Surprise! Log Into J.Crew for Free Shipping {yey!}

"Thanks!" to Miss Penny Z. (in this post), who let us know the latest promotion from J.Crew.

J.Crew is offering select customers free shipping when you log-into your J.Crew account. She also shares the following message when you log-in (& are selected to receive it):

As a special thank you, we will be offering some exclusive benefits throughout the year. To make sure you are taking full advantage of each and every perk, check your email and sign in to your registered J.Crew account each time you visit jcrew.com. Today, please enjoy free standard shipping.

Also "thanks!" to many of you, including Twiga, who let us know this offer runs until July 18th. Fantastic!

I rushed to log-in and found nothing for me. {sigh} I was again, not selected. :( However, "congrats!" to those who have the offer! :)

P.S. Does anyone have a regular free shipping code? A huge "thanks!" in advance for sharing one!!!

Glitch in the Blogger Commenting System

Good morning JCAs! Early today, I noticed that some of the posts had zero comments while my email box showed several comments were actually made in those very same posts.

I tested it by writing comments in a few posts and sure enough, after a few minutes my comments were automatically deleted too.

So if you left a message any time after 9PM last night, your comment got wiped out from the JCA blog (in all posts). Unfortunately, the commenting system is still *not* working for the JCA blog.

I checked Blogger's Help Forum and turns out this is a known problem. Here's to hoping they resolve it soon. As the best part of this blog is the comments! :)

P.S. This is not affecting all Blogger blogs. Just some. Which includes this one. :(

Mini UPDATE: "Thanks!" to Roxy in this post (of course her comment doesn't show up ;) ), that Anonymous comments are not impacted by this glitch. Until this issue is resolved, I am allowing for Anonymous commenting. So if you are a registered user, please use the Anonymous commenting feature for now. Hopefully this temporary work-around works! :)

Mini UPDATE 2: It looks like some of the comments that were made before and then removed, are now visible in their corresponding posts. So if you made a comment and don't see it right away, it will eventually get publicly posted. :) Sorry for the inconvenience everyone! :(

J.Crew Vintage Cotton Tuxedo Henley Is ..um

One of J.Crew's newest arrivals includes the Vintage Cotton Tuxedo Henley (Item 26532; $39.50). At first glance, it is another super cute ruffle top. However, after today, you may not look at it quite the same way. ;)

A big "thanks!" to Raina (check out her lovely "If The Lamp Shade Fits" blog) who shared the following tee-hee moment over at her "J.Crew's bajingo tee" post.

P.S. Not sure what "bajingo" means? Don't worry, Urban Dictionary has got your back (refer here).

Pleated Lombard Ruffle Cardigan {doube take!}

Remember J.Crew's Pleated Lombard Ruffle Cardigan (Item 18281; $118.00, now $69.99) from Fall of 2009? J.Crew described it as: "It's the unconventional techniques we used to design this cardigan that make it so special: Our designers spent hours painstakingly hand pleating cotton lawn into an intricate cascade, then laser cut the edges to keep them from fraying (we're obsessed with the way it creates an unexpected vintage feel). A hand-tucked rosette makes this thoroughly romantic piece even more irresistible".

A big "thanks!" to Linda (in this post), who found a cardigan over at Kohl's, that shares a striking resemblance. The cardigan is the ELLE™ Pleated Cardigan (Item 580175; $44.00, now $25.99).

Personally, I like J.Crew's version a tiny bit more. However, Kohl's version is a super close second. And the price tag! The Elle version only makes it even more attractive for those who missed J.Crew's cardigan the first time around. :)

Incidentally, to see some real-life images of J.Crew's cardigan, check out:
-"J Crew - pleated Lombard ruffle cardigan" post over at Gigi's Gone Shopping
-"Lombard Review" post over at My Bag Overfloweth
-"Lombard cardigan IRL" post over at Patina's Confessions of a Shopaholic

What are your thoughts on the Pleated Lombard Ruffle Cardigan? Do you like the version from Kohl's? :)

Surprise! Log Into J.Crew for Free Shipping {yey!}

"Thanks!" to so many of you, including Twiga, AJC (in this post), & Silver_Lining (in this post), who let us know the latest promotion from J.Crew.

J.Crew is offering select customers free shipping when you log-into your J.Crew account. According to Silver_Lining, this offer will expire 5/31/10. Twiga shares the following message when you log-in (& are selected to receive it):

As a special thank you, we will be offering some exclusive benefits throughout the year. To make sure you are taking full advantage of each and every perk, check your email and sign in to your registered J.Crew account each time you visit jcrew.com. Today, please enjoy free standard shipping.

