I Contain Multitudes

Now compare that to the productivity of modern short stalk high gain wheat and?

I was at a charter school funcrtion with tie dying shirts - kids who definately did not fit in the large shirt ctegory, wanted XL shirts, because they like the loose fit... So some of it (not all) maybe fashion for loose shirts.

Now, are these men's sizes or women's sizes?

If the same guys came to both symposiums, they probably learned how much the shirts shrunk from their first time around.

A regular t-shirt (say a Hanes or a Fruit Of The Loom) runs larger than an American Apparel t-shirt that a lot of screen printers use (They're relatively inexpensive in bulk, have a premium appeal to them, come in a ton of colors, etc). So if you're wearing an Large in a Hanes, you may very well be an XL in an American Apparel.

You also have the issues of vanity sizing and different cuts. I like the style of many of Target's Mossimo Supply Co shirts, but I'm an entire size larger in those because they're "Athletic Cut" which apparently means tight. Vanity sizing works the opposite way. Men's size 36 pants at Old Navy are actually 41 inches.

And of course, these are "free" t-shirts at a conference. In those situations, I always get a size bigger because I assume they're going to shrink a size after the first wash.

Unfair assessment! :) male, 49" chest, but 36" waist. on size charts I should wear a large because of waist, but XL because of chest.

My size isn't listed: XXM

At my sons middle school orientation (6th - 8th grades) a few weeks back they were selling school t-shirts. The sizes were S, M, L, XL, XXL. Adult sizing. Many 6th graders (other grades too but this shocked me) needed XXXL shirts that had to be special ordered. Just the same there were several XS being ordered. It made me sad that so many very young children were so large.

Here in Florida children are only allowed to be held back one year. It is part of the "no child left behind act". Reason being that they will be much larger than the other children, may get teased and/or frustrated and drop out early.