Lessons for finding children’s clothing that fits

Talbots, an upscale women’s wear company, recently conducted a national “fit” survey of women aged 35 to 65. In general, they found that most women know their size, but not their body measurements. 62% of women will only shop for items in what they consider to be their specific size, and only 16% will look at the product’s size chart to help them determine if the item will fit. These same women state that much of the clothing they own is either too big, too small, or needs to be tailored to fit properly.

What does this study have to do with children’s clothing, you ask? Well, after looking through the survey results several times, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are several lessons we can learn from the findings:

Keep in mind that size does not equal fit, even for kids. In today’s world, each brand has their own way of sizing patterns, so a child’s size 3 in one brand does not always fit the same as a size 3 in another brand. Your child might need a size 2 or 4 instead. As well, the way the clothing is cut may mean that some brands are better suited to long and lean children, while others offer more generous widths for a given height.

Have your child’s measurements on hand when you shop. The only ways to know if something is likely to fit are to try the item on your child or, if your child is not present, to use a size chart and match your child’s body measurements to the measurements that a brand’s size is designed to fit. For younger children, height and weight are often enough; as you child grows, chest/bust, waist, hip and inseam measurements may be needed to find items that fit properly.

• Invest in an inexpensive dressmaker’s tape measure; they can often be found for less than $2 at the grocery store.
• Learn how to take the most accurate measurements. (More to come soon)
• Track your child’s body measurements and the measurement date on a 3×5 card you can store in your wallet for easy access. In general, the most common measurements you’ll need are height and weight, with chest, waist, and inseam used more frequently as your child grows. For more-fitted clothing, neck circumference, hip, and arm length might be useful. For shoes, foot length and width are both helpful, particularly if your child’s foot is a little wider than average.

Check the size chart. Check your child’s measurements against the brand or manufacturer’s size chart to see which size is most appropriate for your child. The Size Chart can often be found on product labels. If you are shopping online, check the size charts. Be careful, though. Some retailers carry a generic size chart only. If you don’t see a brand-specific chart, you may have to go to the brand’s website to find sizing information before you make a purchase. Sample charts for two different baby/toddler’s brands are shown below.

Read more about Talbots’ Clothing Fit Suvey findings.