How a Men's Linen Shirt Should Fit

Most men buy linen shirts in the same size and fit as their office shirts, then wonder why they look rumpled by noon. Linen isn't poplin. It's meant to sit away from the body, and a linen shirt that fits like a formal shirt is a linen shirt that fits wrong.

Shoulders first, always

The shoulder seam should land at the edge of your shoulder bone, or a touch past it on a relaxed cut. This is the one measurement that can't be fixed later. If the shoulders are right, the rest of a relaxed shirt takes care of itself. If the seam is climbing toward your neck, go up a size.

The chest should have air in it

You should be able to pinch a few centimetres of fabric on each side of your chest. That gap is the cooling system — air moves through it, and the linen never sticks. It's also what keeps creases soft. Linen pulled tight across the body creases hard at every stress point: elbows, waist, the small of the back.

The Russet Linen Camp Shirt is cut with this in mind — relaxed and boxy, with a chest patch pocket and a panel seam near the hem that gives it some structure so "relaxed" doesn't turn into "shapeless".

How long should an untucked shirt be?

The hem should end around the middle of your trouser fly — roughly where your hip bone is. Longer than that and it looks like a borrowed shirt. Shorter and it lifts every time you reach for something. Camp shirts are designed for this length and have a straight hem, which is your signal that the shirt is meant to stay out.

The Citron Linen Contrast Shirt makes the point visually: its hem is finished with a cocoa-brown contrast band, along with the collar, placket and sleeve cuffs. Nobody puts a contrast band on a hem that's meant to be hidden in trousers.

Short sleeves: where they should end

Mid-bicep, with room to slide two fingers in at the opening. A sleeve that grips the arm is a t-shirt habit. A camp shirt sleeve should stand slightly away — it looks better and it lets air in.

Full sleeves: push, don't roll

The Ash Linen Popover Shirt has full sleeves, an open V neckline with a soft collar, no buttons, and a boxy fit that wears untucked. On a full-sleeve linen shirt the cuff should reach the base of your thumb when your arm hangs. Most of the time, though, you'll wear the sleeves pushed up to the forearm. Push rather than fold neatly — a precise roll looks fussy on a fabric this relaxed.

The test

Put the shirt on and raise both arms. If the hem lifts past your waistband, it's too short. If the fabric pulls across your back, it's too small. If neither happens and the shoulder seam is in place, that's your size — even if it feels roomier than you're used to.

Cash on delivery available. Easy 7-day returns if the fit isn't right.

Frequently asked questions

Should I size up in linen shirts?
Not if the cut is already relaxed — and these are. Buy your usual size and expect more room than a formal shirt gives you.

Can a camp shirt be tucked in?
It can, but it's working against the design. The straight hem and boxy cut are made to hang free.