Stafford JC Penney Brand ?

[ChazfromCali]

I do a lot of thrift store shopping, places like Value Village, etc. I see Stafford suits and sport coats quite often. I've never bought one but they seem to be of a pretty nice quality. What I mean is they seem to have a definite standard of quality versus a lot of the other oddball and weird stuff in there.

I have bought some Stafford ties though, I'm happy with them. I have a honey hole where I go south of Portland, they just never seem to run out of cool ties.

 

[captzak]

Been wearing them for years. I have two of their suits, a number of vests, and just picked up a topcoat a few days ago. Their suits fit me well off the rack and have only required the sleeves to be shortened an inch. I purchased a tuxedo from Penny's about three years ago, although that was a J. Ferrar and not Stafford. Still a great tuxedo that needed no alteration. I purchased it during a "Door Buster" event for 75% off. I couldn't pass it up.

 

[Barefoot Friar]

I've bought suits from Penney's before, but not Stafford. I'll try one on next time I'm in the area. But I have worn their ties, about six or seven years ago, and I utterly hated them. They were too flimsy, and the silk outer layer was not fused to the inner stiffener, such that once tied the tie twisted itself over. And that was assuming I could tie it; the loose, flimsy fabric was difficult to get tied correctly. I've not bought another one. Now that I wear a clergy collar most of the time, I doubt I ever will.

St. John's Bay used to be a good brand, comparable to Land's End in their heyday. I got an SJB flannel shirt for Christmas last year that shrunk ridiculously the first time I washed it. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[FedOregon]

I was at a local thrift store recently and saw a nice suit there, so I pulled it open and saw it was a Stafford suit. I remembered this thread and thought, yeah, this is a fairly high quality suit. No idea as to age of the suit but it looked very good for the $36 price tag on it. Not my size, though...

 

[Silverstreak]

I've only seen Stafford suits occasionally in my thrifting travels. Of those they are usually old, with low gorges, coarse fabric and wide lapels. The current crop in store is a much nicer cut.

 

[Sonero]

I've only seen Stafford suits occasionally in my thrifting travels. Of those they are usually old, with low gorges, coarse fabric and wide lapels. The current crop in store is a much nicer cut.

Yes. I see some of those on Ebay. Definitely the older models.

I own maybe 6 Stafford Suits now but don't have anyplace to wear them as of yet I think I will break one in on my next plane travel. Would like to join the mile high club at some point in my life !

 

[FedOregon]

I wore one of my sports jackets this morning and just realized it's a Stafford jacket. Nice jacket and it looks completely unworn. I got it at Goodwill last month for $9.99. It's pretty snippy paired with some coyote brown slacks, a blue-grey Polo button down shirt and a Valentino tie... well, and a taupe 50's Royal Stetson (newly refurb'd by Bob Jesse at Black Sheep Hat Works) and my $19.99 NWT blem London Fog raincoat.

 

[FedOregon]

The jacket is simply a Stafford Options sportscoat. Made in the Dominican Republic, it's a funky blended fabric of 65/35 polyester/wool. I guess, at least, it'll wear long.

 

[Sonero]

^ It looks like a Ralph Lauren tweed.

JCP has good designers. I was crushed when I heard that they were closing several stores recently.

 

[FedOregon]

Our local Penneys is still here. I was surprised it made the cut, actually, as this is a smallish town of about 35,000 people.

 

[Sonero]

Our local Penneys is still here. I was surprised it made the cut, actually, as this is a smallish town of about 35,000 people.

I just went to mine today since I was in the neighborhood. It looks like mine might be going out of business. There were sale racks with big red signs on them everywhere and the stock seemed low to me.

At least I did some back up buys to last awhile and as far as I know the online store isn't going anywhere.

Know your size !

 

[Evan Everhart]

I have been buying Stafford brand dress shirts for a few years now. The designs and colors blow me away.

Since then I have purchased Stafford underwear...also blown away by the quality of their white t's.

Then I got into their Sportcoats. They have a button issue on many of them. They make a great affordable sports jacket but they ruin some of them by button choices. Go for the plain button designs.

St. John's Bay polo shirts ( JC Penney house brand ?) on sale now are better or equal quality to current BrooksBrothers 346 and Golden Fleece models...just no logo. They go great with sport coats.

Lastly I was in desperate need of dress pants ( that I can use with my sport coats.) Many are machine washable and have a comfort waistband. I purchased 12 pair. They are fantastic.

Anyone else a Stafford fan here ?

I am a bit of a Stafford fan, as I worked at JCP when I was younger. Haha! Buuut....I can't put any sort of a stamp on them for premier quality, though if you feel that their current quality of polo shirts is comparable to the Brothers Brooks, I'd have to say that it would be more of a negative comment on the decline of BB's quality than a comment on the pre-eminent quality of JCP, over all. That said; I have quite a few of their SJB polos and work shirts, and do find them nice, if rather baggy in most instances, the material is of excellent quality, over all. I do really like their executive line as an affordable option for reasonable quality in shirts and fabrics, also their traveler line for its rather classic shirts. Their all wool gabardine slacks are serviceable (though not with a high enough rise to be really all that desirable, but not low enough to be vulgar and modern, and I have 2 pairs, I would never in a million years buy their neckties.....Yuck. Plebe of the plebe.

