I Tried All the Jeans at Abercrombie & Fitch
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Welcome to Jeans Month on the Strategist, where we’re obsessively vetting denim — from trying on every pair at the Gap to asking dozens of stylish people about their favorite fits. For more, head to ourJeans Month hub.
It’s been a long time since shopping at Abercrombie & Fitch meant what it used to (dragging my parents into a dimly lit store where they complained about the suffocating scent of cologne and not being “able to think” because of the loud music). Now, a decade later, it’s been prettywidely reportedthat Abercrombie has had a renaissance of sorts: The clothes are logo-free, the employees are friendly and helpful, and the stores are bright with well-lit dressing rooms. I was curious how Abercrombie’s denim — once coveted for its distressed finishes and distinctive back-pocket stitching— had fared during the rebrand. So, I visited the brand’s Fifth Avenue store to try on as many pairs of jeans as possible.
Compared to the jeans of Abercrombie Past, the brand’s current denim selection is vastly more inclusive. Sizes span from 24 to 38, inseams stretch from extra short to extra long, and the Curve Love fit adds two inches to the hip and thigh to decrease waist gaps. Best of all, every pair (save for a few outliers, like acow-print boot-cut pairand a pair seemingly inspired byRudy Jude’s Utility jean), will run you $90. That means if you’re barrel-leg-curious or a “buy it in every color” person, you won’t have to spendtoomuch compared to a pair at, say, Madewell or Reformation.
Of the 20 pairs I took into the dressing room with me, about half were the Curve Love and half were the Classic fit. And while my five-foot-three frame could work in the “short” length, I opted for regular since I have a short torso and longer legs. My three hours in the fitting room taught me that I’m more or less a 25 (my usual size) across Abercrombie’s denim. While I flip flopped between Curve Love and Classic fits, I generally opted for the Curve Love fit when it came to tighter styles and the Classic fit when it came to looser styles. The brand’s denim sizing is broadly consistent, except in the case of its boot-cut andHigh Rise Loose jeans, which tend to run large. I tried on both of those styles and more, venturing far past my comfort zone (high-rise, straight-, and wide-legged jeans that hug my waist and give my legs some breathing room). Here’s what I thought of each one.
High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean
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Cut:Relaxed straight leg |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:High |Material:99% cotton, 1% elastane |Fly:Zipper |Washes:16 options
The 90s Relaxed Jeans, to me, feel like something Barbie would wear — they make my body look great, but they’re basically impossible to move in. They’re tight from the hip down to my knee in a way that highlights my curves, makes my legs look longer, and would be massively uncomfortable for an hourslong sit-down dinner. That said, they’re the pair that felt most similar to some of my favorite jeans,Madewell’s Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg, except with a little less give. If I were to add this pair to my closet, I’d opt for the Curve Love fit, which wasn’t as formfitting as the Classic pair, and gave my stomach, waist, and thighs enough breathing room that I could fathom wearing them for an entire day at the office. If you’re looking for an affordable straight-legged jean that will look as nice in a casual office as they would during a girls’ night out, these are for you. (And FWIW, the Fifth Avenue store manager told me these are the brand’s best-selling style.)
High Rise Loose Jean
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Cut:Loose straight leg |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:High |Material:78% cotton, 22% lyocell |Fly:Zipper |Washes:16 options
Given my smaller frame, looser styles like these can swallow me. So even though I’m solidly Gen Z, I tend to avoid thebaggier styles often associated with my age group. Still, I gave these a chance, and after I tried on the Loose in my usual size, I learned that given the style’s lower cotton content and higher lyocell content, I should size down for a more flattering fit at the butt and waist. The pair fits like a true high-rise jean, coming in right above the belly button. From the thigh downward, the pair was, well, loose, meaning my thighs were by no means suffocating and there was enough room at the calf and ankle for a Blundstone to easily fit underneath. Even when I sized down, though, I found there was too much fabric in the crotch area and a little bit of pooling at my ankles. I wasn’t able to try on the smaller size in the Classic fit, but I imagine that without the Curve Love’s extra fabric at the hips and waist, a Classic fit could solve the problem. Alas, even if that’s true, these aren’t for me because they’re ultimately too loose (it’s in the name after all).
Mid Rise Baggy Bootcut Jean
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Cut:Baggy bootcut |Lengths:Short, regular, long |Rise:Mid |Material:100% cotton |Fly:Zipper |Washes:2 options
As I said earlier, straight- and wide-legged jeans are my comfort zone — but these cow-print boot-cut jeans certainly tempted me to venture out of it. Compared to most of the other pairs I tried on, the short-length (which had a 29.5-inch inseam), Classic-fit pair was actually my favorite in this style. Given the shorter length, the boot-cut part of the jeans didn’t hide my toes (as they did in the regular length), which made the style look more intentional on me. The Classic-fit jeans hugged my waist, thighs, and butt in a flattering way that balanced out the accentuated boot cut, too. So, my advice is if you’re on the cusp of petite sizing, go short with these. Since leaving the store, I’ve had the most regrets about leaving this pair behind. Knowing myself, the cow-print pair would probably sit in my closet collecting dust, but I’m tempted by the normal medium-wash pair. One day …
Mid Rise Bootcut Jean
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Cut:Bootcut |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:Mid |Material:99% cotton, 1% elastane |Fly:Zipper |Washes:5 options
When it came to Abercrombie’s non-baggy boot-cut jeans, sizing was limited in-store, so I was only able to try on a regular-length, Curve Love pair. Based on how long the jeans were and the fact that all the models wearing them on the site are sporting heels, it seems that these jeans are designed to be paired with heeled boots and heeled boots only. In the five years that I’ve lived in New York, I’ve learned that I’m decidedlynota heel girl (I even wore mary janes to my college graduation), so these in a regular length would quickly fray while dragging on the city streets. Even so, if I had tried on a shorter pair, I still would place them in the no pile as the upper thigh and waist portion of the jeans felt too similar to (and as suffocating as) early aughts skinny jeans.
