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Suit of the Week: Abercrombie & Fitch

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gingham suit

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women's suits of 2026!

I found this fun Abercrombie suit while updating our guide to the most affordable interview suits.

(I wouldn't wear a gingham suit to an interview, but it is a nice option for spring and summer.)

The blazer is $120, available in sizes XXS-XXL, and the pants are available in regular, long, and curvy options, on sale for $59. There's also a matching vest on sale for $45.

Looking for something similar? Boden has a linen gingham blazer (with, sigh, matching shorts).

Sales of note for 6/2:

73 Comments

  1. I’ve reached a place in life where I can work because I want to, not because I have to. I’ve been in health tech for 2 decades, in product/engineering, then strategy, serving as an SVP over product. For the past 6 years I’ve been a consultant in a similar role and really flexing my schedule to be present for the kids. I’m about to be 45 and just…kind of ready to do something else with my career or just time in general.

    I’m interested in something 20-40 hours/week, if it’s closer to 40 it would need to be remote or remote friendly. I’ve had random thoughts like working for a nonprofit, or working as a paralegal, a school admin (like, secretary), a ski instructor, or just working for the local town government and hanging out with all the townies (I’m okay being a townie!). I do not want to teach or otherwise work directly with kids. I don’t want to deal with patients. I don’t really want to work for myself for the next 20 years.

    Salary doesn’t matter much. I’ve made $250k and I’ve also had years making $50k (as a consultant when non work life was super busy and I just noped out of projects).

    We recently inherited money that has taken basically all pressure off both of us. Kids’ college is funded, we could pay the house off if we wanted to. DH has a really cushy job (great hours, very high pay).

    Thoughts??

    1. I’m in the same position but 5 years older and I’m trying to read books about planning for retirement, having something to retire into, etc. Some of the FIRE forums are helpful for this. my plan is to not search for a unicorn job that I’ll do half-heartedly but look at it from the early retirement perspective.

      I haven’t read it yet but How to Retire by Christine Benz looks helpful. I’m also reading the Designing Your Life book. (Didn’t realize it was originally a Stanford class taught by product designers!)

      1. DH is a fan of the Two Sides of Fi podcast for these sorts of topics, particularly what does post-retirement look like (if I recall correctly, one guy teaches a wine tasting class at a vineyard once a week, which is a retirement gig I could get behind).

      2. If you’re looking for something more on the “how to live in retirement” as opposed to the “how to financially solve retirement” part of things, I highly recommend the Two Sides of Fi podcast.

        How to Retire is more about the monetary parts of it, but is still a worthwhile read.

    2. Think about what connections you have that could get you one of these jobs. I say this because the job market is tough and every single employer at a nonprofit, etc, is going to look at your resume and chuck it out the window. Transitioning to something new within the same industry is tough; changing fields is nigh impossible. You’ll need connections to keep your resume from being thrown out in two seconds, particularly in a world with AI screening.

    3. Have you considered volunteer roles? That seems more compatible with your desire to lean out.

      1. Cosign this. I volunteer with a lot of women who do it practicality full time and they are all happy campers.

    4. If money is truly not needed, I’d just volunteer. You’ll have a lot more say in your hours and responsibilities and can just stop and find a new volunteer gig if something ceases to be fun. Working is always going to feel more like work, even if you enjoy what you do.

    5. I can’t speak to all of these options, but nonprofit or paralegal would likely be lower pay, but without the work life balance you’re looking for. Those jobs both tend to require a serious time commitment above and beyond the stated hours.

    6. If you want to work PT and be choosy about your daily projects I don’t think a non-profit, paralegal, or local government job is a good fit. Nor do I think a school administrative job is the right one if you don’t want to work with kids. At least none of these seem like situations where you would be good for the organization or the people they serve. So maybe lean into the ski instructor idea?

    7. I think this is a silly escapist fantasy and you should figure out something else. No you don’t want to go be a secretary and do menial work for no respect with little flexibility be so for real.

      1. Not only that, but you won’t get the position to begin with. The job market right now is narrowly targeted to people with skills and roles that align via ATS. Unless you know someone, AI isn’t even going to let a resume through.

