If you're interested in coats, I would say get them online because they do go on sale online, and Thinsulate is only available online. Their coats aren't very warm if you don't have the Thinsulate, but if you get it, they are extremely warm! My rule of thumb with J.Crew is that if I really love something and will be upset if I don't get it, I'll pay full price. But if it's something that I like but won't be heartbroken if I miss out on it, I wait until it goes on sale, and take my chances.
My favorite thing about the wedding collection might be the prices- the chiffon dress I chose for my 'maids was $165, and I sent them the private sale coupon so they got 20% off of that. I feel like as hard as the bride tries to pick a dress the maids can wear again, it's never a guarantee that they will actually wear it. Since they have to buy the dress, I wanted to get something that they would be able to wear again, and that is flattering, but not expensive. These fit the bill perfectly!! A note for when you plan your wedding, be sure to go see the dresses in person or request swatches of the fabrics and colors you're considering. They show up very different in person vs. online. For example, warm wisteria, one of the spring/summer colors this year, looked like an antiquey dusty lavender on line- in person, it was a very easter-y, springy color. If I had ordered based on the website I would have been very disappointed! Also, the navies are very dark in person in the tricotine and chiffon, less so in the cotton, in my experience. However they are sooo great about sending swatches! I actually love their 'maids dresses so much, I bought the chiffon Juliet (strapless) in grey to wear as a guest to a wedding I attended recently. It's classic, and I can dress it up with accessories or down with a cardigan.
As for the bridal gowns, my main criteria was that the dress be flattering and classic. I loved that I could have gotten that for as little as $350, but I also got to see dresses costing upwards of $2K when I went to the store. Some of the dresses are a little wacky for my taste, like the ones with all the ruffles, but most of them are classic and gorgeous. One other note if you do go with a J.Crew dress for yourself, I was not impressed with the silk tricotine gowns. In white, the seams tend to show through a little- not a huge deal, might not even show up in your wedding photos, but I know it would have made me crazy. That was not a problem with any of the other dresses, though. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, planning will drive you crazy but it's also sooo much fun!!
PS Does anyone have the watercolor leopard pencil skirt? It literally took my breath away when I saw it in the store, the print is so gorgeous and I can see it going with so many things.... need it!
We gotta get together soon. I'm going to drag Surly up to the big city
