Parents Please help me with sizing!

[PeanutButterMom]

I'm struggling to find a new leo for DD. She suddenly outgrow all she had from last year, and now that she's in PreTeam I need to stock up since I hate doing laundry. I need to buy online so I really hate to buy the wrong size and have to return. How accurate are size charts?

I measured DD and I got:
20" chest
19" waist
20" hips
39.5" torso/girth

So she would be squarely in the CXS on GK's website. But I found myself really liking some Snowflake Designs, but I'm not sure if I should go with the CXS or CS. Going by girth, she would be a CS, but everything else puts her in a CXS.

She's 5.5 years old and 37lbs, 43" tall, if that helps. She just had her version of a growth spurt (meaning she added a pound and 3 inches, lol) so I don't think she'll grow much for a while. I would rather it fit her now than have "growing room" because she hates when things are baggy. She's also a major wedgie-picker.

 

[gymmutti]

My 5.5 year old is the same height. I would focus on girth (with any brand) and go with the CS with Snowflake. I find that Snowflake fits close to the same size as GK but my daughters will outgrow a Snowflake leotard a little sooner than the GK leotard.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

Go by girth- the measurement over the shoulder and through the crotch. DD is all torso and short legs. She has to go by girth- otherwise she gets a wedgie or it hurts on her shoulders/arms. I find that leo sizes and "real clothes" sizes are nothing alike. DD wears a size Child Large in Leos (comfy with room to grow) and wears a size 7 in clothes- which is usually a size child Small or Med depending on the brand in clothes.

Also- to make things more confusing-- different brands fit different ways and one brands Child Med may be big while another is teeny tiny. I find that Alpha Factor runs small through the butt, GK runs small in general, Snowflake and Desteria run bigger- especially in the butt, and Motionwear runs long- good for long torso-- but this is just how these brands fit my daughter- each kids is different. Does your gym carry all the brands? Your best bet is to try some on in different sizes at your gym and then order what you want.

I highly recommend Discount Leotards. If you buy $100 you get free shipping and they carry all the good brands- and what you don't see you can ask about and they will get it at a discount to you. I ordered DD a GK that I saw in the most recent catalog- just emailed them the item number and they came back with a quote that was less than current catalog price-- they are awesome!

 

[cher062]

I agree go with girth or the wedgies will come.
My DD loves snowflake too and they fit similar to GK but my DD says they are more comfortable. I get mine from Discount Leotards too. Some here have used them and said they had delivery issues but I cant say I have ever had a problem with them.

 

[2gymmies]

My dd is a tiny bit smaller than yours (35 pounds and almost 40 inches) but wears a CS in leotards right now - they have a tiny bit of growing room, but the next size smaller causes wedgies and hurts her in the leg holes and shoulders. It also depends on the fabric. The velvety fabric seems to run alittle bigger, but that is just anecdotal! When you check the measurements, make sure you look at the difference between sleek fit (for competition) and regular fit.

 

[MaryA]

I don't find gk leos to be consistent in their sizing. In dd's last gym we did a Leo sale fundraiser where gk would send us a bunch to sell. I'd see some child mediums that were bigger than child larges, etc. Not limited to gk either. The new gym's "team Leo" is from Kbee leotards and in spite of measuring, all the leos ended up being too small. There was much switching around so that as few people as possible needed to return them. My best advice is to err on the side of being too big, and to buy from somewhere with a good return policy. My dd does own a snowflake Leo and it's one of her favorites!

 

[jcs]

DD is almost 5 and is 43" and 40 lbs...she is wearing CS GK's, but one of them seems smaller than the other and left some marks on her shoulders the other day so seems like it might be a bit tight, although looked fine on the bottom. I've been looking at ebay for Child Medium now so we are ready. I have also ordered a few from Leo Lines on ebay and she is a C8 from that line. We haven't tried Snowflake...yet...

 

[k2bdeutmeyer]

My DD is 4.5 (5 in Jan), 40.5in, and 31lbs. For a sleek fit, she is definitely a CXS in GK. Some CS's fit her comfortably with room to grow (no bagging), but some are just too big and won't fit for another year or better. I also agree that they are inconsistent - even within the same brand. I have seen over an inch of variance in length of leo (from shoulder to crotch while laying flat) within the same size. I also agree 100% that (at least with GK) the velvet/velour leotards run bigger.

If you buy used (ebay!!) ask for the shoulder to crotch measurement of the leo. I'd look for something around 19", which will probably be a CS, but there are even some Child Mediums that run that small!!

Sorry, I don't know anything about how Snowflakes fit. DD doesn't own anything but GK (mostly because I like the resale value ).

 

[momofthreegirls]

My middle DD is 33 pounds and 42 inches, and can wear a CXS (these fit great) or CS (okay, with some room to grow). We have mostly GK leos. Also a few Snowflake, Dreamlight, Alpha Factor, and JillyBean. In my experiences, velvet leos run bigger, and shiny foil leos run small. The plain lycra runs in the middle. The Alpha Factors seem to be wider in the shoulder and narrower in the hip.

If in doubt, definitely go by girth.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

ooops. pardon me. i'm in the womens department. bye now.

 

[thefellowsmom]

ooops. pardon me. i'm in the womens department. bye now.

I almost spit my soup across the room.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

ooops. pardon me. i'm in the womens department. bye now.

Did you get off on the wrong floor Again?!

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk

 

[Deanna]

LOL Dunno, at least it wasnt the lingerie department.
I agree they are all different with their sizing. And even within the same brand the sizing is different. For the most part Kadee wears a CS (36lbs and 42 inches)..she is long and lean. All or her GKs are CS and fit great except for her one Nastia one..which seems more like an CM than a CS. It fits..but has a little more "growing room". Def go with the girth..because it height really has nothing to do with it...some are all legs and some are long bodied. Hope you find the perfect fit