Abercromie Lawsuit

[Dionysus]

Originally posted by justamom
People are funny. What is more personal than the style you choose to wear and how you present yourself? When we go to the mall. My daughter refuses to step inside Gadzooks because it's a "head shop" image.

What does "head shop" image mean? I never heard of that one.

[justamom]

What does "head shop" image mean? I never heard of that one.

Catering to those who like to imbibe (as in consume) illegal substances.
In this case, her opinion pertains to the image of the clothing.
In reality, a shop that sells pipes, bongs, papers and other related paraphernalia. Not sure where they originated, but they sprang up in every college town and then spread. They also sold "Hippie" attire-lots of granny gowns, psychedelic T-shirts, peasant tops, beads, sandals and leather fringed vests and belts. Then came the black lights, strobes, fluorescent posters, incense burners, stash boxes and everything you could possible need as a poser or a bonified flower child.

I know, I know-ask a simple question...

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by justamom
What does "head shop" image mean? I never heard of that one.

Catering to those who like to imbibe (as in consume) illegal substances.
In this case, her opinion pertains to the image of the clothing.
In reality, a shop that sells pipes, bongs, papers and other related paraphernalia. Not sure where they originated, but they sprang up in every college town and then spread. They also sold "Hippie" attire-lots of granny gowns, psychedelic T-shirts, peasant tops, beads, sandals and leather fringed vests and belts. Then came the black lights, strobes, fluorescent posters, incense burners, stash boxes and everything you could possible need as a poser or a bonified flower child.

I know, I know-ask a simple question...

How on earth would you know that, justamom?

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by Cream
How on earth would you know that, justamom?

I think justamom's secret flower child identity just came out.

[LeslieAGD]

JAM knows everything

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by justamom
Librasoul, honestly, here I have never, ever seen kids from our HS wear the brand. Then again, maybe it's because we are in the South.

I'm from the South (the Panhandle of Florida, right on the water), as is Librasoul. The first kids in town I ever saw wearing FUBU were white. Of course, it's a pretty wealthy area, and these were kids willing to drive to Atlanta and New Orleans to buy whatever was the hippest at the time (ie, the first ones to wear anything when it comes out). When it finally came to my town, that's when everyone had it.

I never considered Gadzooks as catering to a druggie image, but, then, I haven't been in one since 1998.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
I never considered Gadzooks as catering to a druggie image, but, then, I haven't been in one since 1998.

I always think of Gazdzooks as a skater-ish shop...all the Hawaiian stuff and Roxy and baggy pants, etc.

[justamom]

I am a multilevel person with a vast amount of life experiences!
One day, all you young ones will be too!

Had to add this here as an edit- (I made the INITIAL statement and responded from the viewpoint of a locality! Without expressing the fact early on that this was observed in MY town, it became a sweeping statement even though that was not the intention. Of course I have no way of knowing which brands are or are not popular in other areas. I can only comment on my own observations and information.)

Gadzooks or however you spell it.- I did state that was my daughter's opinion. She is very conservative in her actions and her dress. Yet, she is NOT as conservative as many in this Baptist/Catholic town. You want to know who shops there? The little rice farm kids who come to town for a big time and the moms who like to dress their kids in a sexy way at 11, 12 and 13. Little boys who think the remarks on the T-shirts are so cool!

There is a ton of HS drinking, but for the most part if you do ANY kind of drug, you are excluded from the kids. We have drug testing here, doesn't everybody? YOU ARE OFF THE TEAM AND OUT OF THE CLUBS! In this place skaters are considered skanks-"corner people"... You know, the ones that gather in the corners during lunch or hang out with their skateboard downtown. It just so happens that a lot of buying and selling goes on by this bank that has a really vast spread of concrete with wheel chair accessibility front and back. Right across the street is a 4 story parking garage and it, I would guess, makes for a fun run. It is a gathering place for a very specific type of person. Hey, I can't help the stereo types of this town! THERE ARE ALWAYS INDIVIDUAL EXCEPTIONS TO ANY RULE!

I also stand by the FUBU statement. Sure, I can imagine some kids running out and buying it- at first, but I repeat, I have never seen it on a white kid HERE, and I'm certain I never will... unless some type of "idol" starts sporting the brand. It just won't happen. BUT, I must state, there are a few guys that walk around trying to ACT all that by purchasing the image and trying to verbally sound like the image, but it tends to tick people off on all sides of the rainbow. THEY just might have a shirt in their closet that I haven't seen. This was never meant to be a debate it was merely an observation.

I know every place is different, and the social and economical classes strives to move up the ladder as far as imitation goes. Guys will buy a shirt from Walmart if they can roll up the sleeves and look the way the affluent look-- in THIS town. Girls are the same way. The affluent HERE are conservative and preppy. THAT'S WHY THEY SHOP AT A&F!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! BACK ON TOPIC!

