Searching High and Low: Your Ultimate Guide to Abercrombie Alternatives
As an apparel tester with over a decade of experience, I‘ve seen consumer demand for Abercrombie‘s California cool style explode back into fashion. Their signature laidback aesthetic keeps drawing shoppers in.
But Abercrombie’s controversies around lack of diversity and promotion of unrealistic body standards have rightfully turned many consumers off.
Thankfully, more size inclusive and ethically-minded alternatives have flooded the market. As your resident shopping guide, I’ve obsessively vetted them all to uncover the best Abercrombie dupes across every category imaginable.
Let’s dive in! I can’t wait to unveil all my fab finds.
What Makes a Store Truly “Abercrombie-like”
Before revealing my top picks, let’s level set on what that effortless Abercrombie vibe entails:
- Relaxed weekend wear
- Heavy focus on denim
- Oversized knits and layers
- Flirty dresses and skirts
- Retro branding and graphics
- Youthful, casual styling
I hunted for brands that specifically nail this aesthetic while also bettering Abercrombie’s narrow vision in terms of sizing and ethics.
Get ready to meet 10 fabulous contenders across apparel and beyond!
Apparel: Fast Fashion
Urban Outfitters
Price: $$
Sizes: XS-XL
Ethics Rating: 🟡
My Take: Urban Outfitters offers on-trend fleeting fashion, like graphic tees and oversized blazers perfect for cultivating that chill weekend vibe. I especially adore their band shirts and pop culture nods. Prices skew affordable compared to mall brands but can add up quickly. Quality varies across items so read fabric contents before buying. From an ethics standpoint, they lack supply chain transparency. But for cute, affordable fast fashion, Urban Outfitters ranks among the best.
ASOS
Price: $
Sizes:Range varies by brand
Ethics Rating: 🟡
My Take: My favorite thing about ASOS is the sheer breadth of brands under one roof – over 850 and counting! Glitzy dresses, edgy streetwear, eco-basics, you name it. Browsing everything in one spot makes curating a head-to-toe wardrobe so easy. I obsess over their free return policy too – no commitment until you love it. Do scrutinize sizing guides as quality fluctuates by brand. And while sustainability efforts ramp up, most apparel isn’t eco-conscious…yet! Still for affordable fashion, ASOS is hard to beat on convenience and style selection.
Apparel: Sustainable Luxury
Reformation
Price: $$$
Sizes: XS-3X
Ethics Rating: 🟢
My Take: If sexy camis and silky slip dresses are your jam, meet your sustainable match in Reformation! They pair flirty feminine pieces with eco-friendly fabrics and transparent ethics. A favorite for fashion-forward influencers and celebs for good reason. Past sizing didn’t go beyond XL but I’m thrilled they recently expanded up to 3X. Yes their $100+ price tag stings but the quality is phenomenal. I live for their vintage-inspired reflects done sustainably! 10/10 recommend.
Apparel: Denim & Basics
Madewell
Price: $$-$$$
Sizes: 23-42 waist
Ethics Rating: 🟢
My Take: Madewell burst on the scene in 2006 and quickly earned renown for their perfect-fitting jeans (those slim hips on their models swoon). The magic lies in special Italian fabrics and unique whiskering that molds to your body overtime. And it’s not just memorable denim – their aesthetic nails effotless chic across tees, button-downs and sweaters too. Do splurge on their $125+ jeans first and everything else will fall into place. Price per cost per wear is unbeatable. Rock those jeans in good conscience too knowing Madewell partners ethically on materials and factories.
Loungewear
Outdoor Voices
Price: $$
Sizes: XXS-XL
Ethics Rating: 🟢🟡
My Take: Outdoor Voices stretches activewear beyond the gym through muted color palettes and low-key styling. I basically live in their doing things line – especially the baggy CloudKnit and square-neck exercise dresses! Pieces transition so well from studio session to errand running to lazy Sunday couch hangs. I love their light eco efforts too, like recycled polyester and bluesign fabrics. My biggest gripe is the size range – it cuts off at XL currently. But for ~$75 leggings in yummy lux fabrics? Yes indeed. Namaste in sustainability-minded stretchy style!
