Petit Bateau
Here’s how Petit Bateau fits your child compared to other brands you might be considering, so you know before it’s in your cart.
Find your child’s size in Petit Bateau
Enter your child’s measurements once — we’ll size them in Petit Bateau and at 100+ other brands, each from that brand’s own published chart. Height and weight are required; add chest, waist, hips and inseam to sharpen the fit.
Your child wears one size in Petit Bateau. What should you buy elsewhere?
Pick the size your child wears at Petit Bateau to see which brands have the same label and measurements (twins) and which run shorter or longer (strangers) — based on each brand’s own chart.
Show the full cross-brand table (every size)
| Petit Bateau | Size twinssame number fits the same | Size strangerssame number, different cut |
|---|---|---|
| N4618.5" | — | No same-size match at other brands |
| NAI19.8" | — | No same-size match at other brands |
| 1M21.2" | Il Gufo↓ shorter | |
| 3M23.5" | ||
| 6M26.5" | Il Gufo↓ shorterAmazon Essentials Kids↓ shorter | |
| 9M28" | Il Gufo↓ shorter | |
| 12M29.2" | ||
| 18M32" | ||
| 24M34" | New Balance Kids↑ longer | |
| 2Y34" | ||
| 3Y37.4" | ||
| 36M37.5" | None — consistent across brands | |
| 4Y41" | ||
| 5Y43.2" | Il Gufo↓ shorter | |
| 6Y45.8" | ||
| 8Y50.5" | Garnet Hill↑ longerOld Navy↑ longerPolo Ralph Lauren Kids↑ longerIl Gufo↓ shorterConverse Kids↑ longerLevi's Kids↑ longer+19 more | |
| 10Y55" | ||
| 12Y60" | U.S. Polo Assn.↓ shorterIl Gufo↓ shorterColumbia Kids↓ shorterGuess↓ shorterGymboree↓ shorterHudson Baby↓ shorter+29 more | |
| 14Y67.8" | — | Carter's↓ shorterLittle Planet by Carter's↓ shorterOshKosh B'gosh↓ shorterGuess↓ shorterJustice↓ shorterWalmart Wonder Nation↓ shorter+36 more |
| 16Y67.8" | — | Justice↓ shorterReebok Kids↓ shorterWalmart Wonder Nation↓ shorterPolo Ralph Lauren Kids↓ shorterCalvin Klein Kids↓ shorterGuess↓ shorter+29 more |
| 18Y68.5" | — | Justice↓ shorterWalmart Wonder Nation↓ shorterCat & Jack↓ shorterTommy Hilfiger Kids↓ shorterColumbia Kids↓ shorterLands' End Kids↓ shorter+20 more |
Sizes shown use Petit Bateau’s girls’/unisex chart where the brand splits by gender; boys’ sizes at the same number can run slightly taller.
In short
Where the number just works. At N46, NAI, 36M, Petit Bateau lines up with every brand we track — the size carries straight over.
Where labels drift. The exceptions are the “strangers” above — e.g. at size 4Y, Il Gufo, Bonpoint, Mini Mioche cut the same number differently. Check those before you trust the label.
Bottom line: for most sizes, a Petit Bateau number is a safe bet elsewhere — measure once, then double-check only the handful of “stranger” brands above.
Curious about a size that isn’t your child’s here? Every size, compared across every brand, lives here: Browse all size comparisons →
Fit & the transitions that trip parents up
Petit Bateau-specific things the size number alone won’t tell you — drawn from its own charts.
Runs small — size up (French, lean cut)
Cut on a narrow European frame, so a piece reads snug through the body and arms; most parents size up one, and up two for a solidly built child.
Length runs true
While the body is narrow, the length runs true — so a taller-than-average child can outgrow it in length before width.
Specialty & inclusive fits
Which trimmer, roomier, or adaptive cuts Petit Bateau publishes alongside its standard sizes.
What shoppers say about the fit
Community consensus
Shopper opinion · not Little & Youth’s measurementThis is what parents report anecdotally — crowd sentiment, not a Little & Youth determination. Our sizing above is computed from Petit Bateau’s own published chart; the notes here come from public parent discussion.
Petit Bateau runs small — most parents size up one, and up two for a solidly built child. It’s a French brand cut on a lean, narrow European frame, so a piece reads snugger through the body and arms than the roomy US basics. Length, on the other hand, tends to run true, so a taller-than-average child can outgrow the length before the width. Sizing is by age in centimeters (2Y = 92 cm), and the pieces are known to last, which is part of why buying a size ahead works well here.
Based on anecdotal discussion from multiple publicly available online sources; your experience may differ.
Should you buy Petit Bateau?
Consider it if…
- You want clothes that last — Petit Bateau’s cotton and knits are famously durable and hand down well.
- You love the classic French look — its striped Breton tops and clean, timeless staples are the signature.
- You want soft, quality fabric — the milleraies cotton and pima are a real step up from value-tier basics.
Think twice if…
- You’re on a budget — it’s a premium French label; best value comes on sale.
- You want trend-forward or graphic pieces — the look is deliberately classic and understated, not flashy.
- You have a broad or sturdy build in mind — the lean European cut runs narrow; you’ll be sizing up.
Skip the cross-referencing — let Little & Youth do it.
Enter your child’s measurements once. We’ll show their Petit Bateau size and their size at 100+ other brands, each from that brand’s own chart.
Find my child’s size →Shop Petit Bateau ↗A few things parents ask that the chart won’t tell you
How much should I size up in Petit Bateau?
Most parents go up one size for the lean French cut; for a solidly built child, up two is common. Length runs closer to true, so if your child is tall for their age, watch that they don’t outgrow the length before the width.
Why is Petit Bateau sized in centimeters?
It’s a French brand using age-and-height sizing in centimeters (2Y = 92 cm, 4Y = 104 cm). Our comparison converts it from your child’s real height, and you can switch this page between inches and centimeters with the toggle above the table.
What measurements do I need to size Petit Bateau accurately?
Petit Bateau publishes height, chest, waist, hip in its size chart. Height is the primary driver, and the chest/waist figures let you confirm body fit for a child between sizes.
Do Petit Bateau boys’ and girls’ sizes fit the same?
From the bigger sizes up, Petit Bateau publishes separate girls’ and boys’ charts, so the same number can differ by gender. The figures on this page use Petit Bateau’s girls’/unisex chart.
Where do I buy Petit Bateau?
Petit Bateau is sold on its own site and on Amazon, so you can pick the marketplace you prefer.