Sizing and fit
What is the difference between 4T and youth XS?
Short answer
They cover roughly the same age but are cut from different patterns. 4T is a toddler size — wider through the hips, shorter in the body, with a more generous neck opening. Youth XS (usually labelled 4/5) is slimmer and longer. For a tall four-year-old out of nappies, youth XS normally fits better.
The T in 4T stands for toddler, and toddler patterns are drafted around a body shape that is genuinely different from an older child's: shorter torso, rounder middle, proportionally larger head. Manufacturers allow for nappies at the hip and widen the neck so the garment goes on without a struggle.
Youth XS assumes none of that. It is a scaled-down version of the older children's pattern — narrower at the hip, longer in the body, with a standard neck.
The practical consequence is that the same child can measure into both and wear only one comfortably. If the shirt rides up at the front, the toddler cut was too short. If it hangs loose at the hip and the neck gapes, the toddler cut was too generous and youth XS is the better choice.
More detail: US T-Shirt Size Guide: Toddler to 3XL covers this subject in full.
Find a character
All characters →Every character on this site has a profile and shirts in US sizes from toddler 2T to adult 3XL.