J Crew has been trying some interesting new things lately (likely in an attempt to combat recent major money issues). One of those interesting new things is their recent launch of a new “Untucked” fit for their casual shirts. They don’t offer many shirts in this fit right now, but they do have a few, including some stretch fabrics. The shirts are designed to look better when worn casually and untucked than their regular casual shirts, as they are cut with a shorter hem designed to be worn untucked. In an age of custom, made-to-measure online shirting easily and affordably available (and even companies like UNTUCKit, love them or hate them), it makes sense for J Crew to start offering more precise and specialty sizing. But did they do it right with their new Untucked shirts? How do they actually fit and feel? How do they look? Read on for our comprehensive review.
A close-up of the fabric
Style & Design
Like I said above, J Crew does not offer many shirts right now in their Untucked fit. Still, the few that they do offer look quite nice. They offer the classics like a blue or white poplin, as well as some nice, more colorful plaids. For our review, we went with a nice light blue gingham that has stretch (the fabric also has some elastane in it). I happen to really like this shirt. There is more depth to it than a typical, plain gingham with a heather to the fabric. The light color is also very nice, and goes with just about everything. It’s styled with a breast pocket, and the typical on-the-smaller side J Crew button-down collar. In all, as far as the style and design is concerned, this is a classic, typical J Crew casual shirt. No surprises here at all.
Quality & Construction
If you have ever bought a casual shirt from J Crew — and what guy hasn’t? — then you know what you are dealing with here. These shirts are well made, but nothing luxurious. The stitching is all neat and clean, the buttons are plastic, but well-sewn, and the fabric is solid and comfortable. Again, no surprises here. It’s a J Crew shirt. End of story.
Although I should take a moment to speak about the stretch fabric, which I really like a lot. More and more companies are offering shirts (and other products) in “technical” fabrics, or fabrics that include some sort of stretch or moisture-wicking properties. And, why not? It makes clothing more wearable, more comfortable, and more durable. And this J Crew shirt is absolutely super comfortable. It is, hands down, one of the better stretch fabrics I have tried. It’s super soft and smooth, has a surprising amount of stretch and mobility, but also does not give any indication whatsoever that it is a stretch fabric. It looks just like any other shirt, it’s just way more comfortable. Kudos to J Crew on this. They did a great job with their stretch fabric.
The Fit
(I am 6’1” and 165 lbs., and usually wear a size S or 15” shirt in the slimmest fit available.)
And now, with that other stuff out of the way, the moment you have all been waiting for: the fit details. For a shirt that is advertised and designed all around the fit — and a specific kind of fit, at that — how does this shirt actually fit? J Crew says that their Untucked fit is “based on [their] Slim fit, with a shorter hem meant to be worn untucked.” But, what exactly does that mean? Should you get this shirt if you, like me, like to wear your button down shirts untucked pretty often? What can you expect when you get this shirt, and who is it really for?
Well, for starters, I went with a size Small, which is what I usually order from J Crew. In truth, I don’t own or wear many J Crew shirts as they don’t usually fit me very well (a bit too long in the body, but too short in the sleeves, and too roomy in the chest/waist). I wondered if their new Untucked fit would fit me better. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. If anything, it fits worse. Of course, fit is different for everyone, though, so here here is all the detail about the exact fit, and a comparison to some other shirts to give you a better sense of how the J Crew Untucked shirts fit:
Note: All shirts in this chart were washed, and therefore slightly shrunk, except for the Untucked J Crew shirt. So, factor in the slightest amount of shrinkage (or more, if you machine dry your shirts) for the Untucked fit measurements.
The chest and waist in the Untucked fit is slightly roomier than the typical J Crew Slim fit, which is likely what J Crew means when they say that the Untucked fit is “based” on the Slim fit. It’s also a slim cut, but not quite as slim. The sleeves on this Untucked fit shirt are also shorter by about an inch than their regular Slim fit casual shirts. For a taller guy like me, the result is comical, and reason number one why I would never be able to wear these shirts. The length of the shirt is one inch shorter than J Crew's regular Slim fit or BR’s Grant fit. On me, personally, this actually results in a better fit than their regular Slim fit does in terms of length, but, again, everyone will be different here, so apply this info to your own shirts and measurements before buying. (Indeed, some might even say that the J Crew Untucked is too short on me, preferring the look of the slightly longer BR Grant Fit, which is the same length as the J Crew Slim fit.)
Price, Value & Conclusion
These shirts will run you $59.50 each at full retail, but J Crew always runs sales, so they can surely be had for less (think the $40’s range at least). If you are a tall, skinny guy like me, keep walking. These shirts won’t fit you at all. They are even roomier than the regular J Crew Slim fit, and the sleeves are comically short. Plus, the shorter hem length might be too short, depending on how you like it. If you are a shorter guy and like wearing your casual shirts untucked, these might well just be the perfect shirt for you. Just be aware that they do fit slightly differently than the typical J Crew Slim fit in more than just the inch-shorter hem. In the end, if these shirts work for you, they are very reasonably priced, extremely comfortable, and bring all the known and reliable quality of the J Crew you know and love.