Music PROFILED! | "Summer Girls" by LFO, the Abercrombie & Fitch Summer Anthem...

"I like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch..." #iconic
Image, A&F Summer 2015, photographer Guy Aroch; edited by C.E.R.

         AN ALL-NEW Abercrombie & Fitch summer season has finally dawned as of today, Aberladies and Fitchmen! And with it, the opportunity to make fresh new unforgettable summer memories with the coolest friends and the hottest swim-trunks/bikini clad babes under the sun! In honor, it's time to jam non-stop to the ultimate anthem of an Abercrombie & Fitch summer: the timeless, ever-badass, amazing classic, "Summer Girls", by millennial boy-band LFO...

Music PROFILED! | Summer Initial 2015 Says, "Geronimo!"...

Gotta love tracks running with the feel of living it up!
Model, A&F Face Amanda Norgaard   |   Image, Guy Aroch; edited by C.E.R.

         SAY, GERONIMO! Pretty much the track of the moment right now is Sheppard's totally heart-soaring, euphoric "Geronimo" remixed and playing hot with the Abercrombie & Fitch Summer Initial 2015 playlist - totally the most epic A&F Playlist yet this decade! - which, incidentally, is totally twinning this hit piece with Hollister's own version, too!

FIERCE Perspective! | Feminism and Abercrombie & Fitch...

She can homerun just as good!   |   Image, @abercrombie IG, Aug. 12

         I WON'T COMPROMISE my point of view. Absolutely not, absolutely not... With iron-fist resolve, neo-feminism has found itself in strong-willed resurgence! A call to arms against an alarming continuance of international silence and abuse on gender equality-issues, as we walk ever further into the 21st century, the topic, what has problematically become an elephant-in-the-room in media and industries in a staunchly androcentric, male-dominated society, has been brought to the very forefront for awareness for all by determined, internationally-renowned public figures to break silence, misunderstanding, ignorance and human injustice.

Inhuman wrongdoings degrading the physical, emotional, and psychological state of women and girls across the planet is a real-life occurrence 'round the clock that's not an issue just in developing nations, but in the developed world, too. In your own backyard. You may not be in awareness of what happens outside your immediate circle, but wherever you go daily, you more than likely pass the face of someone, once or more a day, who's been facing some degree of abuse. But we're not just talking about abusive acts that generally come to mind on the matter, like physical and verbal. Being forced to conform to, and compromise for, male preferences, interests and agendas and to a repressive, submissive role replete with stupid, backward notions of a woman's role in society is abuse also.

The thing is, as Emma Watson mentioned during her headlining speech at the UN, this isn't just a one-sided thing, and "feminism" isn't just for women but also for men as well. Feminism is, in umbrella definition, "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes," and, in essence, goes against the social constructs, developed by a millenniums-long androcentric collective culture, that have had damaging effects at large, across space and time, in human history. The whole notion that masculinity is full-on solely aggressiveness, insensibility, and dominance is a sociopsychological construct – basically developed, literally constructed, along polarized perceptions of what a man "should be" and is carried on by enforcing it upon on the succeeding generation in complete disregard for their personal individual nature. How come when boys grow up they have to stop holding hands, stop full-embracing each other warmly, can't kiss, can't be openly emotional and sensitive when the sentiment to do so appropriately naturally arises out of need. Oh, because it's "gay". Oh, because it's what girls do because it's not what men do. It's bullshit. It's guys placing on the construct straightjacket, having been slipped into it by established conformist-norms (from the precedent generations) while growing up into manhood, and telling the other dude that he has to keep in place in it because it's how it is and should be. Think of how older generation men firmly instill general polar, one-shade, onerous masculinity constructs onto the younger, rising set: from growing-into-manhood in American suburbia to the warzones overseas where young boys are given guns in hands (there's an basic element of this that is just generally prevalent, regardless, in cultures around the world – aggressiveness, insensitivity, dominance and at arms with some sense of bruteness – but within regional social contexts). The issue increases in families, communities, and cultures in general worldwide with further high levels of machismo. Human nature can't be strictly polarized – this-and-that, black-and-white. No, it's a natural spectrum and trying to black-and-white polarize, as has been done for centuries, is unnatural and oppressive and conflictive within oneself and everyone around...

