A&F- Yay or Nay?

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] This is basically a poll that I'm posting here because of a thing we're doing in my lit class. The question is: What are your opinions on clothing lines that include, but are not limited to, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., American Eagle, etc. (basically any store that is similar to these kind of retails). You can write whatever you want, but you just have to back up your opinion with explanations and such.

Write away![/color]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Amen - CK Killer]I was born an amputee inside here
Who can't turn and pledge allegiance
We just fall inline + we just fall behind
We default your procreation
We default your assassination

Paralysed
We're paralysed

We are born from you-we've come to
Calvin Klein's the killer
They want to - look like you
Calvin Klein's the killer

This fashion is a warning sign
You were shot for your division
We just fall behind + we just fall inline

Paralysed
We're paralysed

Cause Calvin Klein's the killer
Versace now is the killer
Calvin Klein's the killer
Versace now is the killer

Paralysed[/QUOTE]

Now that that's out of the way, I think it's quite obvious that I have fashion clothes lines. Making you feel like you need to wear those clothes, you NEED to look good and fashionable or everyone will hate you, you NEED to have top-knotch accesories or you're uncool... and it's them telling you to conform or be cast out that makes it so people really believe that they NEED to throw away their money on something as totally irrelevant as a clothing item. It's just another example of overbearing advertising.

[Stark]

[SIZE=1]All of the names you mentioned are the huge brand names that are typically associated with the 'preppy' kids, and not something I typically want to associate myself with. For me, my biases about these brand names are there because I've had some not so pleasant encounters of the preppy kind, and the clothing is way too expensive for me to even consider buying. There's no way I'm gonna spend $30 on a shirt I might not even like when I can go to Wal-Mart and buy a shirt I like for less than $10.

I'm just a cheap wad. The bargain hunter sort with very specific tastes in clothing. Usually tight T-shirts with the name of a restaurant on them, or have some witty comment. The only brand name I rather like is Old Navy because their pants fit me with no problem--a tough feat for a person whose 5'1" and has to shop in the little kids section at most other places to find something that fits.

Pretty much, I like anything that allows me to be as invisible as possible. Wearing tiny skirts and spagetti strap tank tops don't fit the bill. Or anything that will deplete a lot of my out-of-bank funds just to look good. [/SIZE]

[Touchstone]

[FONT=Georgia]I really don't care all that much; those stores just don't appeal to me that much. Abercrombie and Fitch annoy me though because I think they're hiring practises are very discriminatory-they hire attractive vapid kids who look like models. They have huge pictures of models all over the store. It just feels so empty and meaningless. I always get depressed when I'm in there, like the fall of civilization is among us. But that's a bit exaggerating.

I also agree that those stores are way over-priced. A cotton tee for twenty dollars? No thanks, I got a killer jacket at JC Penny for fourteen! I really don't like spending money on clothes when I could get better things, like books or music or notebooks (which is probably why all my clothes are so old). I'd just rather not bother.

Anywho, let's see who's going to rant on preps next! (I'm not a prep, I'm a Sam. I just find all these group things odd :animestun )[/FONT]

[NekoSama101]

I agree with all of the above. They are rather preppy stores, and expensive! However, if I was rich and preppy (which i'm not, thankfully, not the rich part but the preppy part) I would want to shop at those stores. But since I'm not, I wouldn't shop there if you threatened to kill me.

[kalon]

[quote name='NekoSama101']I agree with all of the above. They are rather preppy stores, and expensive! However, if I was rich and preppy (which i'm not, thankfully, not the rich part but the preppy part) I would want to shop at those stores. But since I'm not, I wouldn't shop there if you threatened to kill me.[/quote]

That is basically how you define preps at my school. If you can afford to spend $20 on $2 worth of cotton, and actully spend that money, then you are a prep.

