Exhibit 5.2




                                                 December 9, 1998

Ira M. Dansky, Esq.
Jones Apparel Group, Inc.
1411 Broadway
New York, NY 10018

     Re:  Jones Apparel Group, Inc.
          Registration Statement on Form S-4

Dear Mr. Dansky:

     As special Pennsylvania counsel to Jones Apparel Group,
Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Company"), we have been
requested to render this opinion in connection with the Company's
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration
Statement"), which is being filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on December 9, 1998, under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act").

     The Registration Statement relates to the proposed offer to
exchange (the "Exchange Offer") up to $265,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of new 6.25% Senior Notes due 2001 (the
"Exchange Notes"), which will be freely transferable, for any and
all outstanding 6.25% Senior Notes due 2001 issued in a private
offering on October 2, 1998 (the "Restricted Notes"), which have
certain transfer restrictions.

     For purposes of this opinion we have examined the Company's
Registration Statement; the Consent of Board of Directors of the
Company dated September 28, 1998; the Indenture dated October 2,
1998, by and between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as
trustee (the "Trustee"); the Certificate of Ira M. Dansky,
Esquire, General Counsel of the Company, dated December 9, 1998;
and such other documents as we deem necessary for the purpose of
rendering this opinion. With respect to the foregoing documents,
we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us an originals and
the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as
certified or reproduced copies.

     As special Pennsylvania counsel to the Company, we are not
necessarily familiar with all of the Company's affairs. As a
further basis for this opinion, we have made such inquiry of the
Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the
purpose of rendering this opinion.





                                                                2

     Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

     1.   The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
          delivered by the Company and, assuming the due
          authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the
          Trustee, the Indenture constitutes the legal, valid and
          binding obligation of the Company enforceable against
          the Company in accordance with its terms.

     2.   The Exchange Notes to be issued by the Company in
          exchange for the Restricted Notes have been duly
          authorized and when executed and authenticated in
          accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the
          Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and binding
          obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance
          with their terms, and will be entitled to the benefits
          of the Indenture. In expressing the opinion set forth
          in this letter, we have assumed that the form of the
          Exchange Notes will conform to that included in the
          Indenture.

     Our opinion set forth in this letter are subject to the
effect of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
arrangement, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar
laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally,
and (ii) limitations imposed by general principles of equity,
regardless of whether the relevant matter is considered in
proceedings at law or in equity, including with respect to
certain covenants and provisions of the Indenture, where the
Trustee's enforcement of such covenants or provisions under the
circumstances or, in the specified manner, would violate a
creditor's or secured party's implied covenant of good faith and
fair dealing or would be commercially unreasonable.
Enforceability of the Indenture may also be limited to the extent
that remedies are sought for a breach that a court concludes is
immaterial or does not affect the Trustee.

     We are members of the Bar of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and do not hold ourselves out as being experts on
laws other than the laws of the United States of America and the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

     This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited
to the facts, circumstances and matters set forth herein and to
laws currently in effect. No opinion may be inferred or is
implied beyond matters expressly set forth herein, and we do not
undertake and assume no obligation to update or supplement this
opinion to reflect any facts or





                                                                3

circumstances which may hereinafter come to our attention or any
change in law which may hereafter occur.

     This opinion is furnished for your benefit and the benefit
of the holders of the Restricted Notes referred to in the
Registration Statement and may not be used or relied upon by any
other person or entity or in connection with any other
transaction without our prior written consent.

     We hereby consent to the reference to this Firm under the
heading "Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement and in the
related Prospectus and to the filing of this opinion as an
Exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                 Sincerely,



                                 /s/ Mesirov Gelman Jaffe
                                     Cramer & Jamieson LLP