The Waiting Game: J.Crew on the Cheap
Written: Jan 30 '02
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Ahh, J.Crew, the bastion of clean-cut preppiness. Some people love this store, some people hate it. I hate to love it, because the merchandise is for the most part over-priced but so damn cute. Whatever you think of the J.Crew stores though, the web version, jcrew.com, is worth a look.
I think after 2+ years of steady admiration, I might as well work at J. Crew, I know their merchandise well enough. I know the signature boot and the city tees and the outerwear collection. On the street I catch myself staring at people thinking, "fall catalog, stretch knits." I use my extensive obsession and knowledge of J. Crew's clothes to take full advantage of jcrew.com. It's all about the *plan*:
1) Get J.Crew paper catalog in the mail. Note styles that appeal to you.
2) Go to J.Crew store near you; try on said styles. Sizes are very consistent in J.Crew's clothing--I never find pants that fit, but I know my size with J.Crew and can order confidently online.
3) Wait for jcrew.com sale or clearance. Almost everything goes on sale. Last year I waited out a pair of brown leather contour clogs and got them for $35 instead of $68.
After browsing the catalog, web, and stores for a while, you get a sense of what will go on sale and what won't. Some examples: I find that the basic swimwear styles go on sale a lot, along with various colors of knits. I don't see the standard hipster flare and bootcut jeans go to clearance very often online unless in petite and tall sizes.
OK, down to the actual site: Overall, I think jcrew.com is very easy to use and balances a good blend of "features" with a straightforward way to find what you want. By "features" I mean the gift guides they put out around the holidays, or the pant-fit and swimwear finders, or the outfits they put together for you. I don't often use those parts of the site since I know the clothing well enough and I'm usually aiming for the sale stuff anyway. In that realm, you can browse the women's or men's directories broken down into categories (i.e. denim, outerwear, footwear, accessories). They get pretty specific (shetland sweaters, other wool sweaters, cotton stretch sweaters) if you're looking for an exact item. They also have a separate and extensive clearance department which is also broken into categories. Off season merchandise is available there, though they often have in-season sales and merchandise that's not new anymore, but not, say, summer wear in February. You can also sign up on the site to get advance notice of new clearance items and sales.
Ordering is easy and quick, and shipping is generally prompt. You can return items via mail (free postage) or directly to a physical J.Crew location.
The style is a good mix of sophisticated and casual. You can find basics and more interesting stuff, and if you wait it out, you can find it on sale. I don't recommend buying anything full price unless you're totally in love with it. I've been burned that way before (my fab black dress went on sale two weeks after I bought it). So sit back and play the waiting game.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Susie
Location: CA
Reviews written: 60
Trusted by: 8 members
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