Old Navy vs. J. Crew--where should you buy the basics?

Old Navy & J. Crew both carry tons of cotton basics--t-shirts, crewnecks, t-necks, & cardigans--my guess is you have a few in your closet now. Basics at J. Crew & J. Crew Factory typically cost a little more than those at Old Navy. 
Is it worth it to spend a bit more? 

My friend biologist Rachel Willard decided to do a roughly scientific comparison of the two. Rachel picked a basic she wears all the time--the black cardigan--& ordered one from Old Navy & one from J. Crew Factory. 

Here are her findings:

"The Old Navy cardigan arrived first, which probably made it easy to like. It was a nice, dark black, fit well (even the arms were long enough), & had a good amount of stretch to it. The buttons were on firmly, & it didn't seem to gape or bunch anywhere. 

I wore it one day over a dress, & it was OK wearing it. I had a hard time figuring out how to button or unbutton it to wear it--having it partially buttoned meant that it flapped in strange ways, rather than lay flat. 

Old Navy Women's Lightweight Cardigan, $15 minus 15%

When the J. Crew one arrived about a week later (how's that for taking a while to ship?), I pulled it out of the bag. Immediately, I noticed that the buttons were much higher quality, with an antique look to them. The sweater actually had 3/4 sleeves, rather than full sleeves, which was fine with me, although I didn't see it on the website. It seemed a lot smaller than the Old Navy sweater, despite the fact that I ordered a medium from both places. The waist was a bit shorter, it was more fitted, & the best part...the material was thicker & silkier. If it were sheets, I'd say that it had a higher thread count & was made from Egyptian cotton, rather than just run of the mill cotton. 
I was still skeptical, despite the cute buttons & silky material. (Both are 100% cotton.) 

---

"If it were sheets, I'd say that it had a higher thread count & was made from Egyptian cotton, rather than just run of the mill cotton." 
                                                              --Rachel Willard

J. Crew Factory Clare Cardigan, $24.50

So, a day later, I wore it to work over a sleeveless blouse. It was a miracle. That silky sweater melded to fit me just perfectly. I left it unbuttoned. It rested perfectly with no flopping or flapping. It was tapered in a flattering way, & the waist hit at the perfect spot. I buttoned it up to see how it looked - perfect. Practically - perfect.

The final test was a run on cold through the washer & dried flat. Both maintained their shape, although the J. Crew sweater looked EXACTLY like it had before it was laundered. The Old Navy sweater wasn't as vivid anymore, & it seemed to lose most of its stretch. 

So, the tally.... the Old Navy sweater (on sale with free shipping) was $15. The J. Crew sweater was (on sale with free shipping) $20. I was happy enough with the Old Navy sweater until I wore the J. Crew one. It made the Old Navy one look cheap, less flattering, & the washing machine told the tale of the lesser fabric. I think that the Old Navy sweater is probably OK if you plan to just wear it once or twice. I feel like a lot of their clothes are practically disposable. 
The J. Crew sweater will last me years, I'm sure. Definitely worth an extra five bucks."

Postscript: Rachel returned the Old Navy cardi because of the fading. The cashier said that they get a lot of their black items returned for that reason. 




Where do you buy your basics?







You may also like...

The basic black pant: 
Christie vs. Kate

---