Where has the classic clothing gone? When did standards become niche?
All J.Crew had to do was give us the standard. Bring it back. No frills, no synthetic crap. Just give us the classics.
When did basic items become so hard to come by, and only available if you were brave enough to walk down a dark alley on a cold, rainy night? There's a small window next to a garbage can, behind a broken-down truck. Don't tell anyone.
“Do you have an OCBD? What about a collar roll?”
“I'm looking for a wide cord. I haven't seen one in years.”
“What do I owe you?”
Here's what it was like back then. You weren't lurking in a dark alley on a rainy night, but you had to know where to look, and it wasn't easy. It was in the middle of nowhere. Years later, even getting a pair of non-stretchy, 100% cotton chinos became a chore. Is it really that hard to do? As one company after another moved towards athleisure and synthetic stretchy slops, that standard became an endangered species.
J.Crew Seize the Day
In this climate, an opportunity was waiting for the right company to come along and bring back a classic. And the formula is simple: Offer it as is. Offer it standard. Offer it at a somewhat reasonable price. There was a $100 bill sitting on the ground waiting for someone to pick it up. J.Crew grabbed it.
The company was struggling before J.Crew decided to take a chance on it.
Five years ago, the company had strayed far from its original mission and had lost its way. The clothes were unimpressive and uninspiring.
But over the past few years, J.Crew has been reinventing its brand and slowly but surely bringing back classics — returning to its roots and reverting to tradition.
J.Crew's golden age was the mid-80s through the 90s, and they have an amazing Instagram account. Follow — posts only photos from catalogues released during this glorious era. It's the perfect aesthetic archive. Take a moment to compare @lostjcrew's photos to those from J.Crew's new ad campaign. The connection is clear.
Young people running on the beach. Waves crashing on the shore. Cottages, sand, waves, style. The beautiful and realistic imagery that defined J.Crew's golden age is back. Simple, classic American style. Gone are the dark ages. The new J.Crew is the old J.Crew.
OCBD: Countering the slim fit threat
Read carefully J.Crewyou will surely be pleasantly surprised. Giant Fit Oxford ShirtThe sizing is reminiscent of the beautiful, loose-fitting oxford button-downs that were everywhere in the 90s. Oversized yokes that fell off the shoulders. Worn untucked with jeans on a Saturday afternoon. One day they were gone, replaced by slim fits. Tragic. The return of the full-fitting oxford OTR is a clear rejection of the threat of a totalitarian slim fit.
Choice Chino
When it comes to chinos, J.Crew currently offers six fit options: Skinny, Slim, Athletic Tapered, Straight, Classic, and Giant. The Classic Fit and Giant Fit are interesting offerings. These are options worth noting. They're a return offering. These full-cut chinos give us what we've been waiting for: classic-fit chinos with no stretch at an affordable price.
The power of sweaters
The sweater selection is strong. Preppy colors. Simple and beautiful. Cashmere crew neck. Heavyweight cotton knitWe carry an amazing range of sports courts. 3Roll 2Rugby jersey. 100% cotton polo shirt. Rustic Barn Jacket and Alden suede penny loafersThis is classic. This is standard. This is great. This is the kind of clothing you can easily find in stores.
Is everything perfect at J.Crew? Of course not. There's always something wrong. It's easy to be critical of everything and everyone.
The neckline is too short. The pants aren't made in the USA. The rise of the chinos is too short. Okay, fine. Whatever. Perfection isn't important. It never will be. Forget it. Let it go. It's all about direction. That's life. J.Crew is clearly moving in the right direction, and they're offering old school staples. Don't look into the gift horse's mouth.
The company decided to focus on a throwback to the '90s, and it's working: the advertising style is relaxed, unpretentious and comfortable. The images are beautiful and aspirational. It's fun and nostalgic.
Permanent Style
A recent Instagram post:Chino pants that transcend generationsJ.Crew fully embraces the generational nature of classic style passed down from father to son. Photos look like they were taken 30 years ago, and that's all on purpose. J.Crew's entire Instagram account is becoming almost indistinguishable from @lostjcrew's account. Nature is healing.
Who knows how long this trajectory will continue. Trends are fickle. Two years, five years, or 20 years. Who knows. Regardless of how long it lasts, this is a welcome development and an encouraging sign. J.Crew has been in the doldrums for a while. Seeing the brand come back so strongly gives me hope. Other brands currently going through dark times may one day bounce back as well. It's not over till it's over.
It was so simple, so easy. All J.Crew had to do was offer the standard. Just bring it back. No frills, no synthetic crap. Just offer the classics. Nostalgia. The '90s. And they did it. You get a $100 bill.
