Baby, Toddler or Child Sizing. Explained.
Sizes on baby clothes and children's clothes can be really confusing! What do those sizes on the tag really mean?
Infants (months)
Think of clothing sizes as fitting “up to” or “until” that number of months. So “3 months” fits babies less than 3 months, “6 months” fits babies less than 6 months, etc. Some manufacturers list sizes as a range, like 0-3 mo, 3-6 mo, 6-9 mo, etc. Remember, these aren’t really a different size than the single-month designation, it’s just a different way to write the same size. Confusing right? When you’re ordering our clothes, here’s how equivalent sizes work:
NB = Newborn, just born.
0-3 mo = 3 mo
3-6 mo = 6 mo
6-9 mo = 9 mo
9-12 mo = 12 mo
12-18 mo = 18 mo
18-24 mo = 24 mo
Toddlers 2T to 5T
In case you weren’t already confused, toddler sizes work the opposite way the infant “month” sizes work! Think of toddler sizes as fitting the entire year of the corresponding age. So 2T should fit a toddler between ages 2 and 3. 3T should fit a toddler between age 3 and 4. And so on.
24 Months or 2T?!! What’s the difference?
In my years of running a second hand retail store, this is the question I’ve heard the most. After all, isn’t 24 months the same as 2 years?! Size 24 months typically fits babies “up to” age 2. Then, size 2T, fits toddlers between age 2 and 3 years. But what’s the real difference in how they fit? Well, 24 mo clothing fits a shorter, wider child. 2T sizes fit a child that is taller and thinner. For many babies who are naturally wider through the shoulders and midsection, they may NEVER wear size 2T. They will likely move from 24 mo to size 3T. On the other side, babies who are thin, often move from size 18 mo to size 2T (skipping the wider 24 mo size).
Kids Sizes 4,5, 4/5, XS
Kids’ sizes overlap toddler sizes. They start at XS (extra small), size 4/5. These tend to be in between 4T and 5T for sleeve length and pant length, but a bit slimmer than the 4T, 5T designations (translation: less room for toddler bellies and diapers!). Each manufacturer has their own sizing, too, so it can be tricky. If you are unfamiliar with the fit of a particular brand we recommend a quick Google search before ordering just to make sure.