Kids' party shirts: how many to order and which sizes
Ordering shirts for a children's party without ending up with three that fit nobody. Real size guidance by age, plus how many spares are worth having.
The hard part of party shirts is not the design. It is that you are buying clothing for other people's children, sight unseen, from a guest list that will change twice before the day.
Ask for age, not size
Parents know their child's age and often do not know their shirt size, particularly for a brand they have never bought. Ask for age when you collect names and translate it yourself.
| Age | Usual size | If unsure |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | 2T to 3T | Go up |
| 4 to 5 | 4T to XS | Go up |
| 6 to 8 | XS to S | Go up |
| 9 to 11 | S to M | True size |
| 12 plus | M | True size |
Going up a size is nearly always the right call for children. A shirt slightly too big is worn for another year. One slightly too small is worn once, politely, and then never.
How many spares
- Under ten guests, order two extra in the middle size
- Ten to twenty, order three
- Above twenty, order four, and expect one to go to an adult sibling
Spares are not waste. Somebody always brings a cousin, one gets covered in cake within the hour, and a parent will ask whether there is a spare for the younger one who is watching.
Names on shirts
A name on each shirt turns a party favour into something a child keeps. It also solves the problem of eight identical shirts on a floor at the end of the afternoon.
The bulk creator asks how many kids, gives you that many name boxes, and lets you set a size for each one. Paste the list from your messages and it fills them in.
Order earlier than feels necessary
Printed to order means it is made after you buy it, and then shipped. Two weeks is comfortable, one week is tight, and three days is a gamble on a party that only happens once.