Here's J Crews policy. So it will depend how your mother purchased the items.

factory purchases

J.Crew Factory merchandise purchased in a J.Crew Factory store may be returned to any J.Crew Factory store location within 30 days of original purchase for refund or exchange. Requests for refund or exchange of merchandise purchased by cash or check must be accompanied by the original receipt. Refunds will be made in the form of the original payment. Requests to exchange merchandise received as a gift must be accompanied by a gift receipt.

J.Crew Factory merchandise purchase by phone or online may be returned to a J.Crew Factory store or by mail within 60 days of original purchase for refund or exchange. Requests for refund or exchange of merchandise purchased by check must be accompanied by the original receipt. Refunds will be made in the form of the original payment. Requests to exchange merchandise received as a gift must be accompanied by a gift receipt.

You'll get merchandise credit for the current selling price at either of those places if you're over the return period.

You can try - some stores are lenient about returns after the 30/60 day period and some are hard-asses. If you have the receipt and are willing to accept merchandise credit, that will probably help.

Kohl's has a really, really long return period - I think as long as you have a receipt, you can return something at any time. Macy's, Zappos.com, and Nordstrom are really generous too - I think 180 days to a whole year.

I have a few items to return to Gap and J Crew Factory that are about 60 days past the purchase date. They were given to me recently as gifts with the original receipt (from mom, so this is just how she does is). They don't fit and I'd like to return them to a merchandise credit so I can get something else. Do you think these stores will give me much flack about it? Is there a particular store you recommend that is more lenient with past due returns?