The Best Abercrombie Jeans – a side by side comparison

When I was growing up, Abercrombie & Fitch jeans were the very last thing I would wear. Every time I tried them on, they were WAY too small (even my correct size) which put a bad taste in my mouth, especially as a teenager. Now that I’m almost 41, I’m obsessed. Kind of ironic.

I was so surprised by these jeans and SHOCKED by how well they fit my petite frame without needing to be tailored, since they come in multiple lengths. They are truly a perfect fit! Now I shop at Abercrombie for basics, as well as jeans and jean shorts. (See my favorite Abercrombie jean shorts in this post).

I’ve been on the hunt the last few years for some on-trend non-skinny jeans. I prefer looser “mom-fit” denim these days, since I find them more comfortable and more flattering.

But as a petite 5’1″ woman, it’s difficult to find mom-jeans that don’t look frumpy, swallow my frame or look like flare, wide leg pants. Enter the Abercrombie Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jeans. So good that I now own nine pairs – 5 different styles and some styles in multiple washes. If you’re also petite, you’ll love this post on my favorite jeans for petite women – no alternations needed.

But I’ve also fallen in love with Abercrombie’s barrel jeans and 90s fit jeans.

In this review, I’m sharing my favorite pairs + side-by-side comparisons with a few other brands of jeans I own so that you can see how well Abercrombie jeans fit.

Also, I have a video review that includes the Abercrombie jeans if you prefer to watch rather than read.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

The Best Abercrombie Jeans + Sizing Tips

Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean

Size up if you’re on the fence. I have a 25 and 26 and prefer the 26.

Like I mentioned above, I had been on the hunt for straight-leg jeans with a mom-fit style for a while. I didn’t want anything too baggy, since that’s not necessarily my style, but I wanted something that was cropped above my ankle with a looser fit at the bottom that would still hug my booty enough on top. And I definitely wanted a high waist. I don’t care that low-waist jeans are coming back on trend. Hard pass on that for me.

Here is my list of wants in a pair of the perfect jeans:

• high waist / high-rise jeans
• option of a short length
• loose-fitting on bottom, snug on the butt, thigh area, and hip area (sort of like mom jeans!)
• not stretchy – I prefer the structure of true denim

And the Ultra Rise Ankle Straight Jeans hit the mark on all of those things and was the first pair of Abercrombie jeans I purchased, a little over 3 years ago. The jeans cost $99 and go on sale often, which is a great deal compared to many pairs of jeans that I own in the $175-$225 range.

This style also comes in the Curve Love Fit of the Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jean, which I ended up liking better (and that’s what I’m wearing below). These jeans look great with almost all shoes – booties (read how to style booties with jeans here), loafers, sandals, heels, etc.

Alright, let’s get into my other favorite styles from Abercrombie if you want to branch out even more.

High-Rise 90s Relaxed Jean

Size down if you’re on the fence. Since they’re relaxed, they’re looser all over. I’m wearing a 26 in these photos and exchanged them for a 25.

These are the jeans I reach for when I want that laid-back, effortless feel without looking sloppy. The Abercrombie 90s Relaxed Jean has a super flattering high waist and a full-length, straight-leg fit that feels cool without trying too hard, and I appreciate that it’s not too tight on the thighs.

I love how they give that vintage vibe but still feel modern and put-together. Whether you style them with a simple tee or a pretty blouse, they’re the kind of jean that makes every outfit feel just a little more interesting. I think of them as my Princess Diana jeans. Polished, relaxed, classic.

This style comes in Curve Love High-Rise 90s Relaxed Jean.

Mid Rise Barrel Jean

True to size. They’re meant to be loose but the waist does fit well.

These might be my new favorites, and I can already tell they’re going to be a fall closet staple. The Abercrombie Barrel Jeans have that perfectly on-trend shape with a relaxed fit through the leg that tapers slightly at the ankle, giving them a fun, modern look. You can see them in motion here.

They’re surprisingly easy to style with a fitted tee or tank in the summer, then cozy sweaters and ankle boots or loafers once the weather cools down. The fit is super comfortable but still feels intentional and chic, making them the perfect “I just threw this on” jean that somehow always gets compliments.

Ultra High Rise 90s Straight Jeans

Size up if you’re on the fence. I have a 25 in these and the waist is a bit too snug.

If you’re looking for a more vintage feel when it comes to your straight leg jeans, you should try the 90’s straight jeans. They’re similar to the 90s pair I’m wearing above, but they are a bit narrower through the leg with stiffer denim.

This style also comes in the Curve Love fit of the Ultra High Rise 90s Straight Jean.

