What to Write on Leavers Shirt Day: 100 Messages That Hit

7 min read · WORN

Not sure what to write on leavers shirt day? Keep it short, personal and a little bit funny: an inside joke, a memory only you two share, or one honest line like "you made this place bearable." Below are 100 messages sorted by who you're writing for, plus the pens that won't run and how to keep the shirt looking good for years.

If you want to actually remember what you all wore on the last day (not just what you wrote), WORN is being built to keep that kind of memory for you: Start my outfit diary

What a leavers shirt is (and the US version)

A leavers shirt is a plain shirt, usually your school shirt or a white tee, that friends and teachers sign on your last day. It's a massive thing in the UK at the end of Year 11 or Year 13 (S4 to S6 in Scotland).

• UK: leavers shirt day, last day of Year 11 or Year 13.
• US: senior shirt signing or last day of school shirt signing, often alongside yearbook signing.
• Canada: usually around grade 12 grad, sometimes a signed tee or grad shirt.

Same idea everywhere: 30 seconds per shirt, a marker, and trying not to cry in the corridor.

Quick etiquette: ask before you write, keep it kind (this shirt is going in a memory box, and maybe in front of their grandma), and don't cover someone else's message.

Messages for your best mates

What to write on friends leavers shirt when they're your actual people. Go specific.

1. "Same table, different chapter. Still sitting with you."
2. "From Year 7 nobodies to this. Proud of us."
3. "You're stuck with me. No refunds."
4. "Thanks for every lunch, every panic and every voice note."
5. "Group chat stays active. That's the law."
6. "You were the best part of every bad day."
7. "Main character energy since day one."
8. "Remember [inside joke]? I will. Forever."
9. "You're my emergency contact now. Sorry."
10. "Every memory here has you in it."
11. "Besties till the care home."
12. "No one else gets my humor. Don't leave."
13. "Thanks for the notes. And the lies to Miss."
14. "Future flatmates? Say less."
15. "You carried me through revision. Actual legend."
16. "Life's a lot less boring with you."
17. "Pinky promise: dinner every summer."
18. "I'd pick you in every group project."
19. "Love you, weirdo."
20. "See you at every birthday for the rest of our lives."

Funny leavers shirt messages

What to write on leavers shirts funny edition. Use your inside jokes first; these are backups.

21. "I only signed this for the clout."
22. "Wash this and we're done."
23. "Worth 0 UCAS points but 100 vibes."
24. "Please return to [your name] if found crying."
25. "Congrats on surviving the canteen food."
26. "Your handwriting is worse than mine. Respect."
27. "Top 5 people I sat near."
28. "I'd still copy your homework."
29. "Future famous? Remember me."
30. "This shirt is now a legal document."
31. "Certified not a background character."
32. "Rent free in my head since Year 9."
33. "Low battery, high vibes."
34. "I've seen you trip on the stairs. Twice."
35. "Sorry for writing so big."
36. "No cap, you were fine I guess."
37. "Brb, going to cry in the toilets."
38. "Still waiting for that £2 back."
39. "Most likely to be late to their own graduation."
40. "Your fit on non-uniform day? Iconic."
41. "Signed by your favorite person. You're welcome."
42. "This is my autograph. It'll be worth money."
43. "Absolute menace. Wouldn't change you."
44. "Plot twist: we actually passed."
45. "Tell your mum I said hi."

Emotional and sentimental messages

These are quotes to write on leavers shirt when you mean it. Short beats long.

46. "You made the hard days lighter."
47. "Thank you for seeing me."
48. "Some people make a school feel like home. You did."
49. "Don't forget how far you've come."
50. "Whatever's next, you'll smash it."
51. "Glad our paths crossed."
52. "Not goodbye, just see you later."
53. "You were always kind. That matters."
54. "I'll miss your laugh the most."
55. "The best is still coming."
56. "Proud to have known you through all of it."
57. "Stay exactly you."
58. "You changed things for me. Thank you."
59. "Different schools, same friendship."
60. "Hope life's as good to you as you were to us."
61. "We grew up here together."
62. "Every day was better when you were in."
63. "Take this energy everywhere."
64. "Here's to the next bit."
65. "Always in your corner."

