This is a comparison between two of the more reliable charts in American retail. Levi's sizes jeans by actual waist measurement — a 29 is a 30.25" body waist, no interpretation needed — and Banana Republic, the most tailored member of the GAP family, publishes detailed body measurements that its garments mostly deliver on. Neither brand has a size-up-everything reputation; the quirks are localised.
Worth flagging before the tables: Levi's published guide is jeans-specific, while Banana Republic's chart covers its clothing in general — so the comparison isn't perfectly apples-to-apples. The common denominator is the waist, and every table below aligns rows by body waist measurement rather than by what's printed on the label.
The short answer
Honestly, neither runs smaller — both fit true to size; the snug spots are just in different places.
Chart to chart, these two agree remarkably well. A Banana Republic M waist of 29–30" brackets a Levi's 28 (29.25") almost perfectly, and even the US numeric conversions line up — BR's M is a US 8–10 while Levi's 29, a US 8–9, sits at a 30.25" waist. Through the middle of the range you can convert by waist or by US size and land within an inch either way; only at the top does the gap widen, with a Levi's 33 (35.75") sitting more than an inch above BR's XL (34.5").
The differences are about cut, not chart. Levi's true-to-size baseline comes with fit-specific exceptions — the Ribcage and Wedgie run small, rigid 501s are tight in the hip, the 511 is snug in the thigh. Banana Republic's one bottoms-related warning is its structured non-stretch trousers, which run snug at the waist; its tops, meanwhile, are cut roomy through the body. So the same person can be true to size at both stores and still need a size up in a rigid 501 and a careful waist check in BR tailoring.
Levi's vs Banana Republic at a glance
| Levi's | Banana Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing system | Waist-in-inches: men's W×L, women's numeric 24–34 | US alpha sizes mapped cleanly to numeric: XS is 00–2, M is 8–10, XL is 16 |
| Overall fit | True to size on paper; varies by fit line (Ribcage small, 511 slim thigh) | True to size; the most tailored cut of the GAP family |
| Bottoms behaviour | Rigid denim has zero give — often needs a size up; stretch relaxes with wear | Structured non-stretch trousers run snug at the waist |
| Where it runs roomy | Stretchier washes can be taken true to size or down | Blouses, knits, and cotton shirts are cut roomy; blazer shoulders generous |
| Size range (women's bottoms) | Waist sizes 24–34, roughly US 00–20 | XS–XL, US 00–16 |
Levi's women's sizes in Banana Republic letters
Rows aligned by body waist measurement, not label. BR's ranges leave small gaps between letters, so some Levi's sizes land between two BR sizes. Levi's chart is jeans-specific; BR's covers its clothing generally.
| Levi's size | Body waist (Levi's chart) | Banana Republic size by waist |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 25.25" · 64 cm | XS (24–26" · 61–66 cm) |
| 25 | 26.25" · 66.5 cm | between XS and S |
| 26 | 27.25" · 69 cm | S (27–28" · 68.5–71 cm) |
| 27 | 28.25" · 72 cm | between S and M |
| 28 | 29.25" · 74.5 cm | M (29–30" · 73.5–76 cm) |
| 29 | 30.25" · 77 cm | between M and L |
| 30 | 31.25" · 79.5 cm | between M and L, just under L |
| 31 | 32.75" · 83 cm | L (31.5–33" · 80–84 cm) |
| 32 | 34.25" · 87 cm | between L and XL |
| 33 | 35.75" · 91 cm | above XL (XL is 34.5" · 87.5 cm) |
Same US size at both brands (women)
Both brands publish US numeric equivalents, so this table aligns by US size and shows each brand's waist for it. The two conversions agree within about an inch through the midrange and drift apart at the top — when it matters, align by waist instead.
| US size | Levi's size (waist) | Banana Republic size (waist) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 25 (26.25" · 66.5 cm) | XS (24–26" · 61–66 cm) |
| 4 | 27 (28.25" · 72 cm) | S (27–28" · 68.5–71 cm) |
| 8 | 29 (30.25" · 77 cm) | M (29–30" · 73.5–76 cm) |
| 12 | 31 (32.75" · 83 cm) | L (31.5–33" · 80–84 cm) |
| 16 | 33 (35.75" · 91 cm) | XL (34.5" · 87.5 cm) |
Men's waist side by side
Aligned by body waist. Banana Republic's waist figures come from its tops chart (body measurements for shirts and sweaters), not a trouser chart; Levi's column shows the body waist each W label actually fits — about half an inch to an inch above the labeled number.
| BR size | Body waist (BR chart) | Levi's W size that fits |
|---|---|---|
| S | 29–31" · 73.5–78.5 cm | W29–W30 (W30 fits 30.5–31" · 77.5–78.5 cm) |
| M | 32–33" · 81.5–84 cm | W31–W32 (W32 fits 32.5–33" · 82.5–84 cm) |
| L | 34–35" · 86.5–89 cm | W33–W34 (W34 fits 34.5–35" · 87.5–89 cm) |
| XL | 36–37" · 91.5–94 cm | W36 (fits 36.5–37.5" · 92.5–95.5 cm) |
| XXL | 38–39" · 96.5–99 cm | W38 (fits 38.5–39.5" · 98–100.5 cm) |
Switching between Levi's and Banana Republic
- Trust your usual size at both stores as the starting point — these are two of the truer-to-size brands you can switch between, and the waist charts agree within about an inch through the midrange.
- Carry your Levi's number into BR trousers as a real measurement: BR's structured non-stretch trousers run snug at the waist, so check the waist measurement against your Levi's size rather than defaulting to your usual letter.
- Going BR → Levi's, mind the fit, not the size: a true-to-size BR M maps to a Levi's 28, but a rigid 501 or a Ribcage in that size will still feel a size small — those fits need a size up regardless.
- Above a US 16 the brands part ways: BR's women's chart stops at XL (34.5" waist) while Levi's runs to a 34 (37.75" · 96 cm), so larger sizes only convert one direction.
Measurements are based on each brand's published size charts and may vary by garment, fabric, and region. For the full charts and fit notes, see the Levi's size guide and the Banana Republic size guide.
Levi's vs Banana Republic sizing FAQs
Which runs smaller, Levi's or Banana Republic?
Neither, meaningfully — both run true to size, and their waist charts agree within about an inch through the midrange. The snug spots are localised: Levi's Ribcage, Wedgie, and rigid 501 fits run small, while Banana Republic's structured non-stretch trousers run snug at the waist.
What Levi's size is a Banana Republic medium?
BR's women's M lists a 29–30" waist, which brackets a Levi's 28 (29.25" · 74.5 cm); the next size up, a Levi's 29 (30.25"), sits just past M's top edge. For men, BR's M waist of 32–33" corresponds to a Levi's W31–W32.
Do the US size conversions match between the two brands?
Closely, through the middle: a US 8 is a Levi's 29 (30.25" waist) and a BR M (29–30"). They drift at the top — a US 16 is a Levi's 33 with a 35.75" waist, but BR's XL (US 16) lists 34.5". When precision matters, convert by waist measurement, not US size.
I size up in Levi's rigid 501s — should I size up at Banana Republic too?
Not as a rule. The 501 advice is about rigid denim having zero give, not about your measurements. At BR, take your true size in most pants and dresses; the one place to double-check is structured non-stretch trousers, which run snug at the waist — verify the waist measurement rather than reflexively sizing up.
Whose chart should I trust for jeans specifically?
Levi's — its whole guide is built around denim, with separate women's, men's, and fit-level guidance, and the label number is a real waist. BR's chart covers its clothing in general, so for BR bottoms it pays to compare the listed waist measurement against your Levi's number.
