Whats the big deal with Abercrombie?

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The discussion centers around the perception and pricing of Abercrombie & Fitch, with participants expressing mixed feelings about the brand. Some view it as overpriced and catering to a wealthy, predominantly white demographic, while others defend its quality and style. Critics argue that Abercrombie symbolizes superficiality, with many teenagers feeling pressured to wear its clothing for social acceptance. The conversation also touches on broader themes of consumerism, quality versus brand name, and the impact of marketing on fashion choices. Participants share personal experiences with clothing quality, emphasizing the importance of fit and durability over brand prestige. The dialogue reflects a tension between valuing style and rejecting the notion of conforming to trends dictated by popular brands.
Care_Bear13
ok what's the big deal with Abercrombie?!?:confused:

it may b a little overpriced but I am fine with it! its not like its ur money!


im open to anyones thoughts
 
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the thing about abercrombie tis that many people think that it is a an over priced stroe for rich snots and preps when its not.
 
does anyone like abercrombie that is here?
 
I am first going to admit that I am a huge hypocrite. Let me warn you first. Not because I wear abercrombie, but because I like to wear "stylish" clothing that is costly.


I hate abercrombie because popular teenage kids purchase the clothing and think that they are fashionable. I hate abercrombie because unpopular teenage kids purchase the clothing because, they feel, in order to be popular they must own abercrombie. I hate abercrombie because it is the McDonalds of style, just in the same sense Red Lobster is the McDonalds of sea food. If you want good sea food you go to a nice restaurant. If you want nice clothing you go to a nice store.

Now, why am I hypocrite? I am one because this same argument can be used about the clothing I purchase, and the restaraunts that I frequent. So long and short... if you like abercrombie, than do your thing.
 
I just noticed this was in the Brain Teaser section. This isn't a brain teaser is it? :smile:
 
Care_Bear13 said:
ok what's the big deal with Abercrombie?!?:confused:

it may b a little overpriced but I am fine with it!


Of course he's pricey. You think DeLay was any cheaper?

http://www.house.gov/abercrombie/
 
Care_Bear13 said:
ok what's the big deal with Abercrombie?!?:confused:
Perhaps it's their racist sense of humor?

http://www.geocities.com/tarorg/rickshaws.jpg
 
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Pitty they don't have stores in Europe. I rather like that style.

Seems like the brand has been the target of typical US sensitivity on ethnic, religious and sexual issues. Nothing wrong with it from where I'm standing. True, they may be targetting a specific demographic, but wether or not you chose to be friendly that particular group of people, that is their right.

For example, would you hate your typical hiphop artist because they seem to be targetting coloured urban kids?
 
  • #10
I wouldn't expect you to fully understand because I think you'd have to live here in the US to really understand the racial tension that does go on - abercrombie doesn't just target white kids, they are pretty openly racist to all other ethnicities, and have been and still are the target of multiple law suits regarding that.
 
  • #11
slugcountry said:
I wouldn't expect you to fully understand because I think you'd have to live here in the US to really understand the racial tension that does go on - abercrombie doesn't just target white kids, they are pretty openly racist to all other ethnicities, and have been and still are the target of multiple law suits regarding that.

I'm actually quite familiar with the US mentality. I often visit, my dad works there and my best friend is American. The best term I can find to describe the US approach to racial issues is "A côté de la plaque", loosely translated as completely besides the issue. Most Americans who consider themselves to be tolerant and open-minded are overly sensitive to issues of race...while being completely obsessed with the matter themselves, albeit in a (apologetic?) positive way. How can you ever hope to eradicate racial prejudice when every bloody official form you need to fill in asks for your ethnic background?

I come from a country that has vast numbers of foreign immigrants, many of which are from the former African colonies or Northern African countries. We still have a strong going fascist movement here. So I think I have a good idea idea about "racial tension".

The adverts for said company that I have seen are stereotypical, yes. But as far as I understand it these are works of parody, admittedly marketed in an aggressive fashion which I do not appreciate myself.
 
