Poet's Shirt Dress - Light Linen

LINEN

Our linen styles are crafted from premium linen that is grown, woven and sewn in Europe to create the highest standard in linen garments. 

Metta Melbourne orders will arrive pre-washed, and ready to wear on arrival. Some linen pieces have been lightly pressed and may appear flat initially - however within no time the linen will soften with wear, creating those natural wrinkles.

 For your first wear and ongoing care we recommend: 

• Warm machine wash. 
• Line dry on a hanger and wear to soften naturally /OR  tumble dry and remove it immediately once the cycle has finished. Tumble drying will give it a lovely softness.
• Rustic linen, linen gauze, and our woven linen towels all respond particularly well to being tumble dried for achieving softness.  
• Shake out your garment and hang on a hanger. 
• Skip any ironing after washing to achieve the wonderful crinkled look you see in our images. 
• If you prefer less wrinkles, a simple steam or iron on a high heat will smooth out the fibers. 
• Ticking Stripe, Micro Check & Bengal Stripe: machine wash on a 3o degree setting with similar colours. Tumble dry or line dry. Flat iron or use a steamer if preferred. Do not bleach.

KNITTED LINEN 

• Our knitted linen items come from the same premium flax linen as our garments and the same care instructions can be followed.
• Our knitted socks are not one size fits all, please see the individual listings online.
• When our socks arrive, they appear smaller in size, and we suggest stretching them out ever so slightly with your hands before popping them on. After a wear or two, they will soften and stretch out, but shrink nicely again after the next wash.  

KNITTED WOOL 

Natural fibers possess inherent properties that naturally resist odours and bacteria. Therefore, if the garment remains unstained, simply airing it out is usually sufficient.

•  If washing becomes necessary, we suggest a gentle hand wash using your preferred wool wash in lukewarm water. After gently agitating and rinsing, remove excess water by rolling the garment in a towel. Alternatively, if you trust your machine, you can use the spin cycle to extract the water. Subsequently, allow the garment to dry flat.
• It is important to avoid tumble drying your knitwear or leaving it hanging while still wet.
• To maintain the shape of your knit, we recommend storing it folded flat.
• For a natural moth deterrent with a subtle fragrance, consider storing your knitwear with bay leaves.

COTTON 

Our cotton garments will all come with their own care label, and we suggest following these closely for the longevity of your styles.

• Often machine-washable on a cool to warm heat setting and able to be tumble dried or line dried. We love drying garments such as our shirts, Imogen Cotton Slips and Camis from coat hangers, to avoid any unwanted fold lines.

COTTON VOILE & LACE 

Our lace staples are made using both cotton fabrics and cotton lace, making them soft to the touch and non-abrasive. 

• Crafted using one of the last antique lace machines in with world. 
• Machine washable, unless their care tag states otherwise.
• Place your cotton voile and lace items in a delicates bag and pop them through a cool gentle/or hand-wash cycle, unless tag states otherwise.  

COTTON VELVET MELODRAMA COATS

Our lace staples are made using both cotton fabrics and cotton lace, making them soft to the touch and non-abrasive. 

• Features natural irregularities. 
• Crafted from 100% Cotton 
• Do not rub or scratch the surface. 
• Steam in a light circular motion, without applying pressure to the surface. 

PRINTED COTTON POPLIN & PRINTED COTTON VOILE

• Hand wash separately in cold water. 
• Dry flat out of direct sunlight.

SILK

Our silk garments such as the Amy Skirt, Camille Slip and Camisoles have been hand-loomed by artisans in India from raw silk which creates a subtle mottled sheen, making every skirt silk garment unique with a sense of character.

• Machine washable, unless their care tag states otherwise.
• Place your silk items in a delicates bag and pop them through a cool gentle/or hand-wash cycle.

OVERDYES

Our over-dyed fabrics are batch dyed locally in Melbourne. We work closely with our local dyers to maintain consistency, though variations in colour can be expected and often occur. 

LIBERTY of LONDON FABRICS

Whenever we find the perfect Liberty of London fabric to use in our Metta Melbourne collections, we can’t help ourselves. Originating in 1875 on Regent Street in London, Liberty Fabrics are renowned to this day for their timeless patterned fabrics. We love to use their 100% Cotton fabrics, such as the silky-feel Tana Lawn variety that are designed in-house by Liberty London studio artists, and printed at Liberty's own Italian mill, situated close to Lake Como. 

• Turn garments inside out when machine washing and line drying to help preserve the stunning vibrancy of the prints. 
• If line drying, position in a shaded area, and avoid direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as this can fade most printed fabrics. 
• Please note that due to the nature of the product and printing process, variations may occur in colour consistency. 

LIBERTY of LONDON FABRICS ~ CLASSIC TANA LAWN

• Warm maximum wash.
• Do not use chlorine bleach.
• Warm iron.
• Dry cleanable. 
• Do not tumble dry.

 FRENCH TICKING STRIPE 

Ticking Stripe was originally known as ‘ticking fabric’ and made from thickly woven cotton or linen. ‘Ticking’ comes from the Greek word ‘theka’, which means ‘case’ or ‘covering’ as this delightful fabric was used in the home to cover mattresses, keeping straw and feathers in nicely. We fell in love with this timeless stripe many years ago, and love to incorporate it into our collections. 

SEERSUCKER

The word Seersucker originates from the Hindustani words شیر shîr and شکر shakar, which translate to "milk and sugar", from the resemblance of its smooth and rough stripes to the smooth texture of milk and the bumpy texture of sugar, respectively.

• In order to preserve the gorgeous textural nature of the fabric, we advise against ironing seersucker garments or only ironing lightly. 
• After washing, straighten out pockets when hanging or iron lightly after tumble drying to avoid a bumpy silhouette.