J Crew Fall-Winter 24’ Line: A Deeper Dive into the Past, Present, and Future of their Materials and Construction

[u/iman26]

What was once a brand of prestige, and high-quality materials has once again fallen down the rabbit hole of synthetic fibers in the textile industry; But how much does it affect their product? J Crew has been a staple of Ivy Style for the past 50 years and continues to stay in style year after year; but does the brand face another problem? In this writing I will break down some recent experiences with J Crew to see how far they fell (if at all) and where they stand today along with an insight into their potential future going forward.  

As I shop along on J Crew’s website and sort through some emails, I tend to notice the large sales that they have in their High-Low marketing strategy that they have moved to in recent years. While not inherently bad, it can make you question the reputability of a brand that always has a “half off sale;” nevertheless I continue to be a returning customer for year after year as many of us are. I shopped for a few of these sales recently and was pleasantly, and unpleasantly surprised. In their Fall/Winter 24’ collection I bought a few pairs of denim jeans in their 484 Slim Style, a pleasantly styled “Seaboard Shirt” that was incredibly plush, a Merino Wool Crewneck from their “Rugged Merino” line, a pair of their Cotton-Jersey Nightwear, and a pair of slippers. While a slightly unconventional order from J Crew, I had to explore some of the other options in their collection that could pose a substantial value when on sale.  

Starting with the jeans that I have been able to put through an extensive wringer over the past 6 months I am happy to confirm that the durability has been fantastic with a 98/2 Cotton/Spandex mix that provide just a small amount of flexibility within the Denim. While I would usually be a fan of Wrangler Jeans which are great workwear jeans with a more western look and large rear, the more traditional style of the J Crew jeans was appealing. The denim felt durable all around and relatively soft to the touch. From being out in the forest to lounging on the couch they felt comfortable and not inhibiting my movement with one exception. The “5 years wash” was the only one of the 3 pairs that developed a rough texture. This could be due to the chemical process of manufacturing, but this pair, while still stylish, seem to have a different texture to the other 2. The darker and unbleached denim continued to feel structured yet plush wash after wash. The 1 Year wash jeans also had this beautiful orange/rust stitching which I really appreciated in terms of attention to detail and brought the whole jeans to feel well made. While not being a “Workwear” jean there is nothing wrong with a brand putting some style first mentality into the product if it has a goal. Overall while I am slightly concerned about the manufacturing process of the washed jeans although I do intend for these jeans to be part of my wardrobe for a long time and can recommend the purchase to someone who is looking for a less “workwear” jean and more focused on style and comfort. While this is frowned upon by many people in fashion, I can say that J Crew found the right balance in their Jeans.  

While the last review was more positive, this product was not. When I opened the package for the shirt (Partially my fault for not checking the material composition) I expected a plush cotton (or wool) blend with a small amount of polyester but what I got did not have any natural fibers, instead it was a cold blend of synthetics. The Seaboard Shirt was one example of a real disappointment from J Crew, and It was obvious that they made a sacrifice on their fabric choice. Wearing the shirt was softly comfortable as is to be expected with dock pieces like this although it provides little warmth in comparison to a true fall flannel and would not insulate when wet like a traditional woolen boat-side garment I found myself incredibly exposed to even the slightest amount of wind and was not sure that it would hold up in the wash. (EDIT: see a comment below about the seaboard shirt, someone else had a very different experience although I still stand by the durability and sustainability concern.) This product is where J Crew has so much potential and really dropped the ball and as an advocate for the brand, I really was disappointed. I cannot recommend this shirt as it is not sustainable and will not last as a proper natural fiber blend garment would. While J Crew’s styling continues to be top notch, this is a lesson learned to always check the material composition before putting something in your cart.  

