You might plan ahead for this one. Tuesday through next Saturday, 11/29-12/3, 260 5th Ave is hosting another J.Crew sample sale (officially) featuring up to 60% off F/W samples and overstock. Just between us, though, a well-place spy swears this will be the best J.Crew event to hit NYC in years. (For men, anyway.) We’re talkin’ 90% off suits and jackets made of Loro Piana wool; eight racks of “amazing” wovens and dress shirts; sample patterns that aren’t expected to hit store shelves until next season; … Yeah, our spy promises, it’s like that. Here’s what readers had to say about the last sale.
J. Crew Sample Sale – 260 5th Ave btw 28th & 29th – Tues-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm – Map
68 Comments
any word on a friends and family day?
No pre-sale, says our spy.
thanks CB. any word if it’s cash only or do they accept cc as well
CC, too.
90% off suits?! The invite says 60% off. Big difference, but 90% would be incredible.
From past experience, anyone know if they might have a decent selection of 44r suits and 36 pants?
Hmm, thinking about making the trip for 90% off. For 60% I would probably end up skipping it. I guess sometimes you have to take chances in life…
Worth a look. It’s all about the timing, though. Try not to go during lunchtime, or right after work. If you can sneak away for a little while that will be your best bet.
Do they restock throughout the duration of the sale? Or should I simply forget it if I cannot make the trip on Tue/Wed? Also, do they have additional discounts towards the end of the week? Obviously, I am asking those who’ve done this before or anyone with inside knowledge. Thanks in advance.
this is gonna be a zoo, huh? i kinda prefer the smaller jcrew sales hosted by umm that other company…i forget the name.
9:35am – Line is around the corner & growing fast!
Line is insane
Overheard a sale employee say its mainly womens.
Nacho Broadway’s photo says it all…
http://nachobroadway.tumblr.com/post/13500447863/j-crew-sample-sale-5th-ave-betw-28th-29th-st
Wait till later in the week if there’s not anything you desperately need.
Anon – Line’s indeed prohibitive at the moment, but there’s definitely a nice selection of menswear. Quality stock you wouldn’t have found at past J.Crew sample sales, many of which carried nothin’ but shirting.
Can someone please let me know about price and selection of suits – looking for 40R in charcoal/grey/navy
Sigh….It almost makes you miss the clothingline sales that were up and down but at least you could get into them.
Any general intel anyone can share? Sounds like a decent selection of both men’s and women’s? Do they typically have shoes at a sale like this? Lastly, how much do you miss out if you make it later in the week? Thanks in advance for any insight/advice.
Info here – http://samplesally.com/2011/11/29/inside-the-j-crew-sample-sale/#more-19881
These prices aren’t as good as I was expecting. Really hoping to know if they really do have these suits at 90% off.
I’m hoping that they have some Redwing’s and Quoddy’s, but I know if anything they would be sold out immediately. Is it worth going for their MacAlister boots. I have no idea about their build quality.
I owned a pair of macalister boots. They are comfortable, but make no mistake they are not the quality of Clarks. I wore straight through the sole in about 10 months.
What are the MacAlister boots priced at?
Wow, that is not impressive in the least, even if they’re priced at $65 like at the last sale. Thanks, Joe.
Just got back. Not shabby, but the buzz is maybe excessive. The 260 5th ave location tends to have bigger bark than bite, in my experience. I wonder if that’s intentional on the part of whoever slips this information out. 90% off suits isn’t quite true. Suiting jackets were 130$ across the board but included a pretty nice cross-section of tweeds and flannels. casual sportcoats (mostly in Spring/Summer fabrics) were 60$. Knitwear was I think 35$. I didn’t catch trouser prices, but there were many more suiting jackets than there were trousers and it looked like getting a matching set was not going to happen. Sample sizes, which means 90% 40Rs – 42Rs and Mediums, but there were a few 38s. A couple of size 36′s– like, literally, a couple. One of the staffers suggested that they had a basement of stuff to restock, but take take that for what it is.
MacAllisters were at 65$ and those shortwings that J. Crew cranks out were 100$ a pair; didn’t scan the footwear too heavily, because it was a madhouse.
Lots of outerwear that I found kind of bland. Didn’t catch those prices either, unfortunately.
any word on those suits???
the rain definitely humbled those trying to get in early-on… some uneven pricing leads to items in different classes getting the same price, which means relative deals on some things, and less lustrous savings on others. For men, knitwear was 35 for cotton/wool, 90 for cashmere (mediocre selection) – wool outerwear was 150, all other was 60 (from a thin anorak on up to a lined canvas peacoat, vests, puffers etc and all in between). real trousers were $70 and cords/chinos seemed to be about 25. shirting was $25 (including some CPO styles, impressive) i didn’t really bother with the shoes. it was definitely zoo-like, but the lines for checking out and getting your stuff back were mercifully short.