  • #13
:smile: racism, it's not it's stupidism, I pay nothing much for my clothes, I'm not going to follow a brand a label or a company, no one with any sense does, if their racist it's a niche market, they are welcome to it. The clothes do not maketh the man, the man maketh the clothes, what you wear isn't indicative of you, you are, you maketh yourself. Buy what you feel, it's a free market, if your thinking do I look good in this and asking others, it's the wrong idea, fabulise yourself :biggrin:
 
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  • #14
Ah well...I'll admit to owning one pair of their pants because they are sturdy and haven't gone to shreds after a few years of wearing them...but at the same time I will NOT pay $80something for a pair of RIPPED jeans. For God's sake, go down to the thrift store and buy a pair of jeans for $7 and rip them yourself! Jeez... I don't shop at anyone store...I walk around and if I see something I like in *any* store's window, I'll buy. But I have to really like it. If I had more time, I'd make more of my own clothing. At least I know it fits. ;)
(Everyone at my high school wears this stuff...+ think they're 'cool'...NEWSFLASH: they all look exactly THE SAME.)
 
  • #15
Solar Flare said:
Ah well...I'll admit to owning one pair of their pants because they are sturdy and haven't gone to shreds after a few years of wearing them...but at the same time I will NOT pay $80something for a pair of RIPPED jeans. For God's sake, go down to the thrift store and buy a pair of jeans for $7 and rip them yourself! Jeez... I don't shop at anyone store...I walk around and if I see something I like in *any* store's window, I'll buy. But I have to really like it. If I had more time, I'd make more of my own clothing. At least I know it fits. ;)
(Everyone at my high school wears this stuff...+ think they're 'cool'...NEWSFLASH: they all look exactly THE SAME.)

Wise beyond your years, I was in the same situation at school, I only fell into the trap once and learned from it; there seriously are better things than clothes to spend your money on, I kid you not, they are sheep, you are better than that :smile:
 
  • #16
Care_Bear13 said:
it may b a little overpriced but I am fine with it! its not like its ur money!

If it's not your money, then it's no big surprise you don't care what is costs. :rolleyes:
 
  • #17
My style is Salvation Army, or maybe K-mart or Target. I prefer to wear cheap stuff, but then I prefer to wear minimal amount of clothing - shorts and T-shirt. I have reasonable casual and formal wear, but I try to wear that as little as possible.

My mom and now my wife fret because I'll wear shoes with holes in the soles and sides. :biggrin:

I prefer to go barefoot.
 
  • #18
I have expensive stuff that I like to wear because you actually get what you pay for. The dyes and stitching in higher end clothing are MUCH better quality than cheaper stuff. I have a bunch of Lacoste polos for a couple years now and the color still looks the same as the first day I bought it, no fading at all. I stopped buying stuff from places like old navy a long time ago because I would get really pissed at how the buttons fell off after only 2 months or the clothing would get faded only after 3 or 4 washes.
 
  • #19
My favorite polo shirts have never shown any sign of fading, and some of them are nearly four years old. I get most of these from the 'sale' bin at the gap - sometimes as low as $6 (for the brown one with three neon green stripes).
 
  • #20
I always wash my clothes on the warm/cold cycle though, never use cold water only. the cheaper clothes i have always fade after a few washes. gap does have some decent stuff sometimes which you can even get on sale. i have started to live by the philosophy of "save a nickel, spend a dime". i never buy cheap flimsy stuff anymore because when i want something i want it done right. i have no problem paying more for quality. if i can find stuff on sale that is quality that is even better.
 
  • #21
gravenewworld said:
I always wash my clothes on the warm/cold cycle though, never use cold water only. the cheaper clothes i have always fade after a few washes. gap does have some decent stuff sometimes which you can even get on sale. i have started to live by the philosophy of "save a nickel, spend a dime". i never buy cheap flimsy stuff anymore because when i want something i want it done right. i have no problem paying more for quality. if i can find stuff on sale that is quality that is even better.