J Crew’s “Rugged Merino” is another tough sell from J Crew. The material consists of a 60/40 Merino/Polyamide blend that provides comfort with warmth although this garment could have had a better result if the blend were 80/20 or 90/10. The extra 20 percent Polyamide causes a lack of structure and too much stretch to the garment. The artificial fibers provide a small amount of movability and durability to wool sweaters which is helpful for the everyday snag or pull but the higher you go the more diminishing returns you get. But you might ask, how is this blend? Well, it is not as bad as I initially predicted; the sweater is warm and does still insulate very well although the structural integrity of the garment is where it sees its downfall. It fits smaller than size and lacks an inner lining which makes one snag from the washing machine dangerous and could pull out a thread. While not inherently bad, the lack of an even slim lining is worrying and can be an indicator of durability in the future. When worn over my favorite Brooks Brothers Regent OCBD the sweater is very warm and stylish although lacking structure around the collar areas making it need a bit more fiddling to get the proper look. While a change in composition could make this a real winner for the price it was a slight let down but for someone looking for a comfortable and flexible sweater to lounge in on cool fall evenings I can recommend it just not at the full list price as goes with most things at J Crew.  

When I first slept in J Crew’s Cotton/Jersey nightwear, I was pleasantly surprised. The garment that consists of a Modal/Cotton blend (Research the process of Modal to understand the harsh chemical process that goes into making this ‘Natural’ fiber) which is warm and has a great amount of drape from the Modal to not make you feel constricted at night. As someone who sleeps hot, I tend to lean towards poplin but on cool nights Jersey was a comforting choice. The only note to take about the garment is that I had some nights where the sleeve buttonholes being so plush that the buttons would come undone in the middle of the night leaving the sleeve scrunched up around my forearm to elbow area. I worry this will lead to a lot of tugging over time on the sleeve buttons which could cause them to pull off, especially if you are an active sleeper. The buttons had a few loose threads around the base of the stitch after around a month, but I just trimmed and singed them with a lighter and they haven’t come up since although it could be a concern towards future durability (Note: Modal is flammable so be careful if you do this). For the Sale price that I got them for they were a good buy although I would be careful recommending them at full price because of some durability concerns. In this section I am also going to include slippers as I do not have too much to write about. I got them as a gift and they were… about what I expected, the style is nice, they are comfortable and fleeced slightly thin although enough to get the newspaper on a chilly day or wear around the house, but I would not expect too much from them. If you get them below the retail price, then I would not have a problem recommending them although I do not have as much information as I would like to give a full review.  

In conclusion last year's collections at J Crew were a story of what J Crew used to be and can be in the future. Some of their classics like the “Classic Chino” still reign supreme and the Jeans I can recommend as a staple going forward, although the specific collection items seemed a little lackluster. I shared my insight with a long-time dresser at my local J Crew, and she had noted to me that there has been a move back to natural fibers in the more recent collections and to keep my eye out for a switch in their blends. She said it was in a renewed “Sustainable clothing” push from the brand. This would be a welcome change and could put J Crew back where they belong on the list of Prep Brands.  

Hey, thanks for reading this if you made it to the end! I'd love to hear your experiences, feedback and comments/critiques as I do enjoy writing things like this and want to do better. Thanks!

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[u/RedDelidder]

This is a good write up, and I feel similarly.

I've been very happy with my purchases made at J.Crew in the past few years. Their Tall sizes fit me so well that I would've sworn that it was made for me personally.

Quality is quite good as long as you pay attention the the fabric it's made of. The heritage fleece sweatshirts are particularly fantastic.

I will say that I wish they made more of an effort to expand their tall sizing to more of the popular items, which hasn't really been happening. That being said, I recently saw they are taking pre-orders on tall rugby shirts.

[u/iman26 → u/RedDelidder]

Thanks for the reply! I am 6'2 and pretty slim so I am definetly not in the Tall sizes but I do understand that finding clothes for Tall sizes is a struggle. I do hope more brands accomodate as inclusion is a big part of fashion and the "tailored way" has kind of been lost to time. Although whenever I go to the store near me I have always felt well accomodated for and the clothier always tells me where things can be altered and I hope they do the same for you. I really like the Brick and Mortar ideal of stores and online has really been a point of annoyance for me. I love the Jcrew Heritage Ribbed Sweaters, they are absolutely amazing and I wholeheartedly agree.

