Abercrombie & Fitch’s old ‘look policy’ dictating how employees had to dress sparks FURIOUS controversy after resurfacing online – revealing the WILD regulations staff had to adhere to
Abercrombie & Fitch may have seen a style resurgence in recent years, but the brand’s rather dark past has now been brought back to the forefront of pop culture after an old policy that dictated how its employees should dress resurfaced on social media.
The brand became a mall hotspot in the 2000s and was known for its perfectly preppy, tanned and well-coiffed employees, but it later found itself embroiled in scandal over allegations of racism, fatphobia and discrimination.
The controversial claims have been thrust back into the spotlight after a TikTok user who did not want to be named re-raised the brand’s old ‘look policy’, which included strict instructions on the appearance of all its employees.
The employee handbook even includes illustrations, making it a kind of unofficial “preppy handbook.”
Abercrombie & Fitch was the mall hotspot in the 2000s, famous for its perfectly preppy, tanned and well-coiffed employees, but they had to follow strict instructions
The employee handbook or “look policy” recently resurfaced on social media, revealing that the brand only wanted “clean, natural and classic” hairstyles
Abercrombie insisted that their employees demonstrate “a classic American style” even though the term was technically undefined
In the 2000s, the wildly popular retail chain required its employees to have “natural-looking or sun-kissed hair,” and even provided illustrated examples.
The “acceptable” styles would belong on the Laguna Beach reality show or The OC
The “unacceptable” styles included short bleached locks for women and two-toned hair, a Myspace favorite hairstyle at the time.
“Highlights should be blended and there should be no stripes, blocks or chunks of contrasting colors,” says the manual lecture given.
Employees are not allowed to wear baseball caps, but technically there is an exception for “religion or disability.”
‘No head coverings’ was another rule that proved controversial after the brand denied employment to Muslim women. In 2013, they agreed to allow women to wear headscarves after a lawsuit.
Employees were not allowed to wear jewelry that was not “simple and classic,” and women were only allowed to wear two earrings in each ear, which would certainly cause problems today.
Men were not allowed to wear earrings at all.
The video was a response to another she made about how Abercrombie went from “the most hated brand in the country to TikTok’s favorite fashion brand.”
Since their strict rules and multiple controversies, the brand has undergone a major rebranding that has made them popular with millennials once again
The “look policy” is still a point of contention on Reddit, where users debate the details behind the hiring process
The ‘viewing policy’ is still a point of contention Redditwhere users discuss the details behind the recruitment process.
Abercrombie insisted that their employees demonstrate “a classic American style,” even though the term was technically undefined.
Commenters on TikTok were quick to share their thoughts on the policy — and many had experienced it firsthand.
“Oh my god, I forgot this god, the stories I could tell when I worked there in the 2010s,” one person wrote.
“I got a $20 class action settlement for working here during this policy,” said another.
“I got sunburned working there,” read one tale of woe, even though the manual specifies that employees should look “sun-kissed.”
“The seriousness of it all, just me standing at the front of the store and saying, ‘Hey, what’s going on!’ for everyone who walked into ABSURD,” one commenter recalled.
“My first job was at Abercrombie, where I stayed right under the vent that was constantly spraying perfume,” another recalled.
Others were simply shocked, with one joking: “Not all those requirements for a minimum wage job.”
“To ring up some clothes?!” another person asked, while one commenter joked, “You’re hired! $7.25 an hour!!!’
TikTok commenters were quick to talk about the policy — and many had experienced it firsthand while working at the mall chain in the 2000s
In April 2022, the documentary White Hot: The Rise & Fall Of Abercrombie & Fitch was released on Netflix, reporting on the discriminatory practices faced by salespeople known as ‘models’
Since their strict rules and multiple controversies, the brand has undergone a major rebranding that has made them popular with millennials once again.
The rebranding and revival were quite shocking, especially after the employer’s previous behavior came to light.
In April 2022, The documentary White Hot: The Rise & Fall Of Abercrombie & Fitch was released on Netflix and focused on the discriminatory practices faced by salespeople known as ‘models’.
The company not only required that people adhere to its strict look policy, but also that they had to buy their own clothes from the chain and wear them while on duty.
The company agreed to pay $2.2 million after nearly 11,000 former employees said their uniform policies violated California labor regulations.
DailyMail.com has contacted Abercrombie for comment.