adult small shirts on little boys...

[ProudGrandma]

our family is taking our church youth group to a youth conference this summer.  Everybody who attends gets a t-shirt, however, because it's a youth conference, they assume all who attend are big enough to wear at least a small adult t-shirt...however, my 12 year son is still going to swim in this size.  I know that girls have often used a ponytail holder to cinch up the shirt in the back or the side, but what is there for boys?  Sure he could wear longer shorts...but the shirt still goes down to the bottom of his knees...

 

maybe there aren't any ideas "out there"...but I thought I may as well ask...right??

 

(oh we won't get the shirts until we arrive so sewing a hem isn't an option...already thought about it.) 

[maize]

Wash and dry on hot?

[MASHomeschooler]

Tuck it all the way, then pull it mostly out (and kind of fold over pants) and it will cut the length below the top of the pants in half.

[Garga]

Tuck it all the way, then pull it mostly out (and kind of fold over pants) and it will cut the length below the top of the pants in half.

That's what I would try: tuck and pull out so it flops over the short's waist.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Garga

[nevergiveup]

If you get to keep the shirt, why not just hem it up, cutting off the excess material.

You can also sew in the side seams making it narrower.

 

Sorry--didn't see the part about not being able to sew.  I would just fold it under and tuck it in.

Edited May 14, 2016 by nevergiveup

[alisoncooks]

Do you know for certain it won't fit?  My almost-10 year old can wear an adult small without it being excessively large.

[domestic_engineer]

Do you know for certain it won't fit? My almost-10 year old can wear an adult small without it being excessively large.

This. I was surprised when I discovered this with my child too.

[zoobie]

You can cut the hem off if it's too long, but adult small shirts are about the size of youth large especially in the mass event type tees.

[Farrar]

Yeah, my 11 yos are on the smaller end of their age and they can wear adult small T-shirts fine. I mean, they're longish and loose, but not in an absurd way at all. It just looks like a style choice.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

My son just wore them anyway, he's quite small for his age.

[gardenmom5]

when ordering t-shirts for a large group - it's not expected they will fit.  it's about "matching" and being part of the group.  you can see if they plan on doing any x-sm and if they are counting what size shirt someone wants.

[happi duck]

Bring a stapler.

 

I am only half kidding.

 

:)

[abacus2]

Confirming what others said, that an adult small is similar to a child large. I mistakenly ordered my child who outgrew child sizes an adult small the first time. It did not fit.

[Cinder]

You can cut the hem off if it's too long, but adult small shirts are about the size of youth large especially in the mass event type tees.

 

When I was trying to decide which size school shirt to get for then-10yo dd--youth L or adult S--I was told the youth size would be wider, the adult size would be slightly longer. Since my dd needed the length we went with adult S and it worked great.

 

If the shirt length is really going to be a problem you could try cutting and "hemming" with Stitch Witchery--it irons on--to avoid the rolling you'd get with just cutting. (I haven't actually tried this before so I'm just throwing it out there as a possible solution.)

[MEmama]

My 13 yo can just now wear this size and not look ridiculous/feel uncomfortable. I want to know why they make them so darn wide--surely no one actually wants to look like a tent? (Admittedly he has a very lean, athletic build)

[heartlikealion]

our family is taking our church youth group to a youth conference this summer.  Everybody who attends gets a t-shirt, however, because it's a youth conference, they assume all who attend are big enough to wear at least a small adult t-shirt...however, my 12 year son is still going to swim in this size.  I know that girls have often used a ponytail holder to cinch up the shirt in the back or the side, but what is there for boys?  Sure he could wear longer shorts...but the shirt still goes down to the bottom of his knees...

 

maybe there aren't any ideas "out there"...but I thought I may as well ask...right??

 

(oh we won't get the shirts until we arrive so sewing a hem isn't an option...already thought about it.) 

 

Inform them otherwise???

 

I sometimes wear men's small shirts but I'm an adult. As a child I'm sure I'd have been swimming in it, too! Plus, some girls have ahem, b00ks to fill up the extra shirt. I think it's unfair to assume the shirts would fit children.

 

[justasque]

Duct tape.

[TechWife]

Don't worry about it. He won't be unique in this aspect, just let him enjoy being part of the group. If he sees it as a problem, he'll most likely solve it himself.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I wouldn't worry about it.  It might be big, but it's an informal fun time I assume so it'll be fine.

 

FWIW, my 14 year old (about 14 and a 1/2) can now wear an adult small without it being way too big.  So at that age it would have been a nightgown.  But..whatta ya gonna do. 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[AmandaVT]

Are the T shirts the same color/logo for men and women? Could you get him a women's adult small? It would be smaller than the men's and just might fit him.

 

I mix up my women's medium t shirts with DS's child large all the time when I'm doing laundry.

