Abercrombie Comes Full Circle

My 12-year-old daughter recently returned to school after 2 ½ years of competitive gymnastics. Leos and Nike Pros are not part of her school’s dress code, so off we went to the local mall (yes, they still exist- for now) to procure a whole new wardrobe. I was curious to see where she’d end up- Justice? Forever 21? Her first stop, to my surprise, was Abercrombie and Fitch, that preternaturally cool abode of gorgeous models and thongs for pre-teens (it was a thing in 2002. It did not go over well).

Let’s pause for a moment to walk down memory lane. It’s 1997, and the world is crazy for low-rise jeans and Britney Spears. I am 17 and a junior in high school- and to quote the goddess herself, “I'm not a girl, not yet a woman.” I am in the awkward throes of adolescence, complete with perennial pimples and a perpetually broken heart. I have just won a $100 savings bond from the city science fair for my 1st place project on teen behavior based on single or dual parent households. Being the mature, responsible prize-winning budding scientist that I was, I still have that savings bond for when my daughter goes to college.

Just kidding. I cashed that baby and headed straight to Abercrombie and bought my first pair of A&F jeans, which I’m sure were handed to me in a bag bearing the face (and body- who are we kidding-) of one of those gorgeous half-dressed models (hey, I wasn’t complaining).

I can’t tell you why those jeans meant so much to me, but they made me feel exquisite. When I put them on, I felt powerful and comfortable and even sexy .The version of myself I desired was reflected in the mirror, not the one I saw every other day. And yes, you can argue that I shouldn’t be getting my self-esteem from a pair of overpriced jeans from a store that has made all kinds of cultural missteps over the decades and I should just be happy with who I am on the inside- but at that moment- I could conquer the world in those jeans.

Fast-forward 20 plus years later and there I was standing in the exact same Abercrombie, with the exact same set-up as 20 years before, but this time I was the parent with my own daughter. My first thought was, “Why is everything so expensive for such a small amount of fabric?” But my sticker shock faded as she raced around the store, excitedly grabbing tops and dresses for her brand-new wardrobe. For the first time in her life, she exited the dressing room with a huge grin as she modeled outfit after outfit. I could see the same transformation taking place in her that took place in me all those years ago. $250 later, she had five shirts, 1 sweater (oops- that was for me- it was cashmere for only $40), a scarf, and a Sherpa jacket. I’m pretty sure she danced out of the store with her Abercrombie bag, which now features a simple logo and no nearly naked models.

Sometimes- whether you’re paying with plastic or a cashed-too-early savings bond- that feeling is worth whatever the cost.