You will see children’s clothes labeled 24 months and ones labeled 2T. You’ll wonder — isn’t that the same thing? Sounds strange, but they aren’t.
There are differences between the two, and you need to know what they are before you lay out your hard-earned cash.
If you’ve shopped for children’s clothes and been confused over the difference in sizing, you’re not alone. Parents everywhere have asked what the difference is between 24 months vs. 2T.
Key Takeaways
- 24 months clothes are for 18-24 months old, while 2T is for 2-3 years old children.
- 24 months clothes have more room for diapers, while 2T clothes have a slimmer silhouette for toilet-trained kids.
- You’ll find 24 months clothes in the baby department and 2T clothes in the children’s department.
- Brands may have different measurements for 24 months and 2T clothes, so always check the size chart.
Is 2T the Same as 24 Months?
While 24 months is the same as two years, when it comes to children’s clothes, it isn’t. And it confuses parents everywhere. It’s sad to admit, but I didn’t realize there was a difference between these two sizes until after my first child was out of both of them.
It all comes down to how children’s clothes are measured and labeled.
Baby clothes are sized as time periods. So, you’ll see six- to twelve-months, or twelve- to eighteen-months for outfits. These sizes are designed to fit a child that is up to the top end of the age range.
So, items marked as six- to twelve-months are designed to fit a baby that is older than six months and up to twelve months.
In the case of a single age on a label, such as 24 months, that indicates the item is for a child of up to 24 months.
When it comes to 2T, it indicates that the item is for a child of 2 years old. So, a child who has just hit their second birthday and a child approaching their third birthday should be able to wear it.
When you start looking at clothes which are 24 months and clothes which are 2T, you will see several differences.
Differences Between 2T and 24 Months
Wondering in what ways they are different? These factors all weigh in.
Departments
You will find the clothes labeled 24 months in the baby’s department of a store. That is because they are meant for babies of up to 24 months of age.
Meanwhile, the 2T clothes can be found in the children’s department.
Diapers
Clothes labeled 24 months are cut more generously around the bottom to accommodate diapers. Clothing designers and makers assume that a child under the age of two years will be wearing a diaper, so they make the clothes roomier. The silhouette of the clothes is more rounded.
Meanwhile, those same designers and manufacturers also assume that once your child has reached the grand old age of two, they will be toilet trained. Consequently, the clothes are cut more closely in the diaper area. The silhouette of these clothes is slimmer.
Also, 24 months clothes are likely to have snaps at the legs, or other features to make diaper changing easier. Conversely, 2T will not.
Style
The 24-month clothes are generally more baby-like in their style than the clothes labeled as 2T.
Children’s clothes that are 2T may not necessarily be miniature adult clothes, but they will be more child-like than babyish.
Brands
To add to the confusion, brands do not all use the same clothing measurements. Each brand may have slightly different measurements from each other for their clothes, in both ages.
And to make things even worse, some manufacturers, such as Gerber, use the same height and weight measurements for their own 24 months clothes and their 2T clothes, while others, such as Carter’s, use different height and weight measurements for each.
Carter’s uses these measurements:
- 24M: Height is 32-34 inches, and the weight is 28-30 pounds.
- 2T: Height is 35-36.5 inches, and the weight is 29-31 pounds.
For Gerber, both 24M and 2T are the same, with a height of 32-34 inches and 28-32 pounds.
Baby Gap is another brand that adheres to the differences in the sizes. Its 24-month clothes have a height of 31-33 inches and a weight of 27-30 pounds. By comparison, its 2T clothes have a height of 33-36 inches and a weight of 30-33 pounds.
The Same, But Different
So there you have it, the explanation of why 24 months and 2T are not at all the same — at least for many baby clothes companies. They are defined more by developmental differences than differences in chronological age.
Clothes labeled 24 months will give your child more room around the caboose to accommodate a diaper. That gives them a rounder silhouette, while 2T has a straighter outline and is cut under the assumption that diapers are a thing of the past.