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Half my chapter has worked at AF at one tiem or another. Theres one 'bout 3 miles from campus. It is a hobby, not a job. They all liked it, but it was really expensive for them to work there. Someone before mentioned how AF used to be a good brand. Indeed. I have an uncle who is an avid outdoorsman and still owns quite a few Abercrombie pieces of hunting gear from 10+ years ago. I think he even owns a few AF fishing lures, lol. Nowdays youd be just a sliekly to find an AF lure as a dangle on a shell necklace. lol. He also has this huge hunting scene print framed above his fireplace that says "Abercrombie and Fitch" across the bottom. It cracks me the FU.

Apparently, from what I remember from a marketing class a while back... Abercrombie has in fact been in business since 1896 or whatever, however in the late 80's or early 90's the company was posting losses. At the same time, one of those big clothing retailers was looking to create a brand that appealed to this market segment. So I am not sure if it was Spiegel, or one of the limited companies, but one of them bought the AF name and trademarks and retooled it as what it is today, Essentially keeping only the name. So If I remember correctly, Its rither owned by one of those big retailers or is a part of one of them. I know the GAP companies did the same thing in the late 80's with the Bananna Republic brand. Anyone here rememebr when BR was all safari? I found an old BR safari shopping bag in our warehouse last week and laughed my ass off. GAP wanted to capture more of the market. GAP itself only marketed to middle income shoppers. They brought on BR and retooled it to upclass, and then createed Old Navy, to appeal to the more price concious consumers.

Someone feel free to correct me on the above info. I am pretty sure I rememebred it all correctly, but its been a few years since that class.

I remember when Banana was heavy into the safari stuff and I never set foot in there because of that. I like what they are today, although they need to expand their size range.

[FeeFee]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
I remember when Banana was heavy into the safari stuff and I never set foot in there because of that. I like what they are today, although they need to expand their size range.

Oh snap, I almost forgot about the whole BR/safari thing, so much has changed over the years with the store. Talk about going down memory lane-lol.

[33girl]

Gadzooks is not a head shop or vaguely like one. Head shops are not located next to Casual Corner. Then again JAM, it's probably better that your daughter doesn't know that.

It's odd cause I was in I think delia's, and musing about how the stuff they were selling in there (the Keep On Truckin t-shirts!! OMG!!!) used to only be available at either the t-shirt shop at the skating rink, or the guys & gals jeans store where for some reason the proprietor's eyes never stopped spinning. Once you can buy it in the mall, it's not underground anymore.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by 33girl
Gadzooks is not a head shop or vaguely like one. Head shops are not located next to Casual Corner. Then again JAM, it's probably better that your daughter doesn't know that.

Nah, it's just tacky. LOL

[justamom]

IS there even such a thing nowadays??? (headshop)

Hey, I agree with you 33girl-sometimes ignorance is bliss! If she says it's for "druggies" and I think it's for our druggies-then I won't be too concerned unless I see her start shopping there!!!

Which reminds me of a motherhood story. This is dated because things have changed and Victoria's Secret is a big deal BUT-

Before VS, if you didn't want your mother to know you were having sex, you did your own laundry. The fancier the underwear, the more likely you were showing it to some one!

[bgsarah]

Kind of a scary story:
One of my friends shops at Abercrombie religiously. I swear she owns everything they've ever made. She was randomly shopping one day when she was cornered by an employee who badgered her about taking a job there. She took the job, for lack of any way to get the girl to leave her alone.
On her first day, they made her take a 'survey'. Some of the questions: "what makes you hot?" "what do you like to do to chill?", etc. Just silly things that are absolutely not work related.
She was made to sit through photo shoots with the managers, districts, etc.
She was studied by all the higher ups.
During her first week working there(after all this crazy orientation stuff,) her boss said it would be a "recruitment" day. They basically told her that if she saw anyone who "looked like Abercrombie material," to offer them a job. She picked out a couple people and showed her boss, who rejected both girls(GORGEOUS girls). Her boss said that the girls "weren't 10's" and proceeded to critique tiny little things about them.
She's not allowed to dye her hair anymore. She got highlights and nearly got fired because it looked "too streaky", when really it looked like she'd just gotten back from the beach.
She had to buy like $200 of their clothes, that she has to wear on the days they tell her to.


Seriously. WHY doesn't she just quit??? Man.

[AGDPrincess70]

Originally posted by justamom
IS there even such a thing nowadays??? (headshop)

JAM, you've obviously never been to Ann Arbor, Michigan!

In a city that boasts an annual "Hash Bash" (an all-day, city wide weed party where up to a gram of weed on your person is legal ), there are more than a few shops that advertise "blown glass" (pipes, bowls, etc.), papers, incense, black lights, Bob Marley posters, etc.

Interesting shops they are.