Graduation Shirts and Senior Shirts for the Class of 2027
By The Velocity Wear Team
Graduation shirts and senior shirts each get about thirty-six hundred US searches a month. Seniors wear them on the first day of school, at homecoming, on senior sunrise, at prom send-offs and on graduation day. Families order grad party shirts too. Here's how to make it painless.
Senior shirts vs graduation shirts
Senior shirts are usually worn all year: first day, spirit week, senior sunrise. Graduation shirts are about the finish line: grad night, grad parties and family celebrations. Some classes do both. Many families order their own grad party shirts for relatives.
Design ideas
- Big 2027 or '27 in varsity lettering.
- SENIORS arched over the school name.
- Every senior's name on the back in a neat block.
- A class motto or inside joke, approved by the school.
- For grad parties: the graduate's photo with Congrats Class of 2027.
Get school approval
Class advisors usually need to approve senior apparel, especially if it uses the mascot or school logo, or includes jokes. Get approval before a class vote so the winning design doesn't get vetoed.
Names on the back
The names list is what seniors keep the shirt for. Collect names exactly as students want them to appear. Decide first names only or full names, and nicknames or not. Have two people check the final list against the proof.
Collecting orders and payment
Use one online form with name, size and payment. Share a size chart in inches. Set a firm deadline and don't order for anyone who hasn't paid. Many schools run apparel payments through their activities office or online payment system.
Timing
For first-day-of-school shirts, order in summer. For homecoming or spirit week, order at least four to six weeks before. For graduation, order by early spring. Production takes 10 to 15 working days after artwork approval, then shipping, and spring is busy.
Grad party shirts for families
Big families sometimes order shirts for everyone at the party with the graduate's name and school. Our minimum is 20 per design with sizes mixed, including youth sizes, which suits large family celebrations.
Keep a record for next year
Save the design files, supplier details, size totals and timeline in a shared folder for next year's class officers. Juniors will be doing this in twelve months, and knowing how many of each size a senior class actually ordered is gold. It also makes it easy to reorder if a few students join late in the year.
Colors that work for class shirts
School colors are the obvious choice. Heather gray with school-color print is a crowd-pleaser that flatters almost everyone. Black shirts with a bright print look sharp for senior sunrise and night events. If the school colors are loud, use them in the print rather than the shirt.
College graduation shirts
College graduates and their families order shirts for commencement weekend, often featuring the graduate's name, degree and year. Families traveling to graduation love matching shirts for photos on campus. Avoid official university logos unless licensed.
Grad party timing
Order grad party shirts by mid-April for May and June parties.
Keepsakes
Encourage seniors to have classmates sign their shirt on the last day.
Hoodies too
Many classes pair senior shirts with a senior hoodie. See our senior hoodies guide. Mock up designs in the design studio, check totals on the calculator, and browse custom t-shirts.
