<p>Wow. I’ve shopped at Lane Bryant and never realized it was a plus size store :o. My observational skills are uncanning.</p>
<p>Gotta ask - what’s a jagweed?</p>
<p>Somebody there very well may be a “jagweed”, but I have trouble understanding why bring up a topic here that is likely to get people of different sizes saying things that hurt each other? That’s how these kinds of discussions tend to go.</p>
<p>Is it Abercrombie or Hollister (or both) that plays the ear-splitting music? That seems a pretty effective way of keeping people of a certain age out, regardless of size.</p>
<p>Deborah, I was, until very recently, a size 2/4. I easily fit in to Abercrombie clothes and I was still offended by how they did business. I don’t really think people of different sizes are likely to hurt each other over this topic. I’m offended by the idea you ignore a customer who looks like he/she is over a certain size. </p>
<p>IMO, it’s important for parents to understand the kind of messages that young people’s clothing lines are throwing at them. The idea that over a size ten is unattractive and overweight is disgusting and I think parents should be aware of what’s going on (many are well aware of the thin-culture but might not realize just how bad it is).</p>
<p>I stated my piece and will depart from the conversation.</p>
<p>Funny, my kids are pretty thin and could easily fit in their clothes, but both of them get this sneer on their face when I ask if they want to stop by that store. I guess some sort of reverse snobbery to clothing with obvious labels.</p>
<p>^ Or they value their noses and ears 
</p>
<p>(Seriously, I don’t know how people can physically stand to go in that store. It hurts!)</p>
<p>Ha, I don’t know if they care much about nose and ears! They just don’t seem to want to wear clothing with a name brand displayed prominently on it (except they will wear clothing with USAF, our company, and their college on it). For kids that will happily wear thrift store stuff, I guess they are picky, in a reverse snobbish sense. It’s that PNW thing.</p>
<p>This is pretty bad press for this company. Even if the teens are skinny, mom might not feel like going in the store to pick up Christmas or birthday presents…and you know where the money comes from to buy these clothes.</p>
<p>Re: post #19
Moonchild, actually, when I went inside Lane Bryant not one sales person attended to me. I am not even skinny. I have a voluptuous figure, which I prefer. I dont mind however if no sales person follows me around because I prefer to be left alone while I look around.</p>
<p>
My daughter and some of her friends worked for A&F during HS. They are now college freshmen but some still work there during holidays or vaycays. If the A&F CEO did issue an order to ignore certain people then the store branch my D & her friends work for must be ignoring his order because the store models are told to greet everyone. The manager gets upset with them if the models or any employee on the floor of the store fails to greet customers.</p>
<p>A&F CEO must think his philosophy still works because A&F ranked #4 in 2013 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index behind J.Crew, Victorias Secret & L.L. Bean. I think L.L. Bean offers plus size and also Talbots or Ann Taylor Loft. </p>
<p>Currently, I do not have any long or short position in ANF.</p>
<p>Sorry, I thought the CEO might actually represent his company’s policies ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ditto with my D’s clique but they do buy tops like this in A&F:[Womens</a> Cass Top | Womens New Arrivals | Abercrombie.com](<a href=“http://www.abercrombie.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10901&langId=-1&productId=1133771&storeId=10051&seq=01]Womens”>http://www.abercrombie.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10901&langId=-1&productId=1133771&storeId=10051&seq=01)
and similar tops at Urban Outfitters, Wet Seal, H&M, etc. The tops look cute over shorts.</p>
<p>Jagweed is one of Tina Fey/Liz Lemons made up words.
I take it to mean one of those feminine care products.
I agree that there are other stores with limited sizing.
Some of that may be demand- REI for instance, does not stock outdoor clothing or equipment in their regular stores that targets users at the opposite size of spectrum for height & weight, although Im sure if you had a need they would at least help you find resources even if they didnt have a rental or prototype to try.</p>
<p>Uber expensive stores obviously target those who want to splurge, Tall & Big shops discriminate against Tom Cruise & Patton Oswalt, & A&F targets shoppers who arent offended by targeting little girls with thong underwear that has suggestive sayings on them or merchandise & apparently practices that discriminate against minorities. Even the attractive ones.</p>
<p>Ive never heard a CEO state they only want attractive people wearing their clothes. It surprised me. I think of retailers being interested in the customer- but Ive grown up in the culture of REI & Nordstroms & PCC.
Which are way more pleasant to shop at.
:)</p>
<p>[The</a> man behind Abercrombie & Fitch - Salon.com](<a href=“http://www.salon.com/2006/01/24/jeffries/]The”>http://www.salon.com/2006/01/24/jeffries/)
Im surprised the salespeople are only paid minimum wage, that seems like a stressful environment to work in what with the teeth jarring music & the endless spraying of cologne.</p>
<p>My daughter worked two retail jobs when she was earning money for her gap program. Both union jobs, with decent pay & benefits. She liked working at the dept store, but selling brands like seven & BCBG was taking a toll on her savings, so she quit to get more hours at the garden store.</p>
<p>( krlilies - my D financed a trip to India where she shipped home a ton of similar styles of clothing & jewelry for her friends & relatives, for less money than a seasons worth of clothing from a&f if that price is representative.;)) Plus she had a volunteer vacation as well.</p>
<p>Places like A & F that sell not through quality of their product but in convincing a few people that it is a " prestige" brand, can only be successful as long as people swallow it.</p>
<p>I am not one of those who consider A&F as a prestige brand. It is just an expensive store like UO. But prestige no.</p>
<p>In solidarity, Mickey D’s should refuse service to the skinny.</p>
<p>I am using prestige in quotes to indicate the way the company seems to see itself, I don’t think most people see it that way, otherwise they wouldn’t have to be closing so many stores.</p>
<p>I feel sorry for the CEO though, he seems to be one seriously messed up dude.</p>
<p>Paying high prices for trendy clothes is for suckers who’ve never heard of Goodwill or thrift stores or handmedowns. You can find the same brands at both places. </p>
<p>No need to care about the brand anyway, though.</p>
<p>The kids also like to shop here. [How</a> It Works at Plato’s Closet](<a href=“http://www.platoscloset.com/how-it-works]How”>http://www.platoscloset.com/how-it-works)</p>
<p>
I’m an XXL guy, and I’m sad sometimes when stores don’t stock any items at all in my size.</p>
<p>Once I was in Germany, and went into a Big and Tall store, and was basically told to leave because I wasn’t big enough for anything they had in the store. I found that experience kind of exhilarating, actually.</p>
<p>Why do these stores waft extremely strong cologne out into the mall? Why does the mall let them??</p>
<p>I can’t imagine what customers and employees must smell like after a few minutes in the store.</p>
<p>To me, it’s repellent spray… and I’m not that old, in a “Get off of my lawn” sort of way.</p>