More on topic, I do not care about clothes. At all. Which is unusual for teenage girls my age. I prefer comfort over style, not to mention that there are much better ways to spend my money. I have one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of dress shoes, and most of my shirts are plain red or blue. Clothes do not matter. They are basically tools to give you slight protection and keep you from the elements.

I am interested in some clothes, but only t-shirts that have sayings or pictures I like. Hot Topic is okay, but please do not define yourself based on your clothes. In case you did not know, Hot Topic is owned by the same company as Abercrombie & Fitch (or one of the like.) Do not be surprised that faceless corporate executives tell you what does and does not look good in an attempt to make you think the clothes are coll. The people who make clothes are all after your money. Clothing stores are businesses. End of story.

[The13thMan]

[FONT=Century Gothic] [COLOR=DarkOrange]I don't have any problem with the stores or brands of clothing. I'll probably even end up buying some from those places sooner or later. The reason those places are expensive is because of the name. If nobody knew the name Old Navy it wouldn't matter how nice their clothes are, nobody would want them. Well, except for those of us who have good fashion sense and don't care about brand names.

Also, people who wear those clothes aren't always preppy. Just because somebody decides to wear those clothes don't make them preppy either. And that's why i don't have a problem with the clothes themselves. I do, however, have a problem with some people that happen to wear those same clothes. But then again, i have a problem with people who happen to wear really trashy clothes too. Anyways, bottom line, judge on character not on appearance.

I have friends that wear those kinds of clothes. My sister wears those kinds of clothes. They're all good people.

Later.


[/COLOR] [/FONT]

[Lady Knight]

[COLOR=Plum]I agree with the13thman not everyone who wears those clothes are preppy. I have a few clothes from brand name stores and such...but i mostly got gift certificates and stuff for them because I blow a lot of my money on my horse so its kind of hard to buy those clothes. But when I do get some extra cash and am looking for a nice top or a pair of pants I will go in their and look and my personality is far from preppy...so its no the clothes that define the person its the person that defines themselves...isn't it?[/COLOR]

[Sara]

[color=#b0000b][size=1]I can't afford to spend real money on clothes. I don't have much against buying brand name stuff on the cheap, though (or second-hand).

Honestly, I guess I'd rather not advertise a clothing company. I steer away from shirts with brand names emblazoned across them. If I found a clothing company that I thought was genuinely worth supporting, I would probably wear their shirts to get the word out. It would have to be some sort of hippie company, though, heh.[/color][/size]

[Guest Gun Preacher]

What i've never even heard of these places know bring in deveros,,footlocker,rocka feller,fubu,nike, etc then we can talk.

[Fallenangel02]

I think its horrible that people actually define others by what clothing they wear. The very thought that your clothing has to represent yourself, your entire being and personality is rediculous. If i was to go out and wear all black and have a peircing, i'd be labled as goth. If i went out in A&F i'd be labled preppy. This is generalizing and stereotyping, and we all do it, hell i do it too.
But before i get too far ahead of myself, you have to look around the world to other cultures and past societies. They all judge eachother by their clothing as well. Its a part of our human nature to judge eachother, and its highly unlikely that we will ever get past it.
I personally shop at Pac Sun (which is quasi-preppy) just because i like the look. No, im not representing myself in some form through clothing, i just think i look good in the stuff and to hell with what everyone else thinks.
Maybe we could just try tolerating other people's style. Especially in America, we've got a hodgepodge of everything over here, so we might as well get used to conflicting clothing styles, rather than verbally attacking eachother. but thats just my 2 cents :3

[Momiji Love]

[CENTER][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana]I do not shop at those stores. Its not that I don't like the preppish style, I just shop at Forever 21 and Vanity and stuff.

The thing about those stores is that almost [I]everyone[/I] will own the cute shirt you see on the impossibly skinny manequin, and though the new style of layering longer tees under shorter ones and short skirts over leggings is supposed to add a little individuality, it doesn't. You still will have the same clothes as everyone, you just wear them differently.

