The Difference Between Baby Clothes: Rompers vs Onesies vs Jumpsuits vs Bodysuits

With all the new baby lingo and to-do list in full swing, no doubt there’s some baby-related questions living rent-free in your head. You’re definitely not alone; infant clothing jargon can be quite confusing! If you don’t know the difference between a baby romper, onesie, bodysuit and jumpsuit, we’ll lay it all out for you here. Plus, you’ll be able to accurately hint at what needs crossing off your baby registry *wink, wink. 

Before we explain the difference between a baby onesie vs romper vs jumpsuit vs bodysuit, we first need to establish what each of those baby fash terms really mean.

What is a romper?

Creeping into the baby fashion sphere in the 1900s as playwear, rompers are available in both adult and baby sizes and are your comfy playwear go-to clothing. To put it simply, a romper is an article of clothing that consists of a top with attached shorts or pants. It’s a complete and lightweight outfit that’s been hailed as one of the most comfiest articles of clothing, and is usually made from soft, breathable material fabrics like cotton (or organic cotton in our case).

León & Bird Goldie and Quentin Astronaut Organic Romper

What is a jumpsuit?

Much like rompers, jumpsuits are one-piece items of clothing, however, they are usually long and cover the legs, while rompers can be either short or long legged. So they can really be referring to the exact same item of clothing!

Hannah Andersson Jumpsuits

What is a onesie?

So now that we’re clear on the difference (and similarities) between rompers and jumpsuits, we’re throwing yet another one in the mix. Onesies. Onesies are loose-fitting, one-piece garments that cover the torso and end above the waist with buttons or snaps for closure over the crotch area. But.....they can also sometimes have legs! The key thing here is they’re not snug on the body, they’re loose-fitting.

Katelyn Mannix Designs Onesies 

What is a bodysuit?

Bodysuits are one-piece garments for babies. They don’t have legs and will usually include a closure (like buttons or snaps) at the nappy area to help hold the nappy in. They are snug and not loose-fitting.

Little Elinor Baby Bodysuit

So now that we’ve determined what a romper, onesie, jumpsuit and bodysuit actually are, let’s look over those differences:

What is the difference between a romper and a jumpsuit?

Rompers are generally snug fitting and short or long-legged, whilst jumpsuits can be a little looser and generally long legged. 

What is the difference between a bodysuit and onesie?

Both articles of baby clothing have a snap or button closure over the nappy area, but the main difference is that onesies are loose-fitting and bodysuits are snug! Both generally have no legs. 

Now that’s clear - why not check out our gorgeous range of organic cotton baby rompers for girls and boys 6 months to 36 months.