Linen — Cut dimensions

The overshirt runs large. This is specified, and the reason is thermal, not stylistic.

1. Air gap

   Linen cools by moving air between cloth and skin. Fitted close, the gap closes and the cloth becomes a stiff layer that creases and does nothing. The looseness is the mechanism.

2. Pre-shrink

   The cloth is washed twice before cutting. Shrinkage is removed before the pattern is laid, so the garment delivered is the garment that stays. Unwashed linen loses two to three percent at the first launder; this does not.

3. Between sizes

   Take the smaller. The cut carries the room; the cloth will not shrink further.

4. Crease

   Linen creases. Relaxed fibres crease softly rather than sharply. Iron damp on the reverse for a crisp morning and expect the afternoon to differ. A linen shirt still pressed at 18:00 is not linen.