Mid Rise Slouchy Jean
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Cut:Slouchy |Lengths:Short, regular, long |Rise:Mid |Material:99% cotton, 1% elastane |Fly:Zipper |Washes:9 options
Over the course of Jeans Month, I’ve interviewed lots ofcool teens about their favorite denim styleswith my fellow writer Arielle Avila. During our conversations, the terms “baggy” and “slouchy” were thrown around an innumerable number of times, and to be honest, I still don’t completely understand the difference. At Abercrombie, though, the term “slouchy” means adding extra fabric at the waist, thighs, and calves in an intentional way — not in an “Are your jeans too big?” way. I’m not sure how the younger Gen Zers do it, but something in me could not get past how unflattering the Curve Love version of these looked on me. With extra fabric just about everywhere, these jeans were so slouchy that I could pull them down my waist to make them low rise. I often opt for jeans with a bit of wiggle room, but these were too much. In the Classic fit, the jeans lost the waist gap but still had extra fabric in the crotch. Though I preferred these since they looked more similar to the wide-legged pants I usually go for, I wouldn’t actually spend my money on these since they never fit my body quite right.
Mid Rise 90s Straight Jean
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Cut:Straight leg |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:Mid |Material:99% cotton, 1% elastane |Fly:Zipper |Washes:15 options
The second I tried these on, my skinny-jeans alarm bells went off. Yes, I know thesearen’tskinny jeans, but they’re the closest I’ve gotten to wearing them in at least a decade. While these weren’t for me, a representative from Abercrombie told me they’re the best-selling style at the Fifth Avenue location. So, if you’re tempted by the style but don’t want to go full-on cling, I recommend trying the Curve Love to give you a little more breathing room. If you’re going for that sucked-in, formfitting look and don’t typically deal with waist gaps, go for Classic.
Mid Rise Barrel Jean
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Cut:Barrel |Lengths:Short, regular, long |Rise:Mid |Material:100% cotton |Fly:Zipper |Washes:8 options
I’m probably not alone in saying that I’m just not sure about barrel-leg jeans. In the past year, I’ve gone into many a store with the intention of trying on their barrel only to leave empty handed. While I’m not sure if Abercrombie’s barrel is “the one,” it felt less horseshoe shaped than others I’ve tried. I accidentally tried on a short version first, which made me feel like a jester. This leads to my first tip: If you’re between inseams, size up unless you’re going for an accentuated barrel shape. And while said barrel shape seems like it would call for the Curve Love fit, I found that the Classic was better because less fabric meant the quadrant of denim on the outer thigh wouldn’t dimple or fold inward. I would be lying if I said I haven’t thought about buying myself a pair of these to step out of my comfort zone, but the baggy boot cut is slightly less bold … and thus, slightly more appealing.
Low Rise Baggy Jean
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Cut:Baggy |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:Low |Material:99% cotton, 1% elastane |Fly:Zipper |Washes:30 options
Here is that “baggy” term again, and in the case of Abercrombie, baggy means the jeans are more relaxed, with extra fabric throughout the jean, from the waist to the ankles. Compared to the Classic fit, which pooled at my ankles and fit like a true low-rise pair of jeans, the Curve Love made the jeans fit a little higher and feel more tapered at the waist than your average pair of low-rise jeans. Though I’m still on the fence about the baggy jeans, if I were to add these to my wardrobe, I’d opt for the Curve Love pair, which are still comfortable without feeling sloppy like the baggier Classic pair.
Low Rise Ultra Loose Jean
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Cut:Ultra loose wide leg |Lengths:Extra short, short, regular, long, extra long |Rise:Low |Material:78% cotton, 22% lyocell |Fly:Zipper |Washes:16 options
I may be in my 20s, but I’m still hesitant to leave the house with my belly button out. Still, I was drawn to these low-rise jeans the second I put them on. They were baggy in that cool teen kind of way without feeling zhlubby, too long, or uncomfortable. And while the Classic fit left me no choice but to rock a low rise, the higher stretch content and extra inches in the Curve Love pair gave me enough wiggle room to adjust the jean’s rise from below the belly button to at the belly button depending on my confidence. They’re the first jeans in the baggy-slouchy-loose variety that actually make me feel like I could try the low-rise baggy look so often associated with Gen Z — and in the weeks since, I have. Since they arrived at my door, I’ve been wearing them at least five times a week. They’re loose enough at the waist that I can wear them all day without feeling tempted to unbutton them to let myself breathe. And unlike some of the baggier jeans I’ve tried on, these have a nice, straight leg that means I can wear them anywhere from my desk to the grocery store to dinner with friends so long as I pair them with the right top.
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