As a mom of two, I know firsthand how frustrating kids' clothing sizes can be. I keep wishing all the brands could agree on a universal fit chart. Wouldn't that be nice? It hasn't happened yet. What we've done at Hootie Hoo is to stay consistent. When you buy a size 8 this year and come back for a size 10 next year, you already know what to expect. That part we can promise you.
Our size names are a two-part guide: an age reference and a height range. Size 6 (120) fits most kids aged 6 to 7, or 120 to 130 cm tall. Size 8 (130) fits most kids aged 8 to 9, or 130 to 140 cm tall. The number in parentheses is your starting point. Pull out a measuring tape, height first, then weight. Our full fit chart with height, weight, chest, and waist ranges for every size lives here: Hootie Hoo Size Chart.
Sizing by age is the fastest way to get kids' outerwear sizing wrong. A "size 6" assumes an average six-year-old, but what does average actually mean? My nine-year-old is still in a size 8 because he's athletically built but only 51 inches tall. If your kid is tall for their age and hitting 50 inches at six, they're closer to a size 8 too. Kids come in every shape and proportion, and the age label on a tag accounts for none of that. Pull a tape measure and match them to our chart. It'll save you a return shipment, I promise.
Here's something a lot of parents don't know about: almost every kids' snow gear brand offers extendable sleeves and legs. If you've never noticed this, you're going to love it. On Hootie Hoo styles, flip the jacket or pants inside out and look toward the cuffs and leg openings. You'll see red stitches. Pull those stitches and you unlock 2 extra inches for your kid to grow into. We made a video walking through exactly how it works: How to Extend Your Kid's Jacket Sleeves By 2".
We build in extra room through the torso on purpose, so that when you release those 2 inches in the sleeves and legs, the body still fits too. We've seen other brands add the extension feature but design the jacket so narrow that families can't actually use it. That's not a feature, that's a checkbox. We obsessed over this because the whole point is a durable kids outdoor jacket that actually grows with your kid, not one that technically extends but fits like a sausage casing by January.
The outerwear runs roomy, but our base layers and mid layers are true to size. That's intentional. Close-to-body layers trap warmth better when they fit snug. And if you ask me, base layers are the best investment in the whole kit. Kids can wear them almost year-round: skiing and snowboarding in winter, camping in the shoulder seasons, early spring soccer games when it's still 40 degrees on the sideline, summer camp nights when the temperature drops. And full disclosure, my kids have been known to wear our Torrent Fleece Set as pajamas, especially on ski trip nights when we're all wiped out and nobody wants to change. One good base layer pulls a lot of weight.
If you're stuck between two sizes on anything, email us before you order: info@hootiehoo.com. We're watching the inbox and happy to help you pick based on actual measurements. Much easier than a return for both of us.
When my team and I were designing Hootie Hoo, we kept coming back to the same question: why does kids' gear have to be so disposable? A jacket that fits one season and gets donated the next isn't a deal. It's just buying the same jacket twice. That's the buy less, keep longer idea we built the whole brand around. So we made ours to last: durable fabric, reinforced knees and seat, extendable sleeves and legs, sizing that holds consistent year over year. A jacket that becomes a kids' outerwear hand-me-down for a younger sibling is the goal, not the exception. In March 2026, SKI Magazine named our Spruce Jacket Best Kids' Ski Jacket Overall, with editor Jenny Wiegand noting “it stands out for thoughtful design and strong performance at a fair price”. That recognition means a lot. But what really gets me is when a parent tells me their kid's little sibling is now wearing the same jacket. That's what we set out to build.
Measure right, buy right. This jacket fits this year, still fits next year, and might just find a second kid to love it after that.
Want sizing tips, gear guides, and the occasional honest take on sustainable kids outerwear from a Vermont mom who obsesses over this stuff? Join our newsletter.
Claire
Mom of Two and Co-founder of Hootie Hoo