Offer valid online on items marked "25% off with code FALLSTYLES." Not valid in Liquor Store or Ludlow Shops; in 769 Madison Avenue, Bloor Street or J.Crew Factory stores; at jcrewfactory.com; or phone orders. Cannot be applied to previous purchases and cannot be redeemed for cash or used with any other offer. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code FALLSTYLES in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Terms subject to change. 

**Valid on select final sale items in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com from September 30, 2014, 12:01am ET through October 2, 2014, 11:59pm ET. In-store discount as advertised. Valid online on items marked "Extra 30% off with code FALLSTYLES." Not valid in Liquor Store or Ludlow Shops; in 769 Madison Avenue, Bloor Street or J.Crew Factory stores; at jcrewfactory.com; or phone orders. Cannot be applied to previous purchases and cannot be redeemed for cash or used with any other offer. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code FALLSTYLES in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Terms subject to change. Final sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.
It's good to see that J.Crew is offering another promotion- and one that includes so many categories!

If you are interested in the outerwear, the Quilted puffer jacket and the Shiny Puffer Vest are available for the additional 25% off.


"Thanks!" to Firefighter Wife (in this post), who correctly pointed out that only *select* sale is applicable for this promotion. Ugh. Really J.Crew? 

Lastly, I am wondering if brick and mortar (B&M) stores will be switching back to an additional 30% off sale from the additional 40% off sale they were offering yesterday? If you happen to know, please share!

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? Any items you are excited to get? 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! :)

Madewell's Origin Story

Many of us have been turning to Madewell lately as they are doing a really nice job of offering styles that are truly "classics with a twist".

"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who shared the following article about Madewell's origin story from Buzz Feed (click here to read in its entirety) with us:
Something Borrowed, Something Blue
By Dan Nosowitz
September 28, 2014

In 1937, my great-grandfather started a workwear company in New England called Madewell. In 2006, 17 years after the last factory shut down, J.Crew relaunched a women’s clothing company with the same name and logo, based on a 50-year history in which it had no part.

I stopped dead on Broadway, in the middle of the sidewalk, and stared, not up at the beautiful wrought-iron SoHo buildings, as would befit someone who’d moved to New York in the past month, but at an ordinary sign advertising a small clothing shop. The logo, a casual cursive scrawl with both E’s capitalized, jumped out at me like a beacon from a lighthouse somewhere deep in the back of my brain. That was the logo emblazoned on my baby clothes, the logo my great-grandfather created. It was, I thought, forgotten family history, the factories having shut down shortly after I was born in the ’80s. ...

Over the next four years, I saw Madewell everywhere. Today there are three stores in Manhattan alone, and 77 throughout the country. On bags on the subway, on tags of clothes worn by friends, I am constantly bombarded with totems of my family history.

Asking my family yielded the basics: Madewell as it stands today began in 2004. That’s when Millard “Mickey” Drexler, now the CEO of J.Crew, acquired the logo and the trademark of the company my great-grandfather founded in 1937. Dhani Mau, a senior editor at Fashionista, said, “J.Crew considers it their younger sister brand,” though she said it’s not necessarily for younger sisters. Pressed to pick out a celebrity who might typify the Madewell girl, Mau chose Kate Bosworth and Rachel Bilson. This does not entirely jibe with my mental picture of my tough immigrant great-grandfather selling stiff denim overalls to New England dockworkers.

Still, Madewell will not let you forget the date 1937. The store could originally be found online at madewell1937.com, and the year is prominent on the site and on some of the clothing. The company’s Instagram and Twitter handles are both still @Madewell1937, and its LinkedIn page says, “Madewell was started in 1937 as a workwear company, and we’re always looking to the brand’s roots for inspiration.”

This is, to put it mildly, baloney. Madewell as it stands today has almost nothing at all to do with the company founded by my great-grandfather almost 80 years ago. How many vintage labels out there have similar stories? How many corporations are out there rifling through the defunct brands of America’s past like a bin of used records, looking for something, anything, that will give them that soft Edison-bulb glow of authenticity?

