A 4T isn't the same size everywhere. At most brands a 4T fits a child roughly 38½ to 41½ inches tall — but some brands cut their 4T shorter, and some cut it longer. Here's where the 41 brands on Little & Youth land with their 4T, taken straight from each brand's own published size chart.
One toddler's height, 41 different ideas of '4T.'
The bands shift to the right as brands cut their 4T for taller kids.
Grouped by where each brand's published 4T height range lands.
These brands cut their 4T a little smaller — the whole range sits lower — so it fits a slightly shorter or leaner toddler. Worth a look if your child runs small for their age.
Magnetic Me, Gerber Childrenswear, Calvin Klein Kids, and Under Armour Kids.
These brands land right in the most common range, about 38½–41½" — the way most brands cut a 4T.
Kohl's Jumping Beans, Adidas Kids, Amazon Essentials Kids, French Toast, H&M Kids, abercrombie kids, Macy's Epic Threads, Macy's First Impressions, Walmart Wonder Nation, Burt's Bees Baby, Champion Kids, Columbia Kids, Crocs Kids, L.L. Bean Kids, Original Penguin Junior, OshKosh B'gosh, Skechers Kids, Stride Rite, The North Face Kids, Vans Kids, Carter's, Gymboree, Little Planet by Carter's, Mini Mioche, Nautica, and Otter Avenue.
These brands cut their 4T a little bigger — the whole range sits higher — so it fits a taller toddler, and it often lasts longer before it's outgrown. Worth a look if your child runs tall.
Eddie Bauer, Appaman, Fabletics, JCPenney Thereabouts, Little Sleepies, Old Navy, Puma Kids, Vineyard Vines Kids, babyGap, Polo Ralph Lauren Kids, and Target Cat & Jack.
All 41 brands on Little & Youth that publish a 4T, sorted from the shortest-cut to the longest. Every figure is that brand's own published 4T height range.
| Brand | 4T fits (height) | How its 4T runs |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic Me | 37½–40" | Shorter |
| Gerber Childrenswear | 38–40" | Shorter |
| Calvin Klein Kids | 38–41" | Shorter |
| Under Armour Kids | 38–41" | Shorter |
| Kohl's Jumping Beans | 38½–41" | Typical |
| Adidas Kids | 39–41" | Typical |
| Amazon Essentials Kids | 39–41" | Typical |
| French Toast | 39–41" | Typical |
| H&M Kids | 39–41" | Typical |
| abercrombie kids | 39–41" | Typical |
| Eddie Bauer | 41–41" | Longer |
| Macy's Epic Threads | 38–41½" | Typical |
| Macy's First Impressions | 38–41½" | Typical |
| Walmart Wonder Nation | 38–41½" | Typical |
| Burt's Bees Baby | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Champion Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Columbia Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Crocs Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| L.L. Bean Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Original Penguin Junior | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| OshKosh B'gosh | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Skechers Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Stride Rite | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| The North Face Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Vans Kids | 38½–41½" | Typical |
| Carter's | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Gymboree | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Little Planet by Carter's | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Mini Mioche | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Nautica | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Otter Avenue | 39–41½" | Typical |
| Appaman | 39–42" | Longer |
| Fabletics | 39–42" | Longer |
| JCPenney Thereabouts | 39–42" | Longer |
| Little Sleepies | 39–42" | Longer |
| Old Navy | 39–42" | Longer |
| Puma Kids | 39–42" | Longer |
| Vineyard Vines Kids | 39–42" | Longer |
| babyGap | 39–42" | Longer |
| Polo Ralph Lauren Kids | 40–42½" | Longer |
| Target Cat & Jack | 39–43" | Longer |
It depends on the brand. A 4T runs a little big at Polo Ralph Lauren Kids, Target Cat & Jack, and babyGap, where it fits up to 43 inches. A 4T runs a little small at Magnetic Me, Gerber Childrenswear, and Calvin Klein Kids. Most brands land in between, fitting a child about 38½–41½" tall.
At most brands, a 4T fits a toddler roughly 38½–41½" tall. A few brands stretch a 4T up to 43 inches. Because height is what actually determines fit, it's worth checking your child's height against the specific brand's 4T rather than going by age.
No. A 4T is not standardized — the same "4T" is used for kids from 37½ to 43 inches tall depending on the brand. That's why a 4T that fits perfectly in one brand can be too short or too roomy in the next.
Usually a 4T and a 4 cover a similar height, but a 4T is cut fuller through the middle for a toddler still in diapers or pull-ups, while a plain size 4 is cut for an older, leaner child. Many brands offer one or the other, which is part of why sizes jump around between labels.
A 4T is designed with 4-year-olds in mind, but age is only a rough guide. Because a 4T is built around height and build, plenty of children wear a 4T a year earlier or later than the label suggests. Checking your child's height against a specific brand's 4T is far more reliable than going by age alone.
After a 4T, most brands move to a 5T or a straight size 5. Sizing can shift noticeably at that step, so it's worth checking the next size's height range rather than assuming it picks up exactly where the 4T left off.
Among the brands here, Target Cat & Jack cuts the longest 4T, fitting up to about 43 inches. The other longer-cut brands reach the upper end of the range too. Those are good brands to look at if your child is at the tall end of a 4T and you want the outfit to last.
All else equal, that comes down to how wide a brand's 4T size band is — how many inches of height it's built to cover. Target Cat & Jack has the widest 4T (about 4 inches of height), with Macy's Epic Threads and Macy's First Impressions close behind, so it tends to give the most room to grow. The narrowest 4T bands — around 2 inches — are at Adidas Kids, Amazon Essentials Kids, French Toast, Gerber Childrenswear, H&M Kids, and abercrombie kids, so a child may move out of those a bit sooner. Real-world life also depends on your child's growth spurts and how well a piece holds up, but the size band is a solid all-else-equal starting point.
Enter your child's measurements once and Little & Youth shows the size to buy across all 90+ brands on the site — 4T or otherwise — each pulled from that brand's own published chart.
Find your child's size →