Swimwear
Bikyni
Price: $$
Sizes: XS-XXL
Ethics Rating: 🟢
My Take: Finding sustainable swim usually means sacrificing style and/or spending big bucks. So imagine my delight discovering LA-based Bikyni! Their eco-friendly suits rival pricier luxury brands’ quality at just $75-150 per piece. Luxe Italian fabrics contour curves in all the right places. And their ruched one-pieces? chef‘s kiss Plus Bikyni plants a tree for each order and donates leftovers to fabric recycling. My only gripe is no mix-and-match forsizing yet. But for sustainably-crafted suits with serious wow factor? Consider me smitten! 🥰 👙
ThreddUP
Price: $
Sizes: Range varies
Ethics Rating: 🟢 🟢 🟢
My Take: If sustainability is your shopping north star, check out ThredUp stat for secondhand steals. Their online thrift megastore stocks over 35,000 brands (!) at 90% off retail, including Abercrombie dups. I scored 12 swimsuits last season for just $120 total! Returns are hassle-free if anything disappoints. Just be vigilant about noting fabric condition and sizing details since all pieces are pre-owned. For major sustainability cred on a budget though, ThredUp simply can‘t be beat! 🌎♻️👌
Comparing Quality, Price, Sizing and Ethics
Hopefully these speed reviews sparked new shopping ideas! Before we wrap, let‘s quickly compare key deciding factors across categories:
Quality
Highest marks go to Reformation, Levi‘s, Madewell and outdoor stalwarts like Patagonia for elevated fabrics and tailoring. Urban Outfitters and other fast fashion is less durable over time.
ThredUP condition varies as secondhand clothes see some wear, while Bikyni‘s suits feel brand new and lavish.
Pricing
Outdoor heritage brands, Madewell, Reformation and Bikyni command premium price points starting around $100. Fast fashion picks like Urban Outfitters offer trendier price points closer to $50. ThredUp’s thrifted finds discount big name brands up to 90% off!
Size Range
ASOS, Reformation, Madewell, Levi‘s and ThredUp (style dependent) score high for extended sizes. Brands like Outdoor Voices and Bikyni need to size up still.
Ethics & Sustainability
Reformation, Outdoor Voices, heritage outdoor brands like Patagonia/North Face and ThredUp lead in eco-efforts like recycled materials and responsible manufacturing. Bikyni makes suits from regenerated fabrics too!
Urban Outfitters and ASOS lack supply chain transparency as conventional fast fashion. But some promising sustainability measures in the works after recent controversy.
Hopefully breaking down key factors by category helps inform your future brand decisions and curious experiments!
Shipping, Returns and Discounts – Oh My!
Before riding off into shopping paradise, let‘s cover a few final must-know retail details:
Shipping Fees: Many spots offer free shipping above a certain order value – usually around $50. ThredUp provides free shipping over $79. And Brandy Melville generously includes free shipping on every single order!
Return Timeframes: Most allow 30+ days for returns (Reformation, Madewell, Levi‘s, etc.) while Urban Outfitters, ASOS and ThredUp extend even longer – between 30 up to 365 days depending on tier! I love having ample time for trying on at home since sizes and styles can be hit or miss.
Discounts: Sign up for email lists from your faves to get first dibs on sales and launches! Madewell, Reformation and Bikyni offer 20% off which nicely offsets the premium price tags. ThredUp runs frequent tiered sales events too – I always sort by newly marked down first.
I always recommend reviewing shipping, discount deets and return policies before hitting purchase. It saves so many headaches and regrets!
Closing Thoughts: It‘s Time to Diversify Your Closet!
Well there you have it — everything you need to revamp your relaxed wardrobe beyond tired old Abercrombie!
I hope unveiling ethical and size inclusive alternatives opened avenues for self-expression through fashion you might not have considered before. The options today beat the heck out of poorly-sized graphic tees from decades past (in this tester‘s humble opinion)!
Most of all, retain your personal flair amidst the trends. Stand tall in your truth, beauty and values. That spark sets you apart from any label trying to define ‘cool‘.
To recap my top 3 picks: Reformation for flirty sustainable dresses, Levi‘s for tried-and-true denim and ThredUp for pre-loved scores on the cheap. But don‘t stop experimenting there!
Wishing you countless adventure-ready outfits ahead and improved options for all shapes, sizes and styles. Go flex your influence through mindful spending! Maybe together we‘ll even push the remaining stragglers like Abercrombie toward more ethical horizons. There’s still hope yet! 😉🛍
