This article was originally published on Kueez
The Abercrombie & Fitch stores were the coolest thing ever in the early 2000s, but according to those who used to work for the brand, it was a "you think you know but you have no idea" type of situation. One thing's for sure, though - it wasn't just smoke and mirrors. It was also loud music, endless supplies of perfumes and colognes, and an incredibly high turnover rate of ridiculously good-looking people. Check out their stories below:
Fold Shirts and Look Good in the Clothes
We would think that working at a clothing store, our top priority would be to serve our customers the best way we can, but apparently that's not how things used to get done at Abercrombie & Fitch - at least according to the confession shared by this former employee. In their experience, workers were actually told not to interact with customers. Yes, that's something they learned in orientation. So, what were they supposed to do?
They were supposed to "fold shirts and look good in the clothes," and we're sitting here, wondering, "what's the point of that?" Well, maybe, they were standing there folding shirts and thinking the same.
Some Workers Can't Even Put Size Stickers on Jeans
This person had a lot to say about the "models" who work at Abercrombie & Fitch - for instance, that some of them are so, ahem, intellectually challenged, to put it mildly, that they can't even put size stickers on jeans, which let's face it, is not exactly rocket science. But that's what happens when people get scouted based solely on their good looks, instead of their experience or willingness to learn.
It's not like good-looking people are automatically bad workers, but what this person seems to be saying is that good looks were the only thing that the managers cared about, and that can obviously be an issue.
Employee of the Month, but Not Really
Most of the confessions on this list are about things that Abercrombie & Fitch would do to their workers, but a few of these are things that the workers used to do - things they wouldn't usually admit if it weren't for the anonymity granted by the internet. This person, for instance, revealed they found work to be quite fun, mainly because they're kinda evil. Maybe you'll agree with us, maybe not.
They said that when people asked for their opinion on what looks good, they'd always try to sell them the least flattering items in the store, and we hope this person is not working in retail anymore.
Male Workers Had to Wear Small Shirts and Big Pants
It's unsurprising that a clothing store would have guidelines for what their employees can wear during work hours, but we can't get over how specific the guidelines were/are at Abercrombie & Fitch. This man who shared his experience of working for the brand said that all the male workers were expected to wear shirts one size smaller than their usual size so their muscles would be visible, and that's not all.
Their jeans had to be one waist size bigger so that they would hang low and expose some skin (and more), and even their belts had to hang a certain way down the front.
Job Openings? Depends on Who's Asking
The job market is not easy, and confessions such as this one are the very meaning of the word "discouragement." According to the person who shared this online, they were once working at Abercrombie & Fitch when a girl came in and asked if they were hiring. It's a pretty common situation, and the answer is simple - "yes" or "no." However, the true answer in this case was "yes, but it depends on who's asking."
Apparently the girl who was asking didn't have "the look," whatever that means, so the manager wouldn't even consider her for a position at the company. At least she didn't have to waste a resume over there.
The (limited) Approved Hairstyles in the Company Lookbook
Nowadays companies are finally starting to understand the concept of diversity, but in the 2000s, it was a different story. It's funny to think about that, because 20 years doesn't seem like such a long time ago, but that's how fast society can change when people are willing to be more inclusive. Unfortunately for this person, their professional experience was with the Abercrombie & Fitch from many years ago, and the overall feeling was not a positive one.
Maybe if this happened today, a person cutting their hair into a short afro wouldn't result in them being out of work - or at least, it shouldn't, in an ideal world.
The Price of Wearing the Wrong Flip-Flops
Office dress codes are a basic "do and don't" of what's considered appropriate for employees to wear in the workplace, and while most of us are familiar with the concept, we're still surprised at how specific the dress code at Abercrombie & Fitch is/used to be. According to this person, it's not that they couldn't wear flip-flops. They could, but there was a right type of flip-flop, and a wrong type of flip-flop, and one day, they made the mistake of wearing the wrong one.
This has strong "Mean Girls," "you're wearing sweatpants on a Monday so you can't sit with us" vibes, but instead of sitting at another table, this person had to work behind the counter barefoot.
The Cool and Laid Back Way of Greeting Customers
Fashion is all about creating the right image, and the folks at Abercrombie & Fitch were well aware of that. Looking back at their glory days, it's pretty obvious how everything they did was a conscious decision to achieve the image they wanted to sell, and their managers took that mission very seriously. According to the person who shared this confession, workers, for instance, had only one acceptable way of greeting customers who walked into the store.
"Hey, how's it goin'?" was the approved phrase because it was "cool" and "laid back." Any other commonly used phrases, such as "Hey, welcome" were not cool and laid back enough for Abercrombie & Fitch.