"To date, I've seen my father's role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mother's. I've seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help from fear of it making them less of a man. In fact, in the UK, suicide is the biggest killer of men between [ages] 20 to 49 eclipsing road accidents, cancer, and coronary heart disease. I've seen men made fragile and insecure by [the] distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don't have the benefits of equality either. We don't often talk about men being imprisoned by male stereotypes, but I can see that they are and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence. If men don't have to be aggressive [all the time] in order to be accepted, women won't feel compelled to be submissive. If men don't have to control, women don't have to be controlled. Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals. If we stop defining ourselves by what we are not, and start defining ourselves by who we are, we can all be free-er." – Emma Watson, actor and United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador, September 21, 2014

People generally have no idea how far and wide this goes, on into sexuality, the existence of war and conflict, and on...it opens the floodgates to everything, feminism. And for the record, something you should have gotten the hang of by now, feminism doesn't equate "effeminacy" or being "against the guys" / anti-men/male – a misconception that discourages people, men and women, from taking initiative on the matter and being open about it because they think it may likely alienate them. As aforementioned, it's, simply put, gender equality pro for both in balance. And perhaps the reason that there's an uncanny feeling about it among guys is because, subconsciously, many may feel it as a threat or disturbance against their masculinity – the construct of it as "things should be" as taught to them – and place in society and advantageous dominant role in it. It's just not so.

At Abercrombie & Fitch, quite frankly, it's always been a "boy's club" for the majority of time in its history. Having been founded as an exclusive sporting goods store in 1892, this more held ground at a time when women wouldn't even get suffrage until 1920 in America and would still mold their lives to the will of men in society well into post-WWII conformity in the national culture. One is typically the reflection of one's time. A&F did introduce womenswear in 1910 and would even relocated off of Reade Street in 1913 because of it being inconvenient for women to shop at. But still, women were just the ladies in what was all a male-dominated world. With the arrival of Mike Jeffries by the turn of the new millennium, Abercrombie & Fitch was transformed into a multi-billion retail theater awe of a fantasy revolving around the youthful, chiseled ideal male. Commentators would criticize the A&F of the 2000s as perpetuating stereotypes of the scoring hot jock guy always admired, winning, witty and getting some and of the explicitly-promiscuous easy girl as a cute, dumbed-down darling plaything in guydom – "Who Needs Brains When You've Got These," said that one immortalized tee of many other over-the-years humor tees for young women. By the filing (2003) and settlement (2004-05) of the landmark Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. lawsuit, sexism, along with the greater issue of multifaceted discrimination within the chain, primarily ethnic, was immediately addressed and, in effect, gave rise to the diversity and inclusion programs, placed at the forefront of corporate culture, which evolved to where they stand today in the Company. There is zero tolerance for discrimination and inequality at the Company. Needless to say, you won't be seeing tees on the level of good humor as what was in the 2000s again.

Nevertheless, Abercrombie & Fitch is still explicitly androcentric but in a curious and benign way which, when explained, would likely perplex the feminist. First and foremost, A&F is the brainchild of a gay man. A genius man, but its important to note Mike's orientation because what he has done is one of the most paramount achievements in modern culture. It's been impactful. Truthfully, Mike's Abercrombie & Fitch is a paradoxical triumph in that regard which has, unknowingly with feminist underpinnings tied to male liberation, broken all the rules of masculinity constructs: it is the creation of a gay man which went multi-billion in getting guys across the spectrum worldwide to shop and obsess over its male-fronted image with testosterone-driven energy and romanticism; all-the-while they pillaging its stores plastered and staffed with half-naked sculpted beefcake inline with its ideal androcentrism, breathing in and reacting positively to the male-musk heavy fragrant air, in a sensual environment furthermore dim-lit and blasting majorly bright, sensual, fun pulsing electronic dance music; and all the girls get to just watch, enjoy, shop-into and obsess over this overtly amusing display of fantasy that excites them and which, while centered around the male, even more turns the tables on sexualization in marketing. It's the most genius, amusing thing in history. Ever. It's truly a real, monumental tableturner on what has been constructed for years by straight, conformist, industries-dominating males out there to which we've been told is "what is" because it is. Mike's, a real groundbreaking triumph. And the beauty about it: "I think that what we represent [...] is healthy. It’s playful. It’s not dark. It’s not degrading! And it’s not gay, and it’s not straight, and it’s not black, and it’s not white. It’s not about any labels. That would be cynical, and we’re not cynical! It’s all depicting this wonderful camaraderie, friendship, and playfulness that exist in this generation and, candidly, does not exist in the older generation," he told Denizet-Lewis in the recognized journalist's benchmark interview article, "The Man Behind Abercrombie & Fitch".

