For Swimsuits and Lingerie, Why Fit Matters Over Size

Perhaps no two pieces of clothing spark more second-guessing and self-critique than lingerie and swimwear. When it’s just you, the mirror and a handful of fabric, any number of pre-programmed judgments can spring to mind and instantly shade your entire reflection.

Aerie wants to change that.

Meet Andrea Jagaric. She’s the Senior Vice President of Aerie Design and Concept and helping to lead #AerieReal’s example of portraying real bodies, real women and suiting them up to take on the world with the utmost confidence.

We chatted with Andrea below on what it looks to design pieces that make a woman feel like her best self in the most unlikely place… the dressing room.

Darling Magazine: Swimsuits and lingerie are known for triggering insecurity in a lot of women. How does Aerie design with this in mind?

Andrea Jagaric: In Aerie Design, we focus on how the product feels when you touch it and when you try it on. Comfort and softness bring up sensations of feeling great, and when you feel great, you show confidence and you look great!

DM: Did Aerie conduct any customer research prior to launching its swimwear and lingerie? If so, what did it reveal about women and their buying habits when it comes to these kinds of clothing?

AJ: Girls tend to be shy when it comes to shopping for intimates and swim. It is not always a pleasant experience for them. We want to be the brand to make a difference and to change that. We want all of our customers to have a great experience shopping in Aerie and to feel comfortable trying on intimates and swim.

DM: How do you go about ensuring that your sizes appeal to diverse body shapes?

AJ: We are always in the process of addressing diversity in sizes. We offer a wide range and are working on expanding the offering. Key to our product is comfort. Soft touch, easy fit, stretch and zero digging in.

The Aerie Design team is a diverse group of women with different body shapes. We try on and wear all of the products that we create. This allows us to deliver more thoughtful end results to our customer.

DM: Is there anything in the design process that you do differently from other brands?

AJ: We focus on comfort and quality before anything else. We listen to our customers and address their needs.

DM: Many women know the struggle of sizing — one size in one brand (and you feel great!), one size in another (and you’re second-guessing your entire body). How does Aerie maintain consistency with its cuts and sizes?

AJ: We obsess over comfort and fit. Once we get the right balance between the two, we use that as the starting point to fit the future product.

DM: When it comes to finding the best fit so that a woman feels confident in her own body, what should she keep in mind in the dressing room?

AJ: She needs to focus on how something makes her feel when she tries it on in the fitting room. Size is not what matters. We all have our preferences on how something should look. Size should not dictate that.

This post is brought to you by Darling partner, Aerie. We’re proud to partner with brands that strive to create better, more realistic media for women. All thoughts and opinions remain Darling’s own.

Un-retouched Images provided by Aerie