The short answer
Father’s Day outfits go wrong for practical reasons: they arrive late, they do not fit, or he was never asked. Order with room to spare, give him the quieter half of the pair, and plan around what the day actually involves, which in most families means heat, food and a child who will not stay clean.
| The question | The answer |
|---|---|
| When is it? | The third Sunday in June, so always between June 15 and June 21 |
| When should I order? | Early enough that the delivery estimate for your address lands about a week ahead, leaving time to try everything on |
| He hates matching. Now what? | A solid tee or polo for him, the print for the child, and a deal that covers one photo |
| What about daughters? | Same print on his shirt and her dress, or a solid for him taken from the print on her dress |
| Is it a good gift? | Yes, if you know his size, keep the tags on his half until he says yes, and hand it over before the day |
| What about the barbecue? | Patterns or dark colors hide food, and kids stay 3 feet back from the grill |
This guide only covers the day itself. For the longer-term approach to dressing a father and son alike, from shared colors through to identical outfits, start with our father and son matching outfits guide.
When should you order for Father’s Day?
Aim for delivery about a week before the day, and count from a published estimate rather than a guess. Federal law sets Father’s Day as the third Sunday in June, which means it moves around between June 15 and June 21. Check a calendar for this year’s date before counting back.
We are not quoting a shipping time here, because it depends on the item, your address and the time of year. Current estimates are in the shipping information linked in our site footer, and they are estimates rather than guarantees. The week of margin is our suggestion and not a delivery estimate. It gives you a chance to try everything on and to see whether there is still time to sort out a wrong size.
- Put both halves in one order. Sizes in a print sell down one at a time, so buying the child’s half now and his next week can leave you with half a set.
- Check his size first. Adult sizes can run out before the children’s do. Filter by his size in our daddy and me outfits, then choose from whatever is left.
- Plan around the slow end. If an estimate is a range, count from the last day of it.
- Think about the address if it is a surprise. A package he opens himself ends the surprise, so ship it somewhere he will not pick it up, or warn whoever brings in the mail.
What if it is too late to order?
Match by color from what you already own. If the delivery estimate falls after the day, you can still get the same photo for free: find the shirt he likes best, then dress the child in the closest solid color they already have.
Nobody looking at the picture will know it was a last-minute idea, and a set can wait for a summer vacation, when there is no deadline attached to it.
What if Dad does not want to match?
Give him the quietest piece, get his agreement in advance and set a clear end point. It is his day, so he gets the veto. A man made to wear a loud print on his own holiday has not been given a gift.
Our range runs from pieces most men would wear anyway to shirts that make a real statement, so start from how far he is willing to go.
| How he feels about it | His half | The child’s half |
|---|---|---|
| “Absolutely not” | A solid tee or polo he would buy anyway | A print with that color in it |
| “If I must” | A tee with a small floral panel or a stripe | The same tee, or a dress from the same set |
| “Fine, it’s funny” | A color-block or colorful striped tee | The same tee |
| “Bring it on” | A full tropical print shirt | The same print, head to toe |
Three ways of asking that tend to go better than a surprise reveal:
- Let the child do the asking. “Will you wear this with me?” from a four-year-old is a different question from the same request made by a spouse.
- Ask for the photo and not the day. Twenty minutes in the shirt for a picture before brunch, then he can change. That is an easy thing to agree to.
- Buy a child’s half that works alone. If he declines, the child still has a good summer outfit and nothing has gone to waste.
The same goes double for a stepdad, a grandfather or an uncle who has stepped in. Ask first, in private, so that saying no costs nothing.
How do you match a dad and daughter?
Do not look for the same garment. Look for the same print on his shirt and her dress, or take his solid color out of the print on her dress. A dad-and-daughter pair starts with an advantage over a dad and son, because the two garments are different to begin with and so read as coordinated and not as a costume.
Most of what we sell for this pairing follows one of two patterns:
- Same print, two garments. A tropical floral shirt on him and a halter or strap dress in the same print on her. It is the boldest version and the clearest in photos.
- Her print, his solid. A floral cami dress with a plain black top, or a flower-print dress with a solid pink polo. This is the one to choose if he is reluctant, since he ends up wearing a normal shirt.
Listing names vary. Some say Daddy and Me with a shirt or a dress, some say Daddy & Daughter, and others say Daddy & Son and may show only the boy’s version. Read the title and options to see which pieces are sold before you fall for a print.
Her age changes what will work:
| Age | What to think about |
|---|---|
| Baby in arms | She will be held against his chest for most of the day, so pick a contrast that keeps her visible. Our mommy and baby matching guide explains why this works |
| Toddler | She will climb and sit on the ground in any dress, so add shorts underneath. A skirt that lets her move matters more than one that looks formal |
| School age | Give her the choice between two prints. It works better than a plan handed to her |
| Tween | She may not want to match anything. A shared color for one photo is often the most she will accept, and that is enough. |
If he has both a son and a daughter, the same print on a shirt, a smaller shirt and a dress gets the look without forcing everyone into one garment. Strappy and halter dresses leave shoulders exposed, so plan for sunscreen outdoors and a light cardigan for an air-conditioned restaurant.
How do you give a matching outfit as a gift?
Know his size, hand it over before the day and leave him a way out. An outfit given at the Sunday brunch table cannot be worn at that brunch, so give it on Saturday evening or as soon as it arrives.
- Find his size without asking. Read the tag on the shirt he wears most, then lay that shirt flat and measure across the chest, armpit to armpit. Double the number and compare it with the PatPat size chart. Measuring works better than the letter on the tag, and how our sizes compare with other brands is worth reading if he falls between two.
