Aerie vs. American Eagle: Which brand should you buy? [2026]

American Eagle is a go-to retailer for trendy, casual apparel with a strong focus on denim, while Aerie is its sub-brand dedicated to comfortable intimates, loungewear, and activewear with a body-positive message. American Eagle outfits your day-to-day life with stylish basics, whereas Aerie focuses on what you wear underneath and for relaxing at home.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right brand for your wardrobe needs.

Aerie: The Leader in Comfort & Body Positivity

Launched in 2006 as American Eagle's sister brand, Aerie has carved out a distinct identity centered on comfort, body positivity, and inclusivity. It targets teens and young adults with its unretouched marketing campaigns (#AerieREAL) and a product line designed to make people feel good in their own skin. The brand excels at creating soft, functional, and stylish essentials for everyday life.

• Product mix: Aerie's core offerings include bras, underwear, loungewear, sleepwear, activewear (under the OFFLINE by Aerie line), and swimwear. They are particularly famous for their bras, bralettes, and super-soft leggings.
• Price point: The brand is affordable and accessible. Bras typically range from $20 to $50, underwear is often sold in bundles (e.g., 5 for $30), and popular leggings cost around $40-$50.
• Quality & Materials: Aerie is known for using incredibly soft and cozy materials like modal, cotton blends, and ribbed fabrics. Quality is consistent, with a focus on comfortable construction like seamless designs and tagless bands.
• Sizing/Fit: Aerie champions inclusive sizing, with products generally available from XXS to XXL and select items up to XXXL. Bra sizes run from 30A to 40DD, and fits are almost always true to size, with a comfortable, relaxed feel.
• Sustainability: The brand is part of AEO's larger sustainability goals and features products made with recycled materials, such as its Real Good swimwear line.

Aerie is the ideal choice for anyone prioritizing comfort and inclusive sizing in their intimates, activewear, and lounge clothing.

Shop Aerie: ae.com/aerie

American Eagle: The Go-To for Denim & Casual Style

Founded in 1977, American Eagle has long been a dominant force in youth fashion, specializing in casual, on-trend clothing. The brand's identity is built around its high-quality, innovative denim, which comes in a vast array of fits, washes, and styles. It's the destination for building a versatile, everyday wardrobe with staples like jeans, graphic tees, flannels, and hoodies.

• Product mix: Denim is the hero product, with an extensive range including mom jeans, skinny jeans, flares, and more. Beyond denim, AE offers a full line of tops, sweaters, outerwear, shoes, and accessories.
• Price point: Prices are budget-friendly, especially for the quality. Jeans typically fall between $40 and $60, while tops, tees, and flannels range from $20 to $40. Frequent sales make it even more affordable.
• Quality & Materials: American Eagle is best known for its durable and comfortable denim, which often incorporates stretch technology for a better fit. Their other clothing uses reliable materials like cotton and fleece suitable for everyday wear.
• Sizing/Fit: Sizing generally runs from XXS to XXL. AE's strength is its consistent denim sizing, offering various lengths (x-short to x-long) and fits that help shoppers find their perfect pair. Most items fit true to size.
• Sustainability: The company's "Real Good" initiative signifies products made with more sustainable materials, including recycled cotton and polyester, and using water-saving manufacturing techniques in its denim production.

American Eagle is perfect for shoppers looking for affordable, stylish, and well-fitting casual clothing, with a special emphasis on finding the perfect pair of jeans.

Shop American Eagle: ae.com

Aerie vs. American Eagle Comparison

Price Comparison

Both brands operate under the same parent company and target a similar demographic, so their pricing is highly competitive and affordable. An Aerie bra or pair of leggings will cost about the same as a pair of American Eagle jeans, typically in the $40-$60 range. T-shirts and basics at both are priced similarly, from $20-$35.

The key difference isn't the price itself, but the value offered in each category. Aerie provides excellent value for soft, high-comfort items like intimates and activewear. American Eagle delivers top-tier value for durable, stylish, and well-fitting denim. Both brands run frequent promotions, BOGO deals, and clearance sales, often simultaneously online and in-store.

