Abercrombie jeans are your best bet for relaxed, rigid denim under $100 — here's what to know about its sizing
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My earliest memories of Abercrombie include shopping bags printed with half-naked models and dimly lit, heavily fragranced stores. Thankfully, its intentionally exclusive reputation is a thing of the past. In a very wholesome review, our team got to choose an Abercrombie sweatshirt emblazoned with our favorite NFL team's logo, plus a pair of jeans to go with it.
Even though we all chose different styles and sizes of women's and men's jeans, we collectively decided that Abercrombie's denim is a solid option for the under-$100 range. The fabrics have a comfortable stretch-to-weight ratio, and you can find more inclusive sizing today than those days when Abercrombie & Fitch was just a mall hotspot.
The best Abercrombie jeans we tested:
The caveat with more sizes is that it leaves more room for error when choosing the right fit. Here's what to know off the bat:
Abercrombie Jeans Sizing Options
Abercrombie's women's jeans run from 24W to 37W in two different fits (Classic and Curve Love). The Curve Love jeans are wider in the hips by a couple of inches.
They come in four inseam lengths, so you can find both tall jeans and petite jeans. Abercrombie jeans run slightly long, so you should size down in length and keep in mind what shoes you plan to wear with them.
Length | Your height (inches) |
Extra Short | 5 feet and under |
Short | 5'0" - 5'3'" |
Regular | 5'4" - 5'7'" |
Long | 5'8" and above |
Do Abercrombie jeans fit true-to-size?
Abercrombie jeans definitely more true-to-size in the waist and hip areas than they used to, but since most of their denim has little stretch, you should round up if you're between sizes. People with wider glutes and quads should go for the Curve Love option, or otherwise may end up with a waist gap.
Abercrombie Denim Categories
It has six different types of denim for women's jeans, of which the "Vintage Comfort Stretch" is the most popular. They come in an extensive range of washes and prints, too — you can find everything from classic indigo to cheetah print.
Denim | Characteristics |
Lightweight Comfort Stretch | Breathable with the highest elastane content for extra stretch |
Vintage Comfort Stretch | More rigidity than the lightweight version, but still soft |
Signature Stretch | Hip-hugging, flexible |
Heavyweight Rigid | Zero stretch, similar to carpenter jeans |
Lightweight Drapey Rigid | Flexible with slight structure |
Drapey Rigid | Durable, slouchy, relaxed |
Abercrombie High Rise Loose Jean
"High-rise jeans take up a lot of real estate on your body, so the way they drape has got to be just right or else you'll be swimming in them. I like the relaxed fit of the legs of this pair because they're only approaching the 'baggy' territory. Abercrombie calls the denim of this pair 'Drapey Rigid,' which felt apt when I put them on.
At first, the 27 Long was too big in nearly every respect (I'm 5-foot-9 and usually wear a 27, for reference), and even though I'm usually against putting jeans in the dryer, I wanted to make these fit. The heat made them shrink enough that they stay up without a belt, but they're still slightly long and wide. Still, the way they've held up after a lot of hard wear and high heat has proven that Abercrombie's Drapey Rigid denim is really durable." — Gabrielle Chase, associate style editor, Insider Reviews
Abercrombie Curve Love High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean
"As someone who has worn plus sizes for most of my life, I never thought I'd say that Abercrombie & Fitch, a retailer I often felt excluded from, now makes some of my favorite jeans. Very few brands make plus-size jeans that also come in long lengths, so I was super impressed with how well Abercrombie's jeans fit my 5'11", size 22 frame — they're even a bit long on me. I'd recommend sizing up (I went with size 37), especially if you have larger thighs like I do. The 'Curve Love' line has extra room in the hips, but I've still found them still a bit snug in the thighs. The brown color feels very on-trend and is perfect for fall." — Lauren Savoie, deputy editor, Insider Reviews
Abercrombie Curve Love High Rise Wide Leg Jean
"Thank the universe for wide-leg jeans. Sometimes when I'm getting dressed now, I have traumatic flashbacks to wriggling myself into skinny jeans in 2009 and I have to pause with gratitude for the evolution of fashion.
