Volunteering to take on the Family Reunion shirt is brave. First of all, you may be outfitting 3 generations- all of whom may think the other generations aren’t capable of pulling off the perfect Reunion tee. But, you took it on- and we’re here to help. There are three challenges in developing an order for a diverse group:
1. How do you figure out everyone’s size? Furthermore, is it rude to ask? Will anyone be embarrassed? Additionally, what if Aunt Thelma asks for an XS and you believe perhaps and XL is more appropriate? Figuring out how many pieces of each size to order is tough!
2. What kind of design would speak to the whole group?
3. What kind of shirt will look good on everyone?
Fear not! Here are some pointers on how to avoid the awkwardness. Figuring out the size of each individual is challenging, and asking can be awkward. If you feel comfortable enough to ask for everyone’s size, that’s the safest bet- but also, we’ll talk about picking the correct product so the sizes requested fit the way they expect. Estimating sizes is another good way to navigate the sizing conversations. Let’s talk about the purpose of these shirts. Ultimately, you want to get a shirt on everyone for a family picture. Are they going to wear it after the reunion? Some will, some won’t. For some, it will remain a keepsake- but may not make it into heavy t-shirt rotation in their drawer. Our advice? People can always throw a shirt on for a photo that is a little too big (XL is a good generic size, and XL shirts are what they give out at stadiums, so it seems that is a good “one size fits all” kind of size). Estimate a little heavier on the larger sizes, that way, nobody will get a shirt they can’t physically get on. Don’t be afraid to get some 2x and 3x. Regardless of whether you ask or estimate, order an extra 6 or more shirts for the group to be safe.
Putting together the design is the fun part, but can be nerve-wracking. Our advice? Start by browsing designs to come up with a style that feels right, and brainstorm icons/symbols/ideas that mean something to the group and let our design team incorporate them. By giving them a “look and feel” design to help understand what you like, and then some components to incorporate, we can get you really close to options that should hit home. Helping us understand the style of your group will save a lot of iterating with our designers. If you aren’t really sure, that’s okay too- just give us some adjectives to describe your group: preppy, athletic, trendy, traditional, country, beachy. Picking the right shirt is the most important part! There are a lot of coded words in our industry that mean tight-fitting. Here are a bunch of them: fitted, retail, junior fit, young mens, modern, and fashion. Keep an eye out for these. If your group has a lot of folks over 30, “junior” and “retail” fitted items could be an issue. Instead, words like Misses, Womens, Unisex, Mens are a safer bet. One of my preferred brands for outfitting an entire group is Port & Company; they do a nice job of covering items for a wide range of ages and sizes- with fabrics that will match everyone from kids to adult 6X. La T also does a nice job, outfitting a diverse group, and their fabrics are gorgeous. We have some sizing samples in our showroom right outside Philly, so feel free to pop in and we can show you some size ranges if you are estimating a group! We are here to help!
