Time is calling Abercrombie & Fitch, which has experienced ten straight months of double-digit sales declines, the worst recession brand in the world.

Abercrombie is feeling a pinch in their perfectly toned abs.

Although equally  nauseating and obnoxious as Abercrombie & Fitch, Ruehl, the “professional adult” aimed A&F branch, is slated to close it’s doors by the end of the year. With a net loss of $58 million, mark-downs galore and enough discrimination lawsuits to scare off anyone lacking “model material,” A&F, keeping their empire in best interest, has decided to put the kibosh on Ruehl. For the sake of the amazing-ness that is the West Village, I see this as a good thing. 

Though I never wear it in public and I almost hate to admit it, I own a Ruehl sweatshirt and it is, by far, the most comfortable garment I own. That being said, if you’re in the market for some new bum clothes, don’t hesitate to ransack the “going out of business” sales that are sure in ensue! Happy bumming! 

Thanks NY Mag!

Is it surprising to say that I have found myself staring in the face of disappointment once again? MTV has managed to ruin another underground celeb with their latest acqusition of Alexa Chung for the show It’s On With Alexa Chung. I’ve watched the show for the past three days, and while I remained optimistic for the first few episodes out of my pure love for the Brit, I am willing to fess up and say that it really isn’t a good show. While Miss Chung has managed to keep her style top notch, her awkwardness on camera really shines through.

I think the saddest part of the whole thing is that it is quite obvious that no one in the crowd has any idea who she is. There is a constant feeling that is easily relateable to that of an awkward silence. Her whitty English quips and comedy is often beyond the brain capacity of the puberty ridden teens that fill the bleacher style seats in their American Eagle, super boot cut, faded denim and their A&F hoodies.

While I’m on the topic of the jokes she is very poor at delievering, she clealry has the worst writers in television. It’s bad when you can tell that the host of the show doesn’t even think the jokes are funny. The way she painstakingly drudges through each joke is almost unbearable. It’s about time they fire all those lame high school interns and get some quality writing for the show (I think the genius minds behind Fashion Indie could do the trick…and we’re cheap!).

While the daily sight of Alexa Chung’s beauty gives me something to look forward to, and her guests aren’t half bad, I will say they need to do some damage control before this spirals beyond salvation. I recommend she keeps her Topshop name drops on the down low too! Us fashion folks don’t need to be stiff arming MTV douche bags in the store to get to the new collections that Topshop keeps conveniently tucked away in the back corner of the store.

Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister are set tol lower prices to make up up for the millions lost in revenue this year. Unfortunately, the models are still not for sale!

The Statue of Liberty. Times Square. The Empire State Building. Abercrombie & Fitch? As a resident of New York, you learn very quickly to avoid the tourist attractions that become mundane upon seeing them once. Foreign tourists wait in line for hours, bearing the elements with cameras and binoculars, to see the same shit we see every day. What’s even stranger is these same tourists wait in line to purchase items from a brand that most fashionable Americans can’t stand. Every morning, the line outside of the Fifth Avenue Abercrombie & Fitch exceeds 200 people waiting to be let loose among rows of identical-looking denim and hooded sweatshirts. A recent survey discovered there were visitors from Ireland, England, Brazil, Spain and Russia. The reason? One was cheaper prices. Now that I recall the blur that was this past summer, my English roommate and his visiting sister practically planned their day around an Abercrombie shopping spree. A word to visitors of our fair city- there are many superior places to shop in this mecca of young American designers. But chances are if you’re reading this blog, you’re already aware.

For shame Paris! You should be embarrassed!

Whoever decided that the resurrection of puffy vests for Fall 2008 was acceptable is terribly mistaken. Take a sleeping bag, throw a zipper on it, and several of your cat’s regurgitated hair balls and you’ve got yourself another hideous puffy vest. I know, I know…they can be substituted for a coat in the cooler months and are oh, so cozy warm. Well, I don’t care. You look like another one of those preppy, Abercrombie obsessed conformists with no taste. And did you ever consider how many teddy bears could have been made out of this sorry excuse for fashion? I could have sworn that puffy vests were long gone when the last leaf fell in Fall 2007, so why on earth am I already seeing them out again? Personally, I’d rather be smothered to death by a puffy vest than be caught dead wearing one. 

Thanks for the photos The Budget Babe.

The fashion world has always been an industry that craves extremes, which is why I think I hate this haircut so much. To me this represents everything that is mediocracy. You have to be cool so you grow your hair out but your too big a pusy to go all out, so you settle for this glorified bowl cut? I am a big fan of long hair, in fact I have had long hair, but this is not long nor acceptable in my book. This “inbetween” length of hair is actually great, because it allows for so many options and styles that can be used. Unfortunately so many have fallen victim to this ugly hair tragedy, so many that this is bordering on “How To Look Middle American.” I will say it now, If I count 35 kids with this exact haircut between now and Friday, expect a follow up story! (and no I won’t cheat by going to a shitty strip mall in Jersey and count all the douche bags at Hollister and Abercrombie).

When Abercrombie turned down an Oklahoma teenager, when she sought employment, they had no clue what was coming. The teenager, who is Muslim, went on to explain that she wasn’t hired because her headscarf “didn’t fit the chain’s image.” After the incident a Muslim Civil Rights group filed a complaint againt the company for violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, stating that employers must allow for the employees religious practices. When Abercrombie was asked about the situation, no comment was given; good cover Abercrombie, now everyone will believe you.