This is probably my favorite pair of wide-leg jeans out there for a few reasons. The first is that they're available in short sizes (as well as regular and tall), and the second is that they're designed for people with curves. Other reasons include the incredibly soft and comfy denim material that doesn't cut into my ribcage when I sit down, and the fact that they come in a perfect medium-dark wash (along with three other colors). You really can't get much better for under $100!" — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews
Abercrombie Men's Baggy Jean
"I went into testing Abercrombie's jeans not knowing what to expect — it had been the first time I'd ever worn anything from Abercrombie and, on top of that, I typically don't wear baggy fit jeans. I decided on a pair of baggy jeans to match the oversized tops and boots I like to wear during the fall season. In my opinion, the medium wash is perfect for a '90s aesthetic, but there are many other washes available.
The brand describes these jeans as rigid denim, and they do have a nice weight to them, but they're nowhere near as rigid as raw heavyweight selvedge denim. I went with my usual pants size and they fit me well in the waist. In terms of the style, they have just the right amount of bagginess for the look I wanted. When browsing, I was tempted to try a pair of Abercrombie's Ultra Baggy Jeans, but I'm glad I didn't choose them. Unless you want your pants to be gigantic, I'd stick with the regular Baggy fit." — Amir Ismael, style editor, Insider Reviews
Curve Love High Rise Vintage Straight Jean
"Sadly, these are my least favorite pair of jeans I've tried from Abercrombie. The quality of the denim was so promising and I loved the way it felt, but I found the hips to be too roomy for me — which is strange because I'm very curvy with large hips. I tried sizing down and sizing up, but nothing was quite right. The material pooled at the side and not in a way that gave them a barrel shape, but in a way that just made my hips look enormous in proportion to the rest of my body. But I did love that they come in so many different lengths! Almost every color was sold out in extra-short, but the short length was perfect on my 5-foot-2 frame." — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews
Abercrombie Curve Love Mid-Rise Slouchy Jeans
"I've gotten very into the big pants, little shirt trend these days. I never thought mid-rise slouchy jeans could work on my short, curvy body, but here we are! The fact that Abercrombie is making this style in a huge array of sizes, as well as short and tall lengths, is nothing short of a gift, especially for those of us who didn't have the 'right body type' to shop there in middle school.
This mid-rise slouchy pair is extremely comfy, and the amount of bagginess is just right. I sized up for some extra slouch because the jeans don't have any stretch in them, and I think it was the right move. I was able to sit in them all day with no discomfort around my waist or ribcage." — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews
Abercrombie Low Rise Baggy Jean
"Jeans that are labeled low-rise and baggy are quite a departure for me, style-wise. I'm a bit more of a silk skirt and kitten heels kind of girl, but I loved trying on the loose jeans and a T-shirt look.
I got the jeans with the extra short hem, which was still a little long for me, but I enjoyed the puddle effect. It's so hard to wear baggy clothes as a petite person, but these surprisingly didn't overwhelm my frame.
The Low-Rise Baggy Jeans are so comfortable that they feel like sweatpants. But since they're so soft and comfortable, I find that they lose their shape pretty quickly. It's definitely a trade-off since these are the only jeans I would ever wear when working from home, but at the end of the work day, I have to throw them in the dryer to get them back to their original shape." — Samantha Crozier, style editor, Insider Reviews
Return policy
If you don't like the fit of your Abercrombie jeans, you have 30 days to return them, and a $7 fee will be deducted from your refund when you use the online return label. Or, you can bring them in to a storefront (in new condition with your proof of purchase) to receive a full refund.
The bottom line
Abercrombie jeans are worth a try if you like jeans with a relaxed fit and don't want to spend more than $100 on a single pair. The brand has made great strides in terms of size inclusivity, with fits for a wider range of body types. Its strong suit is denim that feels slightly rigid and still fits comfortably. Sizes sell out quickly, but Abercrombie is usually good about restocking, so keep an eye out for yours.