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As a millennial woman who’s entire personality was going to the mall on the weekend and daring friends to ask for boys numbers, I decidedly swore off even looking in the direction of Abercrombie & Fitch in the years between 2009-2019 — exactly one third of my entire life.
Was I an Abercrombie kid before that? Absolutely. I would stroll into the store fantasizing living in a world where I constantly smelled of Fierce and an image of a moose was tattooed on my forehead while my mom complained in the background, “This place gives me a headache, I can’t even hear myself think.” But, at a point near the start of my high school years, I started having similar thoughts as my mom (Ew). That, and I was often choosing between an Abercrombie & Fitch sweater or like, 5 pairs of jeans, a few t-shirts, and a pair of sneakers for the same price at a different store. Not to mention the absolute havoc the brand caused my mental health and self-confidence (Sorry not sorry, we aren’t all 6 foot, white, photoshopped models walking around with a blue steel look on our faces).
But, around 2019, I was out with a friend grabbing drinks after work when I asked, “I love your coat, where’s it from?” She leaned over and whispered with the slightest tinge of shame but also excitement (?) in her voice, “It’s Abercrombie!”
@melowenscomedy can you believe? #millennials #genz #abercrombie #summerfashion #comedy ♬ original sound – Mel Owens
I was actually shook. I don’t think I had even muttered the store name once in at least the last 5 years let alone have a friend that was a fully-fledged adult shopping there. She had to be joking. It was stylish, made with decent quality wool, and reasonably priced. BUT, IT DIDN’T HAVE A MOOSE ON IT?! I couldn’t quite comprehend.
I decided to take a look at the website for shits and gigs. Where were the lace-edged leggings? The micro denim skirts? The abnormally long-sleeved sweater-adjacent shirts? In their place seemed to be cute basics and on-trend staples and they were 25% off. Slowly but surely, my closet started to morph into something you would have seen in 2005 (sans the low-rise jeans, obvi).
Shopping there gives me that rush of nostalgia I’m always looking for (duh, I’m a millennial) while finding quality clothes at a decent price. And as it turns out, the entire Betches Office pretty much feels the same way considering there’s at least 3 A&F packages delivered to the front desk each week. So, I asked around got everyone’s favorite recent Abercrombie & Fitch purchase so you can feel like a teen again too. You’re welcome.
