Baby clothes shopping has to be one of the all-time best things in the world. Looking at all of those itty bitty pieces. The cute sayings. The adorable matching accessories. Read out to Find the Perfect Size for Your Baby.
If you don’t have kids, it’s the most fun to finally shop in the baby section. If you have kids and they are older, it’s the best to take that stroll down memory lane and get back in the baby section again. But, either way, shopping for baby clothes can be a bit tricky. Let’s help you figure out how to navigate baby clothes sizing.
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The size or the age?
First, if it’s your first baby it can be a bit tricky. Do you go by the size of the clothing or by the age of your baby? Are they the same thing? Does 1T mean 1 year?
Okay, we are here to help. The rule is no. Don’t go by the size. I have 4 kids and they rarely were in the “proper size” for their age. It was up and down and a size smaller and a size bigger (or 2 to 3 sizes bigger).
Yes, the sizes are a good jumping off point. They are great if you are buying a gift for someone and don’t have kids of your own and don’t know what to do.
But if it’s your kid, and you only go by the size, you will be buying more clothes than you need, and at a faster rate. They are merely a suggestion. “Most” 6-9 month olds will fit it a size 6-9 months. But not all.
Sometimes you have to eyeball it
Just like with women’s clothing, baby clothing is all kinds of weird. Brand to brand runs differently. Store to store runs differently. Tops to bottoms run differently. It never ends.
Look at the measurements if the tag has it. My youngest was in 3 different sizes between 3 different brands for pants. They were all the same length.
Hold it up to your baby. Read the label. Read the tag. Do the whole tuggy tug on the bottom and see if it has any give to it.
Look at the material
What it’s made of makes a huge difference too. Stretchy is always best. But stuff always shrinks. So will it stretch back out to its original shape and size?
Not only will some materials and fabrics possibly irritate your baby’s skin, but they might not wash well. Some really shrink and some stretch out. If you are unsure, ask the salesperson how something washes, and ask them to be honest.
When in doubt, go up a size
Always. Babies grow so stinking fast. If you want to get them the adorable outfit that you can only wear in the summer, go ahead. But you should really get it in a bigger size (just 1 size bigger or so) so that you can also wear it in the fall if you layer it up.
When gifting clothes, always go a size bigger. Just do it.
For your own kids, if you don’t want to buy a new outfit every few months, a little room won’t hurt anything. Your baby can wear it longer and you can transition pieces easily from season to season.
Have them try it on
Why not? We try on our clothes. Have your baby try something on from one brand to see how the sizes run. Or bring an item of their clothing with you so you can compare.
Again, sizes run so weirdly with clothing. It’s better to have people look at you a littler strangely for a second while you pull your kid’s pants out of your purse to compare sizes than have to return or exchange something.
Now you are ready to get your baby some adorable, cute, teeny tiny looks. Have fun baby clothes shopping. We can’t wait to see the cute pics!