No real selection of shoes, Just a few chukas and wingtips for 65
suiting as said before is almost all 40-42 occasional 38s
ties are 15 but they are mostly linen summer ones.
Pretty bad. Suit jackets were $130. They were all 40s so I didn’t bother trying to find pants. Definitely not 90% off. Wool outerwear was $150. Sweaters $35. Cashmere $90. A lot of fireman jackets for $60. Unless you’re a M I wouldn’t bother. Shoes were very limited and only j crew brand. Line is still insane.
which chukkas?
the shirt selection is INCREDIBLE – best I have ever seen. and they do have tons of stuff downstairs – I have been here for hours and they keep bringing stuff up
Saw a couple M chambrays for $25. Otherwise most shirts can be had at an end of season sale in the store. I actually saw a few j crew price tags cheaper than the sample prices
@chris I noticed that too… something tagged $29.99 with a new $35 tag on it. pretty funny…
Got there at 9:30am with a 20 min wait, left at 11, wait must be near an hour now. Women are having a feast inside, in the dressing room admired some beautiful bodies indiscriminately liberated in their bra & panties, sorry. Men’s selection was above average, shirts were stellar for $25, 90% mediums indeed. A good amount of everything, however, lacked diversity. I passed on several sweaters due to bagginess in the waist, highlights how crucial the GANT sale is with their ideal fit (rugger & MB). Picked up 5 items for myself; a blue cardigan w/ brown buttons $35, 3 casual dress shirts $25 each and a Fox Brothers wool blazer in glen plaid with suede elbow patches for $130. For my lady friends this xmas; a leopard belt $15 & 6 scarfs $15. Also a buffalo wool scarf for my manager who enjoys hunting. Overall, great sale for Christmas gifts with inexpensive quality wool scarfs, $45 canvas/leather bags & tons of jewelry any women will love. Very organized with overhead Walmart style signs, attentive staff doing their best to restock what the beasts leave on the floor. My haul, satisfied. J.Crew really needs to get their sizing updated.
I got one sweater… Now I see a hole in it. All around bust of a sale. You need a better spy.
I was going to go to grab a cheap pair of MacAlister boots, is there a selection to be had of these boots?
Chukkas?
At 2:30 there is a 20 minute wait in line…. About to walk in
are you required to check your bags, and are they for a fact accepting credit cards? THX
Hey RB, you are required to check your bags. They accept cash and credit.
I purchased a white dress button up ($25), a pin dot tie and a washed black tie ($15 each), laptop briefcase ($40 dollars…It was the only one I saw at the time) and a scarf for my girlfriend ($15). The peacoats and topcoats were 150 and some of their casual jackets were 60 dollars. I am happy with what I purchased but it was madness lol
guys…this is j.crew…get a hold of yourselves.
@Sam NO U
i really dont get what all the complaining is about. I have a feeling its the same people who
missed the good finds at GANT and are still sour about it.
Look; its a great sale. Some of the outerwear and suiting is priced a little high, but so it is.
Amazing selection of shirts, ties, shoes, sweaters, etc.
If you didnt find anything good; you weren’t looking hard enough.
yeah man, you’d be mad not to go.
Just came back. 5 min wait outside in the rain. Go if you’re a 40R or in the market for a Baywater Peacoat because there were lots of those in stock in all sizes with thinsulate. Don’t go expecting a good suit selection, but it’s worth a trip if you don’t mind the uncomfortably packed room and doing some digging to find stuff. Re-stocking is sort of a crap shoot, no set times.
I am sorry, but anyone who says this was amazing is delusional. J. Crew is an affordable brand already. With the exception of the chambrays (which were very limited) I can get most of the shirts for $25 if I just wait for a normal sale with the extra 30% or 40% off that they offer all the time. $25 is not a good price. $150 for a peacoat? They were cheaper than that last winter after Christmas. All of the shoes can be had for the same price on sale on the website if you keep an eye out. The only good deal I saw was a mislabeled cashmere cardigan that was in the $35 section. Of course it was a M and didn’t fit.
follow up to all the 40R talk.
MOST of the suiting is 40R. But there are 36′s, 38′s, 40′s, 44′s.
I got a 38R Aldridge, and a 38R Ludlow, and a 44L Ludlow (for my dad).
BUT. good luck finding matching pants.
Useless for those that are small or x’s. The majority of stuff is medium. Prices are OK. Slightly better then jcrew sales section but murchndise has been picked over extensively
I agree with Chris.
The deals were not that special.
Similar or less prices can be had at the end of season sales.
If they knock down the price another 40 percent then I think it may be more worth the wait.
Great selection. I bought a few Thomas Mason for J. Crew slim dress shirts for $25 each. Bought a winter coat for 60, a fall medium weight coat for 60, a wool blazer for 130 and some ties for 15.
Great selection of medium and 40R for mens. Nice suit options.