Edited May 15, 2016 by AmandaVT

[TammyS]

I probably wouldn't care, but if it bothered me that much I would just bring scissors and cut it.  It's not like it's going to be a great shirt anyway, they never are.  You can bring fabric glue if you want to really do a job, but I'm lazy and wouldn't bother.  Just cut it and whatever happens, happens.

[catz]

If he's 12, don't blink!  My son was 4'8" at newly 13 and is 5'8"+ at 15. 

 

I don't think it's a big deal at all if he doesn't care.  If he wanted to cut it, tuck it in, or cinch it up I'd let him chose how he wants to handle it.  Some activities/camps/etc targeted for like age 11/12+ just had the adult sizes when my son was that age too.  He just had some big t-shirts in his drawer for a while. 

[Farrar]

I'm curious how big these tweens are that would still be swimming in an adult small shirt. Those things are really small! I guess it just surprises me because my kids are often the smallest (or, more commonly, next to smallest) in their age in a group and they can wear them fine.

 

There is a local competition we've done a couple of times that gives every kid a shirt. The kids are all elementary (though including 6th graders). The T-shirts are *always* adult x-large. It's downright bizarre. I'm not skinny and they're always big on me. They're hilarious on the 3rd graders.

[SparklyUnicorn]

If he's 12, don't blink!  My son was 4'8" at newly 13 and is 5'8"+ at 15. 

 

I don't think it's a big deal at all if he doesn't care.  If he wanted to cut it, tuck it in, or cinch it up I'd let him chose how he wants to handle it.  Some activities/camps/etc targeted for like age 11/12+ just had the adult sizes when my son was that age too.  He just had some big t-shirts in his drawer for a while. 

 

My son might be glad to hear that.

 

He's I believe up to 5 ft 3 now at 14.  So maybe there is time yet. 

 

But yeah prior to this crazy growth spurt he was much tinier.  I suppose 5 ft 3 sounds tiny, but really he was quite a bit shorter than me (I'm 5 ft 1).

[teachermom2834]

I'm curious how big these tweens are that would still be swimming in an adult small shirt. Those things are really small! I guess it just surprises me because my kids are often the smallest (or, more commonly, next to smallest) in their age in a group and they can wear them fine.

 

There is a local competition we've done a couple of times that gives every kid a shirt. The kids are all elementary (though including 6th graders). The T-shirts are *always* adult x-large. It's downright bizarre. I'm not skinny and they're always big on me. They're hilarious on the 3rd graders.

This cracked me up. My dad organizes events and always gets only adult XL and XXL. Been doing it for 15 years. My sister and I have tried to convince him otherwise but he just does not believe anyone wears smaller than an adult XL. In fact, my 18 yo wears an expensive jersey my dad bought him of his favorite player ...when he was 3 yo. Seriously. It has been pretty frustrating over the years.

 

There is no convincing him. He is otherwise a smart guy.

[SparklyUnicorn]

This cracked me up. My dad organizes events and always gets only adult XL and XXL. Been doing it for 15 years. My sister and I have tried to convince him otherwise but he just does not believe anyone wears smaller than an adult XL. In fact, my 18 yo wears an expensive jersey my dad bought him of his favorite player ...when he was 3 yo. Seriously. It has been pretty frustrating over the years.

 

There is no convincing him. He is otherwise a smart guy.

 

This reminds me of a t-shirt my BIL bought for our older son when he was 6 years old.  It was to celebrate the Fifa World Cup in Germany.  We visited during the games.  The shirt finally fits him properly now at 14.  :lol:

 

This has been true of every single piece of clothing my in-laws have ever bought the kids.  None of it fit for many years.  Sometimes it didn't work out at all because they'd buy something super babyish and by the time it fit the kids were just way too old for it.  This is even when the kids visit and they can see that they aren't huge. They'll buy something that's good for the average size for the age, but my kids are not average size!!

 

They just don't get it. 

[TammyS]

If he's 12, don't blink!  My son was 4'8" at newly 13 and is 5'8"+ at 15. 

 

I don't think it's a big deal at all if he doesn't care.  If he wanted to cut it, tuck it in, or cinch it up I'd let him chose how he wants to handle it.  Some activities/camps/etc targeted for like age 11/12+ just had the adult sizes when my son was that age too.  He just had some big t-shirts in his drawer for a while. 

 

I agree.  My son grew 15" one year.  And now that he's 6'9", there is no good T shirt situation for him.  A Large is too short and looks like a girl's shirt with cap sleeves, an XL is still not long enough, but his skinny frame swims inside of it.

