A European kids label says 110 cm on the tag. An American parent reads it as a measurement of something, decides it means nothing, and buys by age instead. That's the single most common reason a European piece arrives and fits wrong.
The number is the child, not the garment
On a European tag, 110 cm means the shirt is cut for a child who stands 110 centimeters tall. It is not the length of the shirt and it is not the chest. Measure the child against a wall, convert inches to centimeters, and the tag stops being a riddle.
Most brands print the height and the age together, like 110cm/4y. The centimeter number is the one that matters. The age next to it is the brand's guess about which children are that tall, and children ignore that guess constantly.
Height to European size
| Height | In inches | EU size on the tag | Age the brand prints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 cm | 31.5 in | 80 | 12 to 18 months |
| 90 cm | 35.4 in | 90 | 18 to 24 months |
| 100 cm | 39.4 in | 100 | 2 to 3 years |
| 110 cm | 43.3 in | 110 | 3 to 4 years |
| 120 cm | 47.2 in | 120 | 5 years |
| 130 cm | 51.2 in | 130 | 6 years |
| 140 cm | 55.1 in | 140 | 7 to 8 years |
The sizes above are the ones our Japanese and European labels print on the tag, sold in 10 centimeter steps. A child at 105 cm takes the 110, because a European cut is drafted with room to grow inside the size.
How to measure at home in two minutes
- Shoes off, heels against a wall, back straight.
- Lay a book flat on the head, level, and mark the wall at the bottom edge of the book.
- Measure from the floor to the mark. Multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimeters.
- Write the number and the date on the wall or in your phone. In six months you will want to know how fast the change happened.
Where age based buying goes wrong
Two children turn four in the same month. One stands 98 cm, the other 112 cm. Buy both a size 4 and one gets a tent, the other gets a crop top. The tag is honest, the age label is a shortcut that stops working the moment a child sits outside the middle of the growth chart.
Age fails hardest at the two ends. Babies under a year change height every few weeks, and kids past five spread out by as much as 15 centimeters in the same grade.
What we print on our own pages
Every product page on this store lists the size the way the tag lists it: the height in centimeters and the age the brand prints next to it. When a brand gives only an age, we say that too, instead of inventing a centimeter number that the garment was not cut to.
If you are between sizes, take the larger one on anything with an elastic waist and the smaller one on anything with a fixed waist or a fitted sleeve.
Questions parents ask
Is EU size 110 the same as US size 4T?
Close, not identical. US 4T is drafted for a child around 102 to 105 cm, so a tall four year old in a 4T is often already in a European 110. Measure the height and use the table above.
Do European brands run small?
They run narrow more often than short. The length matches the height on the tag, the cut through the chest and hip is leaner than a US equivalent. On a sturdy build, go one size up and the length still works.
My child is 105 cm. Which size?
The 110. European steps are 10 centimeters apart, and buying down leaves nothing for the next three months.
How often should I remeasure?
Every three months before age two, then twice a year. Growth comes in bursts, and the burst always lands the week after you order.
What about width for a chunky baby?
Height sizing says nothing about girth. For a baby with round thighs, look for an elastic waist and a harem or wrapover cut, both of which adapt across a full size.
See what fits right now in baby, 0 to 24 months or big kids, with the real sizes we hold in stock on every page.