It is still a complete mystery to me the rationale of which customers get selected. (For the record, I was once again not selected. Like an optimistic dork, I rushed to log-in and found nothing.) ;) However, "congrats!" to those who have the offer! :)

J.Crew Celebrates the J.Crew Aficionada Blog Turning Two {so happy, hyperventilating now!}

As mentioned in yesterday's "OMG! Get 15% Off *and* Free Shipping Tomorrow! {exclusively for JCA members}" post, J.Crew is celebrating the "J.Crew Aficionada" blog turning the big 2!

And they brought one heck-of-an-amazing-gift for all us J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados! :) For just today, Wednesday, May 12th, use promo code BIRTHDAY for 15% off *and* free shipping (no minimum!) The technical details on this amazing gift:

Simple to use—just enter the below code, BIRTHDAY, during checkout. We simply ask that this code only be used on current orders, it is not applicable to previous purchases made and it cant be combined with any other offer. Expires 12am EST on May 13th, 2010.

I am really touched by how generous this gesture is. ("Thank you!" J.Crew & J.Crew's Tracy Crane!!!) I am also ecstatic about this offer and can't wait to load up my shopping cart full of J.Crew goodies.

Will you be taking advantage of this one-day-offer from J.Crew? If so, please share what "birthday presents" you got! ;)

OMG! Get 15% Off *and* Free Shipping Tomorrow! {exculsively for JCA members}

I am so excited to share the following news with you all that I can't wait for tomorrow...

J.Crew's lovely Tracy Crane has contacted me this afternoon to not only send me well-wishes on the JCA's 2-year birthday, but to also graciously celebrate the day with a special 15% off and free shipping offer to J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados on all jcrew.com orders placed tomorrow, Wednesday, May 12th!!! The technical details on this amazing gift:

Simple to use—just enter the below code, BIRTHDAY, during checkout. We simply ask that this code only be used on current orders, it is not applicable to previous purchases made and it cant be combined with any other offer. Expires 12am EST on May 13th, 2010.

OMG! I am so excited that she reached out on the JCA's blogaversary, and thrilled (absolutely thrilled!!!) about the offer. It is such a generous gesture from J.Crew to our little community. I am honestly touched by the offer. {i heart you, j.crew!}

I will be sure to re-post this for tomorrow morning too. So exciting... {I am literally jumping around the office!} :)

The "J.Crew Aficionada" Blog Turns Two!

Back in 2008, the first post ("Welcome!") was published on May 11th. It's hard to believe, but this blog has been around for 2 years now!

Of course, the success of this blog goes to all the wonderful J.Crew Aficionadas and Aficionados who continue to share their wealth of knowledge with us. This little community has grown to be a fabulous resource, one I am honored to be a part of.

Thank you all! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely JCAs!!!

I also want to *thank* all of you for the kind words left in the "note to JCAs... taking some time off" post. It meant a lot to me to read all the super nice comments.

Now back to J.Crew... :)

note to JCAs... taking some time off

For the rest of the week I will be out. I will still have certain posts go live on certain days (because I already created those posts this past weekend). But I won't be posting anything new beyond that for this week. I apologize for any inconvenience.

What J.Crew Item are You Most Excited to Wear?

The weather in New England hasn't warmed up completely yet. However, thoughts of what I will wear this late Spring and Summer fill my head thanks to J.Crew's latest catalog featuring sunny images of Turks & Caicos.

So I thought it would make for a great post to talk about which warm-weather item from J.Crew we are most looking forward to wearing.

The item I can't wait to wear the most is the highly discussed (if not loved) Library-Print Doll Dress (Item 86737; $225.00) from J.Crew's Fall 2007 Collection. I was super excited to find this dress (in excellent, practically new condition) on eBay for a reasonable price a few months ago. Now I can't wait to finally wear it.

What J.Crew item are you most looking forward to wearing during the warm weather season? :)

Campo Di Fiori Sweater Dress {double-take}

Remember J.Crew's Campo de' Fiori sweater dress (Item 89422; $175.00) from early 2008? Such a lovely dress with its flower design, blooming from the hem. J.Crew described it as "merino wool in a very fine 14-gauge knit, carefully printed by hand with a winsome floral found in the archives of an Italian mill that supplies major couturiers".

A big "thanks!" to Catherine, as well as Crewbie (in this post), who found a dress over at Nordstrom, that shares a striking resemblance. The dress is the ECI Print Linen & Cotton Shift Dress (Item 295571; $98.00).

Personally, I like J.Crew's version a bit more. (Both the floral design and sleeves of J.Crew's version appeals to me.) However, Nordstrom's version is great for those who missed J.Crew's dress the first time around.