Their Large Size Is Actually a Medium, Sometimes It's a Small
Many of these confessions shared by former and current Abercrombie & Fitch employees are about image-making, and how the brand chooses to present itself to the world. The type of workers they hire, how they expect them to behave, the type of clothing they sell every season. This person, for instance, is talking about how they limit the type of people who get to wear the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing in the first place.
According to them, it's bad enough that they go up to L, but their large size is actually a medium, and sometimes it's even a small, when compared to the sizes from other retailers.
The Thing About Putting Too Many Attractive People in One Room
We've watched enough reality shows to know that no matter their genre, they all have one thing in common - an unnatural amount of attractive people in one room. It's like, producers don't even need to search very hard for a theme or for interesting challenges. Put enough attractive people in one room, and some action is bound to happen. So if you're wondering if the same type of thing happened at Abercrombie & Fitch, a notorious haven of good-looking people, this former employee has got the answer for you.
And they weren't very subtle about it. Apparently yes, those very attractive people were doing the deed with their very attractive co-workers, but honestly, is anyone surprised to hear that?
What They Said Versus What They Actually Meant
Say what you will about Abercrombie & Fitch in the 2000s, but they knew the image they wanted to sell and they knew how to get it. For some reason, they weren't very clear about it when they tried to convey that message, but still, they got where they wanted to go. According to this person, no one was supposed to use the words "attractive" or "good-looking" to describe the look the brand was going for - instead, they had to use the term "natural look."
But then again, if you only hire people who are attractive, good-looking, and should probably be working as models, then achieving a satisfactory "natural look" is pretty easy, isn't it?
Spending All Their Money on New Clothes
Any retail store's goal is basically to sell as much as they can, so it's not exactly a surprise to hear that Abercrombie & Fitch had their ways of pushing new products on their consumers. According to this former employee who shared their experience working for the brand, workers weren't even allowed to wear sale items on the floor, presumably because the company only wanted the newer, brighter items to be on display. However, it's interesting to hear how the tactic worked on the employees, too.
This person admitted that even they used to shop at Abercrombie & Fitch all the time - in fact, most of their salary ended up being spent on new clothes from the retailer.
Too Much of a Good Thing
You know what they say, you can have too much of a good thing, and in this case, the result of getting "too much" was a feeling of nauseousness and dizziness. Anyone who remembers shopping at Abercrombie & Fitch in the 2000s remembers how the stores used to smell strongly of perfume. Just imagine what it must have been like for the people who had to spend entire shifts there.
This former employee revealed their stores used to had perfume misters built into the ceiling, and we have to guess that work was probably impossible for people with a sensitive nose.
The Only Colors Allowed Were White, Gray, and Navy
We wish the person who shared this confession would have added more details to this, because we're genuinely curious as to why Abercrombie & Fitch would only allow workers to choose between three colors - white, gray, and navy. They're a clothing brand, after all, and it's not like they don't have access to a more diverse palette. It is what it is though, and they could only pick brighter tones on certain special occasions.
According to this former employee, the holidays were the only time they could wear something that was not white, gray, and navy. Red plaid, in their words, was a "luxury."
The Truth About the Selection of Their Male Models
There was a time when hearing the words "Abercrombie & Fitch" immediately made us think of male models standing outside with their shirts off, and well, this former employee had a lot of say about the casting of those young men. According to this anonymous person, the whole thing was "seriously creepy," as the guys would be taken to a room in the back, where they'd have to remove their clothes and have their photos taken.
The photos would then be sent to the corporate office where "more weird people" would eventually choose the models to be hired, which sounds pretty standard, but this person thought it was "the weirdest."
To Shave or Not to Shave
To shave or not to shave? That is the question - except that according to this former Abercrombie & Fitch employee, it wasn't really a question at all, if you wanted to work. The company was very clear about their workers coming in with zero facial hair, and they even had "a rusty old razor" in the restroom that men were expected to use if they weren't complying with those expectations.
Having to shave with a rusty old razor doesn't sound appealing at all - in fact, it could even be dangerous -, so we're guessing employees didn't take a chance, and showed up with a clean shave every single time.
Beating the System, One Sweatshirt at a Time
This person who used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch said it was always freezing cold at the store, but they refused to spend money buying something warm, so they decided how they would beat the system by putting on a sweatshirt from the shelves, wearing it throughout their entire shift, then putting it back after, like nothing happened. According to them, "it wasn't worth spending the money," and they seem pretty proud of their idea.
Good for them, but we have to wonder - what happened when someone bought that sweatshirt that had been already worn to so many shifts? We certainly wouldn't want to buy a supposedly new piece of clothing that had been worn that much by another person.