I did however recently get a new blazer from them which I kind of like (unfortunately poly lined - going to have it re-lined), and all wool lambs-wool soft hop-sack, in burgundy/wine, that I took the pedestrian brass plate Stafford crest buttons off of immediately, and replaced with black (with purple, green, pink, blue, and red flecks) MOP buttons, and it looks rather nice, though as with all coats sourced from Stafford, the arm holes are a bit too deep for my taste.....Anyway, it was clearance at $38. Who am I to complain?! Aaaaand my wife wanted to get me something and we were at the mall after dinner on our anniversary.....Anyway. YES, they do have some nice stuff, but kind of a 7 on the meh meter, mostly. Sorry to rant.

 

[Evan Everhart]

I just miss American Living. About six, eight years ago it was a sort of trad/Ivy league inspired line. Many of my nice shirts and some ties/accessories in college were all AL. Of particular value to me were their line of broadcloth contrast collar French cuff shirts. Unfortunately JC discontinued the line not that long after they introduced it for reasons I don't know. I'm fairly certain that it was really made by the same folks who do their Stafford stuff, so I'm hopeful they'll bring it back, but I'm not holding my breath.

American Living was Ralph Lauren for JCP. It was a DARK Day when they ceased carrying that gorgeous line. They stopped carrying it because of that A**-Hat that they hired from Apple (who also blew many millions of dollars trying to pay himself via his stock dividends by trying to switch all payment points in their retail stores for Ipad related systems, and made everything too modern, and decided that American Living's vintage Ralph Lauren look and style were both too fuddy-duddy for his stupid hipster aesthetic that he wanted to introduce to the store to attract younger "hip" customers instead of wooing and supporting long standing JCP customers who are typically more affluently middle class, 30 somethings to middle aged or even retired customers who were an Exceedingly loyal customer base 'till his over-haul. He nearly bankrupted the company before they fired him to bring back the old CEO, who's been picking up the pieces ever since. American Living was the Best line that JCP every carried in recent memory. I still have PILES of their shirts, ties, belts, jackets, trousers, accessories, and etc., both formal and casual, and let us NOT forget their beautiful knit-wear. The American Living line was under special contract/licensure as a non-signature RL Line in house for JCP. I doubt that the relationship could be mended, as it might definitely be out of the price point range that JCP could now source for and support with their debt to asset ratio, as well as the ever ascending price point of anything RL. I still get teary eyed thinking about the death of that brand. Especially their tattersall shirts, and their poor man's classic BB styled shirts (the ties were a little long, if still Luxe, and Classic). Drool.......

 

[Evan Everhart]

I just went to mine today since I was in the neighborhood. It looks like mine might be going out of business. There were sale racks with big red signs on them everywhere and the stock seemed low to me.

At least I did some back up buys to last awhile and as far as I know the online store isn't going anywhere.

Know your size !

I think I'd cry if I lost my Penneys.....Dang. There are 3 within an hour of me, but still. I've got a lot of sentimentality for the store, and I got my first suit that my great-Grandma didn't make for me from, you guessed it; Penneys! A black DB 4/2 broadcloth. I remember being confused that they didn't have self tie ties like great-Grandma used to make for me. Just clip on monstrosities......In lurid colors......By the way, if you watch The Long Goodbye starring Elliott Gould, there's a great little jibe on his JCP Necktie (which actually isn't that bad, just hilarious in light of my long-standing experiences with JCP ties!)

 

[Evan Everhart]

I'm a thrift store shopper so I can't speak to the current product, but I'm a fan of their older sportcoats. Nice quality cloth and I believe they were still using canvas and making in the USA long after other brands were fusing and had moved production overseas. Plus I am very square shouldered and their cut seems to be much better suited (pun intended) to me than many other makers. I have read good things about their current production shirts, white goods and even shoes on other websites.

Michael

Their suits and dress shirts are mostly made in Mexico, and I believe some parts of Vietnam or some such, but all dress shirts regardless, are sourced from Mexico. I remember watching the video on it when I worked there.

 

[Evan Everhart]

I just can't imagine not having shirt cuffs in my jacket sleeves. Well, I can imagine it, but it's a disturbing thought. The last time I wore a blazer with something short-sleeved under it, I was walking home from school sports day and wore my school blazer over my P.E. kit. Not a particularly dignified look.

All a matter of taste I'm sure.

That's what long-sleeved polo shirts are for, ditto to fitted and tapered jacket sleeves. I'm wearing a short-sleeve polo underneath one of my beautifully tailored sport-coats, and you honestly wouldn't know, if I didn't mention it. It is indeed a classic look from the "Golden Era". It's all in the aplomb, and your own comfort level with the pairing.

 

[Evan Everhart]

I just thought of something; now, having worked at JCP, I have tried on every brand that they have carried within the past 10 years (some while I worked there, and others subsequently on whims), and here's what I could hope and wish and pray for; JF J Ferrar jackets (with their corresponding snazzy styling, and rather high arm-holes, and usually available waist-coats, made up in Stafford woolens, and with Stafford brand trousers (which always rise higher and are better made anyway). I know, an impossibility; but a guy can dream, can't he? Or, failing that, they could re-up with American Living and make ALL of our wishes come true again; Low Cost Ralph Lauren, like the golden Days of the Polo Line (in styling)! Oh, and discontinue the Billy London, and Steve Harvey lines, if they still carry those; YUCK. Also, has anyone else noticed that Arizona Jeans Co. has stopped making their snap button cowboy shirts? WTH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!