I have a couple dozen 'quality' polo shirts at an average place of ~$10, and that still much more than the manufacturing expenses. Anything higher is brand-name inflation.

I also use the warm/cold cycle, no problems with fading there. Perhaps you should switch detergents.
 
  • #22
I am willing to pay more for good quality clothing that fits well and will last a long time, but I'm not willing to pay more for a label stuck on poor quality clothing that won't last and doesn't fit well. And I refuse to pay anything for a t-shirt with nothing but some company's name on it. If they want me to advertise for them, they need to give me the shirt for free.

I know I'm just going to show you all how old I am, but I don't understand at all the purpose to buying jeans that are already ripped and faded and paying MORE for that. When my jeans get big holes in them, it is time to throw them away!
 
  • #23
I'm not a fan of ripped jeans either.

I'll buy clothes anywhere, but I'll never pay too much though.
 
  • #24
When growing up all my clothes were from second hand or cheap shops, it was terrible: nothing ever fitted. I was delighted the first time I bought jeans with a name attached: they actually had a shape! I still go to non-brand name stores to fit clothes: they fit like a potato bag, so I never buy them.
 
  • #25
Schrodinger's Dog said:
Wise beyond your years, I was in the same situation at school, I only fell into the trap once and learned from it; there seriously are better things than clothes to spend your money on, I kid you not, they are sheep, you are better than that :smile:
I've learned a lot about buying clothes from spending money on other things. I bought a two hundred dollar guitar from some no-name brand and it didn't last or sound good. Instead, I saved a little more money and worked a little harder and bought a Fender for $600. There is SUCH a difference.

I've found that the same works for clothes. It doesn't have to be a $70 pair of jeans or a $65 dollar dress shirt, but if I always go for the cheap stuff, more often than not I get disappointed. I believe in "money well spent."

Paden Roder
 
  • #26
Monique said:
When growing up all my clothes were from second hand or cheap shops, it was terrible: nothing ever fitted. I was delighted the first time I bought jeans with a name attached: they actually had a shape! I still go to non-brand name stores to fit clothes: they fit like a potato bag, so I never buy them.
When you were living in the US, did you find the same to be true? I'm wondering if there's just a different (higher) standard in The Netherlands where consumers still expect a brand name to mean something instead of being mindless consumers like we see a lot of in the US. Some brands have a reputation for quality here, but for the most part, a label is for status not quality...they cater to the latest fad among the teens, which means they don't need to last long because they'll be out of style in 6 months, and because they are marketed mostly to teens, they too have no shape, mostly because teens have no shape yet. :biggrin:

The biggest frustration I have is trying to find clothing somewhere between the teeny bopper fads and the old lady fuddy duddy stuff.
 
  • #27
Moonbear said:
When you were living in the US, did you find the same to be true?
Yes, I bought my clothes mostly at a certain brand stores, for style, fit and quality. For instance, if you like the style of New York and Company, you're not going to find that style at Wallmart. Often you do find a difference in the materials used in brand-name clothes, where they fall very differently and remain in shape much longer.

With certain brands you just know you're going to find something that you like and fit. I find myself to be very brand-steady, not that I care what brands other people wear, as long as they dress nicely.
 
  • #28
I've found that quality clothes will look better longer. I try to buy nice clothes on sale. I bought a beautiful sweater that originally sold for $80 for $6 dollars because I bought it in March when they were trying to get rid of winter clothes. If you buy classic instead of "trendy" styles, they don't go out of style as obviously fast.
 
  • #29
Monique said:
Yes, I bought my clothes mostly at a certain brand stores, for style, fit and quality. For instance, if you like the style of New York and Company, you're not going to find that style at Wallmart.
Hee...I can't find any style at WalMart other than some long-sleeved t-shirts to get completely filthy in (every time I wear them, I wash them in bleach, so no point getting anything I'm going to care about, because I fade them in one washing...though, they've actually withstood being washed in bleach about twice a week fairly well, which has surprised me since I expected them to get holes in them from that pretty quickly). I like the styles NY & Co has, but none of their clothes will fit me (I did once get a very nice shirt and pants there that did last and didn't wrinkle when squashed into a suitcase, so went back, but have had no luck since then...I don't find them to be consistent in their sizing at all, and their pants have the same fit problems that the cheap stuff in WalMart has).