[u/Dajnor → u/iman26]

I’m a similar height and tall is perfect for me, you should give it a shot

[u/BrosephofBethlehem]

As someone who’s frequently sticking to a clothing budget and changing sizes/fit preferences, gotta say i almost always like their classic fit pants especially their pleated cords, camp shirts (Terry and cord, or a cotton weave), and polos/sweaters. Can’t speak to their super-long term quality but i would say my purchases have been good for several years. I don’t really venture out of those items from j crew but o haven’t had any issues. Everything gotten for like less than $50 but i think checking the materials is everything when you shop there

[u/iman26 → u/BrosephofBethlehem]

Hey, thanks for the response. I 100% agreee with you, their classic fits are unbeaten and I dont often buy slim/giant/skinny fit or anything like that except for jeans sometimes. I love their sweaters and traditional stuff but i do like to expiriment sometimes as I did here. I have a couple other things to review that are more traditional from them which i may get around to from this spring/summer collection depending on how people like this review. As im sure you could have gotten by the writing tone, sustainability is a big thing for me and I try to find natural fiber garments that are of decent quality not just for the environmental reasons but also because I know they will last me longer. The sales at J Crew are awsome and I get a Unviersity Discount as well which is great so everything i buy ends up being like 1/4th 1/3rd the price if im smart with my shopping.

[u/NikosBBQ]

Nice write up. I am a pretty frequent JCrew customer so I can relate to your conclusions. Would you say that sticking to the basics/classics is the best value? I notice their classic chinos never go on sale, bummer. I always try to stick to 100% natural materials and I try to get the most of out of any sales.

[u/iman26 → u/NikosBBQ]

Thanks for the reply. So the answer is definitely but my curiosity gets the best of me:) their basics are awesome season after season and never go out of style and they last. The one off season items can be good and show off some of their younger designers but for the most part I stick to the timeless classics. I mentioned in another comment their Baird Mcnutt Linen which is really great from their summer line. The chinos they know are best sellers so they don't give them sales:(

[u/NikosBBQ → u/iman26]

What do you think of Land's End? LE staples like the Sail Rigger shirt or chinos?

[u/iman26 → u/NikosBBQ]

Going to be totally honest. Have never tried them or anything from Lands End. I try to stick to mostly Northeastern brands due to my roots and wanting to support the local economy but perhaps I should give the OCBD a try. The Knockabout chinos which I'm assuming are their classic ones look like they are styled a bit oo fashion forward. You can see the thigh taper on all styles and the "traditional fit" seems to have a slim taper at the ankle which make me believe that they are chasing more trend than trad and changing the fit every year depending on what the scene looks like. The OCBD looks pretty well done though and might be worth a try. Have you had any experience with them? If so how is the construction and material quality?

[u/NikosBBQ → u/iman26]

Fair enough. I have only a couple shirts and a pair of flannel pants. So far so good, but I try to be very selective with 100% natural materials. You mentioned tapered pants, but do they really matter that much? I can get some preppy vibes with a slight tapered if the rest of the outfit is spot on, can't I?

I know the traditional rules to be perfectly preppy, but I've also seen people take some liberties and still look good. We can't all dress exactly Ivy from the 50's, so how hard and fast are these rules?

Do you recommend any other brands for preppy/trad type styles that provide a good value like JCrew?

[u/iman26 → u/NikosBBQ]

Yes, there are rules to these things but I take liberties as well and am definitely not the Blazer Police or anything. From my personal perspective I am a slim guy and I definitely own some "slim cut" things such and the jeans I bought but outside of that I mostly go with the classic and traditional cuts. It doesn't necessarily have to do with the style because that's all personal and up to you, it just has to do with what I feel good wearing. I used to like a slimmer and more tailored cut but now I prefer a classic more traditional cut which lets me roll up my cuffs and wear a wider veriety of footwear. In the summer you want room to breathe and I wear my chinos a lot in the summer and edge seasons so that's why I do what I do. Imo the great thing about prep style is there's no one way to do it and don't let anyone tell you there is. Honoring heritage is one part but it's not the main part. Look, I'm still a young guy and every season I'm changing my style little by little but what I've found is the best way for me to keep a slim wardrobe is to do what works for me and just buying things that I love to wear. Whether it's slim fit or classic fit it doesn't matter. 1 thing I personally am not a huge fan of is giant fit as I think it's just a bit too trendy but that's just a personal thing. On your other note.... The big brands in prep today which off the top of my head are J Press, Brooks Brothers, J Crew, and Ralph Lauren (Vineyard Vines, LL Bean?), have a pretty much shared style heritage in my eyes with all of them coming to similar points in menswear around the 2000s. (Yes they all had very different beginnings and history's but they ended up becoming competitors one way or another) J Crew is the only one other than VV that sadly came down in quality enough to warrant the price drops and the eventual switch in marketing strategies. J Crew is trying there best to switch around as we've seen with some of there staples but as of right now there is no brand that is producing the same styles at the same Sale prices as J Crew. Their regular prices can expensive but in terms of deals they are the only ones that are doing that right now. This is also why I am excited to see the next turnaround for the brand as I want to see them back at the level that their name carries and not have to have such deep discounts, (although smart shoppers are taking advantage now) in a few years I could see them not doing this as often with their prices and going back to being a staple brand with not just a few garments but a whole catalog. Sorry for making a short story long but basically I use eBay when I'm looking for some good deals and find a lot of good stuff from BB, RL, J Press etc. on there. eBay is great but I hope you're not a 30 Waist.

