Hotness No Longer a Prerequisite to Working at Abercrombie

Abercrombie is still trying to remake itself into a brand that appeals to today’s Tumblring teens. Their latest move: You no longer have to be a hottie to stand around the store refolding shirts.

The Wall Street Journal reports on the retailer’s latest changes:

In a set of personnel policies announced Friday, the company said it would stop hiring sales staff on “body type or physical attractiveness” and will relax its infamous “look policy” so that employees can dress in a more individualistic way. Brand Representative will replace Model as the title for sales staff.

Store openings and events will no longer be decorated with shirtless models, and the company’s sex-tinged marketing is being dialed back as well.

It’s not totally open season, though. The New York Times reports:

The new guidelines for store employees call for them to look “neat, clean, natural and well-groomed.” Excessive jewelry, obscene or large tattoos and bright-colored makeup are now also taboo, as are piercings “in locations other than earlobes.”

“It is important that we have guidelines to maintain an appropriate standard in our stores,” the retailer says in the guidelines.

They are also doing away with “sexualized marketing,” except in the case of their cologne, “Fierce.” Ding-dong, the hottie hegemony is dead! Of course, it’s not that simple for Abercrombie: “They are going to turn up the lights and put shirts on the dudes, but there is no accompanying story,” said Jeff Gomez, CEO of a company that “advises executives on brand narratives.” Good luck with that, guys!