Incidentally, to see some real-life images of J.Crew's dress, check out:
-"Spring Has Sprung When I Wear the J.Crew Campo De Fiori Dress!" post over at GingerSnap's Daily Fashion Post
-"Field of Flowers" post over at Love at First Shop
-"J.Crew Campo di Fiore Sweater Dress" post over at goldenmeans

What are your thoughts on the Campo Di Fiori Sweater Dress? Do you like the version from Nordstrom? :)

Let's Vent: Popback Reject Style

"Thanks!" to Christy (in this post) who suggested the following: "Alexis- maybe you should have a new post so that we can vent about popback rejects? You'd think jcrew would read it and go and talk to the Quality Assurance people and get us some quality assurance... " I think it is a great post topic. I know a lot of us have experienced first hand pop-back rejects.

Pop-backs involve a bit of J.Crew-lette. Sometimes, an item we have been coveting for months but already sold-out in our desired size/color, will reappear in the Sale section like a beautiful beacon of hope. However, it is never a guarantee that the pop-back will be sent (so we get that dreaded email canceling our order), or that the pop-back item is in top-notch condition. This is because pop-backs often times, include returns. Although J.Crew's quality control is pretty good in general, a few items have slipped through the "system" making us wonder who allowed for it to even be shipped.

In the past few orders, I have found sweaters with holes in them and jackets with stains that were easily removed with soap & water. As of lately, I have been receiving items that are not the items I ordered. In once case, I ordered the Tiered Vintage Fleur Top (Item 19778, $138.00) in size 2 and received an entirely different top in size 0 (with the wrong tags too!) When I returned the top at my local brick & mortar store, I explained that the top had been mislabeled. However the SA didn't seem too interested— she just took the item and plopped in the back counter. I have a feeling someone else got that wrong top too. In all of the cases, J.Crew did offer me the ability to return the items (as "a one-time courtesy"). ;)

What are some of your pop-back reject stories? Did J.Crew help resolve the situation for you? If so, please share! :)

Jacket Sleeves: To Scrunch or Not To Scrunch

"Thanks!" to Irene who suggested the following topic for a post: "jackets with scrunch-sleeves" look. Not only did she notice that J.Crew features a l-o-t of scrunched sleeves for their jackets (click here to check them all out), she even ran across an article over at You Look Fab (click here) about this very trend.

So, what do you think about this look? How do you feel about scrunching your sleeves? Fan or not?

I must admit, I tried this look a few times myself. But the reality is, I could not keep the jacket sleeves scrunched up for long. The sleeves kept falling down to its natural long-sleeve state. Also, it was really hard to move my elbows because of all the fabric crumpled-up right there. I ended up re-adjusting the scrunch every 5 minutes, making the look very hard to achieve.

I think I will just stick to rolling-up my sleeves for a similar look that I know will stay put. ;)

What are your thoughts on the "jackets with scrunch-sleeves" look? Are you a fan of this style? How do you wear this look? :)

Quick Poll: Do you like the "scrunch sleeves" look in general?

J.Crew Aficionada Fan Page {facebook edition}

Just wanted to let you all know that the JCA blog has a new Fan Page over at Facebook. The personal page (Alexis J.Crew Aficionada) will still be around for awhile, until the transfer is complete.

The new JCA Fan Page will offer a lot more advantages to fellow JCAs, including: (1) creating discussions, (2) uploading JCA fan photos, & (3) storing videos.

If you are interested in becoming a fan, just click HERE.

Surprise! J.Crew Sends their Love {& tote}

"Thanks!" to many of you, including those in the "Surprise! J.Crew Sends their Love {& handkerchief}" post, who shared the following delightful news. Also, a big "thanks!" to MissMasala, RatsOnParade (click here to read her post too!), & Lyssa, who not only shared the news but sent images to view!

J.Crew is delivering more presents to very lucky J.Crew Aficionadas. In the mailbox, they found a gift of a shopping tote with the following note:

Thank you from J.Crew

We thought of you— and wanted to send you our new reusable tote (featuring hand-sketched designs straight from one of our designers). Just a little way of saying thank you.

We're here if there is anything you ever need.

All the best,
Mickey

As usual, this is a wonderful gift and more importantly, a lovely gesture for those who receive it. Congratulations JCAs!!! :)

As for me ...I checked my mailbox today to see if I got one of these lovelies. The result is always the same— me empty handed muttering "sun of a beach" under my breathe. (Isn't that definition of insanity, where you do the same thing over & over again expecting different results?) I know, I know. I am a sucker for hoping. ;)

So check your mailbox in the next few days to see if you got something extra special from J.Crew. And if you do receive this, please share! :)

Should I Join? {Disqus Commenting System}

Following the trend... of the Disqus bandwagon. :) After the success over at some of my favorite blogs, including GingerSnap's Daily Fashion Post, the (chloe) conspiracy & now My Superfluities..., I am starting to no longer resist. (Incidentally, I also want to give a big "shout-out" to GingerSnap who answered quite a few of my questions about the new commenting system last year.)

