What Size Does A 1-Year-Old Wear In Clothes?

What to know what size does a 1 year old wear in clothes?

Then let us help with this 1 year old sizing guide!

When it comes to choosing the right size clothes for your child, things can seem a little confusing.

There is a whole range of sizes to pick from and it doesn’t help that they can be labeled in different ways. 

And the last thing we want as parents is to waste or money to buy them clothes that are too big or too small for them.

Or worse risk making them feel restricted in clothes that are too small or trapped by clothes that are too big. 

So, when it comes to finding the right size for your baby who is one year old, we’ve got the answers for you.

In this guide we’ll help you find the right size clothing to pick out for your one-year-old baby. 

And if you love this guide on 12 month baby clothes size, then check out these guides on what to do with old baby clothes, can you bleach baby clothes and clever ways to organize baby clothes. Or even this guide on the difference between 2T vs 3T.

12 month baby clothes size

How Does Baby Sizing Work? 

Sizing for children’s clothing varies, especially when you buy from different brands. Some brands will use the baby’s age as the size of their clothes. 

Obviously, there are problems with this as all babies who are one month old do not fit into clothes that are marked as one-month-old. 

Then there are clothes where the sizes are determined by the baby’s weight. This is the most common way for baby clothes to be sized in the United States of America.

They usually mix the weight of the child with their age to determine the sizes of their clothing pieces. 

The other way brands determine the size of their clothes is through the length or height of the baby. This is usually marked on the label.

The tricky thing about this is some parents don’t continue to keep measurements of their baby’s length or height. 

Sizing Chart For USA

To help you get a clearer picture of the sizes for babies, here are some of the standard clothing labels you can expect to see on babies’ clothes. 

  • P (Preemie) – Up to five pounds and up to 17 inches. 
  • NB (Newborn) – Between 5 and 8 pounds and up to 20 inches. 
  • 3M (0-3 months) – Between 8 and 12.5 pounds and around 20 to 23.5 inches.
  • 6M (3-6 months) – Between 13 and 16.5 pounds and around 24 to 25.5 inches.
  • 9M (6-9 months) – Between 17 and 20.5 pounds and around 26 to 27.5 inches.
  • 12M (9-12 months) – Between 21 and 23.5 and around 28 to 30.5 inches. 
  • 18M (12-18 months) – Between 24 and 26.5 pounds and around 31 to 32.5 inches. 
  • 24M (18-24 months) – Between 27 and 30 pounds and around 33 to 34.5 inches.
  • 2T – Between 29 and 32 pounds. 

What Size Does A One-Year-Old Wear? 

So what size would a child who is 1-year-old wear? Well, the answer can depend on their weight and length.

If your child is the average size for a kid who is a year old, then you might find them wearing 12M-sized clothing.

However, the age range for that sizing suggests you wear it up to the age of 12 months. 

So if your child is slightly taller, then you might need to go to a size 18M. This would be the case if your child fits into the weight range of 24 to 26.5 pounds. 

Size 2T is a size that is aimed at toddlers. They usually have more room to accommodate for things that toddlers require.

For example, they have more room in their pants so that they can fit over diapers. 

However,  if you are still not sure what size to buy then we’ve got some tips for buying clothes for your children.

baby clothes for 1 year old

Tips For Buying Baby Clothes

Here are some things that you should consider when you are buying clothes for your little ones. 

Buy Clothes That Are Bigger

As you know, kids tend to grow at a very fast rate, so when you are shopping for clothes it is a good idea to buy clothes that are slightly bigger than them.

You want to make sure that they can grow into these clothes without having to buy new ones too often. 

A good rule to follow is picking clothes that are at least one month older than your baby.

Whilst this gives your child the chance to grow into the clothes it is also a good rule to follow to ensure you get clothes that actually fit your baby.

A lot of children’s clothing brands make clothes that are actually too small for the age it recommends. 

Buy Clothes For The Months Ahead

Once you have enough clothes to fit your baby, there isn’t any point in buying more of the same size. This is due to how fast children grow.

Instead, when you are buying more clothes for your child, it is a good idea to buy clothes for a few months ahead.

This is a good tip to follow when it comes to buying clothes for seasons. 

This rule works mostly when you are shopping in the sales section. You can find some amazing pieces that have been reduced in this section.

However, if you buy them for the age your child is at now you may not get time to wear them all. So it is always best to plan ahead to make the most out of the money you are spending. 

Save Money By Being Selective

When you are spending money on clothing for children, you will often find lots of pieces that are adorable but can be quite expensive.

It is important that you buy quality clothing for toddlers and babies so they are comfortable. However, you can be selective with what you splurge on. 

The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on an item of clothing that you might get one use of. So the idea is to be selective.

Buying quality onesies for your baby is a good idea because they are in them regularly. 

Whereas, spending a lot of money on pantyhose, socks, and gloves might not be worth the money.

The likelihood is that you will have the chance to wear these items once or twice before your child outgrows them. 

Limit The Amount Of Clothes You Buy

Babies grow so fast that one moment they fit in one arm and the next you have to use two to hold them.

This is why the best advice anyone can give a new parent is to limit the number of clothes you buy.

There is no point in getting a load of outfits for a baby who is a year old since they probably won’t fit in them in a few months. 

Instead, think about the upcoming season and buy outfits to be prepared for that.

You may think that a child can never have too many clothes, but when they own things they haven’t been able to wear due to outgrowing them, they have too many clothes. 

Go To The Shops

Online shopping is a wonderful thing. With a few clicks, you can have things delivered to your door by the next day.

The only problem with this is you can’t see whether the clothes will fit your child before you buy them. 

Another bonus of shopping in person for children’s clothes is that you are able to compare the clothing sizes.

This is great if you think your child is ready to move up a size. It will also help you to determine whether certain brands run small in terms of their clothing. 

Go For Durable And Stretchy

If you want to make sure that the clothes you are buying for your child will last them for a little longer than other clothes then go for durable fabrics that are stretchy.

Clothes that have a bit of stretch to them are great if you are not sure whether to go for the next size or stick with the same size. 

If you do choose to size up with a piece of clothing that has some stretch to it, then it will likely fit your child a little longer, so you don’t have to worry about your child outgrowing it completely before they wear it. 

The most important thing is that your child is comfortable, so if you find that you are not sure if a certain size will fit then it is best to size up. 

Final Thoughts on Baby Clothes Sizes For One Year Old

When it comes to determining what size a child who is one should wear, this is dependent on a few things.

Whilst many kids clothes are labeled with the age in months for their size, our above guide will also let you size your baby clothes by your baby’s weight and height.

And if you’re looking for more great baby guides, then check out these clothing guides on when do babies stop wearing onesies, best baby fabric softener, and how to wash baby clothes without shrinking them.

baby clothes size for 1 year old