Still, though, it's not like A&F is not subject to conformity. It was considerably more open and candid during the 2000s and during the A&F Quarterly period (1997-2003) – this including full on guy embracing and play in photography; article on circle masturbation with male friends; photo of reclining on a sofa, one shirtless, against the other; all-bare sports guys having a full-on romp in the showers with grins on face; another with a shirtless-two-guys one-girl trio on the beach, middle guy standing with the two resting against him facing him, guy on the left with a soft, closed-eyes smile with chin on middle-guy's shoulder, girl with a sweet smile, arms around middle-guy and gazing ahead behind him; and just acting out in genuine camaraderie – as captured by the lens of the master Bruce Weber. The brand has generally been more liberal within the pages of the Quarterly which had further releases for Spring 2008 and Back-to-School/Fall 2010 (which actually featured a same-sex playful male couple and another female couple which kissed). But that's where it has fallen short in recent years. No guys kissing in the 2010 edition, yet only the girls. Then in 2012, A&F made headlines like "Abercrombie Coming Out of the Closet" after Bruce released his set of films, utilizing work he had created for Abercrombie & Fitch, of which one featured two guys kissing and mistaken as a direct A&F piece. The short film in question was Other Sports Require One Ball, Wrestling Requires Two, and it was just a kiss on the forehead – a hands-grabbing-his-face, very well full-lips-planted kiss on the forehead – but just a damn forehead kiss. Media then proceeds trip over itself in "gay-kiss" hooplah. Abercrombie was not delayed at all in immediately stating it was not a footage released among the marketing for its brand. Furthermore, the Company has lately been loving rolling out photos of threesomes with the guy always arms full of two girls all over his ass (figuratively speaking). Also, there was a tee at Hollister this year that stated "Group Text" (way to encourage teen sex, by the way! Unwanted, life-altering, pregnancy rates included!) with a male gender-figure with a bunch of female gender-figures on each side of him. Can't do that for girls though: can't have a girl in similar fashion with dudes around her arm because she'd be considered a "slut"; can't have tees like that for girls either because, again, slut-shaming. If you can't do it for both genders, don't even do it at all. Plain and simple. Too, there's rarely any pics on the Instagram accounts of male friends together in genuine, warm, expressive friendship. Ah, but plenty of girls. (Doing so instead of giving example that it is natural and healthy is malignant and perpetuates the issue). In group photos in marketing, males just standing around shoulder-to-shoulder with some kinda look on their face, but the girls can be embracing and smiling in each others arms and shit. Why all that. What went wrong? What ever happened to not being cynical? Conformism. In a male-dominated culture, it's completely conforming to unnatural, repressive polar masculinity constructs and not wanting to create an uncanny feeling in male audiences and over including two explicitly kissing dudes (in regard to the Quarterly pics). And funny enough, girls are the ones who generally don't give a fuck; it's majorly guys insecure of their manhood – if you are who you are, you should be confident and not give a fuck; and if all guys understood that and were free from these constructs, they wouldn't go around shaming and bullying other dudes for acting out of the conformist constructs and no guy would feel pressured and awkward in the first place to just be free and go with their inherent, natural emotional and psychological instincts. Remember the whole "guys are supposed to be aggressive against each other", "guys don't do that" male-construct bullshit. Guys can't do that (embrace, kiss, whatever the hell may come up to them, everyone's different), even with playing around, even with it being naturally healthy, otherwise they're straight-up "gay". Oh, but because they are girls and girls have are supposed to have sensible, submissive natures, it's less uncanny. It's complete monosexualization of male sexuality through pervasive, onerous masculinity constructs carried on; it's another example polarization, a double-standard, emotionally, psychologically, sexually oppressive and real fucking pathetic and annoying (and is an example of one aspect of problems afflicting masculinity when there is talk about male liberation). Specially when your audiences are supposed to be young adults which now comprises majorly of the Millennial generation considerably more open-minded and indifferent and accepting – the most progressive generation in history, and polls and studies on various subjects only reflect this strongly. We're for equality for all, inclusion, and reflecting the natural spectrum of the human condition, not perpetuating polar, one-shade gender constructs on roles and sexuality purely out of easy conformity. It is very dangerous, damaging, and backward when public figures – whether persoanlities or corporations themselves – conform instead of working, easing to be 100% progressive on all facets in line with what's going on in the world at large. The greatest shame being when you had and showed more initiative in the past to be groundbreaking, innovative, noteworthy and now no longer, and that's just the greatest sign of being cool no more.

What Emma Watson is spearheading is #HeForShe – starting a movement in bringing guys of all ages into the discussion on feminism because it is inseparably, incontrovertibly about guys, too. It's never been done before as an important leg in the movement; it's revolutionary. Bridging the gap, decimating misunderstandings and ignorance, and standing together for a better world free of personal emotional, psychological, social and economic oppression by gender constructs and injustice...for all, for no matter who you are (gender, ethnicity, orientation, whatever), it's about you, too. That's why it's important to talk about this and bring this to the awareness of all: "If not me, who? If not now, when?" Feminism has happened in historiographically chronicled waves with each its own issues tackled in correlation with waves' time and building and progressing on the precedent – the First, Second, and Third waves and, now, this feels like the beginnings of a distinct Fourth wave taking hold markedly with resolve in bringing in everyone truly tied to this for an unprecedented inclusive effort. It's for making an impact in turning the tide on realizing gender equality concretely by way of male liberation and the recognition of women's rights as fundamental human natural rights...




The resurgence of feminism throughout 2014....



