Once upon a time Abercrombie was the shizz. Girls swooned over Bruce Weber's borderline pornographic shots of hairless, shirtless, six-packed boys casting some hither looks at them from the walls of the too-loud, too cologne-y mall stores -- and boys wanted to be them.

Abercrombie's too-expensive-for-what-they-are clothes were the ultimate school status symbol; getting an (outrageously expensive) A&F hoodie was a rite of passage. Things were good for opinionated, "fat kids shouldn't wear our clothes" chairman Mike Jeffries. Very good.

But karma's a wily wench who works in weird ways, and since 2010 the brand has been in free fall mode, closing more than 200 stores and, just like a John Hughes movie where the beautiful, popular kids take a hit, all of a sudden Abercrombie finds itself jockeying for position, struggling to grasp onto a foothold and save its denim and eyelet covered butt.

From vowing to (finally) produce clothes in larger sizes, to doing away with the mood lighting and olfactory war waged in stores, to adding the color black to its offerings, the brand has been making some wide-sweeping changes. Now, in a nod to the giant change that's afoot, the tagline has followed suit. (Seems a little backwards to me but, what do I know, I'm just a writer.)

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Making the move from "rooted in East Coast traditions and Ivy League heritage," as the symbol of "privilege and casual luxury" for Abercrombie to "the essence of privilege and prestigious East Coast prep schools," for younger-skewing brand, A&F, the brand descriptions are now officially, "the essence of laidback sophistication with an element of simplicity," which "sets the standard for great taste." A&F Kids is now "less about pedigree" and focused on "the essence of fun and friendship, a&f kids celebrates each moment by sharing its effortless great taste with the world."

Does this all scream "too little, too late" to you? Or do you think that because they do use nice fabrics and produce well-made, stylish garments, that Abercrombie and little sis A&F stand a chance at re-ascending the prom king/queen throne?