Workers Weren't Allowed to Choose Any Nail Polish Color
We're not sure how long ago this person used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch, but according to them, there was a time when the brand had super specific guidelines regarding the type of nail polish female employees were allowed to use. No crazy colors at Abercrombie & Fitch - no, the company only approved of neutral tones, and by the way they phrased it, we're guessing they only allowed natural nails, and no acrylics.
That's not all - they even controlled the amount of ear piercings people could have. One, and that's it. Oh, and notice how they mentioned EAR piercings. Face piercings and any other visible piercings were likely a no no.
Potential Workers Were "scouted" by the Store Managers
It's interesting how this person who shared this confession online used the word "scouted," because that's something the modeling industry usually says - agents scout potential models, and apparently that's what Abercrombie & Fitch managers used to do (or still do, we're not sure) with potential new employees. They scouted people and then gave them a password just to be able to access the online application for the available jobs at the store.
This all makes it sound like working at Abercrombie & Fitch meant being part of an exclusive club of very important and very beautiful people - even if some of them were being paid the minimum wage.
The Reason Why They Weren't Allowed to Wear Black
We wonder how it is to work at Abercrombie & Fitch nowadays, because these confessions shared by people who used to work there years ago don't exactly make it sound like being there was a a joy. Take their very specific dress code, for instance. We get that they want their employees to only wear certain colors so they all look coherent as a team, but what's the deal with their ban on black?
Even their justification is weird. This person who's a former Abercrombie & Fitch employee says that weren't allowed to wear black - dark blue, yes, but not black - because of "legal reasons," whatever that means.
A Curious Explanation for Their "wild" Employee Turnover Rate
Working in retail is hard, and it's not uncommon for stores to have a high employee turnover rate - the low pay, unpredictable hours, and difficulty in dealing with customers are some of the many reasons why people choose to leave their jobs. However, this person revealed a very curious explanation for the "wild" turnover rate at Abercrombie & Fitch, and we think what they're saying makes a lot of sense.
According to them, many people would only agree to get hired so they could use their employee discount to buy a massive amount of gift cards at 30% off - and then, they would quit.
Even the Mannequins at Abercrombie & Fitch Have Six-Packs
This is a brand that seems who have a very clear vision about who their ideal customer is, and they make sure that every single detail in their stores convey the message of the "Abercrombie & Fitch man" and the "Abercrombie & Fitch woman." If you had any doubts about that, just check out this revelation from someone who knows the company from the inside. Yes, apparently even the mannequins at A&F have six-packs.
We don't know why that would be necessary, since the mannequins are dressed and you can't even see the six-packs, but that's how seriously the brand seems to take their commitment to their look.
Making a Person Cry in Front of Everyone
Nowadays it is generally accepted that in the workplace, commenting on someone's appearance is not ok. However, years ago, this type of thing was a common occurrence, and as we can see here, a person's look could even be used as a justification for having them fired. The manager in this story did just that, and he didn't even care - he did it in front of everyone, and didn't seem to feel bad about it.
We're thoroughly confused by this one, because if looks are so important that he can fire someone over it, why did he hire the girl in the first place? He must have known what she looked like before he hired her, no?
The Robin Hood of the Fashion World
We all know the tale of Robin Hood, the heroic outlaw who would steal from the rich and give to the poor. Well, this person apparently saw him or herself as a sort of Robin Hood of the fashion world, as they stole clothes from Abercrombie & Fitch to give to people living on the streets. It's actually kinda funny, considering how much pride the brand seems to take in controlling who gets to wear their stuff.
We only wish this person had shared more details about their story, because we wonder what happened first - did they quit, or were they eventually caught by their boss and then fired?
A Classic Retail Employee Rant
People who work in retail have plenty of stories to share about the customers they have to deal with. Some of those stories are sad, some are infuriating, and some of them are downright confusing. This one is a little bit of each. According to the former Abercrombie & Fitch employee, they once found themselves in an argument with a customer who wanted to return a shirt, but the store wouldn't accept it.
You would think there was an issue with the product - maybe the customer had already worn it, or maybe he didn't bring the receipt. Nope! Turns out he was at Abercrombie & Fitch, insisting on returning an American Eagle shirt.
Employees Have to Use Carefully Chosen Words
We never knew Abercrombie & Fitch employees had to follow so many rules, but from their clothes to their nails to the phrases they get to say to potential customers, it seems like everything is controlled and carefully thought of. According to this worker, for instance, they have a tagline that they're expected to say to people within 15 seconds of them entering the store. The current one is a simple "Hey what's up?" however that changes from time to time.
