How to choose the right t-shirt size (and make it last): the Tattà® guide)

In Naples there's a saying that grandmothers would bring out whenever someone turned up in a shirt that was too tight: "meglio largo ca strinto" (better loose than tight), meaning better comfortable than constricted. It wasn't just about elegance, it was a philosophy of life. Because a t-shirt isn't an outfit to wear once and forget: it's the thing you put on Saturday to go out, Sunday for coffee, and even Tuesday when you don't feel like thinking. It has to fit you well, it has to last, and above all it mustn't let you down after three washes.

So let's talk about it properly, without the usual catalogue spiel. Here we'll try to explain how to choose the right t-shirt size, how to tell honest cotton from the rest, and how to look after prints so they stay vivid for years, instead of melting away like ice cream on Ferragosto (Italy's mid-August holiday).

How to choose the right t-shirt size without getting it wrong

The first mistake everyone makes is guessing. "I wear an M," says someone, only to discover that one brand's M is another's L. Sizes aren't a universal law, they're more like ragù (Neapolitan Sunday meat sauce) recipes: every household has its own. That's why the safest approach isn't to trust the letter, but the actual measurements.

All you need is a tailor's tape measure – or, failing that, the yellow DIY kind – and ten minutes of patience. Here's what to measure:

• Chest width: take a t-shirt that fits you well, lay it flat on a table and measure from one armpit to the other. That number, doubled, gives you the circumference. Compare it with the product's size chart.
• Length: from the highest point of the shoulder, near the neck, down to the bottom hem. If you like a t-shirt that covers well and falls softly, this is where you gain a few extra centimetres.
• Shoulder: from one seam to the other, across the top. This is the measurement that, more than any other, decides whether a t-shirt "ti casca bene" (hangs just right on you) or looks borrowed.

Once you have your numbers, jot them down somewhere on your phone. They become your passport: every time you buy online, instead of guessing, you compare. It's less romantic than trying it on in a shop, we know, but it saves you returns, muttered curses, and t-shirts left in the wardrobe with the tag still on.

Unisex fit: comfortable for everyone, awkward for no one

Most of our t-shirts have a unisex fit, and that's a deliberate choice, not laziness. The unisex cut is designed to fall straight and even, without pulling in the wrong places. It works well on different body shapes and leaves you free to decide the style.

That's the whole trick: if you love the oversized look, the comfortable kind that makes you look like you've just hopped off your scooter with your jacket over your shoulders, go up a size. If instead you prefer a slimmer, more fitted line, go down a size. There's no right or wrong, just what you like. A t-shirt should tell your story, not constrain you. Take a look at the whole collection in the Tattà® t-shirts section and picture yourself wearing it: it's the best way to work out which size is right for you.

Cotton: why it's not all the same

Here we get to the heart of the matter, because a t-shirt is only as good as the fabric it's made from. Cotton can feel all the same when you touch it in a shop, but after a month of real life you see the difference between the honest kind and the kind that saves you money today only to cost you more tomorrow.

You can recognise good jersey cotton by a few concrete things. First, the weight: more grams per square metre generally means a thicker, less see-through fabric that holds its shape. A t-shirt that's too light feels fresh and comfortable at first, but tends to lose its shape, to "spanzarsi" (sag and bulge, as they say in Naples) at the neck, and to go shiny in the spots where it rubs.

Second, the hand – how the fabric feels to the touch: it should be soft but substantial, never rough or plasticky. Third, the stitching: look at the neckline and the hems. Double, even, close stitching is the signature of a t-shirt built to last. The neckline in particular is the weak point of every t-shirt: if it's made well, it always bounces back into shape; if it's made badly, it soon stays stretched and tired-looking.

The same reasoning applies, multiplied, to hoodies: there the fabric works even harder, keeps you warm, and gets put on and taken off a thousand times. In the Tattà® hoodies section you'll find garments designed to see you through this city's damp winters, where the cold is never dry and gets right into your bones.

How to wash printed t-shirts so they last for years

This is where everything is decided. You can buy the most beautiful t-shirt in the world, but if you mistreat it at the first wash it's like pouring your coffee down the sink: a crying shame. The print, especially a quality one, needs just a few simple but precise bits of care.

• Always turn the t-shirt inside out before putting it in the washing machine. With the print on the inside, it's protected from rubbing against other clothes and the drum. This is rule number one, and on its own it can add years to the life of the design.
• Wash at low temperatures, around 30°C. Water that's too hot is the enemy of both colours and fabric: it shrinks them and fades them. Cold water cleans perfectly well and is gentle.
• No bleach and no harsh fabric softeners. Bleach eats away at colours, and too much softener can leave a film that dulls the print. A gentle detergent is more than enough.
• Avoid a harsh spin cycle. Too many revolutions put stress on the fibres and the stitching. A moderate spin dries things enough without crumpling everything.

When it comes to drying, grandmothers' advice is still unbeatable: air dry, in the shade. Direct sunlight, the strong July kind on the balcony, is lovely for us but merciless on colours: it washes them out. Hang the t-shirt inside out, ideally flat or on a wide hanger that won't stretch the shoulders out of shape, and let it breathe. If you really must use a tumble dryer, keep it on a low heat: excessive heat is the number one cause of cracked prints.

And ironing? Gently, the way you iron something you care about

Ironing a printed t-shirt isn't complicated, you just need to avoid treating the print like a floor to be polished. There's only one rule and it's non-negotiable: never put a hot iron directly on the print. Always iron from the inside out, and if you absolutely must go over the front, put a cotton cloth between the iron and the design. Medium heat, and no steam blasted treacherously onto the graphic.

Do all this, and you'll have a t-shirt that stays beautiful wash after wash. And that's the whole point: a garment looked after properly isn't an expense you repeat every season, it's a travelling companion. It becomes the t-shirt your friends recognise you by, the one you wear with an affection that disposable things will never give you.

If you're in the mood to find the right one, take your time measuring, write down your numbers, and come take a look among Tattà®'s t-shirts and hoodies: choose the size with your head, the design with your heart, and then look after it well – because beautiful things, like important relationships, last if you take care of them.