Beyoncé highlights feminism in her track "Flawless" on her December 2013-released eponymous album. Song becomes a pop culture hit throughout 2014 particularly with its "I woke up like this" lyrics.


First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, expresses call to action
and discontent over the kidnapping of Nigerian girls, from their school dormitories,
merely to deprive them of their education for being girls. #BringBackOurGirls became
an international movement by public figures for aid, and it amplifies discussion over
the pressing global issue of gender inequality in education particularly
heightened after the courageous incident with Malala Yousafzai in
the Middle East in 2012 and whom the First Lady met in 2013.
1  0     M  A  Y     2  0  1  4


Angelina Jolie, actor and UNHCR Special Envoy, opens the End Sexual Violence
in Conflict summit in London with British First Secretary of State William Hague.
Summit addresses resolve to combat rape, a terror act, in wazones.
1  0     J  U  N  E     2  0  1  4

Victims testimonials session.   |   Image, AP (source)

Emma makes groundbreaking, internationally
news-making gender-equality speech at the United Nations.
Seen here with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
Image, Vogue.com   |   (source)
2  1     S  E  P  T  E  M  B  E  R     2  0  1  4

Amid Watson's speech fresh in mind worldwide, Karl Lagerfeld sends his models
down "Boulevard CHANEL" (conceived much prior) as feminists (the ideal a deep part of
the heritage of the House), walking to the Pet Shop Boys' "I'm Not Afraid", inside the
Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week for Spring-Summer 2015 ready-to-wear.
Image, used for illustrative purposes only, screenshot   |   (source)
3  0     S  E  P  T  E  M  B  E  R     2  0  1  4

This all has now carried over into October which is National Bullying Prevention month and during which one can take initiative to extend it further to address forms of abuse through bullying due do negative gender ideologies and attitudes thereof against guys and girls who "do not fit" the oppressive cookie-cutter constructs of masculinity and femininity. (See anti-bullying-efforts-with-A&F post at #THEHOTTESTBLOG including men's and women's A&F tees and tanks for anti-bullying and strong character).

Furthermore, there are these great graphic tops, on the women's side, that have a real cool feminist edge for girls (muscle tanks to boot!)...

T H E   G O O D S

Message Graphic Tee, white, US$30

Renee Tee, white, US$30 (OE)

Kaylie Tank, navy, US$28 (OE)

Crest Muscle Tank, light heather gray, US$28

And finally, THE Abercrombie & Fitch feminist-streak / badass power-anthem track which was featured on the Back-to-School 2011 playlist...




The main message of the track is female personal strength, but its underlining message of empowerment as an individual is transcendent of gender and applicable to all...


"Told myself I won't complain,
But some things have got to change.
Not gon' be a victim of
All your social push and shove.
Right or wrong, you judge the same.
My picture never fit your frame.
What you thought, you'll never know:
You can't see me with your mind closed!

...All my people say, everybody say,
absolutely not, absolutely not!"

This – feminism and the basis of #HeForShe – is for our ourselves (guys and girls), our mothers, our sisters, our friends, our peers, our fellow members of our greater community, and for our generational successors, (future) children and grandchildren and on! What you do today and now has a ripple affect across space and time, and let's counteract the negative agents in the world and make it for the greater good. Take a stand for gender equality, acceptance of the natural spectrum of individual nature, and against abuse! #WEAREONE #BeAnAlly

As always, Stay FIERCE!

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

Music PROFILED! | A&F Playlists, Pet Shop Boys Homage...

Cara leading faux-protester models to PSB, CHANEL SS '15, Grand Palais, Sept. 30.
Image used for illustrative purposes only   |   (image source)

         PET SHOP BOYS forever! Hoorah! Hoorah! This past Tuesday during Paris Fashion Week for Spring-Summer 2015 ready-to-wear womenswear (Sept. 23 - Oct. 1), only the ultimate pinnacle of the global industry's presentations season, the iconic music legacy of the legendary English duo echoed coolly, inside the great, historical Grand Palais, in full splendor of its signature, timeless, modern spirit. In step with the cool of the Boys' 1983 cover of I'm Not Scared (listen), a feminist army of models – it-girl model Cara Delevingne and supermodel Gisele Bündchen among the troops! – marched down a theatrical Paris streets-inspired runway to the beat of timelessness PSB synthpop awe!

Now, and coinciding with #ThrowbackThursday, #THEHOTTESTBLOG pays epic homage to the Pet Shop Boys with a recollection of their appearances on the A&F Co. playlists – particularly with Abercrombie & Fitch where they've been a hallmark of classic, quintessential Abercrombie through the years...

NOTE: The playlists transitioned from monthly releases to seasonal releases by 2008.



