American Eagle Outfitters has made a bold, divisive bet on its “sultry” Sydney Sweeney ads — but only after its commitment to the “body positivity” movement started to falter, experts told The Post.

A decade ago, the mall-based chain’s 20-year-old lingerie brand Aerie famously took off as millennials shunned Victoria’s Secret and its leggy, angel-winged supermodels in favor of Aerie’s ads featuring ordinary women and diverse body types.

But recently, American Eagle’s flagging sales show that “inclusive fashion” has its limits — especially after the election of President Trump, experts say. 7

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“They were almost paralyzed by their body positivity movement and were cautious about coming across too sexy,” according to retail analyst Gabriella Santaniello, who heads up A-Line Partners

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