Sick of your standard J-Crew wardrobe but you like the style? Check out the new Margaret Howell collection for just that extra touch of class.

After seeing a ton of Essie’s bright nail polishes on J.Crew models for recent ad campaigns, the label has let loose some exciting news. The company is reportedly selling a select few of the Essie polishes in their stores! Stocking up for the fall, J. Crew is selling colors “One of Kind” and “Eternal Optimist”.

LINKAGE: Style

I am normally a big Steven Alan supporter, but I don’t know how I feel about this latest Fall collection. I love Steven for the colors that are usually used. The collections always seemed to be bright and unique no matter what the season was, but this Fall gets a bit dark and practical. The dullled down earthy palette has me thinking J Crew not Steven Alan.

Gallery: Steven Alan: Fall 2009 Collection

via Men’s Rag

It’s time to get cleaned up and classy with the new George McCracken Fall 2009 Collection. The collection is mostly plain solid pieces that are teamed with sharp jackets and sweaters. Looking to step up your J. Crew jammed wardrope? George McCracken is your man.

Gallery: George McCracken: Fall 2009 Collection

Courtesy of: The Fashionisto

Madewell, the store for J. Crew-lovin’ teens, has released some looks for Spring 2009.

They’re pretty, but nothing too earth-shattering. It’s mostly staple-oriented, basics like distressed jeans, shrunken blazers.  They work in some trends with a leather jacket and lots of fringe. 

GALLERY: Madewell Spring 2009 Lookbook.

Dunderdon has created yet another collection that seems to have one leg on the side of fashionable, and the other on the side of the everyday man. The collection plays with its pairing of fashionable accessories like a pocket square or skinny tie, with an everyday man type look of a khaki short or navy pant. The collection it’s self reminds me a lot of a J. Crew look, with a trendier color palette. Keep an eye out for this collection if you need those staple pieces for a casual Spring outting.

Thanks to Selectism for the images.

Another design trio managed to hit the nail on the head once again, as the team of Scott Barclay, David Hickman, and Nick Thomas managed to produce an amazing collection for their company Idol Radec. Moving into their third season of production Idol Radec has created their best yet. This Spring collection is the perfect blend of leisure and business, with just the right amount of trendy. Designed for the American man, Idol Radec is definitely for the man who enjoys a J. Crew or Ralph Lauren look, but doesn’t want to be a name brand sell out. This is also a good collection for the skinnier silhouetted male who isn’t juiced up on steroids, like the frat “bros” that some other main stream brands may market to. Since the company is so young their website is on the way, but they do include links to their Myspace page as well.

Thanks to The Fashionisto for the images.

I think the title of this J. Crew book more or less covers the basis of this one. Max Blagg writes and Hugo Guiness illustrates this guide to a more sophisticated man. Now I wouldn’t go following this book like some sort of religious document, but it always nice to brush up on a few finer things in life (and plus girls like guys who are a bit rough around the edges). This book will give you 50 tips on becoming a more majestic man, and give you some solid conversation pieces as well. Head over to the J. Crew store for your own copy for the amazingly low price of $20.

The new J-Crew ads are supposed to be some what reminiscent of every one’s favorite show, Gossip Girl. Uh What? Lets assume that the girl is supposed to be Serena, besides never being seen in J-Crew, she would be decked out in a flashier dress. That Baby Ruth looking piece of shit is not fitting of a Van der Woodsen. I hope that guy in the middle isn’t supposed to be Chuck Bass, mostly because he never wears jeans, and that mix and mash display of dressy and farm boy looks awful. Last but not least, that ugly screen print dress is not fitting of the one and only Blair Waldorf, she would probably slap that poor girl’s eyes round for even trying to look like her. Sorry J-Crew not even you can hack it in the Upper East Side, go back to strip malls in Pennsylvania where you belong.

Old Navy is desperate to seem hip. So much so that they would use a trend that’s on its last legs in their new ad campaign. Like J.Crew before them, Old Navy has their models wearing glasses in their new ads. Geek-chic?! Really? We’re over it!

If you haven’t noticed, J. Crew is trying to get rid of their preppy reputation, instead trying to go for a hybrid preppy-hipster look. If you take a look at their site every model have these J.Crew designed geek classes. These glasses could be yours for the very hipster-price of $325. Yes, $325 bucks. My advice would be just to go to a thrift store. But for all you nouveau riche-preppy-hipsters these are the glasses for you!

Geek-Glasses-This-Way

J. Crew collaborates with the British maker of hand-made traveling cases and trunks, Globe-Trotter. Their partnership goes even further introducing a six-piece line of luggage in a black and tan color-way with gold hardware.

We like the Globe-Trotter Centenary 21″ trolley case, retailing for $1,800, which like rest of the Globe-Trotter’s line, has been designed to withstand the weight of a one-ton elephant (because that happens often) and the rigors of travel. Made in England, it’s available (along with the other pieces) in limited quantities from J. Crew.

Looks to me like this the look is similar to that of LV. And at that price, you might as well buy a Louis, or save a Malawian village, or buy an elephant to then sit on someone else’s suitcase. Seriously, it’s pretty ridiculous that J.Crew is attempting to luxifying their offering, especially considering that the Crew has been out of sync with customers for nearly a decade now.

Skip the suitcase. It’s only of nutcases.

Looking for ambient, retail friendly music to pump through your store this season?  Look no further than Ready Aim Fire, a unique group of soundmasters that are filling the sound space of DKNY, J Crew and Kenneth Cole stores this season.

I never thought about the idea of music trends in fashion, I see the connection on runways when models walk in unison to music from hot artists, but it seems that the trend is hitting retail as well.

The group seems to be this seasons flavor, with tracks playing in stores and the group performing live at Ralph Lauren’s East Hampton location on June 21st.

The tracks are very background perfect, relaxing and indiefific.