A B E R C R O M B I E
&   F I T C H


"Close To Heaven"
J  A  N  U  A  R  Y     2  0  0  0


"It's a Sin"
M  A  R  C  H     2  0  0  0


"The Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)"
J  U  L  Y     2  0  0  0


"For Your Own Good"
D  E  C  E  M  B  E  R     2  0  0  1


"Break 4 Love (Friburn & Urik Tribal Mix)"
M  A  R  C  H     2  0  0  2


"Home And Dry"
M  A  Y     2  0  0  2


"New York City Boy (Almighty Mix)"
J  U  N  E     2  0  0  2


"London (Westbam In Berlin Edit)"
J  A  N  U  A  R  Y     2  0  0  3


"Here (PSB New Extended Mix)"
M  A  R  C  H     2  0  0  3


"Somebody Else's Business"
J  U  L  Y     2  0  0  3


"Miracles"
J  A  N  U  A  R  Y     2  0  0  4

"Before (Danny Tenaglia Classic Parade Mix)"
Close matches ("Tenaglia UnderGround Mix") ("Classic Paradise Mix")
M  A  R  C  H  -  A  P  R  I  L     2  0  0  4


"Flamboyant (Tomcraft Edit)"
M  A  Y     2  0  0  4


"If Looks Could Kill" Immortalized by Benoit Denizet-Lewis in his benchmark 2006 interview article over Mike Jeffries, "The Man Behind Abercrombie & Fitch"
N  O  V  E  M  B  E  R     2  0  0  5


"The Resurrectionists (Goetz B. Edit)"
A  U  G  U  S  T     2  0  0  6


"Minimal"
O  C  T  O  B  E  R     2  0  0  6


"Break 4 Love (Friburn & Urik Tribal Mix)"
J  U  L  Y     2  0  0  7


"Metamorphosis"
N  O  V  E  M  B  E  R  -  D  E  C  E  M  B  E  R     2  0  0  7


"Go West"
S  P  R  I  N  G     2  0  0  8


"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing"
S  U  M  M  E  R     I  N  I  T  I  A  L     2  0  0  8


"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing"
S  U  M  M  E  R     2  0  0  8


"What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Shep Pettibone Remix)"
S  U  M  M  E  R     I  N  I  T  I  A  L     2  0  0  9


"More Than a Dream (Yes)"
L   A  B  O  R     D  A  Y     2  0  0  9


"Left To My Own Devices"
S  U  M  M  E  R     I  N  I  T  I  A  L     2  0  1  0


"It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas (New Version)"
C  H  R  I  R  S   T  M  A  S     2  0  1  0


"Saturday Night Forever"
B  A  C  K  -  T  O  -  S  C  H  O  O  L     2  0  1  1


"It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas (New Version)"
C  H  R  I  R  S   T  M  A  S     2  0  1  1


a b e r c r o m b i e


"Home and Dry"
J  U  N  E     2  0  0  2


R U E H L   N o . 9 2 5


"Liberation"
O  C  T  O  B  E  R     2  0  0  7


"West End Girls"
C  H  R  I  S  T  M  A  S     2  0  0  8


We haven't had any Pet Shop Boys on the playlist in forever, and the fellas have come out with great new work since 2011, too!

Let's pick up those picket signs and get the leather flip-flops ready for some serious street protest on Fitch Path! What do we want?! PET SHOP BOYS! When do we want it?! NOW! Haha.

Stay FIERCE!

PLEASE NOTE: If any of the links/videos become unavailable in time, you may find some of them on the Pet Shop Boys official Spotify account (here) where you can also explore the majority of their work. 

Follow @TheSitchonFitch

News Now! | Abercrombie Bullying Prevention 2014 Initiatives...

Together, we are one!   |   Image, @abercrombie IG, Oct. 1

         IN HONOR OF National Bullying Prevention Month (October) and its commitment to the cause, Abercrombie & Fitch has launched its second annual initiatives campaign – "Are You An Ally?" – in follow-up to the premier efforts begun in 2013. For this year, the Company has collaborated with actor and singer Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars), 25, with whom it had earlier begun partnering with for marketing programs for the Hollister brand. With the coming of NBPM, Lucy was only fitting for further involvement within the Company as lead spokesperson for this great particular cause: its aim being, through freshly creative and impacting ways, in educating the population, primarily youths and in school, on the dire, damaging negative effects of bullying at large across communities and on the prevention of it.

Dr. Joel Harber (PsychologyToday profile), with over 20 years of experience after graduating from the University of Georgia, is an internationally-renowned figure in psychology, based in White Plains, New York, who's partaken in nationwide direct discussions on the matter, has authored two books and numerous published articles, and is in charge of overseeing the initiatives at Abercrombie & Fitch.

Leading the 2014 campaign is a candid video featuring Lucy and other authentic individuals with testimonials, perspectives, and resolve on bullying; it is being shared across the country in 10,000 middle schools and high schools along with a devised peer-to-peer curriculum...




