You're only halfway across the footbridge to the bus stop, and the shirt you set out wearing open over your T-shirt has already moved down to your waist. You've knotted its sleeves in front of your stomach. The rest of it swings like an apron with every step. Your backpack is stuffed with your laptop and lunchbox, so there's nowhere else for it to go. The bus isn't in sight yet, and your T-shirt is already sticking to your back.
When you bought it, the thick fabric was what won you over. In your hand, it felt sturdy and expensive. On the street at seven in the morning, the same fabric feels like a blanket.
A shirt worn as an outer layer like this is usually called an overshirt. On the daily commute, its job is a light one: keeping the sun off your arms and making a plain T-shirt look a little neater by the time you arrive. For a job that light, shirt-weight fabric is plenty. Once the fabric is as thick as a jacket, it's just as hot as one.
Pinch the Fabric, Then Compare It with Your Work Shirt and Jeans
The easiest way to judge the weight of a fabric is to pinch it between your thumb and forefinger. Do the same with a work shirt and a pair of jeans from your wardrobe, so your fingers have something to compare it with. An overshirt about as thick as your work shirt will stay comfortable worn open until midday. One that's closer to your jeans is really a jacket cut like a shirt.
Shirt-weight fabric is also no trouble when the overshirt has to come off. Just roll it up to the size of a water bottle and slip it in beside your laptop. An overshirt as thick as jeans is hard to roll up that small. That's why it ends up around your waist.
If you're shopping online, zoom in on the product photos and look at the folds in the fabric, especially at the elbows. Thin fabric breaks into lots of small, soft wrinkles. Thick fabric settles into a few large, rounded folds. If the description mentions denim, canvas or corduroy, the fabric is usually thick.
Leave Room Between Your Overshirt and Your T-Shirt
Worn open, an overshirt catches the breeze from the front. That air can only move if there's room between the overshirt and your T-shirt. A fitted cut presses the two layers together until they feel like a single thick shirt.
Take the cream Oasis shirt. It's made from 100% cotton. The cut is roomy through the chest, with dropped shoulders: the shoulder seams fall onto your upper arms. With the buttons undone, the fabric hangs loose and doesn't cling to your T-shirt.
Look at the inside as well. A lining, the second layer of fabric sewn in behind the outer one, traps even more heat. For a daytime commute, choose one that's unlined.
A Denim Jacket for Cloudy Mornings and the Ride Home at Night
A denim jacket still has its own working hours. The navy blue denim jacket from the Work Denim Jacket line, for example, is shaped a lot like a shirt. It has a shirt-style collar and two chest pockets. But the fabric is raw denim, which means it has never been washed. Give it the pinch test from earlier and it's clearly closer to your jeans than to your work shirt.
Wear a jacket like this when the air really is cool: a cloudy morning after a night of rain, say, or the ride home on a motorbike at night. For a scorching morning like the one on that footbridge, leave the job to a shirt-weight overshirt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a linen overshirt good for hot weather?
Yes. Linen is light and dries quickly, so it's comfortable worn open in the middle of the day. The downside is that linen creases easily, especially at the elbows and across your back where the backpack presses against it. If you want to stay neat until late afternoon, go for a linen and cotton blend.
On a motorbike, should you button your overshirt or leave it open?
Button it, at least up to your chest. An open overshirt flaps in the wind and tugs at your shoulders the whole way. Once the bike is parked, undo the buttons again to let the air in.
Can you wear an overshirt to the office?
You can, especially in an office with a relaxed dress code. Choose one with a neat collar in a muted colour, then wear it over a plain T-shirt with nothing written on it. If there are visitors or an important meeting, button it up so it looks closer to a regular shirt.
What's the difference between an overshirt and a shacket?
Shacket, a combination of the words shirt and jacket, usually refers to a shirt made from jacket-weight fabric. The trouble is that many shops use the two names interchangeably. So don't go by the name on the label. Pinch the fabric first.
What kind of T-shirt should you wear under an overshirt?
A plain T-shirt that fits you properly, not a size too big. A tee that's too loose bunches up under the overshirt and takes up the room the air needs. Pick a colour that clearly contrasts with the overshirt, such as a white T-shirt under a navy blue shirt.