But thats just me.
I personally like to play the A&F Game. Its where you try to walk through the store, touch the back wall and get back out again without an employee talking to you or asking if you need assistance.
I've won 2 out of the 6 times of played.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[QUOTE=Fallenangel02]I think its horrible that people actually define others by what clothing they wear. The very thought that your clothing has to represent yourself, your entire being and personality is rediculous. If i was to go out and wear all black and have a peircing, i'd be labled as goth. If i went out in A&F i'd be labled preppy. This is generalizing and stereotyping, and we all do it, hell i do it too.
But before i get too far ahead of myself, you have to look around the world to other cultures and past societies. They all judge eachother by their clothing as well. Its a part of our human nature to judge eachother, and its highly unlikely that we will ever get past it.
I personally shop at Pac Sun (which is quasi-preppy) just because i like the look. No, im not representing myself in some form through clothing, i just think i look good in the stuff and to hell with what everyone else thinks.
Maybe we could just try tolerating other people's style. Especially in America, we've got a hodgepodge of everything over here, so we might as well get used to conflicting clothing styles, rather than verbally attacking eachother. but thats just my 2 cents :3[/QUOTE]

Ah! I like this point. I couldn't agree more, but consider this... when people buy those clothes they aren't just thrown into a generalization, but they most likely were trying to look that way. Most people who get peirced get pierced because they want to look goth, and they know that by having piercings they will be considered that. I'm not saying it's true of all people, but it is of most (and I realize that this is a generalization itself.)

I think if people are trying to show of their money, show off their fashionality, say "I'm a rich/preppy person" then they are going to buy clothes that people will say "that's preppy" about. And who determines what looks rich/preppy? The [B]ones making the clothes.[/B]

[PaganAngel]

I don't get America's whole obsession with brand names. It's not like anyone can see the American Eagle Outfitters tag hanging out of your jeans. I don't get why those stores force us to pay 60 bucks on a pair of pants you could get basically get a duplicate of on a Wal-Mart clearance rack for $13.50. And I'm not saying, either, that you have to go to that extreme and only buy cheap Wal-Mart clothes. Just going to Mervyn's or JC Penney is fine for me, and generally reasonably priced. It's all the same. Clothes are clothes are clothes. And yes, this is a teenage girl (albeit slightly nerdy) talking.

[quote="Momiji Love"]I personally like to play the A&F Game. Its where you try to walk through the store, touch the back wall and get back out again without an employee talking to you or asking if you need assistance.
I've won 2 out of the 6 times of played.[/quote]
Ha! Now that sounds like a good time. Maybe I'd give it a shot, but only if the A&F people would TURN DOWN THEIR FRICKIN' MUSIC first.

[vegeta rocker]

Hot Topic is worse than Abercrombie & Fitch in my opinion.

I don't mind either really, though i would never shop at Abercrombie just because thats not my type of clothes.

But at least there is an honest preppiness about the place. The same little kinder-goths that snub their noses at the preps complain about the preps having all that money just turn around and pay twice as much for a pair of Tripp pants.

Its just so funny that they are all owned by the same people, so if you shop at Hot Topic you are probably funding the next Abercrombie store.

The place i used to love was Gadzooks, they had major sales and were an honest version of hot topic. They had some prep clothes and some raver clothes (Masters of Architectural Clothing [M.A.C.] ).

But now they bite too, honestly name brands are no big deal. Don't define yourself by them but don't snub someone who likes them.

Unless they look ridiculous in pastel colors, in which case you can laugh and point.

[Dagger]

I don't have much of an opinion either way. I don't go to any of those stores to buy clothes, because they're generally beyond my price range, and nothing about the clothing attracts me... at least no more so than clothing from any other store. I also agree with Sara's comment about logos.