Furthermore, in continuum from last year of engagement via its retail infrastructure, a set of two men's tees and two women's tanks have been made available for purchase instores and online abercrombie.com. The first amount of US$150,000 accumulated from the purchases of the US$20 graphic tops will be donate to the non-profit organization, No Bully, with which A&F collaborated with back in 2013. The remainder of the proceeds will go to other anti-bullying groups. Instores, with the "Round-Up" option, customers can round their total purchase price to the nearest dollar to accumulate even more for the cause...

T H E   G O O D S

Men's A&F Bullying Prevention Tee in white, heather gray

Women's A&F Bully Prevention Muscle Tank in black, white

All US$20, instores and abercrombie.com

Through its scholarship partner, the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS; info and application), Abercrombie & Fitch will also provide backing for honoring individual young guys and girls who've excelled academically against being subjects of bullying and for those who have made a recognized stance against bullying. Applicable for students beginning higher education in the fall 2015 semester, ten scholarships under this program will be awarded with a value of US$2,500 – an increase to which prior year recipients will also be eligible for.

"We are proud to champion this cause for the second year in a row, and look forward to seeing the Are you An Ally? program make a difference in schools and communities. It is estimated that 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of bullying, so we hope this program can help to bring awareness and to address this significant problem." – Michael "Mike" S. Jeffries, A&F CEO

If you see someone – anyone, doesn't matter who they are, how different from you (i.e. ethnicity, gender, orientation, body type, disability, etc.) – being bullied in any way or form (i.e. physically, verbally, whatever) wherever it may be, you need to STEP UP, intervene, and do your part positively to make an impact for the better. Each one of us are a unit, a building block, in this greater world. Think of yourself as a node in this vast interconnected infrastructure, and each has a radiating influence on the greater system depending on its (the node's, you) state of being. Be positive, be open, be curious and intelligent. Use your reason, and be kind to people around you; and don't just stop there, but be kind, aware and considerate of everyone and everything and their condition – really, the greater environment, you, me, him, her, all folks; life out there, sentient animals whether out on your backyard, in captivity, those who go into your sandwich; the planet, really. It's such an obvious thing, but people can be so ignorant of it: It's all in you the way you impact this world and all in it. Ensuring a strong, positive mindset within yourself and your peers, it's a beautiful thing, and you'll enjoy the fulfillment of a world reflected by it.

Stay FIERCE!

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Music PROFILED! | Abercrombie Gets Sci-fi Epic...

Can't wait 'til this gets instores! :p

         "PROMETHEUS HAS LANDED"... Pulsing instore with soaring atmospheric-trance vocals and electronic instrumentals is a transportive composition, via the great electronica mixmind of Deadmau5, totally worthy of a sweeping sci-fi epic (think urban cyperpunk-grunge-meets-minimalist-sleek sprawl megalopolises in the night, 3D holography, space travel, and expansive, awe-inspiring landscapes exploration on your futuristic ride all à la Avatar, Prometheus, and Oblivion to give you an idea)...




This is the second time such a beats-sick evocative track has been used on the A&F Playlist, Labor Day release – Giuseppe Ottaviani's "Feel The Music (Extended Mix)" in 2013 was so intense! Let's make this a tradish, Ted!

The next generation of all-American style, indeed...

Stay FIERCE!

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We Love Bruce! | Milan Fashion Week Meets Teddy-Boy Weber Cool...

The resulting look for the runway from inspo via Teddy-boys Weber film...
Image, illustrative purposes only, (source).

         EVER GENIUS FOR his iconic, distinguished photographic and film exploration of individuals, culture, and life, Bruce Weber is an inspiration across space and time afar, and his esteemed prolific corpus is a treasure trove of timeless eclectic wonders. During Milan fashion week (September 17-23) for Spring-Summer 2015 ready-to-wear collections, the master's work came up as an influence on the runway! The source of vision for the models looks of one of the presentations was Bruce's classic 1996 short film, The Teddy Boys of the Edwardian Drape Society, which gets closeup on the Teddy boy culture of London in the 90s...




Discover more from the series, We Love Bruce! (here), at #THEHOTTESTBLOG...

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All About Style! | Topknot-Bun Hairstyle Love...

         THE HAIRSTYLE OF the year is totally the topknot bun for gals! From celebs to streetstyle and beauty mavens, this hairstyling has become a worldwide trend obsession for its cute, casual, to-go chic; its the signature of our girl Betsy at Abercrombie & Fitch and a fave for fellow A&F ladies...

For the absolutely perfect messy-topknot bun, beauty vlogger Alli shows girls how work it for the look...




Once you're done, spritz some of your favorite A&F perfume and your ready for the day – or hot night – ahead...

Stay FIERCE!

Images in this post: reposts from credited IGers on @abercrombie on Instagram; model Betsy Volk by Abercrombie & Fitch.

