The Armour Archive

I've decided it's time for new under-tunics for myself. These will all be done in a mid 12C style of fairly long tunics along with the 5.3oz tunic over top of if.

Would the 3.5oz handkerchief weight linen from Fabric-Store.com be too thin for under-tunics? There were some "viewer mail" comments on their website that it's pretty close to a sheer fabric. I'm going to only be wearing these under my "nice" tunics so the sheer doesn't really matter to me so long as it'd be durable enough for repeated close-skin wearings.

To put this in context, I'm your typical "doesn't like the heat" kind of person and I'm normally too warm at an event rather than too cold. Over top of this I'll typically be wearing a medium weight linen long tunic and a wool-blend cloak if necessary. There's also a Linengarb.com hood that's worn with it as well for heat retention if appropriate.

Will the 3.5oz stand up to being worn that close to the skin and with the potential for sweat? Or would it be better to go to the heavier 5.3oz and let the wicking of the linen do its work?

Thanks,
Grif'

My .02 would be to go for the 5 oz linen, but I've never used the hankerchief weight. I'd just be too worried about wear on the lighter weight.

Robert The Stout.

I would worry about seams tearing on that light weight stuff. Unless your under tunic is very baggy. I would go with the 5 oz linen. Im making an under tunic and braes myself at the moment with five ounce linen.

I think that lightweight linen in the 3.5 oz range (I've been using a little bit from Fabrics-store and a lot of the lightweight stuff Fabric.com was selling last year) is ideal for an under-tunic. Provided the seams are finished properly and the raw edges of the hems enclosed, it should hold up just as well as any other linen, if not better: the Fabrics-store 3.5 oz linen has a slightly higher threadcount than, say, their 5.3 oz, and this tighter weave seems to keep it from unraveling quite as quickly if cut or torn.

YMMV, of course. I've never torn any of my linen garments, but I don't fight SCA heavy. If/when my stuff wears out, it's generally from wear on the seams or stress at the seams (due to bad patterning). So!

If it's just for daily wear and not for fighting in.. 3.5oz is just fine for undertunic clothing. Most of the women's chamise's that are linen are this weight and we wear them just fine as undertunic clothing.

But, even for fighting.. if you still have a layer of cloth/clothing between the 3.5 and the armour.. then you shouldn't have any problems either. But, as suggested just make sure you finish the seams properly. And 3.5 isn't all that shear

It is shear if it is the only layer you have on; I have seen women wear linen dresses where I can see their legs through the material when it is sunny and the sun is behind them. The upper body had a chemise so you cannot see through that.

Frankly I don't see how 3.5oz linen is going to really be any cooler than 5.3oz

Thanks for the comments.

This is just for civilian clothing, no combat of any kind.

James, why would you make that suggestion? Over the past few summers, I've worn undertunics and tunics both of the 5oz linen and I just overheat so severely. I was under the impression that a thinner weight linen would help. Am I wrong in this idea?

Thanks!

Thickness can make a difference if we are talking about tropical wool vs coat wool but that is 5oz vs 16oz. I don't find a minor difference in 3-5 to make much of any difference especially in linen as far as heat goes. I have shirts in both and never felt a major difference from one shirt to the next.

I also find tropical wool is not much different than linen except on humid days then linen is much better. Even at Pennsic I wear a tropical wool tunic almost all the time and two layers most of the time.

Women all over the SCA use the 3.5 oz linen for their chemises under their 5.3 oz linen dresses. I would much rather do this than wear two layers of 5.3 oz. of linen in the blazing sun. I think there would be a noticeable difference. Just my opinion.

I'll echo those who think it's a good idea for under-tunics that will not be worn alone.

Regards,
Tasha

Tailoress wrote:it's a good idea for under-tunics that will not be worn alone.

+Tas... um... I concur.

I wear at least two layers for all of my soft kit/civilian kit/garb/clothing, and all but one of my under tunics is the 3.5oz linen from fabric-store. I live in South Florida, and I've never gotten overheated while wearing it. In fact, I find it more comfortable than much of my mundane clothing.

Personally I don't care for the 3.5, unless it's like court wear or something. I have the 5.3 wearing out after less than a year (going to have to patch it soon). The 3.5 undertunic I have is court wear and hasn't been worn enough to put it through it paces.