Have you met Jack yet? He’s a personal shopper for mens at J.Crew. And this Valentine’s Day, he offers some great advice for gift-giving.

Do I have to get someone I just started dating a Valentine’s Day gift (and if so, what)?

Whatever you do, don’t ignore the holiday—that holds whether you’re going on date number 3 or 300. While it might seem like a trite celebration to you, it’s not to her, so plan on acknowledging it in some way. If you want to do something that’s more of a token than an outright statement, consider flowers and chocolates—there’s a good reason why they’re a cliché: they always work.

To make your sweets a little less expected, pass on the heart-shaped box from the drug store and go with something from an upscale chocolate shop or gourmet grocer (classic macaroons in fancy wrapping are my go-to). If you feel comfortable making more of a declaration, I’d go with jewelry—I don’t know a single woman who feels she has too much of it, and it comes at all price points (and better yet, it’s one size fits all, so you avoid that potentially messy gauntlet).

Black Almond Truffle Candle, $22.50

Mélange ribbon necklace, $118.00, Item 23676

Flutter-flower clutch, $128.00, Item 24808

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J.Crew recently introduced a new feature in the Mens section of the website called, “Jack knows best.”

For any questions related to mens fashion and styling, Jack has got it covered. On the site, there are some questions and answers from Jack. I found the following question about wearing white after Labor Day to be relevant given the holiday was yesterday.

I think it’s great the mens collection has their very own dedicated email address. The bridal collection has ashley@jcrew.com. CrewCuts has melanie@crewcutkids.com. The personal shopping consultant is erica@jcrew.com.

If you have something to ask Jack, you can email him at jack@jcrew.com.

Can I wear white jeans after Labor Day?

Absolutely. White or wheat-colored denim works year-round, despite what the old rule says. As soon as it gets colder,wear them with sturdy boots (right now I’m particularly attached to my Red Wings) and heavy gauge sweaters or a great tweed sportcoat.

The Laundress New York® for J.Crew denim detergent, $16.00, Item 23450

White denim Vintage slim-fit jean, $98.00, Item 93117

Vintage slim-fit garment-dyed jean in wheat, $98.00, Item 12220

Superior Labor engineer 2way canvas tote, $350.00, Item 19473

Cotton canvas. Leather trim, handles and removable, adjustable shoulder strap. Oversized-zip closure. Brass hardware. Exterior leather back-wall patch pocket. Interior front-wall patch pocket. A Collector’s Item. Made in Japan. Shoulder strap with leather shoulder pad fully extends to 29″. 3 1/2″ handle drop. 15″H x 20 1/2″W x 6 1/2″D. Available in select stores.

J.Crew has partnered with Superior Labor to carry their Engineer 2way Canvas Tote. This is a very exciting collaboration for J.Crew as these bags are not available for purchase anywhere else in the US.

Selectism and A Continuous Lean have both featured this bag on their sites.

Would you get this bag for the man in your life?

Yesterday, J.Crew opened its third Mens Only store yesterday. The first one opened in NYC last year; the second one is in New Jersey. J.Crew announced plans for this third Mens Only store last October.

Over at A Continuous Lean, there is a sneak peek of the store with some great pictures!

Here are the details for the store if you plan on visiting soon:

New York Broadway 
484 Broadway NY 10013
212 343 1227 

Richard Haines will be at the store this weekend and he’ll create a sketch of anything that you’d like! Check out his personal blog What I Saw Today!

Michael over at A Continuous Lean, had the opportunity to vist J.Crew offices where he got a sneak peek of the Spring 2009 Lookbook.

I have posted the photos here with his permission. What are your thoughts on the Mens Collection?

My boyfriend could care less about the clothes he puts on everyday. Because he works from home, his job does not require him to look or a dress a certain way. His style is my style, or what I can convince him to like.

One would think that this would make it easier for me to shop for him, but it doesn’t.  He hates v-neck shirts and sweaters and half zip anythings. He is not a fan of wool and he is not a hoodie person either.

Here are a few of my favorite Mens items from J.Crew that I think he would like. After I write this post, I am going to email it to him so he can see what items I think he should own.

For the guys, what are some of your favorite items? For the ladies, what are some of your favorite items for the man in your life?

