SpecsySizes
Buy clothes as gifts without asking and ruining the surprise
The problem with asking someone their size is that they then know what you bought. Write it down quietly in advance instead.
- Jumper
- L
- Shirt collar
- 41
- Shoes
- EU 44
- Likes
- Merino, dark green
- Never wears
- Anything with a logo
The question that spoils the present
There are two ways to buy a jumper for someone. Ask, and lose the surprise. Or guess, and hand over a gift receipt with it.
The information is easy to collect in advance. A glance at a label, a comment about a brand that never fits, a mention of a colour they will not wear. It is available all year and gets forgotten by December.
A quiet note per person, kept private and not shared with the family group, solves the whole thing.
What is worth noting for gifts
- Sizes for the two or three things people actually get as presents, jumpers, shirts, shoes
- Colours and materials they wear, and the ones they quietly never do
- What they already own, so you avoid buying a second one
- Their ring size and a rough wrist measurement, if jewellery is on the table
- A photo of a label taken during a normal visit, no questions asked
Keep this card private
Specsy shares only what you place in a shared space. A gift card can sit on your own side, invisible to the person it is about, even if they are in your family group.
That matters more than it sounds. The reason people do not keep a gift list is the fear of it being seen.
Where to get the information without asking
- Look at the label of a coat hanging in their hallway
- Note the brand of shoes they wear most, and check the size inside the tongue
- Listen for complaints, sleeves too long is a size note
- Ask a partner or a parent instead of the person themselves
- Save the size of anything you have successfully given before
Questions people ask
Can I keep a card the family group cannot see?
Yes. Cards are private by default and shared only when you add them to a shared space.
Can I store gift ideas as well as sizes?
Yes, use the notes field on the card, or add a photo of the exact item you saw in a shop window.
Is there a way to note what I already bought them?
Add a line to the card each year. It turns into a short history and stops repeat presents.