Sex, Polo Shirts and Rugby: An In-Depth Look at Why People Idolize the Abercrombie & Fitch Lifestyle

You've all been in an Abercrombie store at some point, whether you were shopping in there or someone dragged you into the store. The Abercrombie & Fitch experience is unlike other stores at the mall; upon entering and being greeted by the half-naked store model in front to feeling the pulsating techno beats take over your senses, you feel lost in a place that is halfway between a club in Hollywood and a clothing store for prep school kids. It's an interesting combination, but it totally works.

Abercrombie is so successful not because of its' clothing - we're talking jeans with paint pre-splattered on them and faded t-shirts with holes here - but because of its' mass appeal to the modern day youth through highly perceptive marketing. I began shopping there when I was fourteen, and the effect Abercrombie & Fitch had on me certainly changed my lifestyle and how I wanted to present myself throughout high school. I remember when I walked out carrying my large bag depicting practically naked, gorgeous male models in full color, I was mesmerized. (I'll let you in on a little secret: I collected all the bags from there and put them up on my walls).

Life size wall displays throughout the store portray a lifestyle that many of us want: casual luxury, which is how Abercrombie describes its' clothing. Youthful people are shown engaging in afternoon games of rugby, tumbling around in the mud wearing polo shirts that cost $49.50 and cargo khakis worth $89.50. These images are portraying the wealthy lifestyles of young adults ranging from the Hamptons to some exclusive East-coast prep school, whose only concern for the day is what outfit to wear before heading to the lacrosse game with a bunch of sexy co-eds. And who wouldn't want that? i would certainly love to spend all day making sure I look fabulous, then go and have a good time with more fabulous looking people (as superficial as that sounds) in an exotic treehouse on some secluded island.