I didn’t realize just how “off” baby clothing sizing could be. The first couple of weeks after we had E, it seemed like I was throwing piece after piece into a pile of stuff that just didn’t fit right. It’s literally like women’s sizes, where a small in one store is a large in another. And when you have a baby who’s tall and thin, it can be tough to find clothes that fit well.
I had bought all of these cute little onesies from stores like Old Navy, only to find out that my baby fit into a size 0-3 months for weight and a 6-12 months in height in that brand. I searched all over the internet for a guide to the best baby clothes for tall babies, and I kept coming up short, so I decided to write my own.
Read down for each brand’s stats on clothing, plus what worked for us.
The best clothing for your tall, skinny baby
I’ve shopped practically every baby brand, so if you’re looking for the best clothing brands for your tall, skinny baby, you’re in the right place.
For reference, Elle was around the 75th percentile for height and somewhere around 4th percentile for weight in the first year. So when I say that she was a “tall and skinny baby,” I’m not kidding!
Onesies for Tall Babies
There are two places where I found the best onesies for our little lady: Carters (the store) and this European brand. For onesies at the Carters store, this may sound weird but the graphic onesies (aka the ones they sell as one piece separately) never fit well. Go for the multi-packs (usually in solid colors). The European brands (like Petit Bateau) in general tend to run leaner, so they work well for my tall, skinny kiddo. We also had great luck with Monica + Andy, specifically in the footless rompers.
Petit Bateau makes some adorable bodysuits with a little more style than the typical basic bodysuit. They’re the perfect fit for our little one, which is great (that they fit) but not great (that they’re not cheap) at the same time. I watch out for sales and buy for the next year. You can also find them on Amazon.
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For the most basic things, like white onesies and kimono tops, Carters at Target brand has the best prices and cute prints! (Size up one size in this brand.) Primary.com also has great kimono tops for newborns with long arms. Steer clear of Old Navy, Cloud Island at Target, and Baby Gap, which make onesies cut for the average sized baby (so on a tall baby they’re definitely too short or too wide).
As far as pajamas go, my favorites are from Burt’s Bees, Monica + Andy, Hanna, and Little Sleepies. I want pajamas that still look almost brand new after washing them 10+ times… Something you can hold onto if you plan to have multiple kids. Many of the Hanna jammies don’t have feet, so they will last longer on taller kiddos. (Update: Hanna now has their own brand sold only on Amazon, and the quality is just as good as the Hanna stuff!)
The Little Sleepies pajamas are SO soft, and super stretchy too. You can actually size down in these, because they’re cut to be much larger than other brands. (My 15 month old is still wearing a 6-12 month comfortably.) They make really cute prints in both zip-up styles and top-and-pant style so you can do matching pjs if you have more than one kiddo! Sometimes they have parent matching items too. The unfortunate thing about this brand – and I’m sure all bamboo fabrics – is that they show wash wear after fewer washes than other pjs. I have a separate post about bamboo baby brands if you’re interested in more stretchy pajamas!
Pants and Leggings for Tall Babies
By far the best pants that fit E are leggings. We love Hanna Andersson (basic leggings), Carters (only certain styles) and Petit Bateau (their own site is closed online but supposedly reopening soon for US shoppers.). We have also found that H&M’s leggings run fairly long compared to other brands. Another brand that fits really well? Little Marc Jacobs! The skinniest leggings I’ve found are from Primary, and they’re almost too skinny in that they’re really tight around the ankle.
For brands that aren’t the best fit but work fine: Cat & Jack at Target (they tend to be long enough but occasionally I have to take in the waist a bit) and Burts Bees (NON-pajamas).
Brands that are hit or miss: Baby Gap, Old Navy (their clothes tend to be for babies who are in the “average” percentile in both height and weight), Janie and Jack (super cute stuff, but again for babies who are not tall and skinny! The J&J pants are not as wide and short as Old Navy’s, but they’re pretty close. I can shop dresses here but that’s about it.). Cloud Island at Target isn’t a great fit, either- they tend to be short and wide, so they fall down on a small waist.
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Sweaters and Sweatshirts for Tall Babies
The best cardigan sweater we had for E was from Petit Bateau, and she wore it almost every day of the fall when she was a newborn. I actually purchased it in the 12M size because we loved it so much, and she still wears that.