[u/RedDelidder → u/NikosBBQ]

I think the Sail Rigger Oxford is fantastic, but whoever is in charge of deciding what colors to stock it in has questionable tastes.

[u/ClamWeekend]

Not much to add but i (27F) recently got some Irish Linen Shirts from them on sale for nearly half off. I have to say they are currently my favorite. The material is thick, drapes nicely, the fit is loose but not too loose, and overall has felt incredibly well made.

Ive only owned them for a few weeks but since I dont own many clothes to begin with i find myself wearing these to work most regularly. So much so I picked up another one at a much less discounted price, even then i still feel like they are worth it, though idk if id pay full price.

[u/iman26 → u/ClamWeekend]

The Baird Mcnutt Irish Linen Shirts are king. Absolutely fantastic quality and one for their best products. To put in perspective Brooks Brothers used to use Baird Mcnutt Linen for their linen shirts and they used to sell for at least double the price as what J Crew sells them for at pretty much the same quality. I have a few items from their spring/summer collection this year which I'm waiting to write about which includes some of my Linen shirts from them. They really are the crown jewel of their summer line and if they are discounted it's really one of the best deals you can get.

[u/Delicious_Angle6417]

Ive worked at Jcrew for 5 years and i will tell the products i stand behind.

*the classic chinos * irish linen * sweatshirts * the giant fit shirts * i personally enjoy their brushed wool sweaters * the outerwear is great for the price.( i lived in the blackwatch wax cotton barn jacket this past season) i will continue to do so as long as it holds up lol

[u/LiterateCatholic]

How timely, I was just looking for a post on J Crew as I've recently started shopping there. I have to say, I really like their OCBDs. I bought one the other day and was pleasantly surprised when I got home to see on the receipt that it was 50% when online it is full price. I do find it strange that the online and in-store sales are not the same.

[u/iman26 → u/LiterateCatholic]

Thanks for the response. I tried to give it a year before I came out with a review so it was relevant again. I'm really curious to see how some of the young designers are going to shape this fall collection. I've heard a big change in direction for the brand could be coming and I'm really eager to see. If they publish a look book I'm definitely buying it for my coffee table. I will probably write something about their spring summer stuff soon so I don't have to wait another year for it to be relevant again. On the topic of sales and OCBDs... Their classic shirts are great, from Linen Baird Mcnutt which I mentioned in another comment to their OCBDs they are well made. I actually haven't personally bought their OCBDs (Normally a BB Regent and RL guy for Oxfords) but I have tried them in store and can attest although can't speak to durability. On the topic of sales, you just have to be in the know. I love my local store and the clothiers there who I have a relationship with atp. They always help me with what's on sale and I usually go online before so I know what's in their latest collection and if anything is a big mark down from last season. Ie. sweaters in the corner during the summer, or linen shirts on a rack when fall collection is out. I'm also a university student so I get a 15 percent discount on everything which is awesome!

[u/yumyumpills → u/LiterateCatholic]

I think their store stock is going to vary by location. I am in the midwest and almost none of their "nicer" clothing ever makes it in-store here.

I believe the in-store prices also need to vary to entice you to come in person. They will always match the online price of an item if it's less than what's being offered.