      2. Yeah. It also sounds so patronizing. Good non profit or government (!) or admin roles are actually highly competitive.

        And I’m sure OP had a successful career but the skills don’t really easily translate.

          1. In our district at least admins work a longer day than the kids. School dismisses at 330 and the front office closes at 430. I think they also work some over the summer, though maybe not full time.

    8. I’d ramp down your consultant work to one or two clients whom you enjoy — or enough to keep your hand in, whatever that looks like.

      Then I’d go on an exploration tour to see what you want to do with your time. Volunteer strategically, or get a series of temporary part-time jobs, with the understanding that you’re trying on different roles to find out where you want to put your energy, skills, and time for the next stage. Or what you want to learn.

    9. Please report back on what you end up doing! (Also, what does your husband do? His career sounds like what I need in my life!)

      1. He’s in a very niche role at a very big company that he’s been with for over a decade. It’s also a role that lends itself to working with AI so he’s sort of everyone’s favorite person right now as he does so much work so quickly with a super lean team. That’s just currently; he’s had many other roles.

    10. Retiring and serving on boards/commissions makes more sense than the jobs that you are proposing.

      I second the recommendation to explore retirement. I am in the same place and will probably dial down in a year or two.

    11. In your shoes I would go back to get the Ph.D. I always wanted instead of my dumb law degree, do my hobby full-time, surf daily, and/or become a ski bum. No one is going to interview you for the types of jobs you are talking about, except perhaps as a ski instructor if you can make it sound like you have the skills and you are not in a competitive market. I don’t know why you would want to work anyway, especially at a nonprofit where you will be just as stressed and overworked for no money.

      Or you could keep your job and use the money to become a patroness or the arts or charity.

    12. My thought is unless you inherited true F you money, why would you quit in your 40s? Keep working and banking cash. Life is more expensive than you’d think. Work while you can and while everyone else is. Then maybe you both retire in your mid or late 50s.

    13. I’m in a very similar place, with the slight difference that my job is ending as well as me being ready to leave, and we’re moving concurrently. But same age, from tech, fi, and thinking about what I want to do next. I love the ski instructor idea – my sister has a great 60+ ski instructor that teachers mostly middle age and older women. she’s created a wonderful community and it’s a fantastic part of my sister’s life. I’ve thought about doing personal training for older women. or teaching math to kids. I still want to contribute to the world, but I’m so burned out from a big job and kids.

    14. Some of the places I experience people with their passion/interests are leading classes (like cooking)/activities (hikes) that are set up with my local parks & rec, which would likely enjoy someone who wanted to lead an age-restricted ski-trip.

      My dad taught duplicate bridge – at first once-in-a-while, while he was working, then had a regular evening stint as a non-credit community college offering.

      You didn’t say this in your question, but you have excellent self-awareness, great experience with work/life balance – how is mentoring/advising younger professionals in your industry? If you really liked it, you might get certified as a coach, but at the initial level, you would not need to re-train, and you might get those limited hours with decent pay with a part-time or contract role within your professional association (if you like them) or an alma mater’s alumni/career center.

  2. When did A&F begin selling suiting?? We’re talking about the same store that scandalized mall shoppers with semi-n0de models in the ’90s, right?

    1. I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch, I’d take her if I had one wish . . .

      Oh, you know you were singing it, too.

    2. I think suits are trendy and therefore available at places they normally wouldn’t be. Kind of how Forever 21 was awash in black pants and knee length skirts in the late 90s.

    3. Okay, Abercrombie is actually amazing for my 40 year old self. Long torso bodysuit? Check. Great work tops that are still interesting? Also, check!

      1. i’ve heard middle-aged midsize tiktokkers say they always do well there too – forget who it was but i’ve been wanting to check out the summer dresses.

      2. Just bought some jean shorts from there and was pleasantly surprised at the appropriate length and a-line cut for my 30s body.