For play sweatshirts, I love Harper Canyon. It’s a Nordstrom brand but you can find it at Nordstrom Rack, too. The best selection is definitely online vs. in store for Nordstrom Rack. H&M makes really great sweatshirts, too, and they’re super affordable. They have fun prints, girly stuff, and boy stuff too, as well as sweatshirt sets with pants.
I also really like this brand for sweaters. They are skinnier in the arms than a lot of other sweaters, which works well for a svelte baby!
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Best Holiday Outfits/Special Occasion Stuff
For special occasion wear, I’ve found some great holiday pieces on this smocked clothing site, and the prices are reasonable. This is where I bought Elle’s summer bubbles and rompers last year. Huge bonus? Almost everything can be monogrammed!
This brand is also a great find. It’s available on Amazon, fairly affordable, and has the look of much more expensive brands. (It’s a similar style to Janie & Jack, but the sizing is better for tall kiddos.)
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Brand Guide: Sizing by brand for baby clothes
I used a 6 month size (or 6-9 months or 6-12 months, depending on the brand) to show you the variation by brand in baby clothing from these popular brands.
Carters: 24-27 inches, 12.5-17 lbs
Cloud Island (Target): 26-27.5 inches, 16.5-19.5 lbs
Hanna Andersson: 26-38 inches, 16-20 lbs (aka 70 cm size)
Janie and Jack: 25-27 inches, 17-19.5 lbs
Just One You by Carters at Target: 24-26.5 inches, 12.5-16.5 lbs
Thank you for this article! I’d love to see an update now that your daughter is presumably in toddler sizes. Unfortunately, the cinched (adjustable) inner waistbands don’t start until 2T in most brands, and at 2.5 years old, my own tall and skinny daughter is still too thin for those.
We rely heavily on leggings but it’s getting too cold to use them as her only layer. I’ve experimented a little with using tights underneath pants, plus legwarmers and knee socks, but we’re starting to potty train and those are a definite hindrance – not to mention she’s constantly taking them off!
Anyway, I really wish children’s clothing manufacturers would make slim and/or tall options in toddler sizes – it seems they aren’t available until size 4 or XS in children’s.
I’m happy to update this for toddler sizes! We’re in the same boat. Some of the 2T pants/shorts with waist-ties just fall right off my little one! I’ll put this on my editorial calendar to do. Make sure you sign up for emails so you get an alert when the post goes live!
My grandson is almost six years old. He’s tall but he’s skinny. And department store jeans just fall off of him. He needs a skinny fit size 6. Where on earth do we find them?
Hi Linda! Unfortunately there aren’t many options for skinny fit jeans. I did find a brand that makes jeans especially for skinny kids, called Pants for Peanuts. Let me know if you try it!
I was excited to read this article but I’ve found Carter’s to be the worst at sizing. My sister has the same thoughts.. I bought a 6 month romper for my 3 month old and it wasn’t nearly long enough. Maybe you’re baby has long legs and mine has a longer torso but I definitely would not recommend Carter’s for a tall baby.
Hi Christina, I do find Carter’s to vary depending on what you’re buying. If you have a baby with a long torso (you’re right, mine has long legs), try Primary. I find that their clothes run on the generous side length-wise. For rompers, avoid Carter’s at Target (or go up like 3 sizes). I like the bubbles from Smocked Auctions (linked in this post). I find that they are great length-wise so would probably work for a longer torso. If you find a brand that works well, please let me know!
My daughter is still in newborn size clothes but newborn size pants become capris.Her whole body length isn’t extremely long at 21.5 inches but it’s just her legs that’s are so long and skinny. I don’t want sleepers that are footless for now though because her feet are also long and skinny, they are so skinny I can’t find socks for her, none, not one pair that will fit her skinny feet. I even tried preemie socks.
Thanks for writing this! You’re the only voice on the whole www about this, seems like. Doc said size-up so that babies’ limbs can stretch out, instead of clothes fitting everywhere but can’t bend straight. She said better for baby to swim in their clothes than be confined to stretch. But now I’ll try your options! Just bought a Little Sleepie to try. If I wanted pajamas mitted and footed, which brand would you recommend most?
Yes, I 100% would rather my kids have pants that are long enough and then take in the waist myself, or have long sleeves that are long enough but maybe it’s a boxy fit. For pjs that are mitted AND footed, the only ones I can think of are Little Sleepies or maybe Quincy Mae. I really like Burt’s Bees pjs personally (footed, but no mittens) for a long baby. I’ll keep my eyes open and comment back here if I can think of any other great brands for you to try!