[Rebel Yell]

This cracked me up. My dad organizes events and always gets only adult XL and XXL. Been doing it for 15 years. My sister and I have tried to convince him otherwise but he just does not believe anyone wears smaller than an adult XL. In fact, my 18 yo wears an expensive jersey my dad bought him of his favorite player ...when he was 3 yo. Seriously. It has been pretty frustrating over the years.

 

There is no convincing him. He is otherwise a smart guy.

🙄We have had the opposite problem. Average height skinny guys who wear a small or medium think DH will be just fine in a large.

 

Ummm he wears a 52" jacket and has a 44" waist. 3XXXL might work if it doesn't shrink in the wash.

[Rebel Yell]

Are the T shirts the same color/logo for men and women? Could you get him a women's adult small? It would be smaller than the men's and just might fit him.

 

I mix up my women's medium t shirts with DS's child large all the time when I'm doing laundry.

If they do have women's sizes make sure they aren't fitted or "girl" shaped. Those are usually called Junior cut but a. He will have a girly fit probably tissue-this version of the shirt and b. They are sized even weirder. My 5"1", 115lb, 30aa girl can wear a Junior cut XL and not look sloppy.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I agree.  My son grew 15" one year.  And now that he's 6'9", there is no good T shirt situation for him.  A Large is too short and looks like a girl's shirt with cap sleeves, an XL is still not long enough, but his skinny frame swims inside of it.

 

15 inches in one year?!

 

Holy cow.

[LisaKinVA]

When my then 10yo crossed over into Boy Scouts, I bought him AS troop shirts.  At $18 a pop, I was going to get my monies worth ;)  It was a little large, but he dealt with it.  My oldest I essentially skipped AM and went to AL (for Scout shirts), at 16 the AL are starting to fit right

 

DD at 5'2" (she's growing again) and 14 can wear AS perfectly well now, as can my 12yo boy.  I probably started buying them for her when she hit a YL size as well.

 

I can sympathize with those trying to buy shirts.  It's not always easy to get the sizes and the pricing.  Some companies will count all sizes as part of the same order, some will count only Youth as one order and then Adult as a separate order.  If most kids will fit (closely) the size of an AS, and they don't expect to have enough Youth sizes to bring the t-shirt costs in line, I ca see why they would get just the AS size.

 

 

[wendy not in HI]

My husband works with a bunch of 12 year old scouts.  Some are getting tall, but he has a few that are closer to 4 feet than to 5 feet tall.. An adult small would hit a couple of his boys at the knee.  Can you request a youth large or xl?  If they are having the shirts printed somewhere and it's a couple months away, they may work with you.  

 

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I vote to bring some white duct tape and some binder clips.  If he is truly uncomfortable, just figure out a MacGuyver-ish thing to do with the duct tape and binder clips.  Make them available to all the smaller kids and you'll be a hero.  :-)

[heartlikealion]

Lol yeah, there always seems to be a group overlooked. Dh needs big and tall shirts. Literally for big and tall. For the poster that has a tall son, he'd need to find one with the "T" in the label.

 

I'm small framed and have no b00ks to speak of, so I would have probably been the kid swimming in a shirt.

 

If it was possible, I'd get a hi-res copy of the image and order my kid a shirt on my own time in the same color with the same logo. If bulk orders were required or whatever, maybe I could do the iron-on transfer. If comfort trumps looks, I might risk a less than beautiful screen print for a shirt that doesn't dangle or look like what I'd wear to shoplift a turkey. ;)

[SparklyUnicorn]

I think it's tough when it goes the other way around.  You can't really pull off way too small.

 

 

[heartlikealion]

I think it's tough when it goes the other way around.  You can't really pull off way too small.

 

Yeah, good point LOL

 

[domestic_engineer]

OP, since this thread is still going .... :D

How often will your DS be expected to wear this now-infamous T-shirt?  Is this going to be a wear-it-every-day-while-in-camp or a souvenir T-shirt whose wear is completely optional?

[Lady Marmalade]

Is it just a plain old jersey t-shirt?  Bring along a fabric scissors and just cut off what you think is too much.  If you make a nice, clean cut, the bottom of the jersey material will just roll up on itself a touch, so you won't need to worry about sewing it or anything.  

 

We cut up t-shirts all the time here.  Most frequently we just cut off the sleeves and neck so that we turn a tee into a tank, but we've cut out decorative cut-outs, added decorative knots and twisted the jersey as well.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Is it just a plain old jersey t-shirt?  Bring along a fabric scissors and just cut off what you think is too much.  If you make a nice, clean cut, the bottom of the jersey material will just roll up on itself a touch, so you won't need to worry about sewing it or anything.  

 

We cut up t-shirts all the time here.  Most frequently we just cut off the sleeves and neck so that we turn a tee into a tank, but we've cut out decorative cut-outs, added decorative knots and twisted the jersey as well.  

 

Hey that's a great idea!  And later on it can be sewn (or not).