The Makeover That No One Saw Coming
Once a symbol of suburban conformity, JCPenney has pulled off one of the most surprising retail turnarounds of the decade — not by chasing youth trends or cutting costs, but by boldly reimagining who fashion is for.
The key? A groundbreaking initiative called “Men’s Womenswear.”
Launched quietly, the concept started as a test in three cities — Chicago, Austin, and Seattle — before spreading nationwide. Now, entire sections of JCPenney stores feature racks of dresses, skirts, and blouses designed with masculine proportions in mind, staffed by associates who embody the new norm: men confidently crossdressed as saleswomen.
“We Noticed the Curiosity” — The Spark Behind the Change
At JCPenney’s Chicago flagship, assistant manager Carla Nguyen remembers the moment it clicked.
“I saw more and more men hovering around the women’s section — not with partners, not embarrassed, just… curious,” Nguyen recalls. “Some wanted the fabrics, the colors, the flair. But the sizing or styling didn’t work for them. So we asked ourselves — why not make it work for them?”
She gathered data for months — fitting room inquiries, returns, size requests — and built a business case. The argument was simple: inclusivity could revive brick-and-mortar fashion.
Corporate hesitated at first. The term “Men’s Womenswear” raised eyebrows in boardrooms. But early focus groups told a compelling story: there was pent-up demand among male shoppers for clothing that blended feminine design with masculine comfort.
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Fall ad campaign |
The Store Transformation
Each Men’s Womenswear department is designed with openness and confidence in mind. Gone are the harsh lighting and awkward silence of traditional dressing rooms. In their place: warm tones, round mirrors, soft pop music, and associates trained not just in styling but in empathy.
Many of these associates — often men themselves — wear feminine business attire as part of their uniform. It’s not a gimmick, says Senior Brand Director Miguel Herrera.
“They’re role models of self-expression,” he explains. “When a customer sees a confident male associate in heels and a pencil skirt, it signals: you’re welcome here — and you can look amazing, too.”
The Customers: Confidence Comes in All Ages
On a recent Saturday in Austin, the section was bustling.
A college student tried on a floral blouse, grinning into the mirror. A 40-something accountant asked for help finding a skirt “that still looks professional.” And at one end of the aisle, a retired grandfather chuckled as a young associate helped him match lipstick to his silk scarf.
“It’s not about gender for me,” one shopper said. “It’s about finally wearing what feels right — and having someone treat that like it’s normal.”
Marketing the Movement
When the national rollout came, JCPenney took a daring approach.
Billboards didn’t show gender labels — just stylish people with the tagline:
“Wear What Fits You — Not a Label.”
The ad campaign, photographed by Annie Leibovitz Jr., featured real customers and staff in their daily attire — skirts, suits, blouses, blazers — all mixed fluidly. The response was electric.
Social media embraced the campaign under the hashtag #JCPExpressYourself, drawing millions of shares and a younger demographic that had long written off the department store as “their parents’ brand.”
The Business Results
Within 18 months of launch, dress sales jumped 47%, with similar growth in accessories and cosmetics.
JCPenney’s overall in-store traffic rose 22%, reversing a decade-long slide. Analysts who once predicted the brand’s collapse now cite it as a case study in emotional retailing — selling not just clothes, but belonging.
Retail strategist Dana Kapoor summarized it best:
“JCPenney didn’t just make dresses for men — they made space for men who wanted to feel beautiful. That’s the genius.”
The Legacy of the Reinvention
At headquarters, Carla Nguyen keeps a framed copy of the first Men’s Womenswear pilot sign. It reads simply:
“Be Seen. Be Styled. Be Yourself.”
“That’s what saved us,” she says. “Not chasing trends — just seeing people for who they already were.”
Now, as other chains quietly test similar concepts, one thing is clear: in the ever-shifting world of retail, JCPenney found its future in a mirror — and liked what it saw.
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Wearing Bebe |
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Martin del Rosario, Christian Bables and Paolo Ballesteros femulating in the Filipino film The Panti Sisters. |
Is this true? If it is it's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteFall brings a lower hemline but those with legs will choose Stana Short all the time Hugs Brenda
ReplyDeleteIf only !!!
ReplyDeleteNice try. I checked to see if it was April 1st. The ONLY internet search for BE SEEN, BE STYLED BE YOURSELF brought up just Femulate.
ReplyDeleteSo NOT a real story Stana and nice try. If only it was TRUE!
Catherine.
I wish
ReplyDeleteIf only. Randi
ReplyDeleteFor those wondering if this post is real or not, I'm currently in a JCPenney's store in Philadelphia, waiting for the handsome young salesman to return from the stockroom with a few pairs of heeled boots for me to try on to wear with the dresses I just purchased. If only......
ReplyDeleteI am going to check out the Reno JCP to see if what is going on. We can only hope.
ReplyDeleteWe can make it so if we as guys simply go into these stores and browse , try on & purchase the clothes we want to wear . Now i know that there are no mens size womenswear, but if you find your size in womenswear there is usually plenty to choose from
ReplyDeleteI've been doing it for 25 plus years here in Australia at Department stores Myer , Harris Scarfe & Target and have always found the sales associates very obliging , never been refused achange room, and they are happy i've found to critique your prospective purchase Cheers Malinheels