This is the first of several posts about my trip to New York this past (extended) weekend. I flew up to see two friends, both of whom I grew up with and am still very close to. One is a freshly-minted lawyer, living in Hell’s Kitchen and the other is a teacher, also freshly-minted. She lives in Williamsburg. Both are typically interested in the same type of shopping I am, so it’s enjoyable and pleasant to browse endlessly in the myriad of stores and haberdasheries that exist on the glorious island of Manhattan.
This post is a quick rave about the extensive and considerably more exciting selection of items at J.Crew stores in New York (at most stores anyway, as there are many). First, most of their stores are two levels, which provides a good buffer between the genders for better focus on what is what (and there’s more space for more items!). In general, these stores sell the full line of J.Crew brand items rather than an edited selection. That means – all of their outerwear, suiting, shoes, accessories, and anything they’ve collaborated on with other companies (Barbour, Baracuta, Ray-Ban, Selima Optique, Sperry Topsider).
I found a lovely waffle-knit henley (not too unique), a fine-check button-down work shirt (slightly more unique) and an awesome army-green fatigue jacket that is very ‘of-the-moment’ in New York right now (very unique, at least in Florida). Needless to say, I was happy and impressed that everything fit well and they weren’t all out of size S (although there were no 30-30 pants to be found in the entire ISLAND of Manhattan, I kid you not).
Hopefully it will cool off here in Tampa and I can wear some of these lovely finds. And maybe someday the store here will find a brain and start selling more than distressed polos and linen pants.
