What Is My Size at Aje?

By Ella Blake – Fashion Stylist | Tellar Fashion Hub – Always honest, unbiased, & unsponsored post

Aje runs small — and if you shop it with your usual UK size, there's a very good chance you'll be sending it back. The Australian brand uses AU sizing, which on paper aligns with UK sizing, but the cuts are structured, sculptural, and decidedly unforgiving, which means most women need to go up at least one size, sometimes two, particularly in dresses and anything with a corseted or fitted bodice.

I'll be honest — I learned this the slightly painful way. I spotted the most gorgeous puff-sleeved midi at a Net-a-Porter event, ordered my usual size based on the chart, and it arrived looking absolutely perfect on the hanger. On me? The waist sat about two inches too high and I couldn't do up the back. Classic Aje moment, as I've since discovered it's a rite of passage for most new converts to the brand. Now I know better — and after this post, so will you.

So, What Exactly Is Aje?

If you haven't discovered Aje yet, where have you been? Founded in Sydney in 2008 by best friends Edwina Forest and Adrian Norris, Aje is one of those rare brands that feels genuinely special the moment you touch it. It's the label Gigi Hadid and Katy Perry reach for when they want something that looks like proper designer but still has a breezy, effortless quality to it.

The brand's signatures are unmistakable: dramatic voluminous sleeves, corseted waists, raw-edged hems, richly textured fabrications, and that very particular blend of tough femininity and coastal ease that only Australians seem to pull off naturally. Their dresses in particular have become cult pieces — the kind of thing you buy once and reach for on rotation for years.

In the UK, you can shop Aje directly via their website, or through stockists including Net-a-Porter and Selfridges. Prices sit firmly in the premium-to-luxury bracket, with dresses typically ranging from £250 to well over £500, so getting the size right first time really does matter.

Does Aje Run Small, Large, or True to Size?

Short answer: Aje runs small, and the cuts are tighter than standard UK sizing would suggest. Here's what you need to know:

Australian sizing vs UK sizing: AU sizing broadly mirrors UK sizing on paper — an AU 10 is nominally a UK 10. But Aje's garments are cut slim, especially through the bodice and waistband. The structured, tailored nature of the pieces means there's very little give in the fabric.
Dresses and structured tops: These are the trickiest category. The corseted silhouettes, boned bodices, and sculptural cuts leave almost no room for sizing error. If you're between sizes, always go up.
Fuller bust or broader shoulders: Size up by at least one full size. Multiple customers — and I've heard this consistently — report the bust and shoulder area running particularly tight.
Trousers and wide-leg styles: These tend to be more forgiving and can run more true to your usual size, but still check the waist measurement carefully.
Knitwear and relaxed styles: The more casual pieces from the Aje Studio line (their more accessible diffusion range) tend to be a little more generous. You can usually stay true to size here.

The best thing you can do before clicking buy? Use Tellar's Store Size Lookup to match your actual measurements directly to Aje's sizing. Tellar covers 1,500+ brands and will tell you your exact Aje size based on your bust, waist, and hips — no guesswork, no returns.

How to Get the Aje Fit Right — Styling Tips

Beyond the numbers, there are a few things that will genuinely help you buy Aje well:

Measure before you buy, every time. Even if you've bought Aje before, sizing can vary slightly between styles. A corseted dress and a floaty linen set will fit very differently from the same brand.
Pay attention to the fabric. Aje uses a lot of structured linen blends, brocade, and heavier cotton — all beautiful, but none of them stretch. If a piece has zero stretch content, be extra cautious and size up.
Check the individual product notes. Aje's website and Net-a-Porter often include fit notes per garment — "runs small," "true to size," etc. Always read these.
Invest in the right silhouette for your body. Aje is particularly stunning on hourglass and pear shapes — the defined waist and full skirt silhouettes are made for those proportions. If you're straighter up and down, you can absolutely still wear it brilliantly; lean into their more relaxed or wide-leg styles.

If You Love Aje — What Else Should You Be Shopping?

One of the questions I get most from clients who've discovered Aje is: "Where do I find something with that same energy but at different price points?" Great question. Here's my honest breakdown.

High Street Picks

For that sculptural, occasion-dress energy on the high street, these are the brands I'd send my clients to:

Reiss — Brilliant for structured tailoring and sleek occasion dresses. The quality is significantly better than most high street and the cuts are sharp. They do a particularly good corseted midi that scratches a similar itch to Aje at a fraction of the price.
Anthropologie — If it's the romanticism and bohemian femininity of Aje you love, Anthropologie delivers that dreamy, print-heavy quality beautifully. Their dresses often have that linen-and-broderie feel that Aje fans will recognise.
Whistles — Understated but genuinely well-made, Whistles is great for elevated basics and occasion pieces that won't date. Strong on structured dresses and quality fabrications.
Cos — For anyone drawn to Aje's architectural silhouettes, COS is the high-street answer. Clean lines, interesting cuts, quality fabrics. Their sizing tends to run oversized in relaxed pieces and true-to-size on tailored ones.
Mango — Has genuinely stepped up in the quality stakes in recent years. Their linen and textured-fabric dresses in season are surprisingly good Aje-adjacent picks.
Ted Baker — Strong on the feminine florals and occasion dressing. If you're shopping Aje for a wedding or event, Ted Baker is a reliable, more accessible parallel.
Phase Eight — Brilliant occasion brand, particularly good for structured midi dresses. They do beautiful voluminous sleeves and have a similar flair for occasion-appropriate drama.
Hobbs — Elegant, well-cut occasionwear and tailoring. Hobbs tends to run very true to UK sizing, which is a relief after navigating Aje's trickier fit notes.

Premium Pick

Rotate Birger Christensen — This Danish party dress brand is one of the best-kept secrets in the premium space. Voluminous, boldly structured, and genuinely beautiful — think puff sleeves, architectural waists, and statement silhouettes. If Aje is your brand, Rotate should absolutely be on your radar too. Sizing tends to run fairly true to European sizing; do check their individual size notes.

Independent Brand Pick

Alémais — Another Australian label worth knowing, Alémais sits beautifully alongside Aje in terms of aesthetic but with a stronger focus on sustainable, artisan fabrications. Think hand-printed linens, embroidered cottons, and rich textures that feel genuinely premium. It has that same sun-drenched, effortlessly elevated Australian quality — and it's a brand that very few UK shoppers have discovered yet, which makes it all the more exciting.

Find Your Exact Aje Size with Tellar

Stop Guessing Your Size at Aje — Use Tellar

Aje's sculptural cuts and slim tailoring make sizing genuinely tricky — but it doesn't have to be. Tellar.co.uk is the UK's leading free sizing tool, matching your exact body measurements to 1,500+ brands instantly. No downloads, no subscriptions — just your perfect size, every time.

Measure once — bust, waist, and hips — and you're set for every brand, every time.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise Aje size instantly.
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No more expensive returns. No more dressing room guesswork. Just your best fit — first time.

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