High Rise Vintage Flare Jean

Size up. These definitley run small.

This pair of flare jeans is also a great find. They have an ultra-high rise and a full-length leg. The flare begins at the knee and flares out dramatically toward the bottom. I’m wearing a size 25 in the short length.

This style comes in the Curve Love fit of the Ultra High Rise Vintage Flare Jean.

How Abercrombie Jeans Compare to other Brands

I have two other absolute favorite pairs of jeans when it comes to this style: MOTHER Insider Crop Step and Madewell’s Perfect Vintage pair. Let’s compare.

Vs. MOTHER Insider Crop Step

The MOTHER Insider Crop Step is another favorite of mine. You can see from the photo above that they’re slightly snug in the upper leg and then have a small flare at the bottom. MOTHER denim tends to be stretchier and much pricer at $228.

I feel like the MOTHER jeans are more polished than the Abercrombie, so that’s something to note while shopping. Abercrombie feels stiffer, like true denim, rather than stretchy. This is all preference, but stiffer denim holds its structure really well, and it gets more comfortable over time, which I love.

Overall, I love both styles (stretchy and non-stretchy) but wear them for different looks.

Vs. Madewell Perfect Vintage

The Madewell Perfect Vintage jean is similar to Abercrombie in price ($128 and less when on sale), but I don’t think they look as good. Madewell looks looser and a little slouchier. The top half of the jeans is less fitted than Abercrombie, which I don’t like as much. I wear the Petite size in Madewell, and they are still a little too long on me. I love that the Abercrombie jeans hit right at the ankle in the short length.

I have a full blog post reviewing Madewell jeans as well.

Abercrombie Jeans Size Guide

First, let’s break down a few basics.

Do Abercrombie Jeans Run True-To-Size?

Yes. Abercrombie jeans ARE pretty true-to-size now, so toss that teenager dressing room trauma out the window. I’m almost always a 25 or 26 in Abercrombie jeans and I’m 5’1″ and 120 lbs for reference. I buy the short length..

Abercrombie has sizes ranging from 23W to 37W (the Abercrombie size chart will help you identify which size to order) and two different fits (classic and curve love), which I’ll get into below.

Another thing that I LOVE about Abercrombie jeans is that they come in four different lengths:

• Extra short
• Short
• Regular
• Long

Being 5’1″, having shorter options makes a huge difference for me, since regular jeans don’t always look the same unless I alter them. And if I can find jeans that don’t need alterations, I’m buying them (BTW, getting your jeans tailored to you is a sure-fire way to get more wear out of them, even though it can be annoying).

I ordered the “short” length for my first pair and it hit right above my ankle bone, which is exactly what I was going for. However, my two pairs that do not have distressing are a little shorter, for some reason. I like the length of those, especially with my short boots, but keep that in mind when you’re shopping.

Here is the length chart from the A&F website.

What is the difference between Classic and Curve Love fit?

To be more inclusive in their sizing, Abercrombie introduced a Curve Love fit. This fit features an additional 2″ through the hip and thigh for a little extra room to help eliminate the waist gap. Since I discovered the Curve Love Fit, it’s what I’ve been ordering, since I have muscular glutes and quads, and I find that fit is a lot more comfortable and flattering.

You can see a side-by-side comparison below. The one on the left is the regular fit and the one on the right is the Curve Love. They’re the exact same style and same size, but you can see the extra room near the top of my thighs in the pair on the right. It’s more comfortable and more flattering. I can wear the regular fit, as well, which is great since most of my older pairs are regular fit, but they’re just tighter.

Okay, let’s get into my favorite pairs.

Abercrombie Promo Code

I mentioned this earlier on in the post, but Abercrombie has sales all the time. While these jeans are usually priced at $99, I rarely ever buy them at full price. There are consistent sales making these jeans around $75 or cheaper, so I always recommend waiting for those. Whenever I have a promo code, I update this post.

Abercrombie Jeans Review: Bottom Line

I LOVE ABERCROMBIE JEANS. I work from home but try to get “ready” every single day, and Abercrombie’s jeans are the ones I pull out of my closet to wear 90% of the time. There’s something so nice about having a pair of jeans that fit perfectly and look good from every angle. If you’re on the fence, just order them to try. I’ve noticed that Abercrombie has sales frequently. I’ve also noticed that while they frequently sell out of sizes, they always restock.

I also have to note that if you’re expecting, Abercrombie has some of the very best maternity jeans EVER. I did a full review on my favorite maternity jeans here, but today I’m talking about non-maternity jeans since that’s what the majority of you are shopping for.

Happy shopping!

Shop My Favorite A&F Jeans