Target & online retailers are the way to go. :cool:

~Dagger~

[Goodbye, Face]

[font=trebuchet ms]I personally don't understand the reason people would actually want to spend $40 on a regular T-shirt with the word "Abercrombie" printed onto it. I've gone up and asked people what such clothes mean to them, and they can't come up with anything. What they wear means nothing to them, it seems, and it just doesn't make sense. You should either wear clothes that seriously look good on you, or clothes that mean something to you, regardless of wether it's in print, stitches, or in memories.

Me? I normally wear the typical rock band T-shirts and gray or blue jeans everyday. I don't mind advertising something I like, and that I feel actually deserves the money. It's beyond whatever ******** clothing company and more about supporting something that I love. Plus, at shows, you can usually get shirt ridiculously cheap. The really local bands cut great deals and throw out freebies. :)

I feel like I haven't said the right words to get my point across without sounding egotistical or something.[/font]

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] The answers already posted are the ones I'm using in class, so I'll post my opinions now. (BTW, this was sort of like a side-thing for the class because we're reading [b]Brave New World[/b])

Personally, I like the styles of AE, A&F, and Hollisterco. I like the prep-style, but I also like the laid back and casual style. Half the time you'll see me wearing sweats and a college hoodie with my hair up in a ponytail, and sometimes I'll decide to dress up and wear preppy clothes. I've always been interested in fashion, and I usually doodle random clothes I'd like to have. Not to insult anyone, because most of my friends are bargain-shoppers, but I don't find clothes from stores such as Walmart or Target as good as the clothes from, let's say, A&F. A&F does have nice clothes, and they're comfortable and soft and etc.

Obviously, A&F is expensive. Hollister is as well, but American Eagle is rather low-priced and you can get nice deals when their clothes are on sale. But I don't shop obsessively or anything. I go to the mall about once every two months and pick out things on clearance or sale. You get the short stick, since people with more money will buy the better stuff before they go on sale, but I don't sweat about it.

As for the whole logo thing, I definately don't shop at those three stores because of logo. I usually hate clothes that only have a logo on them. Most of my closet consists of tops/shirts that have no writing on them whatsoever. [/color]

[Maneki Neko]

[COLOR=DarkOrchid][SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana]What does it matter if some people brand A&F, American Eagle, and Hollister as prep and expensive. Or Gap, Old Navy, and Pacsun as semi-prep, or Hot Topic, Zumies, and Traz as skater/punk? These things are all irrelevant. People should be able to shop where they please without getting weird looks for going into Hot Topic while decked out in white and pink polo shirts, or getting glared at for going into American Eagle with a pair of tattered up converse on. We all know that this sort of stuff goes on, but it shouldn't be.

People should shop and dress as they feel comfortable. I don't care where I go to do my shopping as long as I leave with something that [I]I[/I] like. I shop at hot topic for my guaged earrings, belts, and band t-shirts. I shop at zumiez for hats and flip flops. I shop at Old Navy for tank tops and jeans. I shop at target for bathing suits and random crap. I shop at Hollister anytime I go to big city Denver cause they have some cool stuff. I shop at Wet seal cause they have some cool stuff. ETC. ETC. ETC. Anyways.

I had a girl last year who was super popular that happened to be wearing the same buttercup yellow tank top as me, we had both got it at Old Navy. I am not in any typecast, I just have my own alternative style, and I was considered a ****-up in school. When she noticed we were both wearing it, she looked almost disgusted, and one of her friends actually asked me if I really shopped at Old Navy. Goes to show you...some popular people are beotches, but I have a lot of real popular friends and a lot of not. It shouldn't matter, I like the person, not the clothes.

Shop where you want to shop, and don't give a crap where anyone else shops, whether the walls are covered with models or covered with band shirts. You should dress to impress, but not others, just yourself.

Because that's what really matters, isn't it?
[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Panda]

The older I get, the more thrifty I become.

I am sure this is from my days as a starving college student working two jobs and going to school at the same time. When you have to start paying for everyday living costs (ie food, shelter, education...) you begin to find things like "high fashion" are thrown out the window. I love second hand shopping. You will find really nice clothes that don't cost you an arm and leg.

