What Is Sizing Like at Aab? An Honest Stylist’s Guide to Fit, Length & What’s Worth Buying

Aab sizing runs largely true to size on the body, but here’s the thing nobody tells you upfront: the size on the label is only half the decision — the other half is length. Aab is a London-based, female-led modest fashion brand that has built its whole reputation on offering petite, regular and tall lengths across the same garment, which means a UK 12 is a UK 12, but a UK 12 in “tall” will sit very differently to a UK 12 in “regular”. Get both right and the fit is genuinely beautiful. Get the length wrong and you’ll feel swamped or stranded mid-shin. So before you panic about going up or down a size, read on — I promise it’s simpler than it looks.

So, does Aab run big or small?

In my experience styling clients in modest pieces, Aab is one of the more reliable labels for body measurement — their bust, waist and hip numbers genuinely match what you measure at home. The catch is the cut. Because everything is designed for coverage and layering, you get longer hemlines, higher necklines and a roomier drape than you’d expect from the high street. That generous silhouette fools a lot of first-time shoppers into sizing down, and then they’re disappointed when a structured piece pulls across the chest.

Here’s how it breaks down by garment type:

Abayas & dresses: True to size, but cut full and flowing. Order your normal size and let the fabric do the work — do not size down hoping for shape.
Slim-fit trousers & structured blazers: The most fitted things Aab makes. Take your exact measurements here, because there’s little give.
Capes, kaftans & free-size pieces: Intentionally oversized — but a few still run a touch snug across the bust, so check the model’s measurements listed on each product page.
Thobes: A regular free-size fit, sold by length (roughly 52–60 inches) rather than dress size.

My single best tip: ignore the size letter for a moment and choose your length first. Aab’s own guidance is to aim for the hem sitting one to two inches above the ankle — and to size up in length (not in size) if you have a broader chest or you’re planning to wear heels.

The mistake I see again and again

I’ll be honest — I’ve made this one myself. Years ago I bought a gorgeous satin Aab maxi for a wedding, ordered my usual size, and ignored the length entirely. It arrived puddling on the floor and I spent the whole day hitching it up like a Victorian governess. Lesson learned: with Aab, length is not an afterthought, it’s the whole game. The flip side? Once I started ordering “petite” lengths for my 5’4” frame, their dresses became some of the best-fitting things in my wardrobe. If your bust runs fuller than your waist — a really common combination — size to your bust and have the waist nipped by a tailor. It’s a £15 fix that transforms the whole look.

If you love Aab, you’ll love these too

Aab sits in that lovely premium-independent space, so if you’re building a wardrobe around modest, longline, beautifully-draped pieces, here’s where else I’d send you — tiered by budget.

High street — easy, affordable coverage

COS — The high street’s answer to quiet, architectural drape. Long-line shirt dresses and column skirts that layer like a dream.
Mango — Brilliant for flowing maxi dresses and wide-leg trousers at a gentle price; sizing runs slightly slim, so size up.
Monsoon — A long-standing favourite for occasion maxis with sleeves — genuinely modest without trying to be.
Marks & Spencer — Reliable longline knits, midi skirts and full-length slip dresses; consistent, true-to-size fit.
Next — Strong on petite and tall ranges, which makes it a natural Aab alternative if length is your sticking point.
Phase Eight — Floaty occasionwear with proper coverage; their fuller cuts suit a bust-heavy frame.
Mint Velvet — Relaxed, elevated separates with that effortless drape Aab fans gravitate towards.

Premium — the investment middle ground

ME+EM — Genius for clever lengths and pieces that flatter without clinging; the closest in spirit to Aab’s “considered fit” ethos.
Whistles — Minimalist, longline tailoring and fluid dresses in grown-up fabrics.
Reiss — Sharper, more structured modest options — ideal for workwear with full coverage.

Luxury / designer — worth the splurge

Max Mara — The gold standard for long, fluid coats and column dresses. Buy once, wear for a decade.

Two left-field independents I genuinely rate

Inayah — A British modest-fashion independent doing beautifully cut abayas, kaftans and co-ords; a true like-for-like alternative to Aab.
Albaray — A smaller sustainable London label with longline shirt dresses and floaty midis in lovely natural fabrics — criminally under-the-radar.

Never guess your size again

If reading all of that made you want to lie down, there’s a far easier way — and it’s why I built it. Tellar is the UK’s leading sizing tool: you measure once — bust, waist, hip, or just tell us your size in a brand you already own — and we instantly match your body to 1,500+ brands, Aab included. No more squinting at size guides, no more guessing between petite and tall.

Measure once, in seconds — or use a brand size you already know.
Use the Store Size Lookup to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket & more.
Always free, no downloads, works straight in your browser.

Find your exact Aab size in seconds →

Plus a Fashion Hub library of free, honest, unbiased posts covering every fashion query you can think of. Always independent. Always free.

Try the Store Size Lookup

More from the Tellar Fashion Hub

The Tellar Fashion Hub is a library stacked with free posts from our top stylists — honest, unbiased, independent and always free. Style advice, top picks and the best brands, with nothing sponsored. A few favourites to read next:

My honest verdict? Aab is genuinely worth your money — the fabrics, the coverage and the length options are hard to beat. Just measure first, choose your length before your size, and you’ll fall for it the way my clients do. Happy shopping. — Ella x