[rebecca]

I have a very petite little girl, and I’m struggling to figure out what size to make for her in pants. Dresses, I figure the hip sizing won’t be a problem, anyway, but pants…I’m confused!!

Height: 37″

Chest: 21.5″

Long Waist: 21″

Hip: 20″

Outseam: 17″

Inseam 13 1/4″

She has a protruding belly, which pushes her waist to much lower. Her neck to waist measurement is 13″ (12″ in back).

So, she doesn’t wear diapers, so she doesn’t need the extra fluff for the smaller size to match her hips (12-18M), although that size seems to work, because of her very short crotch to waist measurement.

Here’s my question: What would you do??

[According to the O&S measurement chart, she is

Chest: 3T

Waist: 18-24M

Hip: 12-18M

Height: 3T

Weight: 2T

Long Torso: 3T or 4T, leaving pants or skirt measurements waist to hip measurement closer to 2T or 18-24M]

[Nicole]

I also have a tiny girl (5 and only just fitting into a size 2t)

Firstly, I recommend the After School pants, they are a great trouser for tiny tots with a nice long leg.

Looking at your sizing I would make a 18-24 month pant with a little leg length added (you may yet trim that off)

[Masha Richart]

My 4.5-year-old is very skinny too (though she is tall). I make her the 2T pants + lots and lots of length even though her waist measurement is in the 6-12 month range!

[JohannaO]

I think I would go with the 18-24 month size, and then lengthen from there. For adults, I once read that the hardest part to adjust is the hip, so if that applies to kids, I would go with her hip measurement, with a little bit of room to grow.

I feel you on the skinny kid stuff- my 8 year old still fits into the width of a 4t, but I generally make him a 6 and then lengthen from there just to make sure he has enough rise.

[with love Heidi]

If her out seam is really 17″ then a straight 12-18m should be about right. I always go by hip measurement when choosing pants because E that’s where the kids I sew for wear them. Although if she has a very protruding stomach it may be worth adding a size worth of extra width to the front.

[meleliza]

I would make dresses for her chest and height. If her belly is round, you will want room for that, regardless of what her measurement under the belly is. On a fitted style like fairy tale, I might leave off the front darts and keep the back. For casual clothes that will be quickly outgrown, I wouldn’t worry about any further alterations. And personally, if a little girl was so hard to fit in pants, I would skip pants altogether. So uncomfortable! But that’s me.

Otherwise, for pants and skirt, start with the hip measurement and adjust for length/height. The waists are mostly elastic anyways so you can adjust there. Are you measuring around her belly for the waist? Because if she’s going to wear a waistband under the belly anyway, you can still go by the hip.