Size Guide
Ordering pajamas online comes down to one question: which size will actually fit? This is our complete sizing guide — every Dottie Lou size from newborn footies to teen sets, with the honest fit advice we give our own family and friends.
How to pick your size
Dottie Lou runs true to size, so choosing is simple:
1. Start with your child’s age. Our sizes are built around real ages — a 4-year-old wears 4T, an 8-year-old wears 8Y. For most kids, that’s the whole answer.
2. Double-check with height. Kids grow their own way — if yours is tall or petite for their age, the height column in the tables below is your tiebreaker. Height predicts pajama fit better than weight.
3. Trust the size you pick. Because every piece is pre-washed, the size you buy is the size it stays — no shrink math needed.
Pre-washed, so the size you buy is the size it stays
Every Dottie Lou piece goes through a special pre-wash and pre-dry process before it ever reaches your door. Any settling the fabric was going to do happens with us — not in your laundry room. That means the fit you love on night one is the same fit after wash ten: no shrinking, no guessing, no buying a size up “just in case.” It also means your set arrives already soft and ready to wear straight out of the package.
Baby sizes (NB–12M)
Our baby range covers newborns through the first birthday — footie-and-hat sets with snap closures for easy midnight changes:
| Size | Age | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| NB | Newborn | Up to 21.5" | 5–8 lbs |
| 3M | 0–3 months | 21.5–24" | 8–12.5 lbs |
| 6M | 3–6 months | 24–26.5" | 12.5–16.5 lbs |
| 9M | 6–9 months | 26.5–28.5" | 16.5–20.5 lbs |
| 12M | 9–12 months | 28.5–30.5" | 20.5–24.5 lbs |
Toddler sizes (18M–5)
Toddler sizes carry the two-piece sets — built for kids who climb, run, and refuse to sit still at story time:
| Size | Age | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18M | 12–18 months | 30.5–32.5" | 24.5–27.5 lbs |
| 2T | 2 years | 32.5–34" | 27.5–30 lbs |
| 3T | 3 years | 34–37.5" | 30–33 lbs |
| 4T | 4 years | 37.5–40" | 33–36 lbs |
| 5T / 5Y | 5 years | 40–42.5" | 36–42 lbs |
Kids & teen sizes (6Y–16Y)
Two-piece sets run 18M–16Y — so big sisters and teens match right along with the little ones:
| Size | Age | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6Y | 6 years | 42.5–46" | 42–49 lbs |
| 7Y | 7 years | 46–49" | 49–59 lbs |
| 8Y | 8 years | 49–52" | 59–70 lbs |
| 10Y | 10 years | 52–56" | 70–87 lbs |
| 12Y | 12 years | 56–59" | 87–105 lbs |
| 14Y | 14 years | 59–62" | 105–120 lbs |
| 16Y | 16 years | 62–65" | 120–135 lbs |
Collection nightgowns — garment measurements
Our collection nightgowns share one cut, in sizes 8Y–16Y. Finished garment measurements, taken flat:
| Size | Total length | Chest | Sleeve |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8Y | 38" | 14" | 17" |
| 10Y | 40.5" | 15" | 18" |
| 12Y | 43.5" | 15.5" | 19" |
| 14Y | 46" | 16.5" | 20" |
| 16Y | 49" | 17.5" | 21" |
Velour maxi — garment measurements
The Classic Noir velour maxi is cut longer than a standard nightgown for a more elegant line, with a wider sweep at the hem so it moves beautifully. These are the finished garment measurements, taken flat:
| Size | Total length | Chest | Sleeve |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5Y | 34.5" | 12" | 14" |
| 6Y | 37" | 13" | 15" |
| 7Y | 39.5" | 13.5" | 16" |
| 8Y | 41.5" | 14" | 17" |
| 10Y | 44.5" | 15" | 18" |
| 12Y | 47" | 15.5" | 19" |
| 14Y | 50" | 16.5" | 20" |
| 16Y | 53" | 17.5" | 21" |
| 18Y | 54.5" | 18" | 22" |
Between sizes? Here’s what we’d do
Fabric & care
Our sleepwear and loungewear is cut from soft, gently stretchy knits — 95% cotton, 5% spandex across most collections, with a breathable cotton-bamboo blend (47% cotton, 47% bamboo, 6% spandex) in select styles. The touch of stretch moves with sleeping, climbing, twirling kids without ever losing shape.
Care is simple: machine wash cold, tumble dry low, no bleach. That’s it — the pre-wash already did the hard work, so your sets come out of the dryer the same size they went in, wash after wash.
Matching the whole family
Our collections run the same prints across every size, so coordinating is simple: a footie-and-hat set for the baby (NB–12M), two-piece sets for toddlers and big kids (18M–16Y), and nightgowns or the velour maxi for girls in sizes 5Y–18Y. Pick the print once, then match each child’s size using the tables above — and everyone’s ready for the holiday photo.
Quick answers
Do Dottie Lou pajamas run true to size? Yes — order the size that matches your child’s age, and use height as the tiebreaker.
Will they shrink in the wash? No. Every piece is pre-washed and pre-dried before it reaches you, so the fit stays put.
What if I pick the wrong size? We offer exchanges — just keep the tags on and reach out within 3 days of delivery, and we’ll get your little one into the right fit. Details on our Shipping & Returns page.
Ready to size up the crew? Shop girls, boys, and baby — or explore our sleepwear and loungewear collections.