Madewell’s story — my story — leading up to that moment in SoHo began over a century ago, half a world away. It traces the evolution of how Americans shop, and how Americans shop heavily informs how Americans see themselves; we, as a country, are what we buy. Mickey Drexler, in creating J.Crew’s new womenswear stores, shrewdly read the market and realized that stocking nice clothes wouldn’t be enough: He’d have to tell a story along with them. Drexler didn’t have any stories, so he bought ours. ...{much more to read
here}
Really interesting to read this family member's take on Madewell's transition from family brand, forgotten logo, to trendy retailer. I can see the passion coming through his words about his family's history, of which he should be proud of.

This post reminded me a lot of a piece on CBS' 60 Minutes about Luxottica, a famous producer of sunglasses. (Watch and read about the 60 Minutes segment here.) It discussed the American brand Ray-Ban and how it was struggling. The Italian company, Luxottica, ended up purchasing the brand and turned it around. Today, Ray-Ban sunglasses are world-renowned top-sellers while playing on its iconic American history, despite being produced and owned elsewhere.

But back to Madewell... Honestly, it is no secret about Madewell's past and how Mickey Drexler came to acquire the brand, logo, etc. Although, I do think Mickey Drexler/ J.Crew Corporate try to emphasize Madwell's rich past as though the Madewell brand under J.Crew has been around that long.

But isn't it better that the Madewell brand lives on and not forgotten altogether? I mean, J.Crew/Mickey Drexler did do a pretty good job of portraying Madewell as a retailer of quality denim and leather. Just a thought...

What are your thoughts on the post? Any points of the article resonate with you? If so, please share!

Monday, September 29, 2014

It's Back! Extra 40% Off Sale Styles at J.Crew

"Thanks!" to  many of you, including Taylor (in this post), who shared the following email & promotion from J.Crew.

J.Crew is offering an additional 40% off Sale styles with promo code SHOPASAP. This offer expires today, September 29, 2014. The fine print includes:
*25% discount valid on select women's, men's and children's items at jcrew.com. Extra 40% discount valid on final sale items in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com. Offers valid on September 29, 2014, from 12:01am ET through 11:59pm ET. 25% discount valid online on items marked "25% off with code SHOPASAP." 40% discount valid online on items marked "Extra 40% off with code SHOPASAP." Offers not valid in Liquor Store or Ludlow Shops; in 769 Madison Avenue, Bloor Street or J.Crew Factory stores; at jcrewfactory.com; or on phone orders. Offers cannot be applied to previous purchases and cannot be redeemed for cash or used in combination with any other offer. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code SHOPASAP in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Offers valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Terms of offers are subject to change. Final sale items cannot be returned or exchanged. 
Moreover, new arrivals are already on sale! For example, the Silk Sleeveless Dress (item B2371; $128.00) is now on sale for $89.99 before any additional discount.


The  Sleeveless Blouse in Graphic Plaid (item B1147, $98.00) is also on promotion for $88.00 (before the additional 40% off). This item was just released in the last roll-out too!


This is a great promotion. Too bad it is only running for one day. Makes me curious what tomorrow's promotion will be.

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? Any items you are excited to see get markdown? Please share!

J.Crew Factory: Extra 30% Off Clearance

"Thanks!" to  many of you, including Taylor (in this post), who shared the following email & promotion from J.Crew.

J.Crew Factory is offering an additional 30% off clearance items with promo code YAY30. This offer expires October 1, 2014. The fine print includes:
*30% discount valid on the purchase of clearance items at jcrewfactory.com from September 29, 2014, 12:01am ET through October 1, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid in J.Crew or J.Crew Factory stores, at jcrew.com or on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases or the purchase of gift cards and cannot be redeemed for cash. To redeem, enter code YAY30 in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Valid in the U.S. and Canada only. Terms of offer are subject to change. Final sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.
There are so many pretty scarves on sale right now over at Factory too! I seriously have too many scarves, but I might make room for one more... ;)

Factory Lightweight Long Printed Scarf (item 75221; $39.50) select colors $16.99–$19.99

Factory Floral Scarf (item B1776; $46.50) now $26.99

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion? Any items you are excited to get? Please share!

