Abercrombie Jeans Review: A Side-By-Side Comparison

 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. 

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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 to 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. They are truly a perfect fit!

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″, 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 four pairs. Today I’m reviewing them, and showing side by side comparisons with a few other pair of jeans I have so that you can see how good they really are.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

Similar sweatshirt | Jeans | Shoes

Sweater | Jeans | Similar booties

Similar t-shirt | Jeans | Loafers

Similar top | Jeans | Loafers

My Review of Abercrombie Jeans

The first pair of jeans I’m reviewing today is the Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean in four different washes.

Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean

I originally ordered one pair that was distressed, and my obsession started there. Now I own a black distressed pair, as well as black and blue wash without holes. 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.

Another thing that I LOVE about these jeans is that they come in four different lengths: extra short, short, regular, and 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). For sizing help, I’m 5″1, 116 lbs, and a 25 fits me well).

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.

What I Look For Most:

Like I mentioned above, I’ve been on the hunt for straight leg jeans with a mom-fit style. I don’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 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 this pair hit the mark on all of those things.

Sweatshirt | Jeans | Sneakers

Similar sweatshirt | Jeans | Shoes

Similar tank | Jeans | Shoes

Similar t-shirt | Jeans | Shoes

Similar sweater | Jeans | Shoes

Similar top | Jeans | Loafers

Top | Jeans | Booties (similar affordable pair)

The Denim: 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 25s are perfect on me. The 26 work but are looser in the waist, of course. (For detailed sizing reference, I’m 5″1, 116 lbs, and wear a 25). 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.

Based on a size 28W, here are the details for this style:

Extra Short Inseam: 23″
Short Inseam: 25″
Regular Inseam: 27″
Long Inseam: 29″
Leg Opening: 15″

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.

It’s also worth noting that Abercrombie made another version of these jeans called the Curve Love Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jean. This style is almost identical the the Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jean, but the Abercrombie Curve Love jeans feature an additional 2″ through the hip and thigh for a little extra room to help eliminate the dreaded waist gap, which is awesome if you struggle to find jeans without a waist gap! I’m very proud of Abercrombie for have options for more body types!

Side-By-Side Comparison

First, let’s compare the 4 different style washes I have in the Abercrombie and Fitch Ultra High-Rise Ankle Straight Jean.

The first photo shows the original pair I got in Ripped Medium Wash, the second is Ripped Black, third is Light Wash, and the last pair is Washed Grey (not available anymore but very similar!) I love all four, but if I was only going to buy one pair I’d get the Ripped Medium Wash. They’re so flattering, the rips aren’t too big, and they look like the perfect pair of “throw-on” jeans.

Outfits of my outfits are linked here on LTK! You can search by key-terms to find specific items.

Comparison of every angle

Other Abercrombie 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 frayed hem. They are super high-rise, and not copped like the pair I’m wearing above. I just ordered this pair to see how they compare.

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

This style comes in the regular and Abercrombie’s Curve Love fit.

Outfit details

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 drastically 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.

Outfit details

Mixed Fabric Ultra High Rise 90s Straight Jean

I’ve been looking for a pair of faux leather pants ALL SEASON long. This is the best pair I’ve found, and I’m really excited about how unique they are! The denim at the top is super comfortable, and I love that they’re more casual than typical faux leather pants. I got my true size (25S), and they fit right out of the box.

Curve Love High Rise Skinny Jean

Honestly, I’m just not wearing skinny jeans as much as I used to these days, I sent this pair back. However, if you love skinny jeans, this pair is truly flattering. This pair has a high rise and a little bit of extra room in the hips and thighs. It has really great stretch too (but not quite as much as the flare pair).

Outfit details

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.

Vs. MOTHER Crop Step

The MOTHER Crop Step is another major 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 $218. 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), 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 a little too long on me, which is frustrating since I can’t tailor the raw hem, however I still get good use out of them since they’re really comfortable.  The raw hem of the Perfect Vintage jeans has become very pronounced, whereas the Abercrombie raw hem is subtle, which I like better.

Abercrombie Jeans Review: Bottom Line

I LOVE THESE JEANS. I work from home but get “ready” every single day, and these jeans are the pair 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, and I’ve seen these jeans go on sale under $80. I’ve also noticed that while they do sell out of sizes frequently, they always restock.

Order the Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jeans here.

Happy shopping!

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