Wednesday, January 28, 2009

January '09 J. Crew catalog

I picked up a copy of the January '09 J. Crew catalog the other day, and two things stuck out to me.

1. On page 4 there is a caption that reads "THE CARDIGAN (A.K.A. THE THIRD PIECE)" and on the next page there is a quote from "Gayle, women's stylist" under the "Behind the Seams" heading that reads "What's the third piece? Think of it as the finishing touch to any outfit. Your fashion ace-in-the-hole. This season it's the cardigan--long or short." Reading this made me immediately think of the post that I did last September entitled "The third item." While I certainly couldn't claim to have invented the concept or the phrase, nor could I accuse J. Crew of stealing my idea, I did find it interesting. If anyone at J. Crew is actually reading this and would like to offer me a job at corporate, I'd certainly be interested in talking...



2. Towards the back of the catalog I saw that J. Crew is selling a Baracuta G9 jacket this season. These have always been classic jackets, but it is another example of J. Crew's (relatively) new strategy of selling classic items made by other manufacturers (Chuck Purcells, Levi's 501s, Red Wing boots, Hunter wellies, Mackintosh coats, etc.). They're only offering it in "Tomato" which looks pretty good; I'm not sure if it differs from the standard "Dark Red" that Baracuta usually offers. I will point out that while it does look good, it still doesn't hold a candle to the Kelly green G9 that was offered last year (and, sadly, appers to no longer be available). I was pleased to see that they are selling it for $275 which is only a $10 mark-up from the prices at O'Connell's in Buffalo, so I think that's fair. While I am kind of annoyed at J. Crew because of their current sizing, and the fact that they will now no longer allow me to directly save images off of their website, I do like the general direction that they're moving.

6 comments:

Elisa M said...

I love J Crew. and I especially love THAT particular J Crew model. he is my favorite.
just sayin'

Anonymous said...

If you ever are in the market for a G9, get it from Baracuta's website. I picked up a Dark Navy (which to me just looks like regular navy) for over $100 less than anywhere that offered them in the States. It was on sale slightly, but the regular prices are still much cheaper even when you include shipping. I agree though, I really like what they're doing over there and I am especially thankful for their Essential line of khaki pants/shorts.

Anonymous said...

Hey Bud,
Just stumbled on to your blog a few days ago. I have to say its very entertaining to read. Quick question I'm from DC. And I'm pretty sure your main homepage pic is a shot of Georgetown right?

PS the G9 was made famous by Steve McQueen. If you get a chance watch the original "Thomas Crown Affair" He supports a G9 through out

trip said...

Memphis,

Thanks for the tip on ordering from Baracuta, that does sound like a pretty good deal.

Anon,

Yes, that is Georgetown. I was up there back in December. I think that area is really one of the most scenic in the DC area, especially right along the Rock Creek Parkway.

Bang Potential said...

dig your blog, I too wish there was a way to manipulate flash pics on various retail sites
http://bangpotential.com/2009/01/i-dont-how-long-ago-it-started-but-it.html

Tommy said...

Alright, so I'm new and (thus) way behind on your blog, but I like what I'm seeing! I'm from the South, too, and it's nice to see a stylish viewpoint. J.Crew is one of my favorites.

I finished my MBA in December, and I feel like I can relate to your professional woes. Good luck, and keep up the great work!