**EXHIBIT 31**

**CERTIFICATION**

I, Wesley R. Card, certify that:

| 1. | I have reviewed this        Annual Report on Form 10-K of Jones Apparel Group, Inc.;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this        report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit        to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light        of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not        misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;                                           |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the        financial statements, and other financial information included in this        report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,        results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,        the periods presented in this report;                                                              |
| 4. | The registrant's other certifying        officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining        disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules        13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting        (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the        registrant and have:          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (a) Designed such disclosure controls and        procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be        designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information        relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is        made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during        the period in which this report is being prepared;           |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (b) Designed such internal control over        financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial        reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable        assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the        preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance        with generally accepted accounting principles;          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the        registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this        report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure        controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this        report based on such evaluation; and          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (d) Disclosed in this report any change in        the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred        during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's        fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has        materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the        registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and          |
| 5. | The registrant's other certifying        officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of        internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors        and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or        persons performing the equivalent functions):                                                      |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (a) All significant deficiencies and material        weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial        reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the        registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial        information; and           |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that        involves management or other employees who have a significant role in        the registrant's internal control over financial reporting. |

  

|  | Date: February 17, 2009                                                           |
|--|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  | /s/ Wesley R. Card        Wesley R. Card         President and Chief Executive Officer |

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I, John T. McClain, certify that:

| 1. | I have reviewed this        Annual Report on Form 10-K of Jones Apparel Group, Inc.;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|----|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this        report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit        to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light        of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not        misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;                                           |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the        financial statements, and other financial information included in this        report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,        results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for,        the periods presented in this report;                                                              |
| 4. | The registrant's other certifying        officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining        disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules        13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting        (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the        registrant and have:          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (a) Designed such disclosure controls and        procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be        designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information        relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is        made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during        the period in which this report is being prepared;           |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (b) Designed such internal control over        financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial        reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable        assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the        preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance        with generally accepted accounting principles;          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the        registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this        report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure        controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this        report based on such evaluation; and          |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (d) Disclosed in this report any change in        the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred        during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's        fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has        materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the        registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and          |
| 5. | The registrant's other certifying        officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of        internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors        and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or        persons performing the equivalent functions):                                                      |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (a) All significant deficiencies and material        weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial        reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the        registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial        information; and           |
|    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that        involves management or other employees who have a significant role in        the registrant's internal control over financial reporting. |

  

|  | Date: February 17, 2009                                               |
|--|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  | /s/ John T. McClain        John T. McClain         Chief Financial Officer |