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S.M. Highlights! | Hollister House Summer 2014 Fun...

It's only the hottest destination, #HOLLISTERHOUSE!

         #THEHOTTESTBLOG IS TOTALLY stoked to be sharing with you this fantastic vid that takes you on a full day – yeah, full day! – of ultimate cool at the Hollister House! Having been shared with us by HCo Bondi Junction (Sydney, Australia) associate Jonathan Chan, the vid provides you with a reality, visitors' perspective of hanging out at the hottest place of the summer...and of all days...MKTO and Cody Simpson jammin' it up, dude! LOVE this vid – totally fun and hilarious, guys! – and invite all to check it out...


Special shout out to Jonathan – you're badass! – and HCo Bondi Junction #31439! Also, shout out to Jimmy – if you were wondering (although pretty sure most of you recognized it), this is the face he was making, LOL – and Ellen and Taylor and Amy! Make sure to visit the vid's YouTube page and give it a thumbs up, and check out Jonathan's channel, (here)!

Stay FIERCE!

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S.M. Highlights! | Cody Simpson Hollister House Tour...

         WHILE IT MAY not be open to the public, the Hollister House is a closed-environment promotional summer fantasy broadcasted worldwide via Hollister's social media outlets, and it jams to hit tunes and hottest new styles! Access Hollywood was offered a tour of the place with HH scheduled artist Cody Simpson...

Get Cody's look! Pair the short-sleeve Fountain Valley Shirt with a badass pair of lightwash Hollister jeans, dude! Furthermore, read more about Hollister House, (here)...

Stay FIERCE!

UPDATE (JUNE 18, 2014): You've GOTTA check out this amazing vid providing viewers with a reality, visitors' perspective of hanging out one FULL DAY at the Hollister House! Head (here) to see it now at #THEHOTTESTBLOG!

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Models PROFILED! | Colton Haynes...

Someone's TOO sexy for his shirt...
Colton for A&F The Making of a Star   |   Photo by Bruce Weber

         HANDSOME AND HUMOROUS – the holy grail of ultimate attraction in an individual – have never been personified so beautifully as in our man, Colton Haynes! Exuding a golden radiance furthermore heightened by his unyielding passionate nature and kind heart, Colton is a magnetic force of undeniable cool and irresistibility. We count him in the pantheon of Abercrombie & Fitch models as of among the greatest of the kindred icons, and our love for him is forever as FIERCE as his great being...

Of the American heartland, Colton L. Haynes was born on July 13, 1988, to parents Dana Denise Mitchell and William Clayton Haynes in Wichita, Kansas. "I grew up on a farm in Kansas. I guess you could say I had a 'hick' childhood, but when I go back to visit now, I see how beautiful it was. I come from a traveling family, and I lived with my sister for a time, and also with an uncle," he shared with fans on his abercrombie.com profile earlier this year. Colton experienced much moving through his childhood which brought him to places in Arkansas, New Mexico, Florida, and Texas. It was in Texas where he graduated from high school and to this day remembers the guys and girls who made him feel at home, "senior yr. In Texas...being the new kid isn't always easy but these incredible ppl welcomed me wit open arms (missing in our crew photo was Topher, [W]here the hell r u bud?[)] Such great memories."

Before graduation, however, Colton had kickstarted his modeling career by having gotten a spot at posing for the lens of our Bruce Weber for A&F! At the young age of 15, he had scored the widely coveted dream of being a part of an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign and it naturally got him the resulting attention to set off his future endeavors. The amazing modeling opportunities continued to present themselves henceforth, and he went on to devote himself fully to his flourishing career opportunities after his 2006 high school graduation. His modeling repertoire came to include J.C. Penny, Kira Plastinina (back when the Russian womenswear brand was expanding, though soon closed, in the U.S.), and Ralph Lauren among others in his early years; and his modeling work furthermore flourished on in storm with multitudinous appearances across high-fashion publications worldwide continuing on today.

Expanding into another outlet of artistic expression, while molding, Colton soon, too, harboring a sense of deep personal direction, entered the acting scene: "I have a lot of energy, so I think that that's why I chose acting 'cause it kinda calms me down," he shares in his A&F Spring 2014 profile vid. His first role was an uncredited appearance in Michael Bay's Transformers (2007) and guest appearances on TV shows (CSI: Miami (2007; ep. "Bang, Bang, Your Debt"), The Hills (2008; two cameo appearances as model), Privileged (2008; ep. "All About Family and Friends"), Pushing Daisies (2008; ep. "Frescorts")) and a role in My Chemical Romance's music video for "I Don't Love You" (2007). Colton actually auditioned for the role of Edward Cullen in Twilight – we all know that one went to Robert Pattinson – and years later he lightheartedly joked that it was just "all about the love triangle and the glistening skin." His second film role did come playing as the main character's son in Always and Forever (2009). That fall, Colton scored a guest appearance on The CW's Melrose Place which happened to star former A&F model Katie Cassidy (both models were not of same campaign). (Watch Colton explain modeling/acting for him in this 2009 Models.com video clip). The next year, in 2010, Colton was finally cast as a main actor. His role as jock-turns-werewolf in ABC's supernatural crime-drama, The Gates, also had him teaming up with another A&F model, James Preston (a highly featured and popular A&F model during this time, check out his viral-hit M.S.H.T.W.F.M.T.O. post here at #THEHOTTESTBLOG!). That same year, Colton was also main-casted as "17-year-old asshole" Shane in HBO's drama, Look: The Series. Both series were canceled after short runs with each, incidentally, eleven episode.

