I walk by the Abercrombie and Fitch store with a certain amount of curiousity and fascination. I've seen the actual clothes that people buy at A&F, and they seem more or less normal. But the store itself fascinates me, though I've never been in one.
The closed shutters? Odd.The pictures of half-naked barely-pubescent men of questionable masculinity on the front wall? Disturbing.
The overwhelming stench of men's cologne that wafts out of the doorway? OH MY GOD, overpowering. Do they pump this stuff out of the vents? How do people breathe inside? Do they hand out asthma inhalers inside the entrance?
Do they actually sell clothes in there, or is it just some front for cologne-addicted orgies?
Someone please tell me, because I'm afraid to go in and look.
LOL! Recently, I went to the mall for the first time in years and it was LOUD and lots of smells and visuals designed to grab our attention.
ReplyDeleteDidn't work with me. I hit the stores I had planned to hit and drove away as fast as possible.
One post down, 25 to go - good luck!
LOL I'm happy with the smells at the Cinnabon!!
DeleteOurs closed. People were complaining about the smell. LOL. We even had protestors near the mall, holding signs that listed toxins being emitted from the store. I guess they take "sex sells" very very personally.
ReplyDeleteI bet it is a quite a problem for those who allergic, I hadn't really thought of that. I just usually go "Dang... it must be THICK inside!"
DeleteI've seen a surprising number of six-packs on blogs, today.
ReplyDeleteha... A is for Abs? Might have to look for those.
DeleteHahaha! Too funny! I just walked by one the other day and even though I was 30 feet away from the entrance, the smell of cologne was overwhelming. Not sure about the questionable masculinity. I certainly won't turn away from those ridged six-packs. But I do find it odd that a clothing store advertises without the clothes.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet you, Jo! I'm a new follower via the A to Z. And I live in WA, too, near Seattle.
"If you buy our clothes, you too will look like this!" Sold, sir. Sold.
Delete:) Nice to meet you, too!!
My grandmother had glaucoma. Because of it, when she went from bright sunlight into a room with no artificial lighting, she became very disoriented until her eyes adjusted. That's exactly the way I felt the one time I was in Abercrombie.
ReplyDeleteJudi W.
You're braver than me! :)
DeleteOnly went because I had to buy a gift certificate for an A&F fanatic. It was creepy in there!
DeleteThis is hilarious. I've never been in the store either. Actually, I can't even go to malls. I get anxious and don't enjoy them at all. Everything seems so fake. Like the photo you included - I've never seen guys look like that, even when I was in college. Good luck in the Challenge.
ReplyDeleteAwww, I'm sorry you get anxious. Just remember... the mall is more afraid of you than you are of it. Wait, that's snakes.
DeleteI've never gone in there either. I'm afraid, too!
ReplyDeletelol I'm glad I'm not the only one illogically afraid of a store at the mall!
DeleteJo
In Which We Start Anew
This is too funny! I know exactly what you mean.
ReplyDeleteNew follower here. I’m enjoying reading my fellow “A to Z”ers. I look forward to visiting again.
Sylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
Thanks for visiting, looking forward to talking more!
DeleteJo
In Which We Start Anew
Heh! I echo your sentiment. Guys don't really look like that, by the way.
ReplyDeleteha! I figured those abs were tattooed on. ;)
DeleteJo
In Which We Start Anew
I've never been in there...but oh, my, that photo!!!!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteheehee And that was one of the more tame ones that showed up in the search!
DeleteJo
In Which We Start Anew
I went in one once - and barely made it out alive. The smell was far too strong and the music was far to loud. And I was like 20 years old at the time. I haven't been in one since. Just walking by their stores I get a headache.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. :o)
LOL! See, now I'm forewarned with evidence. My fear was well-placed!
DeleteJo
In Which We Start Anew
Okay...forget everything you've heard...here's what really goes on behind the pretty bods and smelly stuff oozing out of the vents...are you ready, you might want to sit.
ReplyDeleteIn the back, there's a group of really old ladies, in colourful muumuus drinking really thick syrupy liquid and smoking really fat Cuban cigars...and in the middle of the table is a little gold bowl...and dancing in the bowl is a wee leprechaun...he's magical and if they can figure out what he is singing (while he's dancing) they will break the spell they've all been put under.
If...big if, the spell is broken...the stench will be lifted, the buffed bodies will morph into regular guys (and one girl) and the store will magically have soft music and size 10-14 clothing beautifully displayed. It's all just a front for a really bad spell gone seriously wrong...at least that's what I've heard.
And any lady, over size minus two (yup, that's an actual size) that enters and stay over five minutes is affected by the spell...
The strong aroma...that spews forth is the best the old gals can come up with to help ward women away.
So...be forewarned...it's a perilous journey you take when setting foot in an A & F store.
I look forward to what awaits with B...
Jenny @ Pearson Report
Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
*cracks up* Those darned leprechauns!!!
DeleteJo!
ReplyDeleteWell you're not doing bad over here yourself with the hot bods!
I have to laugh at Pearson Report's comment...cute!!!
Nice place you've got here JO...I'll be back and I'm joining as a follower!
Hawk (Houston A.W. Knight)
ha... going to have to save yours for after the kids go to bed! ;)
DeleteMy place is open 24 7 so visit when you like...Mondays are always hot with Elaing. I'm posting on weds usually a thought for the day - very tame. It's safer to visit on weds when the kids are up! LOL
ReplyDeleteHawk
Hello from the UK. Thanks for visiting my blog. A&F has infiltrated our shopping centres too. For years I wondered what this fancy place was with its shutters and queues to get in. I figured it might be a trendy cocktail bar or something. (Ha!) It was my friend Pip who enlightened me, and as she put it, "it's very clever marketing... they're not selling clothes so much as a way of life." She talked about these huge screens that showed live footage from the beaches (maybe at California?) trying to make you want to live this cool surfer life. But I went in, and it was dark, I couldn't see the clothes very well, but they just looked like plain t-shirts and jeans in every colour, at extortionate prices, because people will pay for the name. Me, if I pay £20+ for a T-shirt, I want it to have a quirky pattern or a funny picture or some pretty design or something on it. *shrugs* I just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteGreat site you've got here. I've enjoyed reading your A-Z posts.