I know, I know, Abercrombie & Fitch fragrance is nothing new (although from the looks of their website, they’ve got some new scents), but I just couldn’t resist featuring the fragrance from the Home of the Hunks on my blog! I swear, I’ve got good reasons for it, so let’s get this started.
The Hotties. Abercrombie is infamous for their racy ads and exploitation of incredibly sexy people. And you know what? I love it. Yeah, it was a little (okay a lot) unrealistic… but aren’t we all dying for a dream, anyway? From a marketing standpoint, it’s pretty genius, because let’s face it: everyone loves to look at beautiful people and things, and in the words of Augustus Waters, I’m not in the business of denying myself pleasure.
K? Moving on.
The Lifestyle. I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch, as well as abercrombie (the kids store) for the greater portion of my college years. I remember being in 7th grade, and hearing the most popular girl in school say that she shopped at Abercrombie. Her clothes always fit perfectly, and I wanted to be her.
In middle school, everyone is a sellout just trying to fit in, so I was thankful that the very few shirts I could get had ABERCROMBIE plastered all over them. In those years, Abercrombie had yet to embrace their cottage-feel, as far as the stores go, so the Abercrombie I shopped at was still outfitted like a hunting store, complete with antler chandeliers and plaid carpet.
I love that kind of shit.
It’s like a frat house, only much cleaner, and more expensive.
What I didn’t know then, I learned in my years as an employee. Like all successful brands, Abercrombie was selling a lifestyle that was impossible to actually get: beautiful people wearing distressed, layered clothing (sold at a high price point).
They didn’t have to worry about dress codes, because they didn’t have jobs or cares or worries. They didn’t need shoes, because they have no need to go anywhere, but if shoes were, for some reason, necessary, they’d wear neutral-toned flops, even in the winter, because… leg warmers and hoodies keep the pretty people warm.
It was a style all its own, while still embracing the classic American look — denim and neutral.
And despite the fact that I made shit money while working there, it’s a brand I’ve always admired. Sure, there was controversy. But y’all know I’ve never been one to stray from a controversy.
The scent. Abercrombie sells a ton of different scents, and because I worked there for so long, I’ve developed quite the collection. But today, I’ll just talk about Abercrombie & Fitch classic (for women).
It’s often described as a mostly citrus-scent with white floral notes, which I agree with, but I also smell a little woodsiness in there… because, Abercrombie, duh.
It has longevity, and it’s a scent I have always loved wearing.
Le sigh. So why am I getting all sentimental about one of my favorite brands? Because I saw an article that explained the Abercrombie brand as we know it, is leaving.
The article basically explains that Abercrombie plans to remove its logo (the large ABERCROMBIE, or even the small moose) from their articles of clothing in hopes to boost sales.
This part doesn’t bother me — even though I love the little embroidered moose — I really love the clothes more than people knowing that I overpaid for a cheaply-made tank top.
Another article also states that Abercrombie failed as a brand because they didn’t change with the times — but this is precisely the reason I love the Fitch. Jeans and tanks will always be in style. Whether the jeans are skinny or ripped, dark or light, we will always love jeans. And easy tops. Some might be skinny strapped, beaded, sequined, or braided… but it’s simple and it looks effortless. Isn’t that what being sexy is all about?
If my office job allowed me to actually wear cool clothes, I’d “relive the 90s” and rock my Ezra ripped jeans and beaded hoodies until the day I die. But perhaps I’m not quite as cool as the kids in the ads, who don’t have to work — outside of modeling for A&F. But either way, I love admiring their world from afar.
The Bitter Lemon 