Kids Graphic Tee Size Guide

Children's sizing is inconsistent between brands, and age labels are close to useless once a child passes about three. This guide covers how our sizes are cut, how to measure at home, and the two decisions that cause most returns: toddler versus youth, and whether to size up.

How to measure

You need two numbers, and a soft tape measure. Do it over a thin t-shirt rather than over a sweater.

Chest

Measure around the fullest part of the chest, under the arms, keeping the tape level and snug but not tight. Your child should breathe normally while you do it.

Height

Stand them against a wall without shoes, heels together, and mark the top of the head. Height is the more reliable of the two numbers for children's tops, because length is what usually runs out first.

Body measurements by size

These are body measurements and follow standard US children's sizing, which is what our shirts are cut to. They are not the measurements of the shirt itself: the tee is cut with several inches of ease on top. For the flat garment measurements of each size, see the size guide.

Our toddler shirts are sized 2T to 5T and our youth shirts S to XL. The two ranges are cut on different patterns and overlap around age five.

Toddler sizes

2T — height 34-37 in (86-94 cm), chest 21-21.5 in (53-55 cm), typically 1.5 to 2 years
3T — height 37-40 in (94-102 cm), chest 21.5-22.5 in (55-57 cm), typically 2 to 3 years
4T — height 40-42 in (102-107 cm), chest 22.5-23 in (57-59 cm), typically 3 to 4 years
5T — height 42-44 in (107-112 cm), chest 23-24 in (59-61 cm), typically 4 to 5 years

Youth sizes

Youth S — height 42-48 in (107-122 cm), chest 24-25.5 in (61-65 cm), typically 5 to 7 years
Youth M — height 48-53 in (122-135 cm), chest 25.5-27 in (65-69 cm), typically 7 to 9 years
Youth L — height 53-58 in (135-147 cm), chest 27-29 in (69-74 cm), typically 9 to 11 years
Youth XL — height 58-63 in (147-160 cm), chest 29-31.5 in (74-80 cm), typically 11 to 14 years

Individual products vary slightly. Always check the measurements listed on the product page itself before ordering, particularly for the oversized cut, which runs deliberately wider and longer. Our long sleeve styles stop at youth L.

Toddler or youth?

This is the decision that trips people up, because the top of the toddler block and the bottom of the youth block overlap on paper and fit quite differently in practice.

4T and 5T are part of the toddler block. They are cut wider at the hip to sit over a diaper or pull-up, have a shorter body, and use a larger neck opening for easier dressing.

Youth S is barely wider than a 5T but more than two inches longer. It is about the same room around the body in a much longer shape, so it looks more proportioned on a taller child while being tighter around the middle.

The practical rule: if your child is still in diapers at night or is stocky through the middle, stay in the toddler sizes. If they are out of diapers and getting tall, move to youth S.

Should I size up?

Usually, yes, by one step. Three reasons.

First, cotton shrinks. Expect one to two percent after the first wash, more if it goes through a hot dryer. Our patterns allow for this, but a tee bought tight has no margin.

Second, children grow fastest in the torso between two and six, which is precisely the dimension a t-shirt runs out of first.

Third, a slightly loose tee is comfortable and a slightly tight one is not, and a child who finds a shirt uncomfortable simply will not wear it.

The exception is if you want a fitted look on an older child, or if the child is at the very bottom of a size range and the next size up would swamp them entirely.

Between two sizes

Take the larger one. Our size charts carry a manufacturing tolerance of plus or minus 1.5 in (3.8 cm), which is wide enough that it can decide the fit for you, so the larger size is the safer bet. The only situation where sizing down makes sense is when the child measures at the very bottom of the range on both chest and height, and even then the gain is a few months of better fit against a shorter overall life.

Common questions

Do your sizes run true to US sizing?

Yes. The shirts are made and sold in the US, and toddler 2T to 5T and youth S to XL follow standard US children's sizing.

Why do your toddler and youth shirts use different size names?

They are different garments, cut on different patterns. Toddler shirts use the US toddler scheme of 2T to 5T, and youth shirts use S to XL. Putting them on one scale would mean printing a size on the label that is not the size of the shirt.

Why does my child fit a different size in your tees than elsewhere?

Children's sizing is not standardized. Two brands can label the same measurements 4T and youth S, which is why measuring is more reliable than comparing labels.