Vanity sizing for children

[TinnedPearsForPudding]

Vanity sizing in ladies clothes is, (I think), widely acknowledged as a real thing. A size 12 is now bigger than a size 12 was 10-20 yrs ago.
I've recently noticed it's a "thing" in kids clothing too - being taller is a "good thing".
My DS is 7, and while he is tall he is not "exceptionally" tall. I measure him every Christmas & last Dec he was 135cm which puts him on 50-75th centile but nothing that would make you do a double take if you saw him. Also he is not overweight, I weigh him at the same time too.
He needed new t shirts recently & the t shirts sized 138cm (I think it's reasonable to assume he has grown a couple of cm since Dec) were for AGED 10
Is it just me or is this crazy? A normal 7 yr old wearing 10 yr old clothing

I thought you were talking about the plus fit size clothes for children, I think it’s disturbing that it’s normalising being overweight for children.

My main problem with a taller child is getting things to fit on the waist. She’s on the 75th percentile for height (on the border for 91st) but only 25th percentile for weight. It’s a real pain, particularly in the current climate, as ordering clothes is complete guesswork.

I'm not sure really it matters what the label says. My now 18 to DS always had some zest far above his agenda and my 3knext week) DD is wearing age 18 month clothes I've bought this year. They have clothes that fit, look nice and are comfortable. The red book charts are created (I believe by the WHO) so include all nationalities worldwide so there will be differences in for example white British averages to Asian sub group averages. The average (50th c therefore doenst necessarily correspond to an individual in our particular groups and manufactuets gave up decide on sizing to best fit their marketl dozing is irrelevant. Children are unaware if the label they wear unless we make it meaningful to them and there is plenty of media to do that for them later on in their lives. Just dress them and enjoy them.

DS is now 14 and in a size 12 to 13, with the odd tshirt in a 10 to 11. He's small at 158cm but certainly not tiny.

Ds is 135cm at 10 which is between the 25th and 50th centiles. He is 2nd-9th for weight so getting clothes to fit him is close on impossible!

I have the opposite problem. My 8yo DD fits a mix of age 4-5 and 5-6. Unfortunately clothes of that size tend to be too babyish for her.

I keep clothes from my older boy for younger boy (6 yr difference) and they are far more generously sized than clothes I buy now.

Are you a hairdresser op? A friend of mine posted about this just this week on fb! If so... 👋

Anyway, I have an 11yo boy with the opposite problem- just bought him news clothes and they're all age 8-9/9-10!

My son is five in June and at last measurement he was about 116cm, I tend to buy age 6-7 for him to fit his height, but then it means his clothes are huge on him. The only place I find isn’t huge baggy in the legs/arms is Zara, but he still needs his waist reducing which is a pain.

My problem with children’s clothes is that the waist to length ratio is always completely wrong. You can either have a waist that fits and legs that are miles too short, or you can buy trousers that are long enough but they’ll fall down.

The problem generally isn’t solved by adjustable waistbands or belts either because there’s so much material to bunch up to get the waist to fit. That tends to be the least worst solution but it’s not ideal.

My boys are both slim and have longish legs for their height. Neither is especially tall either. They look in no way unusual. Many of DS2’s friends look similar, and their parents have the same issue. So it’s not just freakish proportions in the family or anything.

It drives me nuts.

My 9yo DD is 150cm and getting things to fit properly from the kids section is a nightmare. I avoid it entirely now and go straight to women's. Makes her feel very grown up!

I had tall thin DDs - the only thing that would work for school trousers was Next slim fit. My DDs were around that height at age 7 - and weren't the tallest in their class, but in the tallest 4 or 5. Your DS is tall - I think you may have misread the centiles chart.

I am finding this too - my baby isn’t even 6 months yet and is only on the 75th centile for length but is already wearing 9-12 months. It’s so ridiculous especially as he’s only on the 2nd centile for weight so everything hangs off him

We all come in all different shapes and sizes its one of the reasons we have centiles rather than a 6 year old shouls be x tall. Which is why most people find children age clothes not accurate at all and some kids in smaller some in exactly there age and some in older. Average is just that average but no one really is truly average.

My kids have always worn clothes at least one age group up. My daughter stopped growing age 12 and is 5' 6.5" and normal to slim build. I once bought her an age 13-14 jacket when she was 10. The sleeves were inches away from her wrists. It was frustrating and the sales woman said she would fit into a size 10 womans. Except women's clothes are more expensive and not in the right style. There's no vanity in it - no one is flattered that they fit in to older aged clothes.

I find the height in clothing for my DD to be fine OP, she’s average height for her age. The fit is awful though. Gaping waistline and baggy thighs in skinny jeans unless I stick to certain brands. She’s skinny but according to her consultant a very healthy weight so I assume it’s the clothes that are the issue, not her body IYSWIM.

My son is similar is 9 in June and is 145cm tall and fits in age 11-12 for length but then the trousers are massive on the waist.

SporadicNamechange I agree about the waist to length ratio, it seems like most brands are designed for bigger built children than mine and he is an average weight for height.

If anything I think most brands run bigger than the age/height on the label. 14 year old DS is the height of a 13 year old but size 12-13 tshirts are big on him.

I think it's daft to sell kids clothes by age. They vary so much in their proportions.

My dd had a favourite pair of shorts that she wore for years until they finally fell to bits when she was about 6. The size on the label in the shorts said 18-24 months

My daughter was 135cm at 8 and she is rather taller than her peers, I'd say your son is tall. My daughter is almost 10 and we've started buying boys tops because apparently girls only wear short, tight T-shirts!

At 7*

My 6 year old is only just over a meter tall but still had her round toddler belly so clothes for her are a nightmare! She lives in dresses as trousers to fit her waist just completely hang off her every where else and T-shirt’s and tops to fit her waist hang off her skinny little arms and shoulders.

@Gooseygoosey12345 Try UNIQLO T-shirts. They’re often unisex and all cut the same, whatever colour they are. So much better on DSD than the tiny, tight things all the shops seem to think girls must wear.

I always think children's clothes are very small and most children need bigger sizes than their age.

I've always assumed clothing manufacturers do it on purpose as its often a source of pride when parents say how their children are so tall they need clothes for older children.

My eldest is tall, he’s 4 but generally in 5-6 clothes. I do think it’s a bit silly that kids clothes are sold by age though, even in my sons class at nursery there’s such a wide variety of heights and shapes.