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That was the Lyons “look” and thus the J.Crew look, one that could be best described as “high-low.” Clever, unexpected mash-ups like cargo pants with stilettos, a sequined blazer with jeans, and a T-shirt topped by chandelier earrings taught an entire generation of women how to dress confidently and on a budget—and without looking like a fashion victim. There was always a sense of balance and comfort, and an aversion to taking things “too far.” In the years since, what we consider to be “good style” tends to have a bit of that high-low sensibility; we just don’t label it as such. The girl wearing a suit and sneakers arguably looks “more stylish” than the one in a suit and four-inch pumps. Spontaneity and humor might be Lyons’s most lasting contributions to fashion.
The decade-spanning Lyons era ended in 2017 after J.Crew reported three years of declining revenue; Drexler and the men’s designer Frank Muytjens were out, too. At the time, J.Crew had been accused of losing touch with its customers. It was too expensive, too fashion-forward, and the quality seemed to be slipping. Lately, it feels like it’s trying to be everything to everyone—here’s a nautical sweater! a slip skirt! a prairie dress! a tie-dyed hoodie! a smart blazer!—but actually resonating with very few. When J.Crew reissued my all-time favorite leather sandals last year, I ordered three pairs, but they hardly felt the same; these were cheap and impenetrably stiff, nothing like the shoes I’d lived in for five years.
The sad truth is that J.Crew has likely been forced to make concessions to keep up with the swell of competitors it’s come up against. In the 2010s, women who shopped at J.Crew also started shopping at fast-fashion behemoths like Zara and Topshop; then came the direct-to-consumer companies hawking “luxurious basics” with modern, millennial-friendly branding; and then there’s the fact that with e-commerce and social media, we have more options—and distractions—than ever. J.Crew began its now-infamous markdowns as a result, and the company inadvertently trained customers to only buy something when it was marked 30% off.
The biggest problem might be that J.Crew romantics—this writer included—somehow expect it to recreate its early successes. If it happened once, can’t it happen again? Not exactly. The fashion landscape has shifted dramatically since 2003, when Drexler arrived at J.Crew. Even since 2010, when Michelle Obama was wearing J.Crew in the White House, much has changed. The Lyons era I remember so fondly was a moment in time, one that Lyons herself is probably happy to leave behind her; she has other projects to focus on now.