More on the 1400s

Check out this piece on NB's website about the collaboration between the iconic shoe company and J. Crew.

Kudos to the American Worker!

Meet the New Balance for J. Crew Collection

Back to '94

I distinctly remember back in high school...after 1987 I could not, for the life of me, find a pair of kicks I liked. So I went without sneakers until 1994 when I finally found a pair of New Balance that I really digged. They were grey, blue, and white, with a touch of red. I have a picture of me proudly displaying them, but I can't find it (like everything else in my life).

I probably got rid of those babies in 95 or 96, but I never lost the desire to score another pair.

Well, who else but J. Crew would put forth some classic NB's, made in the USA, and make me sit up and take notice again?

Saw these in person tonight and must say they are truly instant classics. Both the green and the blue are sharp. Tried on the green and they seemed comfortable and supportive, which means the world to flat footed people like me.

As you probably know, everyone seems to talking about these out in the blogosphere.

Believe the hype.

Chromeo funks it Up....

Not only does this Montreal-based duo bring the funk, but they indeed bring the moves too.

They're currently on tour. Catch them Jan 20th 2011 in Montreal and Feb 4 2011 in New York City.

Best of all, I think Dave 1 is sporting some Moscott Lemtosh frames.

The Chamois Shirt

Seems everywhere I looked this fall, somebody was hawking their version of the authentic Chamois Shirt. I really didn't pay much attention to it at first, as the thought of a shirt that resembled a piece of leather didn't do much for me.

About a week ago I gave the J. Crew version a try-on. Maybe it was the color, maybe the feel of the cotton, but it did nothing for me.

So I started reading up on the shirt. The ultimate outdoor and hunting shirt it seems. Ok, then, makes sense that all the hipsters in the big cities on the coasts would want to be sporting one. Not a big fan of flannel shirts, but I decided to give another look.

There were no shortgage of options out there. Here's just a few:
J. Crew

Orvis

LL Bean Signature

Cabela's


I decided to give the LL Bean Signature version a try. Didn't expect much, except to be sending it back.

Ironically, I received it today and I couldn't be happier. The Adobe Orange color is the perfect shade if you dig Orange (and I do). Fit is just as you'd expect from LLBS. Must say I'm really impressed. The throwback to the 1933 archicves makes this one a great classic addition to the Fall wardrobe.

Best of all, you'll get no Kurt Cobain comparisons when wearing this beauty.

Evidence

I realized that my rant is of no use without the evidence. The proof is in the pudding.

Time for a Rant

I’m a big fan of the Crew and often sing its praises here. Thought I’d relay the other side of the coin, concerning their in-house branded shoes.

J. Crew used to sell shoes Made in Italy 5 years or so back for a reasonable price…$100 or so. Then I noticed the wing tips being made in Romania around 2006. And the price jumped up to over $160.

Then this year the Gifford collection was introduced, touting the Made In Italy tag. This time, the shoes retailed at $285. Ouch. I inquired on a well-known forum what people thought of the shoe and I was told in quite plain terms, don’t waste your money.

Just last month I noticed the Gifford Wing Tips were re-marked to $225. I had a 20% off coupon so I decided to give them a shot. Out of the box, they looked great. Loved the shape. Leather seemed good quality. Very comfortable from day 1.

But, after just 5 wears, the damn sole started to come unglued from the welt on the instep of the shoe. Majorly disappointed. Took those suckers back right away.

This is the third pair of J Crew shoes that have given me problems in recent memory. First, my Macallister boots leather lining totally came undone after a handful of wears. Then, the classic loafers sole came unglued. And now these.

All of these defects came with little wear on the shoes ! Granted, J. Crew took these shoes back no questions asked, but still…

I have to say, from my experience, the quality on these shoes is poor. I was warned, but I had to learn the lesson on my own. I think I’m done with J. Crew branded shoes for good.

Hope this helps someone out there who is on the fence about buying J Crew Shoes.

Save up a couple more pennies and give Allen-Edmonds a look...