my love affair with j. crew

if you know me, you know i love clothes. more specifically, you know i love j. crew. at the green hills store, they recognize me when i come in (which i haven;t decided if that is a good or bad thing yet). i am fortunate enough that the majority of my clothes are from j. crew. nonetheless, some people still poo-poo the crew. why? obviously i couldn't tell you. yes, sometimes the prices can be high, but you are paying for quality clothing that will last a long time if taken care and styled properly. my love for j. crew is hard to put into words which sounds superficial and shallow, but its the truth. so, just for y'all, i'm going to try my best to explain why i love the brand so much...

1. j. crew's very personal stylist: i cannot tell you how much help they are. i meet with katie ferrell at the green hills mall j. crew and she has literally been a lifesaver. i lost a lot of weight and completely had to rebuild my entire wardrobe and she was able to help me do so and save my mom and i from many dressing room fights. luckily, her style and mine are quite similar, but she has the ability to put outfits together that are absolutely perfect for me. another benefit from having worked with her for a few seasons now is that she knows my previous purchases and is able to pull pieces from new collections that go with pieces from past collections. she also always emails me about new collections and specials. i always email her and let her know that pieces that i love and she will pull them for me in my size and have them waiting for me at my appointment, with accessories to match! i can't say how much help she has been. the appointments are free and the stylists are always on the floor to help customers in need, whether it be from styling to ordering from the red phone.

katie and i at a j.crew styling session

2. j. crew credit card rewards: i must say having a j. crew credit card can be dangerous, but good things do come with having that little piece of plastic. for every $500 you spend (which adds up quick), they will send you a $25 reward card to spend. i just got one in the mail the other day and it is burning a hole in my pocket! j. crew also offers cardholder only perks such as collection previews, preorders, and special sales that are nice to take advantage of. 

3. j. crew college/educator discount: j .crew offers 15% off to college students and teachers with ID on all purchases in store or made on the red phone. it may only seem like 15% but any little bit helps when on a college girl budget and rebuilding a wardrobe!

4. mickey drexler, j. crew's CEO, and jenna lyons, j. crew's creative director: both geniuses in my humble opinion. mickey drexler has built j. crew up to be the company that it is today, now expanding it have stores around the world. he really cares about j. crew's customers and has even been known to respond to customer service calls himself. jenna lyons is my idol. the way she dresses herself and how she stiles everything for j. crew is a dream. she has a sense for fashion unlike anyone else and it can be seen through j. crew. she is the reigning fashion queen of america.

5. j. crew's classics: along with on-trend pieces that are beyond gorgeous and glamorous, j. crew always offers its original basics that are the company's foundation every season in the season's "it" colors. i always am able to mix classics in with my new items and they pair perfectly. j. crew is on-trend every season, but they are still able to maintain the casual-preppy vibe that they are known for. this combination of styles mirrors my style perfectly which is one reason why i am so drawn to the store.

6. j. crew's wedding collection: i'll say it now and i'll say it again: j. crew has some of the prettiest wedding dresses i have ever seen and at affordable prices. i would be beyond happy to wear a j. crew wedding dress when i get married. they are classic, stylish and always beautifully done with the finest materials. their bridesmaid dress collection is gorgeous as well, offering a wide array of dresses in varying lengths, fabrics, cuts, and colors all at affordable prices (and you could actually wear them again). my bridesmaids had better be prepared for a j. crew dress. shoot, everyone better be prepared for a j. crew wedding if i'm the bride. 

now that i have talked on and on about j. crew and could still go on for days, i hope you see why i love j. crew so much. what i listed above is really just the tip of the iceberg. all in all, i have found a brand that fits me (and celebrities and others all over the country). it fits my body and my style aesthetic. their customer service is top-notch, especially their personal stylists, and they put their customers' looks first. they offer quality clothing at reasonable prices. christmas comes early each month when the new catalog is delivered at my house! 

image from j. crew's august 2013 catalog, courtesy of jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com

xoxo from a girl in love with j. crew,

clp