J.Crew's Brooklyn Debut {looks amazeballs!}



"Thanks!" to Chetna who shared the following (along with the two images above) with us:
J. Crew's Brooklyn debut is official! The doors of the 6,000 sq. ft. Williamsburg location opened to the public today at 11am, with women's, men's and kids offerings for Brooklynites at 234 Wythe Avenue.

The first-ever Brooklyn store is teeming with special features and showcases the local artists (Naomi Reis, AMMA Studios, Johannes Giradoni and more) J.Crew collaborated with to create innovative designs for the space.

To help celebrate the arrival, J.Crew will be welcoming the Williamsburg community all weekend long with food carts and special neighborhood offerings, including a limited edition Greg LaMarche for J.Crew tote bag.
The following is an article from Refinery 29 (click here to read in its entirety) about the store opening (all photos from here on come from there as well):

Get An Exclusive Sneak Peek At J.Crew's First Brooklyn Store
By Erin Cunningham
September 26, 2014

J.Crew's first Brooklyn store isn't your typical preppy paradise. No, it was designed with the Williamsburg customer in mind, which means we won't be seeing hipsters swapping their wide-rimmed glasses for crew necks. We might find, however, men and women alike incorporating more traditional pieces into their wardrobes in surprising and delightful ways, à la Jenna Lyons.

Lyons, a former Brooklyn resident, was extremely hands-on with the store's design process, putting an emphasis on collaborations with local artists like Johannes Girardoni and Naomi Reis for the post's interior. And, while some of the 'hood's residents may not be too happy with yet another retail-chain invasion, Lyons and her team attempted to deliver the store with as much mom-and-pop aesthetic as possible; the building has maintained its original façade, and the artisanal work adds a community aspect to the mass retailer.

"So much is going on there," Lyons explained in an interview earlier this month. "Every time I read about something new these days, it’s happening in Williamsburg. Half the office lives in Williamsburg, and it felt like an easy, natural place for us to be." ...
This newest store looks amazing!!! From the outside facade to the indoor decor, I could shop there all day. With 6000 square feet of just J.Crew merchandise, it does indeed sound like a preppy paradise.

I really love looking through all the photos. Not only do they showcase a lot of eye candy, I like seeing how the clothes are styled on the mannequins.










What are your thoughts on J.Crew's latest store opening? Do you think the new location is a good fit for J.Crew? Have you stopped in already? Are you planning to? 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).


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!!! :)

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Happening Today: J.Crew Warehouse Sale {Lynchburg, VA}

A big "thanks!" to Tiffany, who let us know that J.Crew will be hosting another Warehouse Sale this weekend! Lots of merchandise for men, women, and the kids!

The time for this event is as follows:

Sunday, September 28 (from 10AM to 6PM)

The location for this shopping event is:

J.Crew Millrace Clearance Store
25 Millrace Drive
Lynchburg, VA 24502
(434) 316-6324

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!!! :)

Friday, September 26, 2014

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!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Extra 30% Off Sale at J.Crew {make it 40% for cardholders!}

"Thanks!" to many of you, including Melissa@AllThingsSimplified (in this post), who let us know about the following promotion.

J.Crew is offering customers to take an extra 30% off all Sale items with promo code PICKASALE. J.Crew credit card holders can take an additional 40% off using promo code CARDSONLY. The offer expires September 28, 2014. The fine print includes:
*Offer valid on the purchase of final sale items in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com from September 25, 2014, 12:01am ET through September 28, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid in Liquor Store or Ludlow Shops; in 769 Madison Avenue, Bloor Street or J.Crew Factory stores; at jcrewfactory.com; 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. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code PICKASALE 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. 

**40% discount valid on the purchase of final sale items made using a J.Crew Credit Card in J.Crew stores and at jcrew.com from September 25, 2014, 12:01am ET through September 28, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid in Liquor Store or Ludlow Shops; in 769 Madison Avenue, Bloor Street, Canadian or J.Crew Factory stores; at jcrewfactory.com; or on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases and cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with any other offer. In-store discount automatically taken at the register. To redeem online, enter code CARDSONLY 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. Subject to credit approval.
Love that the cardholders at J.Crew are getting some love with this promotion. I am curious if stores will be running the same tiered promotion, or if they will offer 40% off to everyone...

