Have you ever been up and down the aisles searching for clothes for your toddler, or a toddler that you love, and notice that some sizes read 24 months, while others say “2T”? Is there a difference? Isn’t 24 months just another way of saying two years old?
Do you ask yourself why everything always has to be so confusing? Why can’t everything just be self-explanatory? Well, we’re here to take the stress out of shopping for your toddler.
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So here’s the deal—24 months and 2T, when talking about fashion, actually do mean two different things.
Say you’re child is 18-months, he or she is still considered a 1-year-old, but in just six short months, they will have grown like a weed and turned into a toddler seemingly overnight. In this case, odds are 12-month clothing no longer fits your kid, this is when you’ll start combing the aisles for clothes labeled 24 months.
According to stylists, 24-month items are generally made for 18- to 24-month-old babies. And as the forum, What to Expect, reveals, 24 months and 2T clothing measurements are different as well.
For example, as one user revealed, t-shirts that are sized 24 months are normally shorter in length than shirts that are sized 2T. And when it comes to pants, 2T options “are slightly more narrow in the butt area because of kids starting to potty train,” while pants sized 24 months have more room in the butt area for those children still in diapers.
The owner of Poplin Style Direction also explains the difference between the two sizes at length in a blog post. Mellicia Marx is a personal stylist for men, women, and kids, and as she explained in her blog post, fashion can get a little tricky to navigate as your baby becomes a toddler.
“Every brand is different, so we’re going to go with some generalizations here. After all, if there are no standard sizes for adults, why should kids clothing be any different? Most brands size baby clothing in age ranges that end in the highest month. For example, 24 month items are generally made for 18-24 month old babies. 2T (as in toddler) is intended for 2-3 year old kids. You’ll often find that 2Ts are a bit longer, more than anything. Traditional baby/kids brands seem to have more differentiation than brands that cater to adults and branched out to include kids. For instance, Carter’s 24 month size is designed for a child who is 32.5-34 inches tall and weighs 27.5-30 pounds. The 2T size from the same label is designed for a child who is 34.5-36 inches tall and weighs 29-31 pounds.”
Mellicia Marx, Poplin Style Direction
And it’s not just measurements that change when it comes to the sizing of kids’ clothes. Marx also revealed that you’ll often note a style change when transitioning from 24 months to 2T.
“Part of the transition from baby to toddler is the shift from baby style clothes to kid clothes,” the stylist shares. “If you prefer your little one to wear a miniature version of grown-up clothes, you may find more selection in the 2T world.”
However, if you’re into your child look “super hip,” all of what we just told you is probably null and void.
According to Marx, when shopping for your 24-month-old baby or 2-year-old toddler at an “edgier brand” the above logic doesn’t necessarily apply, she says. “H&M, Zara, and the like often don’t have snaps for accessible changing regardless of age.”
“Styles shift with the transition from 24 months to 2T, but the baby details were never there in the first place. Mini Boden has the same measurements for a 2-year-old whether he/she is in Baby (0-3 years) or Boden (1 1/2- 12 years). The difference is simply in style.”
Nonetheless, with all of that being said, Marx revealed her rule of thumb if it all gets to be a little too overwhelming—”Logic says to go for 2T because there is more room to grow.”
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So there you have it, it’s all about where your child is in life that will help you decide which size to buy for him or for her. But honestly, if you see something you like and you think it will fit, do what makes you and your little one both stylish and happy.
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