- Keep the tags on his half. Leave them attached and keep the packaging until he has said yes. Read the Return Policy linked in our site footer before you buy, since it sets the time limit and excludes sale items.
- Size the child for June and not for today. A baby or toddler can move up a size within a few months. Measure close to ordering and allow for how quickly they are growing.
- Let the child take part. Even a two-year-old can point at one of two photos. “She picked this for you” makes a shirt a far better present.
Would he wear it with nobody matching him? If the answer is yes, you have a shirt that goes on working through the summer. If not, consider buying only the child’s half and having the child wear it to breakfast as the surprise.
What should you wear for each Father’s Day plan?
Decide by the activity first and by the print second. Most families do one or two of these, and the same outfit will not always cover both.
| The plan | What works | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Brunch out | A polo or a collared print shirt, with a dress or a matching shirt for the child | Air conditioning after a hot walk. Bring a light layer for bare shoulders |
| Backyard barbecue | A print or dark tee, with a washable bottom for the child and a spare top in the bag | Grease and sauce, plus the grill itself |
| Park or hike | Tee and shorts or light pants, with closed shoes that fit well | Long ties and belts on play equipment, and the sun at midday |
| Pool or beach | A matching swim set, with a shirt or cover-up for the time out of the water | Long hours in wet clothes, and supervision |
At a barbecue, the rule to teach everyone is simple. The U.S. Fire Administration advises keeping a 3-foot safe zone around the grill so that children and pets stay clear. If you want a picture of the two of them, take it well away from the grill. Whoever is doing the cooking is also better off buttoning up an open shirt.
Food is going to land on someone. Patterns and darker colors hide it better than white, and if it does land on a light shirt, our stain guide explains what to do first and what can wait until you get home.
The park needs one specific check. CPSC’s playground safety handbook says children should not wear clothing with drawstrings, straps or cords while playing on equipment, because cords and straps can become entangled and strangle a child. A halter or belted dress is fine for lunch, but before the slide take off any removable belt, and change a child whose dress ties at the neck or has long ties.
For a pool day, matching swim trunks are the simplest pairing, with a dry shirt for afterward. Our father and son swim trunks guide has the details, and our matching family swimsuits pair trunks with swimsuits if he has a daughter. The CDC’s drowning prevention advice is to name one responsible adult to watch closely and constantly whenever children are in or near water, so settle who that is before the party starts, since a family gathering can make everyone assume somebody else is watching.
What about the heat and sun in June?
Plan for sun and a warm afternoon, then check the forecast a few days out. June weather differs hugely across the country, from a cool morning in Maine to a very hot afternoon in Arizona, so no single outfit fits everyone.
- In the heat, pick looser and lighter. The AAP’s heat advice favors light colors, loose clothing that lets air through and a single layer of absorbent fabric, with water always on hand, while noting that darker clothes give slightly better sun protection. That can pull against the barbecue advice above. A black tee hides sauce, while a light shirt stays cooler, so choose by how many hours you will be in direct sun.
- Bring hats and sunscreen, whatever the shirt. The AAP’s sun advice recommends limiting sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., wearing a hat with a 3-inch brim all around and reapplying sunscreen every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating. It also notes you can burn on a cloudy day.
- Keep a new baby in the shade. The AAP says babies under 6 months should stay out of direct sunlight, using shade from a tree, an umbrella or the stroller canopy. Keep a first Father’s Day photo in the shade as well.
- Never leave a child alone in the car, even for a quick stop. The AAP warns that a car can become dangerously hot in a short time, even with the windows open, and a busy day with a last-minute errand is when it is easiest to slip.
When should you take the photo?
Take it first, before the food and before anyone gets hot. Young children rarely have much patience for photos, so use it early, while the shirts are clean.
Look for open shade, or wait until the sun is lower, since hard midday light is what makes everyone squint. Get down to the child’s height, or let him pick the child up. When other family members join the picture, the three-color method keeps everyone from blending together.
Frequently asked questions
When is Father’s Day in the US? It falls on the third Sunday in June each year, which always lands between June 15 and June 21. Check a calendar for this year’s date.
How long will shipping take? It varies by item and address, so check the current estimates in the shipping information linked in our site footer. We suggest aiming for about a week before the day so there is time to try everything on.
What should a baby wear for a first Father’s Day? A soft, simple piece in a color that contrasts with his shirt, so the baby stands out when held. Keep babies under 6 months in the shade.
Can a dad and daughter match without him wearing a loud print? Yes. She wears the printed dress and he wears a solid shirt in one of its colors, which still reads as a pair in photos.
What size should I get if I cannot ask him? Measure a shirt he already wears across the chest and double it, then compare that number with the size chart. Keep the tags on until you know that it fits.
What if he wears it once and never again? Then the plain half was the wrong purchase, or a printed one was too loud. Next time, buy only the child’s half and match it to a shirt he already owns.
About this article
Written and fact-checked by the PatPat Editorial Team. How we research, source and review what we publish is set out on our editorial standards page.
Method. We reviewed a sample of current listings in our daddy and me collections in November 2026 and read the public guidance linked below. We did not test any garment. We do not state delivery times because they vary, and the one-week margin, the persuasion tactics and the outfit suggestions are editorial judgment and not research findings.
Sources. Date of Father’s Day: 36 U.S. Code § 109. Grill safe zone: U.S. Fire Administration, Outdoor Fire Safety. Clothing on play equipment: CPSC, Public Playground Safety Handbook. Water supervision: CDC, Preventing Drowning. Heat: AAP, Extreme Heat. Sun: AAP, Sun Safety.
Last updated 5 November 2026 · Next review November 2027