Unfortunately, I am still unsure if this is the right move for the JCA blog and I need your help! I made a pro-con list (a la Rory Gilmore from the Gilmore Girls) to help me figure it out...

Pros:

• Users can log-in through other accounts
  (like Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
  
• Users monitor all their comments in one profile screen
• Users can reply to comments through their email
  (do not have to go back to the blog to reply to a comment)
• Threaded comments
  

Cons:

• One more thing to sign-in {ugh!}
• Can't switch back to old Blogger commenting system with comments (comments stay stuck with Disqus; the comments are the best part of this blog!)
• Not sure if Disqus comments can be searched by Google
  

What are your thoughts on this? I like to make the blog easier for our community to use. So I would love to hear your feedback on this. Please, chime in! :)

Quick Poll: Should I switch the commenting system to Disqus?

UPDATE: Thanks everyone for voting & chiming in. I really appreciate all the great feedback. Based on it, I have decided to leave the current commenting system (via Blogger) as-is. :) Nothing will change. {yey!} [As an aside, I would turn off the poll but there is no way to do it without losing the results, which I would like to keep. So it stays too! ;) ]

Surprise! J.Crew Sends their Love {& handkerchief}

A big "thanks!" to PrettyBoy, who shared the following delightful surprise (& an image for us to view!)

J.Crew has delivered a present a bit early this year to some very lucky J.Crew Aficionados. In the mailbox, they found a gift of a handkerchief with the following note:

Just For You

We couldn't resist asking Mister Freedom—L.A.'s curator of cool— to custom design this handkerchief (it's a personal favorite of our men's designers) exclusively for you, one of our favorite customers. It's our way of saying thanks. Don't forget—we're always here for anything you may need.

All the best,
Mickey

What an absolutely fantastic surprise for customers. I adore the pattern on the handkerchief too! J.Crew has been known to shower certain customers with gifts in the past (from day planners, to earrings, to tie clips, to necklaces, to scarves, and the like). It is a wonderful gift and more importantly, a lovely gesture for those who receive it.

So check your mailbox in the next few days to see if you got something extra special from J.Crew. And if you do receive this, please share! :)

How Long Have You Been "Sipping the Crewlade"? {poll time}

A big "thanks!" to Audrey who had a {great} suggestion for a poll...

I think it may be a fun post ...to ask/poll the community how long they've been sipping the Crewlade, their first purchase, etc.

I love the topic and I l-o-v-e the line "sipping the Crewlade"! I agree that it would be fun to find out how long we have been fans (or fanatics, like in my case!) of the brand. So here it is...

Quick Poll: How long have you been "sipping the Crewlade"?

Also, "thanks!" to Clicquot (in this post) who came up with the following suggestion:

Since you do this post every Friday (Seek & Find), how about doing a follow-up post on Mondays about "What Did You Score This Weekend"? I'm always wondering what the JCSs found on their weekend shopping excursions :)

I think this is could be a great idea and wanted to see how much interest there is in it. (It would be nice to find out what happened after the weekend is over.) Since I am in a polling-kind-of-mood today, here is another one...

Quick Poll: Would you be interested in a weekly "Sought & Found" post for Mondays?

News about your J.Crew order...

Like many of you have experienced, I recently got the dreaded "News about your J.Crew order" email from J.Crew. Just seeing that email in my in-box made me sad and a bit upset. I knew what the message inside was going to say.
So many feelings rushed through me while reading the email. Mainly I was hurt because it was an item I had been stalking online for quite sometime. (Yup, I am an idiot to have wasted my time!) It wasn't like I placed the last one of the item either. Oh no, there was stock left over after my order. I even called CS a few days after my order to make sure everything was okay. The CS rep said of course and that everything looked fine. Yet, my order didn't make it. So here is my open letter to J.Crew:

Dear J.Crew,

My feelings are hurt. The email you sent is so cold and impersonal. Like we didn't share all those wonderful years together. You know I didn't "cancel" my item, so why even say that? I thought we were friends.

When I called you about the email, you said you were sorry. But I don't think you really mean it, since you then told me that it was never a guarantee when I placed my order and that I could have avoided this by purchasing regular priced items early on. {heart braking a little bit here}

You kept telling me the new information system upgrade from two years ago would reflect inventory properly so emails like this would never be sent again. I believed you. I wanted to believe you.

I don't know. Maybe we should take a break. I still deeply care for you, but hopefully the time apart will help me figure some things out.
Love,
Alexis

P.S. I don't care for your P.S. either. Of course you are not going to charge me. Why would you even say that?

So there it is. :( I don't know what is left to say except I am going to start to see other retailers again. Right now Land's End Canvas is courting me pretty heavily. ;)

Have you experienced the {dreaded} cancelation email recently? What would your open letter to J.Crew include?