Quality & Materials

Here, the brands diverge based on their core products. Aerie's quality is defined by softness and comfort. They use fabrics like brushed fleece, modal, and seamless synthetics that feel great against the skin and are designed for lounging and light activity.

American Eagle’s quality is most evident in its denim. They use sturdy but comfortable cotton blends with proprietary stretch technologies like "Ne(X)t Level Stretch" that hold their shape while providing flexibility. While their tops and sweaters are good for the price, their denim is the standout for durability.

Style & Aesthetic

Aerie’s aesthetic is relaxed, positive, and confident. Its styles are cozy and often feature muted colors, soft textures, and trendy but functional designs. The vibe is all about feeling good, whether you're at the gym, on the couch, or running errands.

American Eagle has a classic-meets-trendy casual American style. It's laid-back and built for everyday life - school, weekends, and hanging out with friends. The aesthetic is more focused on outward expression with graphic tees, varied denim washes, and current fashion silhouettes like wide-leg jeans or shackets.

Fit & Sizing

While both brands are generally true to size, Aerie places a stronger emphasis on inclusivity. Aerie's range from XXS to XXXL in many items and its diverse AerieREAL campaign reflects its commitment to serving more body types. The fit is designed for comfort, often being more relaxed or stretchy.

American Eagle's strength lies in its denim fit options. By offering multiple inseam lengths (from x-short to x-long) and consistent sizing across dozens of styles, they make it easier for customers to find jeans that fit perfectly off the rack. Their standard sizing runs from XXS to XXL.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both Aerie and American Eagle offer great products, but they excel in different areas of your wardrobe.

Choose Aerie if:

• Comfort is your absolute top priority.
• You're shopping for new bras, underwear, or bralettes.
• You need high-quality, stylish loungewear or activewear.
• You support brands with a strong body-positive and inclusive message.

Choose American Eagle if:

• You're looking for new everyday jeans that fit well and are affordable.
• You need casual basics like tees, flannels, hoodies, and jackets.
• You prefer a classic, trendy style for school, work, or weekends.
• You value having multiple length and fit options in pants and jeans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Aerie and American Eagle the same company?

Yes, Aerie is a sub-brand of American Eagle Outfitters (AEO). While they operate as distinct brands with different aesthetics, they are part of the same parent company. You can even shop both on the same website and share a shopping cart.

Which is cheaper, Aerie or American Eagle?

Their pricing is very similar. The cost is comparable on an item-by-item basis - e.g., Aerie leggings cost about the same as AE jeans. Both are considered highly affordable and frequently have sales and clearance events.

Does Aerie sizing run the same as American Eagle?

Generally, yes. Both brands are known for running true to size. However, Aerie's product line often features more relaxed or stretchy fits by design, and they offer a slightly more inclusive size range (up to XXXL) in many styles compared to American Eagle's standard XXS-XXL.

What is Aerie best known for?

Aerie is famous for its comfortable and affordable bras, bralettes, underwear, and OFFLINE leggings. The brand is also well-known for its dedication to body positivity through its #AerieREAL campaign, which features unretouched models of diverse shapes and sizes.

What is American Eagle best known for?

American Eagle's signature product is its denim. They are widely recognized for offering a huge variety of fits, washes, and sizes (including different lengths) at a very accessible price point.

Can you use American Eagle gift cards at Aerie?

Yes, since they are part of the same company, gift cards are interchangeable and can be used for purchases at American Eagle, Aerie, and OFFLINE by Aerie, both in-store and online.

Which brand has a better return policy?

Aerie and American Eagle share the same return policy. They accept returns of unwashed and unworn merchandise at any time with proof of purchase, making it a very generous and flexible policy.

Do Aerie and American Eagle have the same sales?

Often, yes. They share major sales events and a single loyalty program (Real Rewards). However, each brand may also run category-specific promotions, such as Aerie offering deals on underwear or AE holding a denim-focused sale.