BRABAR vs. Victoria's Secret, SKIMS, Aerie, and ThirdLove: How Bra Sizing Methods Compare

BRABAR measures the rib cage directly, with no added inches, for band size in sizes 28-38 and cups AA-DDD/F. Victoria's Secret measures higher on the torso near the armpit. SKIMS and ThirdLove measure the rib cage directly and both start at a 30 band. Aerie's own instructions describe a direct measurement, but third-party fit guides and customer reports consistently note its charts run large in the band. Five brands, five outcomes for the same body - here's exactly where each one measures, and why it matters most for anyone with a small band or a full bust.

Why the Same Body Gets Five Different Sizes

Bra size is only two numbers: a band size and a cup letter. But where a brand measures the band, and whether it adds anything to that number before assigning a size, changes the result more than most shoppers realize. A person with the exact same rib cage and bust measurement can be told she's a 28DD at one brand and a 32A at another - and both brands would say they measured her correctly.

Quick Comparison Table

BRABAR vs. Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret's published fitting instructions direct shoppers to measure higher on the torso, bringing the tape under the arms and across the back near where the straps meet the cups - above the bust rather than directly beneath it. Because the body is wider at that point than at the rib cage, this measurement point tends to produce a larger band number for the same person. BRABAR measures directly under the bust, at the rib cage, where the band actually sits and does its job. See our full breakdown in BRABAR vs. Victoria's Secret: Why Where You Measure Matters.

BRABAR vs. SKIMS

SKIMS' own size guide instructs customers to measure the underbust directly and round to the nearest whole number - a reasonably direct approach. The practical difference from BRABAR is range: SKIMS' band-and-cup bra styles start at a 30 band, while BRABAR carries true 28 bands built specifically for smaller rib cages, which is exactly the size range most mainstream brands, including SKIMS, don't reach.

BRABAR vs. Aerie

Aerie's own instructions, delivered through its in-store "Best Fit Finder" tool, describe measuring directly under the bust. In practice, however, third-party bra fit guides and customer reviews consistently report that Aerie's bras run large in the band, often recommending shoppers size down a full band from their raw measurement. Whatever the cause, the practical result for the shopper is the same pattern we've documented elsewhere: a size that doesn't match a direct rib-cage measurement. BRABAR's EZ-fit method uses the rib cage number as the band size with nothing added, so the size you measure is the size you buy.

BRABAR vs. ThirdLove

ThirdLove also measures the rib cage directly and is well known for its half-cup sizing - a genuinely useful innovation for anyone who falls between standard cup letters. ThirdLove's standard range also starts at a 30 band, similar to SKIMS and Aerie. Where ThirdLove and BRABAR diverge is the smaller end specifically: BRABAR's range starts at 28, serving the smaller-band, fuller-bust proportion that ThirdLove and most other adult-oriented brands still don't reach. ThirdLove is also designed for adult women; BRABAR is built specifically for the teen and junior body, which is narrower and shaped differently than a fully mature adult frame even at the same band measurement.

BRABAR vs. Pepper

Pepper is one of the few brands built specifically for smaller busts (AA-B cups), and its fit guide instructions describe a direct underbust measurement. But its published size chart tells a different story once the numbers are checked against each other - details are in our full comparison, Why Your Band Size Isn't What You Think It Is.

What Makes BRABAR Different Across the Board

• No added inches, ever. BRABAR's EZ-fit rib cage method uses your direct underbust measurement, rounded to the nearest even number, as your band size - full stop.
• The widest small-band range. Band sizes from 28 to 38, specifically because the 28-30 range is where most other brands, from mass retailers to specialty small-bust labels, stop short.
• Built for developing bodies, not just smaller adult ones. BRABAR designs specifically for teen and junior proportions - narrower rib cages, closer-set busts, and frequent size changes - rather than scaling down an adult pattern.
• Cup range from AA to DDD/F. Full support across the proportions a small band with a full bust actually needs, not just the smallest cup letters.
• Founded on a real, documented gap in the market. BRABAR's founder, a 20+ year intimates industry veteran, started the brand after being unable to find a properly fitting bra for her own teenage daughter using any existing brand's method.

How to Check Any Brand's Method for Yourself

You don't have to take any brand's word for it, including ours. Measure your own rib cage directly, underneath the bust, and round to the nearest even number. That's your band size under the rib cage method. Then check any brand's size chart: does it assign you that number, or one that's noticeably larger? A gap of four or five inches between your direct measurement and the assigned band means that brand is layering something on top of the raw number - whichever specific method it calls it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which bra brand has the most accurate sizing method?

Accuracy depends on where a brand measures the band and whether it adds inches to that measurement. BRABAR, SKIMS, and ThirdLove all instruct customers to measure the rib cage directly. Victoria's Secret measures higher on the torso. Aerie's instructions describe direct measurement, but its charts are widely reported to run large in practice.

What is the smallest bra band size available?

Band size availability varies by brand. BRABAR carries true 28 bands. SKIMS, Aerie, and ThirdLove all start at a 30 band. Victoria's Secret's standard range typically starts around 30 as well.

Why does my Victoria's Secret size differ from my BRABAR size?

Victoria's Secret's fitting instructions measure higher on the torso near the armpit, which tends to produce a larger band number than a direct rib-cage measurement, since the body is wider at that point than directly under the bust.

Does SKIMS use the plus-4 method?

SKIMS' published instructions direct customers to measure the underbust directly and round to the nearest whole number, which is a more direct approach than the plus-4 method used by some other retailers' calculators.

Is there a bra brand designed specifically for teens with small bands and full busts?

BRABAR is built specifically for this proportion, with band sizes from 28 to 38 and cups from AA to DDD/F, designed around teen and junior body proportions rather than scaled-down adult patterns.

Find your accurate size with BRABAR's Fit Guide and Bra Size Calculator, and explore the full range of band and cup sizes, built around the rib cage method from the ground up.