shoutout to all two of you who get this lyric reference.
Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
Raise your hand if you weren’t allowed Abercrombie Money™ as a kid1 🙋🏻♀️
In the year 2008, if you didn’t own at least one overly-long colored tank with the little embroidered moose in the corner, you were at risk of becoming a social pariah. I was that risk. My mom is an extremely frugal person, and there was no way she was going to let her little tween go to a very dark, loud, and I cannot stress this enough, potent store and pay $30 for a cotton tank top. Nor was she going to let me wear the snug, form-fitting, short attire that Abercrombie flaunted. So I kind of learned to not want Abercrombie. I embraced my inevitable final form early—I became a Maxximista. And now shopping at TJ Maxx is like, kind of cool??? Pleeease let it be cool. Anyway.
So about two years ago, when the pandemic reopenings were looking more promising, I decided it might be time to peel the weeks-old athleisure off my goblin body and put on some big girl clothes. I asked my friend Sarah where adult women even shop these days. Imagine my surprise when she deadass responds: “I’m really loving Abercrombie’s stuff.”
*record scratch*
Ma’am, HUH?! In that moment I was confusion. I clarified: “Abercrombie, of the & Fitch—source of body issues and the official outfitter for white feminism since its inception??” And Sarah, thank goodness, said: “No they went through a total rebrand it’s completely different now!!”
I trust Sarah, she is deeply intelligent and much better informed about literally everything than I am. So I head to the Abercrombie site for the first time ever. And I am shooketh (do the kids still say ‘shooketh’?). Right off the bat, I see a model of color in their hero image—2008 A&F would never. The clothes they’re wearing are not the same body dysmorphia-inducing textiles I had for years believed them to be. Their website is light and all the pieces are elegant and simple—like elevated basics that suit any occasion (no actually, I’ve worn exclusively Abercrombie dresses to every wedding I’ve attended in the past couple years—it’s wild).
Despite what you might think, I am not #sponsored by Abercrombie (but, I should be—A&F, have your peeps contact my peeps!!) but I merely thought I should no longer gatekeep the supplier of most of my current wardrobe. Also because, I never get as many compliments on my fits as when I wear my Abercrombie pieces. There is one particular dress2 that I bought last year after waiting three rounds of restock, and there is no other piece in my wardrobe that makes me feel as girly and confident and generally awesome—which is what fashion should be. And I want you to feel that way too (and I’m talking to all of you—their menswear also slaps). So try it out, let me know what you think. If you end up getting *the dress*, we can even have a little Hi Barbie! moment with them.
Below are some examples of my Aber favorites to inspire you to peruse the site, feat. my pretty bride friend, Rachel :) Also, if you’re a New Yorker, they recently renovated their flagship and it is unrecognizable. No more taxidermy moose on the walls, no more suffocating cologne cloud, and it’s well-lit—the dressing rooms even have adjustable lighting options (you can dim, choose a warmer or colder light—this is the future!!).
Something I Thought of in the Shower
Do people have a top 5 for Taylor Swift songs and how on earth do they decide?
Something Pretty
My unofficial domestic partner, Eli, took me to Lilia for my birthday (my birthday was in April, this is just how we are) and it was everything I hoped it would be.
Something To Laugh About
Here are this week’s gems:
Oop this is me.
Guys, I’m not a failure I have all the above! This is 29!!!
Finally people are putting some respect on “peace”’s name!!! I think this would make the cut for me for my top 5 Taylor Swift songs.
I can’t explain why this is funny but I literally cried laughing.
But it’s a long weekend so at least this will be me but on TUESDAY.
Did I tell you about my “Suits” rewatch? It looks a lot like this.
Something for Clarice
Hey! This newsletter is free and I intend to keep it that way. That said, if you love it and want to show your appreciation, buy me a coffee :)
Have a lovely long weekend, everyone! I am going camping (to quote my sister: “again?!”). Go out and carpe that diem of the last few weekends of summer!!
Til’ next time, Fitchheads. Your friend,
Clarice
By the way…I’m reading this.
I read so much this past week because I was so, so ill. The best read was How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler. I had this on my WTR for forever and The Strand was selling signed copies so I bought one. I devoured it in a single sitting. In ten essays about ten unique sea creatures, they give you facts about marine animals and the ocean, while seamlessly tying tales of ocean life to their own experience growing up as a queer, mixed-race person from the Bay Area. It was one of the most creative and well-told memoirs I’ve ever consumed. Read this!!
read: do not have generational wealth
sadly I don’t have any photos of me in mine—but I have it in this rust color they don’t have stocked anymore.