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion at J.Crew? What J.Crew item are you hoping to pick up? Please share!

Extra 30% Off Madewell's Sale Styles!

"Thanks!" to many of you, including R (in this post), who let us know about the following promotion.

Madewell is offering customers to take an extra 30% off all Sale items (with some marked as "final Sale") with promo code PINCHME. The offer expires September 29, 2014. The fine print includes:
**Offer valid on purchases of sale items at madewell.com from September 25, 2014, 12:01am ET through September 29, 2014, 11:59pm ET. Offer not valid in stores 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. To redeem, enter code PINCHME in the promo code box at checkout. Limit one promotional code per order. Terms of offer are subject to change.
Lastly, Madewell is also offering free shipping on any order... wahoo! Madewell just makes shopping it so easy!

Will you be taking advantage of this promotion at Madewell? What Madewell item are you hoping to pick up? Please share!

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 Suiting for Men: the Reinvention

"Thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who shared the following article from the Wall Street Journal (click here to read in its entirety) with us:

The Reinvention of the Entry-Level Suit
Affordable no longer equals regrettable. Thanks to a suiting revolution led by J. Crew, men without thousands to spend can step out in fashion-forward styles that look like a million

By John Ortved
September 19, 2014

TWO YEARS AGO, Collins Ward, 34, a principal at a Manhattan-based private-equity firm, was looking for a new charcoal-grey suit. Though his closet was stocked with $2,000-plus ensembles from Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna, Mr. Ward headed downtown to J.Crew, where he purchased a jacket ($425) and trousers ($225) from the brand's Ludlow line.

"I've worn a suit every day to work for 10 years, and I tried a lot of the nicer, more expensive Italian brands," said Mr. Ward. "Frankly, [the Ludlow] is a good price point, and has the slimmer fit of the Italian brands."

The starter suit is not what it used to be. A generation ago, a man without a great deal of means—whether he was embarking on his first job or attending his first wedding—had to settle for boxy cuts in rayon and wool-blends from departments stores. But beginning a decade ago and ramping up over the past five years, there has been a veritable revolution in men's suiting priced under $1,000. Brands like J.Crew, Club Monaco and Suitsupply have invested in fine Italian wools, slimmer cuts and refined construction to produce moderately priced suits that offer men something similar to, and occasionally indistinguishable from, their upscale counterparts.

"It's something that we've not only noticed but also celebrated—the democratization of fashion," said Jim Moore, creative director of GQ. "You don't just get kind of a dumb-dumb business suit. It's got all the trappings of a suit that could cost three or four times its price."

Producing the suits "overseas," usually in Asia, keeps those prices moderate. However, these brands teach their factories how to better construct the jackets and trousers. High-end fabrics help. While mills like Loro Piana and those in the Biella region of Northern Italy make textiles for the planet's most expensive brands, they're not above accepting business from a company like J.Crew, which can leverage economies of scale to satisfy a new class of educated consumers.

Those buyers know what a great suit is meant to look like, thanks, in large part, to the Internet. In the past few years, the Web has supplied young men with an ocean of information—from blogs showing the right way to wear a pocket square to street-style shots to slideshows rounding up the dapper Mad Men of Sterling Cooper & Partners. "I cannot stress the importance of what the street-style bloggers have done," said Eric Jennings, director of menswear at Saks Fifth Avenue. "Having these images at your fingertips 24/7, you can see how it's put together. I think it's inspired a lot of Americans guys."

If there's a Lenin of this revolution, it's J.Crew, which introduced its Ludlow in 2008. Four years later, the brand dedicated an entire store to the suit in downtown New York. The Ludlow range has expanded from three initial offerings to a line of tuxedos, cotton summer suits, and offshoots, like the Traveler, made with three-ply wool meant to better hold its shape, and the Crosby, made for more athletic builds. "It took about two years to get the shape and details right. It has all the inner facings of a bespoke suit," said head of J.Crew menswear Frank Muytjens of the Ludlow development process. The suit also features a high armhole, narrow lapel, slim waist, a soft shoulder and a slightly shorter body length. These attributes are common across the new under-$1,000 suiting landscape, as is the selling of pants and jackets as separates.