I even scoured the stores in NYC this year looking for pants, and the only ones I found that fit were by Ralph Lauren! :cry: Talk about expensive, but they fit, and look nice, and the seams all feel sturdy, so they should last. But, lately it seems that even the brands that used to be reliable for good fit have gotten that same bad-fitting waist that the cheap stuff in WalMart has always had...I call it the "plumber's fit" because it leaves that big gap in the back that shows off your underwear.
 
  • #30
Moonbear said:
I call it the "plumber's fit" because it leaves that big gap in the back that shows off your underwear.
:smile: Just say no to crack :biggrin:

My big problem is shoes.
Used to be I could go to just about any shoe store and find something in my width range. Now it seems like the only width you can get is D unless you go very upper end.
 
  • #31
NoTime said:
:smile: Just say no to crack :biggrin:

My big problem is shoes.
Used to be I could go to just about any shoe store and find something in my width range. Now it seems like the only width you can get is D unless you go very upper end.
Shoes are just as bad, yes. I bought a pair of shoes when in NY that now feel too tight. I don't understand that at all. I bought them at the END of a day of walking around the city, thinking that would be the best time to shoe shop since my feet would be as swollen as they would ever get, and they fit nice and comfortably in the store, but now they are hurting my feet to wear them! It's just one little spot that's tight, so I've been wearing them on days when I expect to be sitting a lot and can kick them off from time to time in the hope they'll soon stretch and be comfortable (they are leather, so should stretch). Of course, if I had managed to get them in a size that fit when I got home, they probably would have already stretched out and be too loose now. :rolleyes:
 
  • #32
I pay Abercrombie & Fitch clothing prices for my son to wear to school. He's going into the 8th grade. It's only cool to wear this style clothing. You're right, we're white and rich...ha!
 
  • #33
Leah said:
I pay Abercrombie & Fitch clothing prices for my son to wear to school. He's going into the 8th grade. It's only cool to wear this style clothing. You're right, we're white and rich...ha!

Actually, you're probably just white with lots of credit cards. :rolleyes:

I bought this awesome polo shirt from the second store, like 2 months ago, and everyone loves it. I always get people asking me where I got it.

Freaking styling. :biggrin:
 
  • #34
NoTime said:
My big problem is shoes.
Used to be I could go to just about any shoe store and find something in my width range. Now it seems like the only width you can get is D unless you go very upper end.

Nothing wrong with a pair of D's:smile: :smile: :smile:
 
  • #35
Moonbear said:
Shoes are just as bad, yes. I bought a pair of shoes when in NY that now feel too tight. I don't understand that at all. I bought them at the END of a day of walking around the city, thinking that would be the best time to shoe shop since my feet would be as swollen as they would ever get, and they fit nice and comfortably in the store, but now they are hurting my feet to wear them! It's just one little spot that's tight, so I've been wearing them on days when I expect to be sitting a lot and can kick them off from time to time in the hope they'll soon stretch and be comfortable (they are leather, so should stretch). Of course, if I had managed to get them in a size that fit when I got home, they probably would have already stretched out and be too loose now. :rolleyes:
Yea!
This problem seems to be because they don't stretch evenly, so after a bit you get high pressure in a point that was initially squashed into the point where it wasn't actually touching.
I've gotten pretty good at predicting this sort of thing
Today, I had one of a pair blow out the side for about 3".
Time to drop another couple $100 on something that may last till next year. :mad:
 
  • #36
rocketboy said:
Nothing wrong with a pair of D's:smile: :smile: :smile:
:smile: Depends, real or fake :biggrin:
A couple of rocks is worse than nothing.
 

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