What to write on your crush's leavers shirt

Keep it light. Nothing you'd be mortified to see in 10 years.

66. "Glad I sat near you in [subject]."
67. "You always made [lesson] better."
68. "Stay in touch? Seriously."
69. "Good luck. Not that you need it."
70. "Your smile was the best bit of Mondays."
71. "Wish we'd talked more. Still can."
72. "Keep being cool. It's working."
73. "Here's my handle. Use it." (Only if you're brave.)
74. "Hope we cross paths again."
75. "You're going to do amazing things."

What to write for someone you barely know

Someone hands you their shirt and you've spoken twice. Short messages for leavers shirt that are warm but not weird:

76. "Good luck with everything!"
77. "Go smash it."
78. "Wishing you the best, [name]!"
79. "Nice knowing you. Have a great summer."
80. "Congrats on finishing!"
81. "Stay awesome."
82. "Big things ahead."
83. "Enjoy what's next!"
84. "Legend. All the best."
85. "Class of [year]. We made it."

What to write on a leavers shirt for a teacher

If a teacher lets you sign theirs, or you want them to sign yours, here's the vibe:

86. "Thanks for not giving up on me."
87. "You made [subject] make sense."
88. "Sorry about Year 9."
89. "Best teacher in the building."
90. "Thank you for the second chances."
91. "Your lessons were the good ones."
92. "I actually listened. Sometimes."
93. "Thanks for believing in me."
94. "Enjoy the peace and quiet."
95. "You're the reason I'm doing [subject] next."

Five last ones for literally anyone

96. "Best year group ever. No debate."
97. "We did it."
98. "Keep in touch."
99. "Remember this."
100. "The end. Kind of."

Here's what hits five years later: the shirt is covered in messages, but nobody remembers what anyone actually wore that day, or on prom night, or on the first day of Year 12. WORN is planned as an outfit diary with one photo a day, private by default, that just remembers your outfits instead of rating them. Your last-day fit, saved. Start my outfit diary

Best pens and how to keep your shirt forever

Pens to write on leavers shirt

• Fabric markers: made for clothes, so they hold up best. Brands like Sharpie make stained fabric markers.
• Permanent markers: work fine on cotton, but can bleed on thin fabric. Write fast and don't press too long in one spot.
• Avoid: ballpoints (fade and smear), felt tips (wash out) and gel pens (smudge).
• Colors: black for readability, plus a few colors for doodles.

How to stop leavers shirt ink running

1. Put cardboard inside the shirt so ink doesn't soak through to the back.
2. Let it dry fully before folding.
3. Set the ink following your pen's instructions; many fabric markers say to iron on the reverse once dry.
4. Don't wash it if you can help it. If you must, turn it inside out, cold, gentle, air dry.
5. Store it away from sunlight so it doesn't fade, or frame it in a box frame.

Going to prom next? Read can you wear the same prom dress twice. Heading to uni? Here's what to wear to uni open day.

Save the fits, not just the signatures

Your leavers shirt holds the messages; your outfits hold the rest of the memory. WORN is a planned outfit diary: one tap, one photo of what you wore, no tagging, photos private by default and deletable in one go. Join the waitlist and get a single email when it opens.

Start my outfit diary

FAQ

What should I write on my best friend's leavers shirt?

Use an inside joke or a specific shared memory, then one sincere line like "every memory here has you in it." Specific always beats generic when you're deciding what to write on friends leavers shirt.

What are funny things to write on leavers shirts?

Short, cheeky lines work best: "Wash this and we're done," "I only signed this for the clout," or "Plot twist: we actually passed." Keep it kind, since the shirt will likely be kept for years.

What pens do you use to write on leavers shirts?

Fabric markers are best because they're made for clothing and last longer. Permanent markers also work on cotton, but put cardboard inside the shirt to stop bleed-through, and set the ink following the pen's instructions.

What do you write on someone's shirt if you don't know them well?

Keep it warm and simple: "Good luck with everything!", "Congrats on finishing!" or "Big things ahead." Adding their name makes it feel personal without being awkward.

Is shirt signing a thing in the US?

Yes, some US high schools do senior shirt signing on the last day, though yearbook signing is more common. The messages work the same way: short, personal and a bit funny.