2nd birthday shirts
The first year there is a preference, and the first year it changes without warning.
Characters for this age What size to buy
Two is the year a child starts having a favourite, and also the year that favourite is least stable. A property that was absolute at twenty-three months can be finished by twenty-five, which is worth knowing if the shirt is being ordered a fortnight ahead. The safe move is to buy what they are currently naming rather than what they liked when you started thinking about it.
Sizing moves to the toddler T system here, and 2T is not simply a small version of a bigger shirt. It is cut wider through the hip for a nappy and shorter in the body, which is why a 2T and an infant 24M can measure the same across the chest and hang completely differently.
What size to buy at 2
| US size | 2T |
|---|---|
| Garment chest | roughly 20–21 in |
| Sizing system | Toddler — 2T, 3T, 4T |
Sizes vary between licensees. Where a listing publishes its own measurements, those are the ones to trust. Our full US size guide covers toddler 2T through adult 3XL.
What matters at 2
- Buy the size they are now. A birthday shirt is worn on the day, and an oversized graphic sits somewhere around the waist in every photograph.
- Preschool television takes over from books around this age, so the recognisable characters shift from what is on the shelf to what is on the screen.
- Order at least a week ahead. Licensed toddler sizes go out of stock constantly, and 2T and 3T go first.
- A tall two-year-old is often better in 3T. Toddler cuts run short in the body before they run tight in the chest.
Characters a 2-year-old is likely to recognise
All characters →35 characters, from the franchises we judge a child of this age is likely to know, including everything listed for younger ages. Ordered alphabetically. This is a judgement about recognition, not a recommendation of one shirt over another.
Common questions
What size shirt does a 2-year-old wear?
2T, with a garment chest of roughly 20–21 in. US children's sizes are labelled by age rather than measurement, so where build and age disagree, measure a shirt that already fits and compare it against the listing.
Should a second birthday shirt have the age printed on it?
At this age it is a reasonable choice. The shirt is worn for one afternoon and photographed, so it losing its meaning the following week costs nothing.
How far ahead should you order?
At least a week, and longer if a specific size is essential. Licensed children’s apparel goes out of stock by individual size rather than by product, and the common sizes are the ones that go first.
Other ages
Birthday shirts →1st birthday shirts · 2nd birthday shirts · 3rd birthday shirts · 4th birthday shirts · 5th birthday shirts · 6th birthday shirts
Price and availability are taken from Amazon at the time shown and can change. The price on Amazon at the time of purchase applies. Prices shown are amazon.com in US dollars. Links redirect international readers to their local Amazon, where pricing, sizing and availability are shown in local terms.
CharacterTshirts.com is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or connected to any character rights holder, publisher, studio or network named on this site. All character names and titles are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify the products described.