Is there a difference between 24 month and 2T clothes?
This is going to be one of those helpful articles that answers some of your tagging and sizing questions and consequently will help your items get placed in the correct sizing sections for the easiest shopping experience. Easier shopping = more of your items sold and more $$ in your pocket!
First off, let’s talk about the tagging system. Sunflower Sprouts has worked really hard this year to order and label the size categories to make them very clear. Your size categories start with clothing sizes starting with Preemie, and then descend all the way through Teen. When tagging, always look at the item’s manufacturer size tag first and try to match that in the tagging system. This particular article is going to talk about sizing for 24 months and 2T.
Kids clothing sizes are confusing. It goes from months sizing, to toddler sizing, to regular sizing mixed in at the meeting point. What the heck? As your child passes the 18 month mark of clothing, and you think you’ve got the size charts down pat, here comes two options, 24 months AND 2T. Aren’t they really the same size?
Well, actually, no. There are several differences when it comes to 24 months vs 2T. These differences are more important than you might think and may influence which size you purchase.
Size 24 months is clothing designed by the manufacturers for babies ages 18-24 months. 2T clothing is designed by manufacturers for toddlers age 2-3 or 24 months – 36 months equivalently.
The age range in the sizing for baby clothes refers to the oldest age the outfit is designed for. For example, if a onesie comes in size 18 months, this is designed for a baby from 12-18 months old. When a child reaches 18 months, they’ll usually be in the next size up, 24 months. But then it SWITCHES when you get to 2T! Like we moms need more confusion in our lives other than those always on the go, crawling, walking, climbing, running toddlers! For 2T, sizing switches to the YOUNGEST age that the clothing is sized for.
Difference #1 If you’re buying clothes in a size 24 months, those clothes are created specifically for diaper wearers.
Manufacturers of children’s clothing brands assume that if your child is under 2 years of age, they’re still in diapers. When they design the bottom area of the clothing, they purposely leave extra room. You’ll notice that a size 24 months pair of paints has curvier lines in the bottom than a 2T. A size 2T is designed for a child wearing underwear, as mastery of the skills needed for toilet training usually occurs after 24 months. Of course, this is just a generalized assumption. Actual potty training age will vary from child to child.
Difference #2 Snaps vs. Seams
Designers of baby clothes purposely include snaps to make diaper changing easier for parents. They assume that since most 18 to 24-month-olds are still in diapers, their parents aren’t ready to shift to seamed clothing instead. When you start purchasing 2T clothing, you’ll quickly notice that all the snaps around the diaper area disappear. Instead, you’ll find elastic waist pants and easy buttons to accommodate potty training.
Difference #3 Styling
When you browse the baby section, you’ll find baby styles that reflect what the parents want to see their children in. Babies don’t have opinions on their clothing, so you’ll find lots of cute patterns and trendy colors. Right now, neutral grays, hedgehogs, and elephants that match nursery decor are en vogue. Outfits in size 24 months will reflect this. However, when you transition to the children’s department, you’ll find that kid styles often include fun characters from popular tv shows, bright colors, or animals that the children are attracted to. When you switch to 2T, you’ll find new options that weren’t available in the baby section.
Difference #4 Sizing
Different brands rarely use the same measurements. Each brand decides what measurements they’ll use. This can be confusing and makes buying the same size in every store hard. I’ve found that looking up each brand’s sizing chart is helpful. This is the only accurate way to identify the size difference between 2T and 24 months for a particular brand.
Take a look at these size charts from a few popular children’s brands
You can see the difference in measurements from one brand to another. The good news is that most brands have their sizing guide listed on their website to make shopping easy.
It can be a good idea to snap a picture of this chart for use when shopping at the consignment sale too! Happy shopping and tagging!
Learn more about selling your kids stuff with Sunflower Sprouts
Get In Touch with us
Follow Us!
BeEmail