I would like to take this time to thank all the really rich people who only wear an article of clothing for one "season" since they want to stay on top of the current trends. Thanks to you, I get great clothes for a fraction of what you paid. Rock on rich people, rock on.

Heck, half of the stores you guys have posted about I have never even heard of. I am sure that is because I very rarely frequent malls. That and all those trendy stores cater to the young and thin and, alas, I am neither young or thin. :animesigh

[Starwind]

When it comes to designer clothes I'm about as indifferent as one can get. As long as it looks good and feels comfortable I don't really care who made it. I usually by most of my clothes at wal-mart and I buy alot of the non designer labels. but that's just me.

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I never wear designer clothing. For one thing I don?t want to spend the money and the other is that I got too use to wearing very inexpensive casual clothing. When I was working as a truck driver it was pointless to have nicer clothing that would just get ruined while I was working. Between driving, checking out the truck and trailer several times a day, you get pretty dirty. And the grease on the 5th wheel plate is very unforgiving and doesn?t wash out. At least not very good. You could take nicer stuff while you were on the road, but even if you were careful eventually you?d get something on it.

Now even though I could wear designer clothing without worrying about ruining them I find I just can?t bring myself to send so much money on a single item of clothing. Especially when the extra money could be spent on something a lot more fun like DVD?s, games or more anime stuff. ^_~ [/COLOR]

[Ninjaman]

It's funny because I actually look around AE when I get the chance. I've gotten two shirts and a necklace from there. That's not to say that I'm okay with the prices, I mean I got the two shirts form the clearance rack, lol. I mean, geez, if I think something looks good and something that I would wear (and if it's not too expensive), why not get it?

I have yet to see anyone get "discriminated" against based on what kind of clothes they wear. And anyone who does do that, well, they need to grow up. My best friend wears clothes from AE, and other related places, but does that mean she's preppy? Hardly. Like someone said earlier, it's not the clothes that represent the person, it's the person him or herself.

I actually buy clothes from random places including Walmart, Target, Kohl's, and Old Navy. Like I said: If I like it, and it's not expensive, then I'll get it. I don't narrow it down to a specific brand. I could not possibly care less what kind of brand it is.

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]I have not read any of the replies yet, so please forgive me for my ignorance.

Frankly, I find these stores scary. I had to go into American Eagle once to get my sister a gift card (which she liked, so it was kinda worth it), and I was freaked. It was all... [i]preppy[/i]. I'm very preppy myself, but this was terribly, SCARY kinda preppy, and I just wanted to leave before I either had a nervous breakdown, or gagged. Once I left, I vowed never to go back again. I hope I don't have to.

It's so bizarre, though. This is my sister we're talking about, who was the biggest goth ever, hot topic lover, stevie nicks dress wearing drama-clique girl. And then she gets a job at age 24, and BAM! she wants American Eagle. X__x I hope I never get like that. Please. >_>

Abercrombie and Fitch I can't comment on. It's okay. w/e.

Hollister though, now that's a scary place. Have you ever seen the entrance from the outside?!? It's a pavillion that wants to engulf you!! It's incredibly intimidating, and just walking up to it, wearing the clothes I wear, I immediately feel like I *definitely* [b]don't[/b] belong, and I turn around and run the other way. AHH, SCARY!!!! >_> [/color]

[ScreamingSquid]

the thing i dislike about any major brand-A & F, Hot Topic, The Gap, lane Bryant, any mall brand, really-is that a lot of them produce their clothes overseas, in places without labor laws. They are almost always manufactured by children, who make as low as ten cent a day. The children work long hours, often without food or breaks. Other than that...Hot Topic gets too me, because the purpose of the 'punk' look is to be different. How different can you be when you and all your friends spend $50 on the same pair of pants? At least with 'preppy' brands, you're supposed to look the same.
and..Hi. I'm new. Obviously.