AIBU to think kids' clothes sizes are generous?

[early30smum]

Lots of discussion recently about kids' diets, healthy eating etc. (on here and in the news/with my own friends). AIBU to think that a lot (not all) kids' clothes seem to be cut fairly generously in sizing? Do you think this is deliberate as is common in womens' vanity sizing?! My DD is 8 (just) and is by no means skinny. She's a healthy weight according to the nhs BMI thing but she's in the last quarter of the healthy range if that makes sense.

Yet, when I buy her clothes, they are really quite big for her, especially in certain shops. H&M size 7-8 stuff is actually loose on her. Asda, ditto.

My monster son is 10 but wears 13 to 14 in H&M. Same with Next. Younger son is going the same way.

See I find next stuff small

I size up for my 4 year old and 7 month old in there

Yep, massive waists.
Please, can we introduce some standard and long length trousers (Thankyou M&S school wear range) to give them a chance. Don't care buying stuff several ages down, do care about them being long enough without an extra 10cm of material bunched up round their bums.

If children's clothing was sized by size rather than age, this wouldn't be a "thing"

It's ridiculous to think all 6 year olds are the same height etc.

soup most children's clothes do have a height on the label as well as the age. DD was around 110cm last time I measured her, and age 5-6 clothes say something like 108-114cm on them. So she's in the correct size for her height, but the waists are still massive! Like a lot of PPs have said, leggings are always baggy particularly round the bum and thighs. And I tried a pair of skinny jeans on her, to get the right length they were so wide they stood out from her body like clown trousers!

I go by the height on the label but to get things long enough in the legs or arms they are always far too wide. Particularly in cheaper brands. If I splash out and buy Polarn o Pryet they fit ok but I can't afford to buy everything from there.

most children's clothes do have a height on the label as well as the age

But the age is irrelevant.

YANBU. They don't want to upset the fat kids. Even when the have the height on they are massive.

Really? I have 2 dd, 3 and 5. I find h and m dresses small but other clothes ok. Other makes are about right.

Fat kids? Nice

4.5 year old DS is 99.8th centile in both height and weight and is significantly taller than the rest of the children at his nursery. He wears aged 4-5 trousers with adjustable waists at the tightest setting and age 5-6 on the top half. The length of his trousers are totally fine in his own age range (and he had age 2-3 shorts on the other day!) I always find it strange when parents say their child is in clothes 3/4 sizes larger than their intended age

What do kids who are actually slim do?

Show their knickers and school skirts and wear leggings woth saggy arses

Ds has to wear plus sizes or a loose fit because he is still in nappies and in anything slim or (even standard fit) shows this. Joggers in particular are a pain. He has a very slim waist so also needs the waist to be very adjustable or draw string.

My dd1 was a preemie and although 7 now is still small for her age she can wear clothes with the adjustable waist or leggings but in skirts and shorts which don't adjust its a nightmare as she would need age 4 in waist but they are far too short.

YANBU. But some of this could be easily avoided with drawstring waistbands. Instead of two fucking bits of useless lace hanging out the front which people mistake for drawstring waistband, then get home and find that trouser dont fit and cant be easily altered.

Oh god beardy that is soooo annoying I hate that!!!

My 5 year old has age 3-6 month shorts that fit fine, and 4-5 years tops that are getting small. My 11 year old can wear some of the 5 year olds clothes because they fit fine and can also wear some of my adult size 10 clothes because they fit fine.

Do I win?

It doesn't matter if they say an age or a height in them. For my kids, the waists need to be smaller. My 6 year old has just worn through some shorts. Age 2_3. They fitted his waist. They were quite short shorts by the end tho!!!

I think they are very variable, but as the mother of a very light, petite (and fussy) 3 year old DD I find it extremely difficult to get clothes to fit. She is 25th centile height and 3rd weight with narrow shoulders and hips. She mostly wants dresses- if these fit her shoulders they are very short. If they are the right length they are baggy and slipping off her shoulders. Leggings just fall down unless I see stitches in the waist. She wears 12-18 months pjs which are very short as the others just fall off her.

I find vertbaudet, petit bateau, gap and Zara have quite slim fitting children's clothing. DD wears a mix of aged 2-3 and 3-4 in these. She was sent an outfit from next (size 2-3) for her last birthday and it was absolutely huge on her. I love the quality of Frugi and some of the scandi brands but they are all made for children with broad shoulders and bigger waists I think.

I agree it's very difficult to find clothes for smaller kids- always open to suggestions?!

DS has always been more than a couple of years behind on his age for clothes.the gap is getting closer I have just bought him 8-9/9-10 for pants...he's 11.5.

I always thought he was just little for his age

DD is tall and thin, and anything that fits her in length is far too baggy. DS is average height and thin and his clothes fit him fine. That might be partly because DS's clothes are designed to be a bit baggy

it varies widely, but generally I think clothes come up short.
I started to buy purely by size, not age as my dc are tall&skinny. they are wearing at least one, often 2 age sizes over their age.

I always find that I have to buy the next size for dd as she's tall but then everything is so wide!! And she's not skinny, just a regular size for her height as far as I can see. Certain shops clothes do fit better than others