European children’s clothing sizes are the child’s height in centimetres, not their age. Size 92 fits a child who is 92 cm tall, whether that happens at eighteen months or at three years. Measure the child, buy the number, ignore the age on the label. The full chart, 50 to 152, is below.
The EU size chart, 50 to 152
Ages in the third column are the average only. They are there to orient you, not to choose for you.
| EU size | Height | Average age |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 cm | Newborn |
| 56 | 56 cm | 1 to 2 months |
| 62 | 62 cm | 2 to 4 months |
| 68 | 68 cm | 4 to 6 months |
| 74 | 74 cm | 6 to 9 months |
| 80 | 80 cm | 9 to 12 months |
| 86 | 86 cm | 12 to 18 months |
| 92 | 92 cm | 18 to 24 months |
| 98 | 98 cm | 2 to 3 years |
| 104 | 104 cm | 3 to 4 years |
| 110 | 110 cm | 4 to 5 years |
| 116 | 116 cm | 5 to 6 years |
| 122 | 122 cm | 6 to 7 years |
| 128 | 128 cm | 7 to 8 years |
| 134 | 134 cm | 8 to 9 years |
| 140 | 140 cm | 9 to 10 years |
| 146 | 146 cm | 10 to 11 years |
| 152 | 152 cm | 11 to 12 years |
Why European sizes use centimetres
Because children of the same age differ by a great deal, and children of the same height do not. A height-based system sizes the body rather than the birthday, which is why European labels carry a number like 104 instead of “3 to 4 years”. The convention follows the European standard for size designation of clothes, which defines garment sizes by body measurements.
How to measure a child properly
Height. Shoes off, heels together, back and head against a wall. Mark the wall at the top of the head with a flat edge held level, then measure from the floor to the mark. Do it in the morning if you want to be pedantic: people are marginally taller before the day compresses them.
Chest. Around the fullest part, under the arms, tape snug but not tight.
Waist. At the natural waist, which on a small child sits higher than an adult expects.
If height and chest point at different sizes, follow the chest for tops and the height for trousers, dresses and sleepwear.
How EU sizes compare with UK and US sizes
UK and US children’s sizes are labelled by age, and age labels vary between brands by a year or more. There is no reliable one-to-one table. The dependable method is to convert through height: find the child’s height in centimetres, read the EU number off the chart above, and use that. A UK “3 to 4 years” and a US “4T” both land somewhere near EU 104, but near is the most anyone can honestly promise.
Should you size up?
For a gift, yes, usually by one step. A baby outgrows 56 in weeks, and a present that fits on the day it arrives may not fit on the day it is opened. For everyday clothes, buy the measured size: a jacket two sizes too big is colder, not warmer, because the air inside it never gets warm. The exception is sleepwear and anything close-fitting, where the measured size is a safety matter rather than a style one.
Where sizes go up and down
Cotton jersey shrinks slightly on its first hot wash, so a garment cut close at 98 can read as 92 after a month. Merino and wool do not shrink if washed cool, but they do felt if washed hot. Woven linen and muslin hold their size and soften instead. This is the practical reason a size chart is a starting point and the care label is the rest of the answer.
What sizes Snøluv carries
Baby bodysuits run 56 to 86 in GOTS certified organic cotton. Kids’ T-shirts run 98 to 152 and kids’ dresses 98 to 134, both in OEKO-TEX certified cotton, sewn in Poland. Merino baby blankets are 100 by 70 cm, mulesing-free, OEKO-TEX and Woolmark certified, and do not need a size at all, which is part of why they make a safer gift. The ranges sit in baby bodysuits, kids’ T-shirts and baby blankets.
Common questions
Is EU size 92 the same as 2 years?
On average, roughly. Size 92 fits a child of 92 cm, which most children reach between eighteen months and two and a half years. Measure rather than assume.
What size do I buy for a newborn I have not met?
62 or 68 rather than 50. Newborn sizes are outgrown in weeks, and a gift that arrives at the christening or naming day is usually opened several weeks after the birth.
Do EU sizes differ between countries?
The height numbers are the same across Europe. What differs is how much ease a brand cuts into the garment, so a Nordic 104 and a southern European 104 can hang differently on the same child even though both are built for a 104 cm body.
How often should I re-measure?
Every three months under two years old, and twice a year after that. Growth arrives in bursts rather than evenly.