Curiously, they have something they have to say when they think someone might be trying to shoplift - "Can I help you find something to go with that item you're holding?"
Looks Are Important to Get Corporate Attention and Promotions
In a professional environment, we would expect our work to do the talking for us, but according to this person who works at Abercrombie & Fitch, that's not the case over there. What they say is that looks are "incredibly important" to get corporate attention and promotions, and we're not sure what to say about that. They even keep a list of the top ten most attractive sales-floor staff?
This confession is even difficult to read, especially when they talk about how some people are encouraged to only work in the back. We certainly hope that this sort of thing doesn't happen anymore.
Employees Have No Control Over the Loud Music
If you ever entered an Abercrombie & Fitch store and asked yourself, "Why does the music need to be this loud?" perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing that some of the employees there are wondering the exact same thing. It can't be comfortable working an entire day listening to loud music. No, this person even describes it as "horrendous," but according to them, they don't have a choice, and they can't control it.
Apparently, the only options on the music player are "loud, really loud, and extremely loud," and we're getting a headache just imagining what it must be like to work in a place like that.
Customers Try to Hit on Employees All the Time
You don't need to have ever worked in retail to know that customers hit on employees all the time. Maybe you've seen it happening when you were shopping for new clothes. Maybe you read about it on a Reddit thread. Maybe you, yourself, have done it before. Yes, it happens all the time, and we're not surprised to hear that it happens a lot at Abercrombie & Fitch, which is a store that notoriously likes to hire good-looking people.
This person even said that one time, a little kid had his sister come over and ask for a picture, and we've kinda relieved it was just a little kid, and not a grown man.
Every Piece of Clothing Had to Be Spritzed With Perfume
We're seeing from some of these confessions that the folks at Abercrombie & Fitch are or at least used to be very passionate about their fragrances, and this is yet another example of how committed they were in making sure the customers would notice their signature scent. According to this person who used to work for the brand, they had someone assigned during every shift to do something to each individual piece of clothing in the store.
Not once a day, but every half an hour, they had to spritz all the clothing with the latest cologne, and that not only sounds excessive, but it's like, isn't that bad for the clothes?
Working With a Bunch of Stuck up People
It is not uncommon for people to spend more time at work than they do at home, so understandably, having a good office environment and getting along with coworkers has become a must for a lot of people. Unfortunately, our workplace isn't always ideal. This person, for instance, wanted to quit their job at Abercrombie & Fitch so many times, but they were unable to do so because of the paycheck.
We all have bills to pay, and that's something that often keeps us at jobs we don't like with coworkers we don't respect, at companies we don't admire. Whatcha gonna do, right?
Being a Girl, but Constantly Smelling Like a Guy
The funny thing about smells is that when we're constantly exposed to a strong scent, we tend to stop noticing it so much after a while. That's exactly what happened to this Abercrombie & Fitch worker, who spends entire shifts at the store, constantly smelling the strong cologne that's spritzed everywhere. She eventually stopped smelling it, but whenever she approaches her friends or her boyfriend, she's reminded of the truth.
And the truth is that she smells like she sprayed an entire bottle of cologne on herself every single day, and we can understand how this could be a problem to people with a sensitive nose.
Having to Go Through Constant Bag Checks
If a store has a policy of checking the bags of their own employees, we have to guess that they probably had a lot of issues with shoplifters before, but still, it must super annoying to feel like your company doesn't really trust you and think you might be stealing products every time you leave the store. This person used some harsh words to describe what they used to go through, as well as the general condition of the store where they used to work.
According to them, the other workers were awesome, but the managers were always on a power trip, which is something that happens way too often with managers, for some reason.
Wearing Sandals Is Mandatory
This person who opened up about their own experience working at Abercrombie & Fitch doesn't seem to work at a store - instead, it seems like they work at their offices, because they shared information about the corporate people, and even about the CEO, who apparently also have to follow a strict dress code which includes wearing the brand's jeans? Casual Friday has a whole new meaning at the A&F headquarters.
However, the most shocking thing about this confession is when they say people are "forced" to wear sandals with no support, and how that even causes their shoe sizes to change. What?
An Employee's Advice to Being Hired by Abercrombie & Fitch
As it's become pretty obvious in this list, there are tons of people who have worked at Abercrombie & Fitch who would not recommend the experience to anyone, but the fact is that the brand is still desirable to many people, and there are tons of folks out there who would love an opportunity. This person, who's either a former or current employee at A&F, decided to share some advice for anyone applying for a job over there.
They certainly seem to know what they're talking about, because they are even using certain keywords that have become associated with the brand - jeans, casually nice, pretty natural, all-American.