Thursday, February 21, 2013

JGIC Product Review: My Housekeeper Broke Up With Me

A big "thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who is graciously reviewing Men's items from J.Crew with us. In this review, he looks at several J.Crew items for men:
Cue Taylor Swift ..... "We are never ever getting back together" ..... mood set?  Okay here it is.

For the past year and a half I've had a housekeeper/cleaning lady.  Every two weeks she'd clean the house from top to bottom.  All for the reasonable price of $100.  Then she suddenly stopped showing up.  I sent a text and no response; does this mean it's over?  And if so back my spouse and I go to cleaning the house Sunday mornings after watching CBS Sunday Morning and having coffee together.  Imagine the fun of bonding over cleaning products, micro cleaning cloths and a job well done.

So she ditched us; then I started to do the math and thought hey now, look what I can buy!  That small $100 every two weeks was $200/month and better yet, $2400 a year, after taxes.  Which is well north of $3000 before deductions.  Nothing to sneeze at.  The options were endless; trips, new TVs, reno for a room in the house, but as this is a J.Crew blog here's what I'd like to do.

Ludlow suit in Prince of Wales check in Italian flannel.  This suit is killer, a patterned fabric in ever so soft wool.  Not too loud a look, more classic that makes a guy stand out against the sea of navy and solid grey suits.  The jacket #22259 and pants #22274 come to about $800 Canadian, something I'd have a had hard time justifying before the split, but now that she's left me why not?  A Thomas Mason shirt in a solid blue, say the #31736 in peri, in the Ludlow cut would look great against the grey suit.  The tie needs to give the look a little punch, otherwise it may be a little too tame.  So I think the silk tie #36982 in azalea; basically a solid navy tie with a bright fuchsia stripe would look great.  I'm close to $1000 Canadian now without the nasty taxes and I still need shoes.

Time to economize and skip buying a new belt, I bought two this fall both the stitched edge belt #16137, one in black the other in dark caramel.  But since I'm flush with cash I want some 'nice' shoes.  The Alred Sargent Balmoral cap toes #46794 look good, but they are only in black and I wear brown shoes over 80% of the time.  They're nice but if I'm spending $600 I want what I want, Aldens.  Incredibly beautiful shoes, made in the US, and sadly no shipping to Canada, but since I'm dreaming I'll get these in either cordovan bluchers #20767 for $661 American or the cordovan chukkas for $650.

Now I still have some cash and need to finish this look off with the wire stripe tie clip for $88 and a pocket square for $45 in white and pen stripe #61576.  Damn I look good!

The reality is the money will go elsewhere, car rental in Maui and a helicopter tour of the island and some other incidentals next month, but it's fun to dream right?  But now I have to go scrub the kitchen floor.
Another fantastic review! "Thanks!" again to J.Crew Guy In Canada for his great post on what he plans to do with his "extra spending cash".
 
If you had extra money to spend on J.Crew, which pieces would you get? Are there any pieces that you saved up for? If so, please share with us your review. :)

12 comments:

  1. This piece cracked me up but I'm really sorry about your housekeeper. I understand. I grew up with one but sadly now I have to do my own chores. Sigh.

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    1. Ooooh totally missed the question. Upon a sudden windfall the piece I'd snap up right now would be the Collection Mia dress. No, not for a wedding. Just a 'dream' summer cruise on a private yacht, why not? Looks like the perfect summer dress to me.

      But since I'm not in la-la land, I'd probably end up with the now sold out Hummingbird floral dress.

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  2. Hilarious. Have fun in Maui, JCGIC! :)

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  3. This was so funny! Sorry about the break-up JCGIC.
    That suit would be darling I'm sure but Maui sounds pretty good too.

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  4. I do recommend going to Hana on Maui and spending the night. Specifically the Hana Kai, with an ocean facing view.

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  5. I'd get the biennial hobo in that delicious taupe color. And then I'd buy one of the multicolor flower lattice necklaces off eBay that are going for over $300, because that's how much I want one! If only I could get rid of my pesky student loan payment... the possibilities!

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  6. Thanks for the laugh, JCGIC! I would definitely take Maui over anything else. Have a great trip!

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  7. What a funny post, JCGIC! I think the trip to Maui sounds like the perfect choice! Have a wonderful time!

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  8. An engagement is hopefully on the horizon for me and like many typical women in this stage, I started looking at the J. Crew wedding dresses and fell in love with the Serena, it was $2100. I'm still hoping against hope to find it at one of the sample sales I sometimes go too. If I do find it at a sale, I'm buying it regardless!

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  9. Well, nice to have a little cash back in your pocket, but I'd use some of that to change your locks too. A house cleaner that just up and vanishes?! Yikes!

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  10. Too funny, but sad to say, your housekeeper likely got deported. And, I agree ....you better change those locks asap! Oh, and I would buy cashmere sweaters for my niece and nephew and tell them they could wear them in the sandbox. :)

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