During a recent trip to the mall, I walked past at least a dozen people over the age of thirty decked out in clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle, and Hollister. Many of them had Abercrombie shopping bags tucked under their arms. It made me wonder, how old is too old for Abercrombie and other teen stores? Do these people know that Hollister clothes are designed for teenagers? It makes me cringe to see men and women more than 10 years my senior still wearing Abercrombie fitted tees, and I’m sure their embarrassed children feel the same way. That said, the time has come to establish some ground rules for wearing brands like Abercrombie, American Eagle, and Hollister.
1. By the time you’re able to afford a new Abercrombie sweatshirt without borrowing money from your parents, you’re probably too old to wear it. Many of the people who shop there are kids buying back-to-school clothes with their parents or groups of teens spending birthday money.
2. Wearing Abercrombie and Hollister past the age of 25 doesn’t make you look cool or young. It makes you look like you’re trying too hard.
3. If you absolutely cannot live without these brands after age 23, choose styles with more discreet labels. Sweaters with a small moose or eagle logo are okay. Sparkly tanks with the word “Abercrombie” emblazoned in bold letters across the chest are not okay.
4. “But 23 isn’t that old! To a person in their 50’s, there isn’t much of a difference between an 18 year old and a 23 year old. However, 5 years can mean the difference between a high school senior and a young teacher. Think back to your high school years. Would you really want to be caught dead wearing the same clothes as your English sub?
5. “Why should I care what high school kids think?” It’s good to be true to yourself and never care about what other people think. However, we live in a society where appearances and first impressions matter. Wearing Abercrombie and Hollister after age 25 may make you look immature. New acquaintances may think you’re unable to let go of your high school days, even if that impression is far from the truth. Bad first impressions also put off potential dates and employers.
The bottom line is, if you have to ask whether or not you’re too old to wear Abercrombie, it probably means that you should move on to more mature styles. There comes a time in every young person’s life when they need to stop shopping at teen stores with thumping music and bare chested mannequins and start dressing more like an adult. Age appropriate clothes don’t have to be boring and unflattering. There are plenty of clothes for young men and women that are fun, trendy, and professional. Click here for fun, sexy, age appropriate fashion ideas.