Short-sleeve broken-in pocket jersey polo, $42.50, Item 13191

My boyfriend actually owns the short-sleeve broken-in pocket jersey polo in many colors. We purchased them during the summer final sale, where he able to get his size in most of the colors for less than $10 each. I like them because they still have the look of a regular pique polo. He likes them because they don’t really wrinkle and they are super soft.

Cotton-cashmere crew neck sweater, $59.50, Item 86212

I really like all of the cotton-cashmere sweaters at J.Crew. My boyfriend prefers the crew neck because he hates v-neck. These sweaters are prefect for throwing on for any winter event. They look really nice paired with jeans or khakis.

Sherpa track jacket, $75.00, Item 97401

The Sherpa track jacket is perfect for him during the warmer fall months when a heavy winter coat is still not necessary. My boyfriend’s cold threshold is higher than mine. In fact, he is still sleeping with the air conditioner on at night. (It is November and we live in Philadelphia.) On those warmer days, he can just throw this on and be out the door.

Wool university coat, $235.00, Item 96037

I am really trying to convince him that he needs a new coat this year. His current one is two years old. The wool university coat would be a perfect replacement. I have touched it in stores and I think he would really like wearing it. I haven’t purchased it yet so I am not sure how the fit is. Too bad the outerwear sale a few weeks ago did not apply to Mens outerwear.

Regular-fit vintage cord trouser, $72.00, Item 96096

The regular-fit vintage cord trouser are actually on promotion in the stores. They are on sale for $39.50 instead of $72.00. Because of this, I purchased them in three of the four colors for my boyfriend. They didn’t have his size in the fourth color or he would have that one, too. He really likes cords and I really liked this pants because of the trouser look. The pockets are flat in the front and back and looks much cleaner all around.

Vintage fleece sweatpant, $49.50, Item 81249

I would really like to buy the vintage fleece sweatpants for my boyfriend because he is always complaining that he does not have enough lounging around clothes. I think these would be great for those lazy weekends. They look super comfortable. I love that they still have pockets on them.

I found this article today over at Racked. I guess J.Crew is really trying to capture the male shoppers.

Breaking: J.Crew Men’s Joining Topshop on Broadway by Leslie Price

This is some mind-blowing late-in-the-day news right here: J.Crew will be opening another men’s shop (a la their Liquor Store location) in Soho. The store will take the space that currently houses Universal News at 484 Broadway, which is right next door to the giant Topshop store set to open in March. From DNR: “The size and opening date have not been determined, but it is expected to debut in early 2009.” Will it beat Topshop? Probably.

J.Crew Tells Men What They Should Know by Leslie Price

Last night, J.Crew hosted a reading of their new book What a Man Should Know. The venue was the rare books room at the Strand, a suitably dusty and removed space on the third floor of a building next to the store at 826 Broadway. The little red volume, penned by British author Max Blagg and illustrated by Hugo Guinness, was stacked about the space.

Well-dressed guests, among them J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler, flipped through it while sipping from complimentary cocktails or noshing on little short rib-filled pastries. Then, Blagg stepped up to the podium to read through a few of the 50 things a man should know (example: A man should know what to say to a sommelier. Not much. Let him impress you with his knowledge, and find you a wine that is both delicious and reasonably priced.) The tips were well received, but the laughter really began when Blagg moved on to selections from a ribald work-in-progress.

Timex military watch™, $150.00, Item 10884

Inspired by military watches from the 1940s, Timex reached deep into their archives to create this handsome timepiece just for us. A fusion of traditional elements and modern materials, the dial features a bold, distinctive font and a sharply contrasting bright red second hand. Stainless steel watch case with luminescent hands that glow in the dark so you’ll always know what time it is. Nylon strap. 50M water resistant. Diameter of watch case: 1 1/2″. Five-year battery life. Import. Timex is a registered trademark of Timex Group USA, Inc.

Here is another collaboration between a well-known brand and J.Crew. Earlier this year, J.Crew debuted Rolex watches on its website.  This time, Timex created an exclusive military watch for J.Crew.  At $150, this watch is very nicely priced.

I am considering it as a gift for my boyfriend. I think it has a great look and feel.  Would you consider this for the special man in your life?