Gold finally struck when Colton was made cocky, self-centered, privileged lacrosse captain, Jackson Whittemore, in MTV's runaway success, Teen Wolf! Everyone loves a steamy, troubled badboy, and, oh, how Colton made Jackson a classic! Teen Wolfers fell in love with the character and the actor, and the fandom for both EXPLODED! Colton remained as part of the main cast of Teen Wolf for its first two seasons before his character was written off to having "left for London" in a mutual decision between Colton and producers so he could personally move onto other projects. The fandom for Colton as Jackson remains as one of the strongest among Teen Wolfers, and Colton made forever friends with his castmates with which he loves hanging out with post-leaving.

Today, Colton continues his widely-obsessed-over TV heartthrob status as Roy Harper in The CW's superhero hit, Arrow. At the series, he's been reunited with former A&F model, Katie Cassidy, with which he's been great friends along with the rest of his new castmates. Having begun as a recurring character in season one after leaving Teen Wolf, he was made series regular for season two which kicked off October 19, 2013. And it was by those last weeks of 2013 when he was reached out by Abercrombie & Fitch to make the ultimate return with the moose (and in the most perfect of timing)!

A classic (already, seriously) and evermore beloved, Colton, as a part of A&F The Making of a Star, solely, and appreciatively, forms a direct connection back to the olden, golden A&F days when the brand was still just growing in the United States, exclusive and compelling, as indisputably the ultimate in cool. He channels in, with his personal form, an aesthetic characteristic to Abercrombie & Fitch as what in which in hallmark made the brand admired inline with fresh, ever-original and classic marketing. Furthermore, Colton stands as the only A&F model to return after such gap between his first appearance for the brand. A decade later, our boy brings quintessential Aber-essence back to this Abercrombie & Fitch. He's wondrous Abergod and king of this campaign for all his merits!

(Selected A&F photography of Colton, and also of Debby Ryan, were used as well for abercrombie kids Spring 2014).

Recently, Colton surpassed 1,000,000 followers – 1.047+ million by the time of the publishing of this post – on his personal Instagram account which only ever accelerated on followers in the past months. Super amusing, his IG is 100% by him and just pure awesome. Earlier this year, he lightheartedly parodied Jennifer Lawrence (another former modeled-for-Bruce-Weber-for-A&F celebrity) in her Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2013/14 dress she wore to the 2014 Golden Globes, and his pic even got featured on E!'s Fashion Police. For all the general hilarity and cool sharings... Got. To. Follow him! "Because of the shows I've been in, I have a lot of social media follows," he commented on his A&F profile. Though not just because of that. Come on now, Colton. People naturally get hooked! Also, check out his twitter, his facebook, and his tumblr!

But if you thought he was already well-rounded enough, our boy is also a budding singer! He's been working on material with his close buddy, Travis-Atreo Graham (musician from band, New Heights), and the guys released their first original single working together, a Christmas tune titled "Baby It's Christmas" (listen on YouTube; buy on iTunes; buy on Amazon), on December 20, 2013. Back in November, the fellas had released on YouTube only as video performance their acoustic cover of Dan + Shay's "19 You + Me". #WatchOut #TotalTripleThreat

Apart from his work, Colton also makes time for helping out in the community: "[..] I like reaching out to kids who are going through some problems." Back in November 2010, Colton had publically shared, "I was born with an extremely negative attitude. I was the kid who wouldn't smile in Christmas photos, was a poor sport, and hated a lot of things. I eventually grew out of my negativity when I matured. I have to be optimistic now because when I let negativity enter my life I get so depressed, and it's a downward spiral from there. You have to find the things that you are happy about and focus on that." And his pursuit for strengthening positivity in everyday extends through his humanitarian work: "I also volunteer with the organization Love is Louder, where we talk to kids about bullying," he furthered on abercrombie.com.



#WELOVECOLTON!





...Stay FIERCE!

P.S. Check out what Colton wore to the A&F The Making of a Star party on February 22, (here)! It was...just Colton genius. ;) Plus, check out the A&F The Marking on a Star posts (here) at #THEHOTTESTBLOG featuring him and the other wonderful faces of the campaign!

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