        1. Their curvy cuts are great! But their clothes are leaning too hard into the drop waist trend this spring. It’s a tough year for those of us who are short or have hips

  3. Just wanted to share a good-news medical thing in case someone here is in a situation similar to my own. I’m two weeks post-op from a laparoscopic hysterectomy (big bulky fibroids were causing uncomfortable pelvic pressure, fullness, and bloating) and I feel amazing. Recovery has been so much easier than I thought it would be. Before the surgery, I was wondering if I was just being a wimp about my symptoms, especially since I didn’t have the bleeding and incontinence symptoms that several of my friends have had from their fibroids. But zero regrets and so thankful that I went ahead with it! I didn’t know I could feel this good at age 50.

    2. That is awesome news! In related experience, i had a surgery to remove my tubes, and while there had them remove a cyst from my ovary that i thought might be related to this back pain i had that wasn’t getting better with PT. Turns out i definitely have endometriosis, and there was an endometrial adhesion that had fixed my ovary to my pelvic wall.
      Had been concerned about my back pain worsening during the surgery recovery (since you can’t work out for X weeks during healing) – instead was magically gone!

    3. Had mine out last year (in my 40s) and it was the best decision I made. You may have a little bit of decline because the exhaustion catches up between weeks 2 and 6, but I went back to work at 7 weeks and was very happy.

  4. Help me shop: I am getting an alumni award from my college and have to give an acceptance speech at an awards dinner. I need a cocktail dress or other outfit that reads sophisticated and smart, like the cocktail equivalent of what you might wear to give a keynote. Must be red (school color). Budget is $500 but could spend more for something I love. Please share ideas and specific links.

    1. i love red but it’s not real springy you didn’t tell us your age or your size or your preference but my gut would be a red suit. i just googled, there’s a lot of choices.

      2. I like this.

        When I thought of a red cocktail dress I couldn’t picture anything modern or even pretty but this does the job quite well!! I like it.

    4. https://thefoldlondon.com/product/salerno-crepe-dress-deep-scarlet-red/
      https://mmlafleur.com/products/sippy-freesia-print
      https://www.nordstrom.com/s/eyelet-cotton-voile-shirtdress/8851368?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FAll%20Results&color=600
      https://www.nordstrom.com/s/city-chic-kylee-lace-maxi-dress-plus/8353375?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FAll%20Results&color=615
      https://www.shopburu.com/products/the-drop-waist-gown-red-moire?_pos=10&_fid=32a9337c4&_ss=c
      https://www.suesartor.com/collections/shop-all-dresses/products/sue-sartor-flounce-shorty-red-blush-cosmos?_pos=2&_fid=b897c54ed&_ss=c
      https://www.dvf.com/collections/dresses/products/koren-reversible-dress-2
      https://www.dvf.com/collections/dresses/products/ballerina-wrap-dress-in-scarlet
      maybe? https://francesvalentine.com/products/mod-jacket-faux-leather-faux-leather-geranium
      always this one – https://www.shopbop.com/jackie-belted-dress-black-halo/vp/v=1/1559220286.htm

    5. OP here: Thank you for all the choices. I love them all, and will have to find somewhere else to wear that purple one because, unfortunately, I need the whole dress to be red (or mostly red). For additional context: I’m mid-40s, about a size 8, 5’9″. I’m leaning cocktail or midi dress, but an interesting red suit could work.

  5. Maybe a fun question for today: if you could do it all over, what would you do?

    I wish I’d pivoted early on to find something that better suited me than law. I always think being a speech pathologist or neuropsych sounds interesting and rewarding, but I did not have a BS or any interest in getting one during college years.

    1. If I had a trust fund, I would have gotten an MFA in fiction writing. It was my true passion.

      But I had no money or after net. I’m a lawyer now.

        1. So brave of you to go back again! I had one poor decision, and with little kids I’m going nowhere near dating until they’re fully grown!!

      3. Same. The person I was at the time thought it was a good idea; in subtle ways, he treats me like my dysfunctional family of origin did.

    3. Move to a city with better access to the outdoors than my current city when I was younger and not settled. I love camping/hiking/backpacking, but am limited to a couple of trips per year. I wish that it could be a part of my regular lifestyle, and I would love to have groups of friends do this stuff regularly.

