Sizing Linen That Has No Stretch

FIT

Sitting down is where the size of a linen piece shows itself.

Most of the clothes in a modern closet have a little stretch woven into them, and we size them without thinking about it. Linen has almost none. That changes how you should judge a pair of pants or a shirt when you try it on.

Sit Down Before You Decide

Linen pants that feel right standing can pull across the seat and thighs the moment you sit. Because the cloth will not give, sit in a chair, cross your legs, and bend forward as if you are tying a shoe. If the waist digs in or the seam tightens across the hips, go up a size. Wide-leg pants are meant to have room through the leg, and a cut that feels generous standing usually feels right by the end of the day.

Expect a Little Give by Evening

Linen does relax slightly where you bend, mostly at the knees and seat, over a full day of wear. A wash brings it back, which means a pair of pants can feel a touch snug for the first hour after laundering. Plan for that first hour, not only the end of the day: if a fresh pair is uncomfortable, it is too small.

Watch the Buttons on a Shirt

On a button-front shirt, the size check sits between the buttons. Button it up and look in a mirror from the side. If the placket pulls open into small gaps across the chest, the shirt is too narrow there. A linen shirt should close flat with the buttons lined up straight down the front.

Reach and Roll

Raise both arms and reach forward. The back should not strain across the shoulder blades, and the hem should stay below your waistband. Then roll each sleeve twice. If the roll stops partway up the forearm and cuts in, the sleeve is too narrow to wear rolled, which is how most linen shirts end up being worn.

Between Two Sizes

With linen, the larger of two sizes is usually the right one. Extra room in a relaxed shirt or a wide leg reads as intentional, while a tight fit in a fabric without stretch looks and feels strained. If a piece is not right once it is on, the FAQs cover how to exchange or return it.

Thank you for shopping with us, and for letting good linen into more of your year.