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Brand Sizing Overview · Little & Youth

What is a size 16?How girls' and boys' size 16 compare across 21 kids' brands

A size 16 isn't the same everywhere — and unlike toddler sizes, most brands cut it differently for girls and boys. Here's where the brands on Little & Youth land with each, taken straight from every brand's own published size chart.

The short answer: At a size 16, a typical girls' fit lands about 62–63" tall and a typical boys' fit about 62–64". Many brands publish one unisex size 16 that covers both, but where a brand splits them the girls' and boys' cuts can differ by an inch or more. All told, the same "size 16" is used for kids from 60 to 69.29 inches tall across brands — so the label alone can't tell you the fit.

Jump to: Girls' · Boys'

Girls' size 16, brand by brand

19 brands on Little & Youth publish a girls' size 16. Grouped by where each brand's published height range sits.

Where each group of brands puts a girls' size 16

The bands shift to the right as brands cut a girls' 16 for taller kids.

Shorter-cut
60–62½"
Typical
62–63"
Longer-cut
62½–69"
60" 63" 66" 69"
Height (inches)

5 brands run a little shorter

These brands cut their size 16 a little smaller — the whole range sits lower — so it fits a slightly shorter or leaner kid. Worth a look if your child runs small for their age.

Justice, Walmart Wonder Nation, Calvin Klein Kids, Macy's Epic Threads, and Children's Place.

10 brands are typical

These brands land right in the most common range, about 62–63" — the way most brands cut a size 16.

Eddie Bauer, Target Cat & Jack, Fabletics, JCPenney Thereabouts, Lands' End Kids, Lee Jeans, French Toast, Gap Kids, Old Navy, and Primary.

4 brands run a little longer

These brands cut their size 16 a little bigger — the whole range sits higher — so it fits a taller kid, and it often lasts longer before it's outgrown. Worth a look if your child runs tall.

Levi's Kids, Tommy Hilfiger Kids, Converse Kids, and Appaman.

Girls' size 16 height ranges across 19 brands (inches).
BrandGirls' 16 fitsHow it runs
Justice60–62"Shorter
Walmart Wonder Nation60–62"Shorter
Calvin Klein Kids60½–62½"Shorter
Macy's Epic Threads60½–62½"Shorter
Children's Place61–62½"Shorter
Eddie Bauer62½–62½"Typical
Target Cat & Jack61–63"Typical
Fabletics62–63"Typical
JCPenney Thereabouts62–63"Typical
Lands' End Kids62–63"Typical
Lee Jeans61.75–63.25"Typical
French Toast62–64"Typical
Gap Kids62–64"Typical
Old Navy62–64"Typical
Primary62–64"Typical
Levi's Kids63–65"Longer
Tommy Hilfiger Kids65.35–65.35"Longer
Converse Kids62½–67"Longer
Appaman63–69"Longer

Boys' size 16, brand by brand

20 brands on Little & Youth publish a boys' size 16. Grouped by where each brand's published height range sits.

Where each group of brands puts a boys' size 16

The bands shift to the right as brands cut a boys' 16 for taller kids.

Shorter-cut
60–64"
Typical
62–64"
Longer-cut
63–69.29"
60" 63½" 66½" 70"
Height (inches)

5 brands run a little shorter

These brands cut their size 16 a little smaller — the whole range sits lower — so it fits a slightly shorter or leaner kid. Worth a look if your child runs small for their age.

Original Penguin Junior, Converse Kids, Fabletics, Brooks Brothers Kids, and Walmart Wonder Nation.

13 brands are typical

These brands land right in the most common range, about 62–64" — the way most brands cut a size 16.

Children's Place, French Toast, Primary, Target Cat & Jack, Eddie Bauer, Calvin Klein Kids, Macy's Epic Threads, Gap Kids, JCPenney Thereabouts, Lands' End Kids, Levi's Kids, Old Navy, and Lee Jeans.

2 brands run a little longer

These brands cut their size 16 a little bigger — the whole range sits higher — so it fits a taller kid, and it often lasts longer before it's outgrown. Worth a look if your child runs tall.

Appaman and Tommy Hilfiger Kids.

Boys' size 16 height ranges across 20 brands (inches).
BrandBoys' 16 fitsHow it runs
Original Penguin Junior60–61½"Shorter
Converse Kids60–63"Shorter
Fabletics62–63"Shorter
Brooks Brothers Kids61–64"Shorter
Walmart Wonder Nation61–64"Shorter
Children's Place61½–64"Typical
French Toast62–64"Typical
Primary62–64"Typical
Target Cat & Jack62–64"Typical
Eddie Bauer64–64"Typical
Calvin Klein Kids62–64½"Typical
Macy's Epic Threads63–64½"Typical
Gap Kids62–65"Typical
JCPenney Thereabouts63–65"Typical
Lands' End Kids63–65"Typical
Levi's Kids63–65"Typical
Old Navy63–65"Typical
Lee Jeans62.75–65.25"Typical
Appaman63–69"Longer
Tommy Hilfiger Kids69.29–69.29"Longer

Common questions about size 16

Does a size 16 run big or small?

It depends on the brand and whether it's cut for a girl or a boy. A girls' size 16 runs bigger at Appaman, Converse Kids, and Levi's Kids and smaller at Justice, Walmart Wonder Nation, and Calvin Klein Kids. A boys' size 16 runs bigger at Appaman, Old Navy, and Levi's Kids and smaller at Original Penguin Junior, Converse Kids, and Brooks Brothers Kids. Most brands land in between.

Is a girls' size 16 the same as a boys' size 16?

Not always. Many brands publish one unisex size 16, but brands that split them cut the two a little differently — a girls' 16 typically fits about 62–63" and a boys' 16 about 62–64". If a brand offers both, check the one that matches your child.

What height is a size 16 for?

At most brands, a size 16 fits a child roughly 62–63" (girls) or 62–64" (boys) tall. Because height is what actually determines fit, it's worth checking your child's height against the specific brand's size 16 rather than going by age.

What age is a size 16 for?

A size 16 is designed with kids around 14–16 in mind, but age is only a rough guide. Because it's built around height and build, plenty of kids wear a size 16 a year earlier or later than the label suggests — checking height against a specific brand's chart is far more reliable.

What size comes after size 16?

After a size 16, most brands move to a size 18 or adult XS. Sizing can shift noticeably at that step, so it's worth checking the next size's height range rather than assuming it picks up where size 16 left off.

Stop guessing which size 16 fits. Let Little & Youth do it.

Enter your child's measurements once and Little & Youth shows the size to buy across all 90+ brands on the site — girls' or boys', size 16 or otherwise — each pulled from that brand's own published chart.

Find your child's size →
Their Measurements. Right Size. Brand by Brand.
How we know this is accurate. Every size 16 height range on this page is transcribed from that brand's own published US size chart — no estimates. Where a brand publishes one unisex size 16, it appears under both girls' and boys'. Brands update their charts, so always confirm against the brand's live chart before you buy. Little & Youth is independent and not affiliated with any brand listed. Figures verified 2026-08-24.