I'm relatively new to J.Crew and was very pleasantly surprised by the fit of the Grand Ruffle Shell and Cashmere Plisse Cardigan. I actually re-ordered those items when they went on sale, and I found that J.Crew sizing can be a tad inconsistent. Although all the Grand Ruffles I got were the same size, some of them were noticeably bigger than others. Also with the Cashmere Plisse Cardigan - the second one I got actually fits a little smaller than the first.
Anyway, excited by the possibility of small-fitting J.Crew cardigans, I also bought this Chiffon Forget-Me-Not Cardigan in XS when I made my second order:
Anyway, excited by the possibility of small-fitting J.Crew cardigans, I also bought this Chiffon Forget-Me-Not Cardigan in XS when I made my second order:
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The color I got was Sandstone Sky, which is supposed to be cream/beige with flecks of blue:
With the "3/4" sleeves down and from the side:
This one was a disappointment for me. The color reminds me of the flesh-toned part of ice-skating costumes. The fit is not very flattering with quite a bit of extra fabric at the waist (I wasn't sticking my tummy out in the side view but look semi-preggers). It makes me feel like I'm wearing a grandfather cardigan that a little girl decorated lol. Boy that is not how it looks like on the model!
I'm definitely with you that their sizing can be inconsistent even with the same exact items! THen again I have come across this problem with other brands too. Too bad about this fleshy-colored sweater, but I'm glad to hear the other one fit even smaller than the first and was cheaper too : )
ReplyDeleteI've never had good luck at J Crew. It was cut a long time ago from the list of stores where I shop.
ReplyDeleteOh J.Crew...I love you so...but you do not love me.
ReplyDeleteEvery cardigan I've ever tried from there looks just like how it looks on you...baggy and shapeless. Like me in millions said, I've cut J.Crew from my shopping list.
Ok, I have to confess, I found a workaround with J.Crew cardigans - if they are wool or a wool blend.
ReplyDeleteI shrink them. yeah, I know you are not supposed to wash wool in the machine, and it doesn't always end well, but I have several in my collection (and some from other places) that were too big, made an unplanned trip through the wash, and now fit better. Like I said - it does not always work. Sometimes things shrink vertically, and not horizontally, and sometimes they do the opposite.
I have a lovely merino Brooks Bros V-neck 'grandfather' cardigan that is too big all over that I am planning on washing soon. It was given to me from someone else who found the fit off, so there is no $$ lost if it doesn't work out.
Also - I rarely buy anything from J.Crew new. I recently discovered Savers, a for profit community thrift store chain. They just opened up one in the city I live in, and I am addicted. Seriously, I have so far spent about $100 and now own 2 J. Crew cardigans (one angora blend, one cashmere blend), 3 BR wool cashmere blend cardigans, a Lord and Taylor cashmere crew neck, an A&F wool cardigan, 2 BR sleeveless tops, 3 AT sleeveless tops (one of them is silk cashmere) and a few other random items. Everything was brand new, or if it had been worn, showed no sign of wear. Some things still had the original tags on. Everything is an XS and some of the J. Crew wool cardigans appear to have gone through the wash - so they fit me perfectly.
The prices are never more than $9.99 - that was my most expensive piece so far (a BR floral print angora cardigan). The cashmere all goes for $4-7. I can't believe that I now own about 5 cashmere sweaters and they all cost less than $10.
I wish J Crew would come out with smaller sizes! I would love to shop there if only their tops fit.
ReplyDeleteI stopped by JCrew today and didn't know they only carry petite sizes online :(
ReplyDeleteToo bad the sweater didn't fit you. It definitely is cute
I really had higher hopes for J.Crew because the Grand Ruffle and Cashmere Plisse were all regular sizes, not even petite!
ReplyDeleteKerry - Those are some crazy bargains!! If only cashmere is always that cheap lol. Does washing wool actually shrink it? I thought it was the heat from the dryer (I learned that the hard way!). I'm too chicken to try to shrink sweaters... I only do it when the original garment is passable as is, and am pleasantly surprised when it comes out fitting even better.
PetiteLittleGirl - I didn't know they don't carry petite sizes in store... I've only ever stopped by once and that was to make a return lol. That's good to know, thanks for sharing!
Warm wash/cold rinse usually does the trick, although the dryer also enhances shrinkage.
ReplyDeleteI just realized that even the Grand Ruffle Shell you and I bought in all the colors....all fit differently! Very strange- even though they are all XXS- some are wider and some just fit bigger. Frustrating!! Did you have that issue w/your shells?
ReplyDeleteReally Petite - Yup that's exactly what I noticed! At first I thought it was just me but when you hold the two pieces together you can see that some are really longer and/or wider.
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