[u/Bonk0076]

I loved my Seaboard Soft Knit shirt(s). I actually ended up getting three of them. They effectively replaced my flannels this winter. I thought they were quite good in the wind. In fact, I snagged a hoodie made from the same material and that ended up being the outer layer I wore when I went running this winter. My only beef with that hoodie is that it started to pill - but it got a lot of hard use.

[u/iman26 → u/Bonk0076]

Thanks for the reply. I'm just curious where you are from because I did not find it so amazing, although it is very comfortable. I also have 2 hoodies from them in the seaboard knit from their 2022 Line which didn't hold up so well for me in the wash. I don't want to invalidate your opinion in any way but I'm just curious if you could give me some more details about how you wore them. if it was wet at all It obviously was not insulating for me and I thought that the knit felt cold although very cozy indoors when I wore it. I have not worn it in a couple months since early spring but perhaps I will have to take it back out on a cooler evening this summer and reassess. Thank you for the feedback and I'm definitely going to revisit that and make an edit if needed. Although I would appreciate if you could give me some more details about why you liked it and the temps that you wore it in.

[u/Bonk0076 → u/iman26]

I live in the upper, upper Midwest. The hoodie that I wore for runs I’d wear in temps ranging from 10 to 50 degrees. Single digits and sub zero runs I’d still wear it but not as the outer layer. Temps above 40 I would only wear it if it was windy.

As far as the shirts go, I typically wore them as a top layer too. In the fall there were a several occasions where I wore it as the outer layer. In the winter obviously I wore more layers and a coat. Didn’t have much experience with the rain with the shirts or the hoodie, but it did get wet in the snow and didn’t have issues with it soaking through. Was honestly surprised by that.

[u/iman26 → u/Bonk0076]

Hmm..I live in New England so similar winters over here. I'll make sure to revisit this and make an edit. Thanks

[u/Fincolt]

I wear J. Crew a lot for a few reasons, it’s readily available in my local area, its sizing has been consistent over the time I’ve shopped there, they have a broad range of clothes making it a one-stop shop (shorts and t-shirts as well as suits and ties), and it’s fairly reasonably priced.

I’ve been happy with their quality over the years, even as they’ve pushed more synthetics in their clothes. I hate that more brands are doing that, but for the most part I’ve found J. Crew stuff has held up better.

I like that they have a tag in their clothes that tell you what season/year it’s from. I have plenty of stuff over a decade old that gets regular wear, and for a mall brand I’d say that’s pretty good value.

At Xmas my wife usually gets me a flannel or two from there, which ive noticed have gotten a bit thinner over the years, it’s not a huge deal, they’re still better than most and it means I have a flexible temperature lineup for the more mild days in winter.

I’ve always preferred their sweaters, especially in wool. But as they started adding poly to the mix I’ve found that when I see something I like, I look for something similar in a brand that keeps to natural fibers. I don’t live in an extreme cold climate, but I think the poly sort of reduces the warmth (this could be psychological)?

I think the only thing I have from j crew from 2024 are the flannels from Christmas and a quilted quarter zip from their outlet (good impulse buy on sale). I continue to be a consistently happy customer, but I wish the trend of synthetics would stop.

[u/mech-ops]

Super write up, thanks! That Seaboard shirt... I was all set to order a couple online right after they dropped, until I took a closer look at the listing and saw the material they used. It turned into a hard pass. Which is a shame - it's a nice design. I'll stick to the J Crew flannels I bought 3 or 4 years ago - they're holding up great, are 100% cotton and are the perfect weight for 8 months out of the year in my PNW climate.

[u/iman26 → u/mech-ops]

Hey. Just take a look at someone else's comment above if you're still considering it. they had a different experience to me with the seaboard knit and I didn't want to bad mouth the product so I made an edit to my post. Although PNW is a very wet climate like we have in New England so personally I'd shy away. Thanks for the reply. If your looking for something similar I can recommend some of the LL Bean flannels and cardigans if that's what you're looking for, there are great deals to be had on eBay especially.

[u/mech-ops → u/iman26]

Thanks! Yeah I saw that other comment. It's always good to get a second opinion on this stuff, for sure. And yes, LL Bean... I'm planning on picking up a few vintage chamois shirts later this summer. I've never tried those but am excited to give them a go. All of the summer clearance sales flooding my inbox are reminding me that fall isn't that far away.

