Can you afford jcrew?

MrsErickson · January 2009

I'm only listening to the tv but I just heard Brian Williams say that he is impressed with Michelle O. because she can wear jcrew "a brand that most americans can afford, even during a recession" and make it look good.

Obviously Brian doesn't realize how much money "most" Americans are bringing in. I know I can't afford $85 for a sweater. Not when we're more worried about paying our morgage.

I know he was comparing it to what she could be wearing which would cost thousands, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.

G_Hoping · January 2009

I 'Could' afford it ...but that means other parts of my financial empire would suffer..like retirement, kids college savings...etc.

eclaires · January 2009

If by most Americans, he means upper middle class, MAYBE.

I mean that is ridiculous. I think it's great she wears JCrew over some more expensive brands, but that is a HUGE stretch.

I mean seriously, I buy JCrew, but mostly wait for sale time or if I have a coupon code, because $175 for a sweater is a little out of my budget.

Someone should smack him - even in a recession?!?! Come on.

jessicaclare · January 2009

If I stopped buying food.

Really, probably a piece here and there if I used my entire "extra" budget for that month, but not that often.

MarchMom06 · January 2009

Jcrew has fantastic sales. I buy most of my clothing there & have never paid full price. Their starting prices are high, but you can regularly find things 50+% off.

DevonPow · January 2009

eh, I have bougt plenty of things on sale there for less than $10. I don't think his point was out of line - J Crew has a lot of things that are accessible to a lot of people. Not every item, but a lot of things.

wellfleet04 · January 2009

Yes, I have some stuff from J. Crew but some of their stuff is pretty pricey.

I do see Brian Williams' point, even if he worded it badly. It was nice to see her wearing a consumer brand, something regular people could pick out in a store, rather than a designer piece. I know J Crew is expensive for a lot of Americans, but it is a regular, retail brand, not like th Oscar de la Renta Laura Bush always wore. (That said, Michelle Obama wears plenty of designer stuff too). Sort of like when Sharon Stone wore a Gap turtleneck to the Oscars and they made a big deal about it, you know?

DaisyAdair · January 2009

I guess I could....they have outlets, so it's possible.

Problem is, I have nowhere to wear any of it and it would get ruined with baby puke anyway. What's the point?

I'll stick with my Old Navy shirts that I buy when they go on sale and clean up nice and, if they don't, I toss them and don't care that I just lost $5. or so.

pincushions · January 2009

yes I can. I don't think I would pay full price unless I LOVED something...

katesmom73 · January 2009

I just bought a JCrew winter coat but I got a great deal and the last one I had lasted me 8 years. I think afford is a relative term - sure I could afford it if I gave up other things. But based on our finances now, without giving anything up, no I couldn't afford to have a closetful of JCrew. Although I love JCrew and aspire to have a closetful of their clothes

AnnapolisLari · January 2009

I could 20 years ago, before their prices got ridiculous. They lost me a long time ago.

I see his point about wearing it instead of a big name designer, but I still don't have room in my budget for it.

veloelle · January 2009

Technically, yes. Reality, no. I'd be pulling $$ from other sources that are better suited for my money right now.

Edit: Ditto Lari. When did J Crew start selling $500+ handbags? They aren't even on my radar anymore. And their "outlets." Still kinda pricey for what are, for the most part, pieces made for the outlets and priced as if they came off the J Crew floor.

JOEBunny · January 2009

Nope. Our income is at least 6X what is average for the state, our mortgage is low, but, I will not shop there, or a lot of other places that are suppose to be "affordable".

AZ_Erica · January 2009

I "can" afford it, however I very rarely spend that much on clothing. I personally don't think it's necessary, but that's just my opinion.

AndiG · January 2009

I would say no because other areas would suffer buget-wise, but I SAH and wouldn't spend that kind of money on something that would get ruined anyway. DH gets jeans from the outlet though.

rach&jay · January 2009

Silly statement, not sure if I can afford it. Honestly, I think their styles are too young for me, and probably too small.

Amanda&Chris · January 2009

yes, I can. I think the point though, was that it was a consumer brand, something off the rack, not a custom made designer outfit. He definitely didn't word it well though.

kjlrs · January 2009

yup i can afford it. i don't care to spend that much on clothes and as their prices have gone up and i've gotten older i don't shop there at all anymore. i see his point, but agree that it's a bit of a more expensive store than the ones most americans frequent. i mean, honestly, i dont frequent gap either because i feel like they're too expensive for what they are.

MrsErickson · January 2009

Like I said, I understood that he was making the point that she could have been wearing an expensive designer (which she still does) instead of something that is available to everyone. I get that. I just thought it was very poorly worded considering that most people who aren't middle to upper class have never even stepped into a jcrew.

Bellisimo · January 2009

I can afford it, but choose to spend my money elsewhere when it comes to clothes. And I thought the same thing about the constant "J Crew" comments on Michelle Obama's clothes. MOST Americans cannot afford it. I don't get all the positive stroking regarding her clothing that the media has been doing.

CleoKitty · January 2009

I can't afford to shop there for every single thing I own, but I can buy a few things off the clearance racks here and there. I won't/can't shop at any of those kind of stores (J. Crew, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and other stores in the same price range) unless it's off the clearance rack.?

It's not what immediately what comes to mind when I think affordable though. I would be much more impressed to see Michelle Obama sporting a dress from Target. ;-)?

j+k · January 2009

Recession or no recession...I keep my wardrobe minimal with quality peices that I can wear year to year. JCrew is one of the clothing lines that I buy from regularly because they have smart, classic colorful looks and the clothes wear well and LAST.

I love my JCrew. It pays to buy a $80 sweater that will look great and last 3-4 years rather than buy two for that price and have them crap out and fade in less than one winter.

It's worth investing in quality clothing than buying cheap. In the long run you spend less.

kylara111 · January 2009

I JUST told DH that the other day. I told him that what would really be impressive was someone like me with a Walmart/Target/Old Navy wardrobe being first lady. I certainly can't afford JCrew. I bought 1 thing from Bananna Republic once as a treat. We make a pretty good living too.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Oh, and I don't consider Michelle Obama a fashion icon at all. Her dress when Obama won the election (that red/black designer dress) was so ugly and other things I've seen her in are so grandma IMO. The yellow coat she had on today wasn't so great either. DH said she looked like a big bananna. Of course, we aren't fashionistas so what do we know?

*sparky* · January 2009

Bellisimo:
I can afford it, but choose to spend my money elsewhere when it comes to clothes. And I thought the same thing about the constant "J Crew" comments on Michelle Obama's clothes. MOST Americans cannot afford it. I don't get all the positive stroking regarding her clothing that the media has been doing.

Ditto. I definitely don't think J Crew falls into the realm of affordable for most Americans. I would also guess that after all of the publicity they are getting from this campaign, they will soon raise their prices and then they will no longer have this "affordable" image anyway.

katie277s · January 2009

No, not really. I only buy it for DH on his birthday, Christmas, etc. For Christmas, I had a coupon to get 20% off a purchase of $150. I bought a sweater and jeans and hit the $150 mark. Yeah, too rich for my blood.

I will say though, J Crew clothing holds up really well. DH's jeans are all J Crew and he has had them for years.

Angela814 · January 2009

Umm... no. We can afford NY&Co and Target though.

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