For fabrics, Mr. Muytjens looked to storied mills around the world, from Abraham Moon & Sons in England to Larusmiani in Italy. As the line became more popular, he added corduroys, Irish linens and English tweeds. "[J.Crew] hit that sweet spot that men crave—a go-to suit that fits them, but also changes a bit every season in its fabrication," said Mr. Moore.

While J.Crew may have struck while the iron was hot, there was a key precursor. Mr. Moore cited Calvin Klein's introduction of its White Label line a decade ago as a pivotal factor... "Over the last 10 years, that mainstream guy has not only moved with fashion, he's also moved with elevation of fabrics."

...In 2012, he noticed guys without $2,500 to spend wanting a similar type of suiting, and began developing the Freeman, a hand-tailored, fully canvased suit—made in America starting at $1,100. "The Ludlow Suit is imported," said Mr. Kilroe. "Generally, when a brand doesn't specify where a suit is made, it's because they don't want the customer to know.

..."Guys don't trade down," he said. "Even during the recession, if they were buying Armani, they didn't trade down. They just waited. When they're at a certain level, they like to stay there. It's their pride."
J.Crew's suits for Men are amazing. One of my local J.Crew stores carries them, and one can tell the quality and fit are there.

The comment that stood out for me: "[J. Crew] hit that sweet spot that men crave—a go-to suit that fits them, but also changes a bit every season in its fabrication". This is why I think the men's side of J.Crew keeps knocking it out of the park, season after season.

Honestly, I would love Frank Muytjens to guest design a capsule collection for the women's side of J.Crew. Who is with me! ;)

What are your thoughts on J.Crew's suits for men? Any points of the article resonate with you? If so, please share!

"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.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Off on a Tangent: Lands End Catalog Covers


In my mailbox today was the most recent catalog from Lands' End. Unfortunately it is not up on the Lands' End website (click here), however it the same as the image above. It had a certain look to it that reminded me of "ye olde j crew of yore". It is just such a polished look with nothing more than a jacquard scarf and toggle coat. Even the hair is perfectly placed. Simple, but perfect.

Lands' End previous catalog cover also reminded of  "ye olde j crew of yore" (shown below). I feel like I have this exact top and pearls from J.Crew! Plus, the pink background reminded me of J.Crew's accessories collection devoted catalog from 2008.


Even though I am not a regular shopper of Lands' End (I know their quality is great, but the style/fit does not personally work for me and my body), I do enjoy flipping through their recent catalogs.

Did anyone else do a double take at Lands' End recent catalogs? Do you think they have a more J.Crew-vibe as of lately?

Choose: J.Crew Downing Tote or Madewell Transport Tote


I have been meaning to do this post for sometime now... If you had to choose between J.Crew's Downing Tote (item A4399; $168.00) or Madewell's Transport Tote (item 53228; $168.00), which one would you get?



As an owner of both bags, I understand how hard this choice can be! They are both beautiful totes that will carry everything you need to bring. Honestly, I think you cannot go wrong with either one.

Pro J.Crew: (1) I like how soft the leather is, (2) the bottom seam is pretty and helps keep the bag better propped up, and (3) the wristlet comes off like a cute accessory.

Pro Madewell: (1) I like how easy to maintain the leather is, thanks to the smoothness, (2) the inside zippered pocket is key!, (3) the leather feels like it will last forever, and (4) the simple style really appeals to me. 

Overall: I have an ever-so-slight preference for the J.Crew version in English Saddle. Yet, I prefer Madewell versions in all other color schemes.

Which tote would you personally get? Which one would you recommend?

Quick Poll:  Would you get the Downing Tote or the Transport Tote? 

"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.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Today is the First Day of Fall {Madewell Fall Looks}


I read somewhere that today is the first official day of Fall. In honor of this special occasion, I thought it would be nice to browse some Fall photos.

"Thanks!" to  many of you, including
JSR (in this post), who let us know that Madewell posted some of their "Fall in Normandy" Looks for us to check out!









Are you excited that it is Fall? What are your thoughts on the looks? Do you like any in particular? If so, which one?