How to Choose Your Graphic Tee Size

A graphic tee should work with the way you want to wear it. Before choosing a size, start with a T-shirt you already like and compare its measurements with the chart for the exact product you’re considering.

Relaxed fit and heavyweight describe different things

Relaxed describes the fit. Heavyweight describes the fabric’s weight. A tee can be both. Our Shameless graphic T-shirt uses the Comfort Colors® 1717 garment-dyed blank: a relaxed fit in 6.1 oz/yd² cotton fabric. Choosing it means considering both the room through the body and the fabric you prefer.

Measure a tee you already wear

Lay it flat without stretching it. Measure its width across the chest and its length from the top of the shoulder to the bottom hem. Write down both numbers, using the same units as the product’s chart. For sleeves, follow the chart’s stated measuring method. Shameless lists sleeve length from the center back, so a shoulder-to-cuff measurement is not directly comparable.

These are garment measurements. The flat width is not your body’s chest measurement. Compare tee with tee, then think about whether you want a similar fit or more room.

What changes when you go up a size

On the current Shameless chart, M measures 20.25 inches wide and 28.00 inches long. L measures 22.00 inches wide and 29.37 inches long. That step adds 1.75 inches of flat width and 1.37 inches of length. Check both: a wider fit also changes where the hem sits.

The supplier lists a size tolerance of 1.50 inches, so the chart is a guide rather than a guarantee of exact measurements. Use the full Shameless size chart when comparing other sizes.

Choose the shape for your outfit

If you usually wear a tee on its own, compare the hem and sleeves with your favourite everyday shirt. If you want more room over another layer, compare the larger size’s width and length before choosing. For an oversized look, use the actual measurements instead of automatically adding one or two sizes.

You can keep the styling simple: a graphic tee with straight-leg denim, or an open overshirt that leaves the artwork visible. The fit should still feel right when you sit down, move your arms and wear your usual jacket.

Check each product separately

Two tees marked M can have different dimensions. Use the chart attached to each design in our graphic T-shirt collection, and check the available colour and size before ordering.

For Shameless, the care instructions are a cold machine wash up to 30°C, no bleach and low-heat tumble drying. Follow the product’s full care guidance when washing your tee.

The most useful starting point is already in your wardrobe: measure a tee you like, compare the numbers, then choose the shape you want.