Christmas Gifts for Him in Australia: An Italian Linen Shirt Guide
Share
The best Christmas gift for him in Australia is one he can wear on the day, and a linen shirt does that because Christmas here falls in the middle of summer. Take his size from a shirt he already owns, pick a blue if you are unsure about colour, and order with at least three weeks to spare. I am Gian Piero, I make these shirts in Napoli, and this is how I would buy one for a man who has no idea it is coming.
Why a linen shirt works for an Australian Christmas
In the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas lands in summer. That changes what makes a good present. A wool jumper waits in a drawer until June. A linen shirt goes on for Christmas lunch and stays in rotation until autumn.
Picture the long lunch in the backyard, everyone under the sail shade, prawns on ice and the sun creeping across the table all afternoon. A thick cotton shirt clings by the second hour. Linen breathes, so the air keeps moving through it, which is why we wear it all summer in Napoli.
Then comes Boxing Day. This year the Test at the MCG is Australia against New Zealand, starting on 26 December. Melbourne weather in late December is hard to call. The December average maximum there sits in the mid-20s, yet a few days out from the 2024 Boxing Day Test the Bureau of Meteorology was forecasting close to 40 for day one. On a 34-degree day in the stands, a linen shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbow beats a polo, and he can wear the same shirt to dinner after stumps.
The honest part. Linen wrinkles. By the tea break he will look like he has been sitting in the sun all day, because he has.
How to get his size right without asking
Asking his size gives the surprise away. You do not need to ask. His wardrobe already has the answer.
- Find the shirt he wears most, the one that comes off the clothesline and goes straight back on. That shirt fits the way he likes.
- Lay it flat on the bed and do up the buttons.
- Measure straight across the chest, just under the arms. Double the number.
- Measure the shoulders, seam to seam across the back.
- Compare both numbers with the chart on our size guide. Chest and shoulder decide the size.
- If he lands between two sizes, size up.
Do it on a weekday arvo while he is at work, and fold the shirt back the way you found it.
Our shirts come in M, L, XL and 2XL. The cut is a relaxed tailored fit, close through the shoulder. For a reference point, our model is 180 cm and 85 kg and wears an L. Sizing up is the safe call with linen. A shirt with a little room looks relaxed. One that pulls across the chest looks like it shrank, and he will stop reaching for it.
If all you know is his Australian label size, our sizing guide for Australian and NZ men converts it.
How to choose a colour he will actually wear
Look at what he already wears, not what you wish he wore. A shirt in a colour he would never pick ends up as the shirt he mows the lawn in.
| If his wardrobe is mostly | Give him | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Navy, white and denim | Cielo or Pescatore | The two safe blues. Cielo is a strong midday sky blue. Pescatore is a heathered, worn blue, close to chambray. |
| Beige, khaki and grey | Vesuvio | A soft taupe gone a touch grey. The neutral that sits with chinos and stone shorts. |
| Already some pink or prints | Fragola | A warm strawberry pink. Only for a man who already wears colour. |
| Dark colours and evening plans | Marina or Midnight Blue | Deeper blues for Christmas Eve drinks and dinners out. |
Fragola on Christmas Eve, with white shorts and thongs at the barbecue, is a great look on the right man. On the wrong man it stays in the bag. If you are not sure he is the right man, go blue.
One trade-off with the dark shirts. A dark shirt absorbs more sun than a light one. Marina and Midnight Blue look sharp after sundown, but for a long afternoon outdoors, Cielo or Vesuvio will be kinder to him. For more on each shade, read which Positano colourway to buy.
What I would put under the tree from Santoli
Every shirt in our Positano Capsule is 100% Italian linen at 180 GSM, cut and sewn in Napoli and made in small runs. In Australia each one is A$199.
- Cielo. The one I would give if I knew nothing else about him. It is the colour of the sky over Napoli at midday.
- Pescatore. For the man who lives in faded denim. The heathered blue looks lived in from the first day.
- Vesuvio. For the man who dresses in neutrals and would rather not be noticed at lunch.
- Fragola. For the man who already owns a pink shirt and actually wears it.
Why linen at this time of year. It breathes in real heat. It softens with every wash. It goes in the machine on cold and hangs dry on the line, which suits a man who has never owned an iron.
The catch, again, because it matters. Linen wrinkles. That is real linen. If he wants a shirt that stays crisp through a long lunch, this is not it. If he is happy to look like he has lived in it all day, he will wear it every weekend for the rest of summer.
Buying for two or three men, or when you cannot guess
If you are buying for your partner, your dad and your brother, buy all three at once. Three or more Positano shirts take 10% off automatically at checkout. Five or more take 15% off, and seven or more take 20%. If you only need two, a third for yourself brings the whole order into the first tier.
Then there is the man you cannot read. He has opinions about collars, he returns things, and you have never seen him in anything but black. Give him a Santoli gift card and let him choose his own colour and size. It is less of a moment on Christmas morning, I will admit that. Write on the card which colour you would have picked. Half the fun is finding out if he agrees.
Delivery and returns, the honest version
We ship from Florida within one business day. Orders to Australia usually arrive in 7 to 10 business days. Business days skip weekends, so 10 business days is two full weeks on the calendar. Give yourself at least three weeks before the day you want to hand it over.
There is no duty on orders under A$1,000. GST is collected at checkout, so nothing extra is due at the door.
When the parcel lands, open the outer box before you wrap it. If anything is damaged or wrong, tell us within 48 hours and it is covered. Check the size on the label while the tape measure is still out, but leave the shirt in its own packaging with the tags on. A return needs it unworn, with tags and packaging intact, so wrap it the way it came.
Returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery, and return postage is paid by the customer. From Australia that postage is a real cost, which is one more reason to measure first. If the size is off, he can exchange it for the next size. Outside the United States an exchange follows the same rule as a return, so the postage back to us and the shipping of the new size are both paid by the customer. Remember that the 30 days start on delivery, not on Christmas morning. A shirt that arrives in early December has a window that closes in early January, so do not let it sit in the cupboard until February.
Frequently asked questions
What size linen shirt should I buy him if I cannot ask?
Measure a shirt he already wears. Lay it flat, measure straight across the chest just under the arms, double it, and compare with our size guide. If he falls between two sizes, size up.
Is a linen shirt a good Christmas gift in Australia?
Yes, because Christmas in Australia falls in summer. He can wear it to Christmas lunch, to the cricket on Boxing Day and on every warm weekend after. The trade-off is that linen wrinkles.
How long does delivery to Australia take?
Orders ship from Florida within one business day and usually arrive in 7 to 10 business days. Order with at least three weeks to spare before you need it.
Is there duty or GST to pay when the parcel arrives?
No. There is no duty on orders under A$1,000, and GST is collected at checkout. Nothing extra is due at the door.
Can he exchange the shirt if it does not fit?
Yes, within 30 days of delivery, as long as it is unworn with the tags and packaging intact. From Australia an exchange follows the same rule as a return, so the postage back to us and the shipping of the new size are paid by the customer. Measuring a shirt he owns first is the cheaper route.
Is there a discount for buying more than one shirt?
Yes, on Positano shirts. Three or more take 10% off, five or more 15%, and seven or more 20%. The discount applies automatically at checkout.
How much is a Positano linen shirt in Australia?
A$199 each. Every Positano shirt is 100% Italian linen, 180 GSM, cut and sewn in Napoli in small runs.