After trying on dresses at J. Crew and Abercrombie, I get why the latter's having an amazing comeback right now

I tried on similar dresses at J. Crew and Abercrombie.

Chloe Caldwell

• I tried on similar dresses at J. Crew and Abercrombie to see which version offered the best value.
• I loved the design of the J. Crew dress, but the sizing was way off.
• The Abercrombie dress was my favorite and made me feel confident.

Although I lean more toward online shopping these days, there's something nostalgic and comforting about wandering the mall and trying things on in-store.

I can compare similar styles from different brands before buying anything, and I don't have to worry about returns if something doesn't fit — not to mention it's an easy way to reach my 10,000 steps for the day.

With summer in full swing and travel plans on my calendar, I realized I needed a comfortable, casual dress. So, I turned to two tried-and-true retailers — J. Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch — to find my new frock.

I was especially curious to check out these stores since both have had reputational and brand shifts in recent years. J. Crew filed for bankruptcy in 2020, brought in new owners and a new CEO, and is now in the third year of its reboot.

And after years of declining sales, lawsuits, and controversy, Abercrombie & Fitch shares are up and the clothing giant has officially been dubbed back from the dead.

I took a trip to the mall to form my own opinions on both stores and tried on comparable options at both locations. Here's how it went.

I started my shopping trip at J. Crew.

J. Crew has 113 stores in the United States.

Chloe Caldwell

J. Crew is known for its timeless styles, including elevated-casual clothing and classic workwear.

There are 113 J. Crew stores across the United States, and I knew that the preppy brand would likely have exactly what I was looking for.

I've browsed through J. Crew stores before, but I've never bought anything.

I found J. Crew’s layout a little confusing.

The same dress was spread across the store in different colors.

Chloe Caldwell

When I walked in to try on the best-selling Claudia dress in linen, I didn't love the store's layout. I expected all of the dresses in this style to be on one rack, but they were scattered throughout the store.

After locating a few different options, I ended up trying on the dress in both white and red.

I loved the design of the dress.

The dress at J. Crew was classy yet casual.

Chloe Caldwell

I felt drawn to the overall design of the dress — the front buttons, relaxed fit, and side pockets made it look classy yet casual. I loved that the material was 100% linen (hence the $168 price tag) and felt high-quality, lightweight, and comfortable.

I also appreciated how vibrant and crisp the red hue was.

However, the sizing seemed off.

The straps were way too big on me.

Chloe Caldwell

I tried on my usual size, but the dress was baggy and looked a bit frumpy on me. The thin straps weren't adjustable and hung off my shoulders. I'd have to get it tailored in order to wear it, which I wouldn't be willing to do for a dress that costs almost $200.

If the dress had fit well, I'd maybe consider splurging. I also saw it on sale on J. Crew's website for almost 50% off — but I'd recommend ordering a size down.

Next, I went to Abercrombie & Fitch.

I visited my local Abercrombie & Fitch store.

Chloe Caldwell

Again, Abercrombie has recently had an epic revival.

After years of turmoil, the brand returned with a 285% rise on the stock market in 2023 and $4.03 billion in revenue that same fiscal year.

What used to be an unapproachable, cool-kids-only atmosphere is now catered to a more elevated audience, supplying timeless basics and comfortable athleisure. The brand has more than 750 stores worldwide.

The store was a little different than I'd remembered it.

The store's layout was relatively easy to navigate.

Chloe Caldwell

I hadn't shopped at Abercrombie since my teen years, but I finally stepped back into the store to try on the Mara linen-blend vest mini dress.

The first difference I noticed was that the store no longer had a strong cologne scent. The layout was relatively easy to navigate, with trending seasonal styles at the front and basics and denim grouped at the back.

The location I visited only carried my size in beige, but if the store had it in another color, I might have bought it — personally, I feel beige washes out my skin tone.

I felt confident in the Abercrombie dress.

I loved the fit and length of the dress.

Chloe Caldwell

The fit and length made me feel confident and feminine while still maintaining that laid-back, effortless look.

The thick straps were comfortable, but I wished the material was 100% linen. Instead, it's made of a blend of 53% linen and 47% cotton (with a 100% cotton lining), which was nice but not worth $90 to me.

The fabric looked extremely wrinkly and would likely need to be steamed or ironed before every wear.

The dress from Abercrombie was my favorite.

I tried on similar dresses at J. Crew and Abercrombie.

Chloe Caldwell

Abercrombie's dress was the winner. The silhouette skimmed my curves nicely, the material felt high-quality and comfortable, and the overall design was simultaneously timeless and on-trend. Putting it on gave me a little boost of confidence in my neutral-wearing journey.

Although I didn't leave with the dress I came to the mall for, I bought two T-shirts, denim shorts, and a skirt from Abercrombie. I hadn't planned on making any other purchases, but these pieces were too good not to take home with me.

I was surprised by how much Abercrombie has evolved not only as a brand but also in its style. Goodbye, logo-branded T-shirts — hello, elevated casual essentials.

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