[u/BrosephofBethlehem]

I wanted to follow up and say that i picked up the classic canvas trousers and cotton waffle shirt and both seem great and are exactly as expected. The canvas trousers are an especially great fabric and cut, not as nut-hugging as the 770 chinos which are my mortal enemy

[u/iman26 → u/BrosephofBethlehem]

I have the classic canvas trousers and am actually debating on reviewing them in a write up. They are fantastic and I even wrote about them in a comment above. The looser fit is a bit more on the trendy side but is still close enough to the Navy Blazer look for summer wear. Also I didn't know that about the chinos. I usually just get the classic chinos which are fantastic.

[u/BrosephofBethlehem → u/iman26]

I was pleasantly surprised with how light they are while still draping/appearing like regular trousers since i live in the south and honestly the fuller cut is a welcome shift in fashion for me

[u/iman26 → u/BrosephofBethlehem]

For many it is. I tend to stick with the classic cuts but this was a welcomed change for summer evenings here in New England.

[u/yumyumpills]

I enjoyed the read and I am happy you did a "deeper dive" into some of your purchases. I've made a decent amount of J Crew purchases the past few years, and whereas the "core" of the brand is still there, they've varied their clothing target audience to have more appeal.

I feel like the "rugged merino" shirt you referenced is more aimed at being worn in a different way than the "traditional" navyblazer-er would.

I think the extra polyamide has the goal of allowing you to wear the sweater by itself or with a simple thin undershirt and not be too itchy as well as allowing it to be machine washed. This is also coupled with the "slimmer" fit unless you sized up from your normal size.

I'm not sure where the "sweet spot" of fabric composition would be but it would probably be dependent on the fabric quality themselves. Maybe they had a "we got a crap ton of this itchy wool...what can we do with it" type of situation.

I think you're spot on with the "high-low" type of options. Any of their green/oar tag stuff seems to be from a separate tier than their poly clothes. Whereas we have different wants to our clothing, we are currently in the minority when it comes to current purchasing trends. As a brand, how do you bring in "new blood"?

Possible Options:

• Offer choices, upper/mid or lower by price and fabric composition.
• Full price gets you "wardrobe staples," the core line, and whatever is new "now."
• You can possibly get one of the above at a discount, but you have to wait and might miss out on your size (quality, fast, or cheap, pick two).

Anecdotally, they played the "this is the price" game somewhere amongst their bankruptcies and restructures but people didn't buy. So us consumers as a whole like "getting a deal" more than paying the set price of the garment.

[u/iman26 → u/yumyumpills]

Hey thanks for the reply. So I just checked after I read you message because I realized that was possible with the sweater. It still says dry clean only on it so I assume that isn't the case and there is still a fair amount of pilling. On your second point, I am not a marketing guru by any stretch and all I know is what I learned back in my freshman year of university taking an intro class. J Crew's current marketing strategy seems to be pretty common nowadays but slowly people I think are becoming more consumer concious. So my current opinion about where fashion is headed is that we are moving back towards natural fibers and away from poly. It started with the younger generation being more environmentally conscious and slowly I think brands are publicizing their non blend clothing. For example with J Crew the "every stitch counts" campaign which I think is still going on was the beginning of that. I don't think we are a minority and if we are it is a growing one. Would be interested to hear your side a bit more.

[u/ASolitaryBird]

Informative post! I’m curious about this sub’s opinion of J.Crew’s pants as they’ve been extremely reliable and worth the price for myself. If someone were to ask me what to buy from J.Crew as a first-time buyer, I’d recommend their chinos.

[u/iman26 → u/ASolitaryBird]

Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned in the post their chinos are a go to and have been for a long time. Their 5 Pocket Garment dyed pants (wearing them right now actually) as well and as I reviewed their jeans which I thought were pretty good.

[u/iman26 → u/[deleted]]

They look great, their linen blend is great, I have one of their blended shirts which has lasted me a long time. Although the classic belt looped ones with a rope belt I think are better just because I think they are more versatile and don't really like the elastic as it tends to just be another point of possible wear. Just my two cents tho, enjoy!