      I am not even that old – early 40s – but uprooting my husband, my job and professional network, professional license, house, moving away from friend groups and family, etc. seems much more difficult now. And my city is quite good in many ways. If any of you early career professionals out there are not in love with your current city and you think you’ll be happier somewhere else long term, try a move now. Don’t let fear get in your way, don’t think it’ll always be as easy.

      1. this – i wish i hadn’t moved back to my hometown. we didn’t view it as a permanent move, just a “while the kids were small” thing but here we are 11 years later and the hometown is redder than red and the kids are nearly done with school so we may stay for another 5 years. but after that we have no idea.

    4. I wish I’d studied abroad.

      I changed careers completely at 30 and again at 40 but I don’t have regrets about not pursuing my current career earlier. I’ve enjoyed the variety and my first career (Big Law attorney) set me up financially for life (not in the sense that I never needed to work again but in the sense that I could lean out and work less than fulltime for low pay).

    5. I would have taken myself more seriously. I grew up in a house where obedience was the thing, so I learned to subdue what I wanted, read a room, and shape myself on behalf of others. It’s hard to un-learn, and I’m just now starting at age 50.

    6. I would have moved out to Southern California after law school. I had spent some time there, had an easy time making friends, and think that I would have done better in my legal career.

    7. This is closely related to what I am doing now but I would be an epidemiologist at the state or county level (and I might still change to this) instead of working in health policy.

    8. Sometimes I think I would have been better served marrying someone in the military, having kids young, and living in new places through spouse’s service. But I grew up in a military town and actively avoided this route in favor of education and career. But I’m not sure I’m happier than my HS friends who chose that path.

    9. Similar on location, I would have gone to graduate school or found a way to move abroad. I like my city and my house, but it would have been a great adventure. I have traveled a lot but I wish I had traveled more.

    10. I would have flirted harder (and not made fun of ) the incredibly handsome Italian guy on study abroad who didn’t know how to use a washing machine. I could have been a countess! (I assume. He was very handsome, a bit older, and had some sort of business-y job.)

      More seriously, I wish I’d worked for a few years after college graduation instead of going right to law school. I think I would have gone into accounting instead of law, or perhaps something else entirely. I don’t dislike law, but I don’t love it the way other people love it.

    11. This isn’tsomethingthat would alter mylife path or anything, but one of my only big life regrets is when an acquaintance of mine was having a baby and was clearly unprepared, I didn’t help more because I didn’t want to overstep. We were both only 19, I knew her through her boyfriend, there were some cultural things coming into play, and it’s very understandable that I didn’t. But I just think of the last time I saw her, 1 week postpartum and barely able to stand, and her poor idiot boyfriend too obsessed with his son to see how much she was struggling, and I think “I should have made her some pad-cicles. She didn’t even know the signs of labor. That poor girl was let down by all those who should have helped her and I just let it happen.” She didn’t die or anything, just broke up with the boyfriend and moved in with her grandma the next state over and I sure hope her grandma was more useful than her mother, but I really don’t know because I never saw her again.

      1. I have some similar regrets. Generally I feel like people need each one another a lot more in life than feels socially accommodated or normalized!

        Breaking up with the boyfriend/dad and moving in with grandma worked out really well for someone I know; best wishes for the young mom you knew too.

  7. Does anyone have a good way to limit how much time you spend on a few websites like facebook.com? i can block them via some apps but i’d like it if they just shut me off i’ve procrastinated too long on them

    2. I think you are limiting your own agency here. I disabled my LinkedIn, took the Instagram app off of my phone, and deleted Facebook entirely. These are things you can do to take your time back.

    4. You can also set time limits on specific apps, if you still want them on your phone but accessible eg. only 15 minutes a day. On my pixel, those are under Settings>Digital Wellbeing>Timers. “Time limit an app on yourPhone’sOS” as a google search should pop up options

  8. does anyone have a blackstone grill? pros and cons? i keep thinking we might want one because the george forman is too small but the gas thing outside is too much effort

    1. We do, bought about 18 months ago

      Used 3 times, twice for smash burgers, once for some elaborate rice/ paella type dish.
      In comparison, we have probably barbecued 30 times in the same timeframe. My husband does the bbq and blackstone cooking , it seems messy to keep clean. In hindsight, I would not bother

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