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Feb9

The Best Abercrombie Jeans + sizing tips and how they compare to other brands

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 Abercrombie and Fitch has shocked me this past year with their great-fitting jeans for women in their 30s. Here’s a look at my favorite pair and how it compares to my other jeans. 

Be sure to follow me on the LTK app to see my daily outfits. If you’re not sure how to use the app, watch this short reel!

Abercrombie is having a huge sale on their viral denim this weekend (2/9-2/12), so be sure to shop this page for the jeans that are included and use code DENIMAF at checkout!

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 in my late 30’s, I decided to try them one more time after seeing someone post about them on Instagram. The verdict? OBSESSED.

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 more regularly and find GREAT stuff there.

I’ve been on the hunt the last few years for some on-trend non-skinny jeans, since I’m preferring a looser “mom-fit” more these days. I find it’s more comfortable and more flattering, but if you feel great in skinny jeans, rock them! Who cares what gen-z says on tiktok about skinny jeans? 😉

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.

In this post I’m showing side by side comparisons with a few other brands of jeans I own so that you can see how good they really are stacked up against designer denim as well as Madewell. 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.

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 and how they compare to other brands

My Review of Abercrombie Jeans

First, let’s break down a few basics. Keep in mind that all of the information I’m sharing is from pre-pregnancy!

Do Abercrombie Jeans Run True To Size?

The sizing at Abercrombie must have changed because when I was in high school and middle school, trying on Abercrombie jeans was a traumatizing experience. I would have to try on sizes that were 4-6 sizes larger than my typical size to even get them on my body, which is a teenager’s nightmare. Now, I don’t really care about sizes but just ordered what fits since brands vary so much.

However, Abercrombie jeans ARE true to size now, so toss that teenager dressing room trauma out the window. I wear a 25 or a 26, and the 26s are perfect on me. The 25s work but are tighter in the waist, of course. (For detailed sizing reference, I’m 5’1″, 115ish lbs, and wear a 26). If you are between sizes, I’d try sizing up in Abercrombie jeans, but in general, keep your normal size!

They have size ranges from 23W to 37W.

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 since regular jeans don’t always look the same after I’ve had them altered. (BTW, getting your jeans tailored to you is a sure-fire way to get more wear out of them). I order the Short length (I have a short torso!) and I own both size 25 and size 26, which is true to size with the other brands of jeans I wear (Madewell, Paige, and Mother).

Also, Abercrombie and Fitch has stores in most cities (even Winston-Salem which notoriously has not-great shopping options), so if shopping in-store is an option for you, you can go try on a few pairs.

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 pair that do not have distressing are a little shorter for some reason. I like the length for 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.

Abercrombie jeans length chart

What is the difference between regular and curve love fit?

It’s also worth noting that in Abercrombie’s efforts to be more inclusive in their sizing, they 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.

Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean

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 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
  • slight distressing
  • 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. In this style, I originally ordered one pair that was distressed. Now I own two black pairs (one distressed, one without distressing) as well. The jeans cost $99 and go on sale often, which is a great deal compared to many pair 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

Side-By-Side Comparison

First, let’s compare the different washes I have in the Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean. I want you to see a comparison of every angle to get a sense for how flattering they are!

The first photos show the original pair I got in Medium Destroy Wash, and the photos below show a Washed Grey (not available anymore but this pair is similar) and a black distressed wash that’s no longer made. They’re all so flattering, and they look like the perfect pair of “throw-on” jeans.

Ultra High Rise 90s Straight Jeans

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 pair I’m wearing above, but they have a full length leg and slightly frayed hem. They are also super high-rise, and not copped like the pair I’m wearing above.

I LOVE the length and the relaxed feel. They have a stiffer – more vintage feeling – shape, which is fun too.

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

One of my favorite “washes” from last year is back again this year, and I’m so excited. I looked high and low for a pair of leather pants this past winter and these black jeans with leather details were the most fun find ever! (I’ve also reviewed leather pants from Abercrombie in a separate post, if you’re looking for more details on that style.)

Ultra High Rise Flare Jean

This pair of flare jeans is also a great find. This pair has an ultra high rise and a full length leg. The flare begins at the knee and flares out dramatically toward the bottom. They have a really nice amount of stretch making them super comfortable. I’m wearing a size 25 in the short length.

Strangely, there are a couple different listings of these jeans online with different washes. You can see the black and dark blue wash flares here, and the flares in the light wash + two other blue washes here.

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

How Abercrombie jeans compare to other brands

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

comparison of Abercrombie, Mother, and Madewell jeans

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. I almost never wash them, unless Thomas gets food or poop on them. Mom life. 😉

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. It’s so rare to find jeans that aren’t too long on me!

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

Abercrombie Jeans Review: Bottom Line

I LOVE THESE JEANS. I work from home but get “ready” every single day, and Abercrombies 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 fits perfectly and looks 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 do sell out of sizes frequently, they always restock.

Happy shopping!

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    7 responses to “The Best Abercrombie Jeans + sizing tips and how they compare to other brands”

    1. Great post, Teri! I, like you, used to think AF was just not for me. But, now I find that a lot of my girlfriends are finding cute items from there! Do you have any recommendations for boot cut or flare jeans? I have seen that style making a comeback!

    2. Great post but I wish people measured the waist across like they do Levi’s. Like a 14.5’ 15”/30, etc

    3. I love these jeans. At 4’11 I ordered the extra short and they are PERFECT!

    4. I am obsessed with AF’s overalls! I ordered the cream pair this summer and they fit so amazingly, I just bought the denim. I love the wide leg and flattering torso area on my petite frame so much!

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