Sizing - Your Guide to Finding the Best Size
EK above is wearing a size 4 here, when at the time she was a typical size 3 in other brands. I could have made her the 2 and would have fit just fine, and not baggy, but I wanted it to last longer!
Trying to figure out what size to grab in an online world where you cannot get your child to try the items on ahead of time, can be a challenge. You are probably online shopping when you finally have a moment of peace - and that usually means no child. So how do you find the right size?
Size Charts - Numerical Charts - isn't that their age?
When looking at size charts, sometimes they say 9-18m, 2T, 4, etc, and sometimes they say 86-92cm or 134-140cm or they could have UK and US but both in numerical and neither of them matching. What do they mean?
The size charts that are numerical seem like they could be age related, but in my experience, they are not.
Let me explain. We use the ASTM standards when making our patterns. These standards are set so companies can all have and use the same sizing.
An excerpt from the ASTM Standards: "will assist manufacturers in developing patterns and garments that are consistent with the current anthropometric characteristics of the population of interest"
They set out height and weight ranges of the size, they include all sorts of measurements for that size....but kids are not standard.
Our charts follow this numerical standard set out, and we include many measurements to help guide you to finding the correct size for your child. But please remember - kids grow at their own pace. Look at a typical classroom of kids, or better yet - find a group of 12 year olds and see the vast difference puberty (or not) makes on all of them.
So if you are planning for the size 2-4 clothing to last from the time they are 2 years of age til they are 4 years of age - you might need to adjust your plan!
So... we can't go by age ... Help!
All is not lost! You can still find the best size for them!
One of the first things I ask my customers when they do not know what size to buy is this:
"What other clothing brand size are they wearing now?"
The answer to this question gets us a base line of where to look. If the baby is currently generally wearing size 12m clothing, but a couple pieces are 9m, this tells me without measuring, that they probably want the 9-18m size. If they were to say they were mostly wearing 18m size clothing, I'd probably guide the to the size 2 - so it can last longer. The legs or sleeves might be a tad long, and can be rolled up a tad, but I usually go for longer lasting, and kids at that age GROW SO FAST, and merino wool is fairly all season.
By using the ASTM Standards, like most other brands, is that generally, if they wear a size 4, it is the same regardless of brand. Some brands as I'm sure you know run a bit wider, or a bit skinnier, but you can usually find that out by looking at other peoples reviews on the listing, or sometimes the wording of the description can indicate fit. For example, in our Organic Adjustable Leggings we have a section called Sizing. In there we link our size chart, but also mention that these are slim fitting.
My next question is usually this:
"How old is the child?"
But wait - I thought the size charts didn't follow age - you say ...
Well, the younger they are, the better they do follow the chart. And by knowing what size in other brands they are now, and their current age, we can start to see a (albeit rough) projection of growth. My son is 5.8 years old currently, and wears size 8 clothing, though mostly a size 7 in length. If I knew nothing else, this would tell me he is on a faster growth projection than the standards set out.
The Fail Safe - Measure!
I know, you just pictured yourself running after a 3 year old trying to get some semblance of a measuring tape around them, only for them to either dance out of it, or run away and hide. ha ha no, I don't actually want you to measure the kids.
Measuring kids could be akin to herding puppies...also, you'd probably only be able to get a very general measurement and not something as accurate with all their wiggles.
What I tell customers when they ask - Measure a similar article of clothing that fits well. From those measurements, compare them using the size charts provided, and you should get a good indication of how it will fit on.
I'm Still Having Trouble
Just ask us! If you've gone through this, and you still are unsure of a size, just contact us! We'd be happy to help. :) I'll probably ask you these same questions :)
Sum it Up
I hope the above info has helped in making an informed choice. In my opinion, it is usually better to size up than down, as kids can grow more, but not less... the other part to consider is how you like the clothing to fit. Some people do not like baggy clothes on kids at all, and do not want to roll sleeves or cuffs.
We try to offer most of our products that can last awhile on kids. In our merino wool Base Layer Sets, the sizes have a range like 2-4. By comparing measurements in the charts, you can see the top is a size 2, and the leggings are the Large (2-5). So why is the set a 2-4? Mainly because while the leggings can last longer, the top has a shorter range and can only fit up to a size 4.
-Rebecca
