Best Men's Linen Shirts and How to Wear Them
Linen fabric has long been a durable, dependable summer-friendly fabric made from the flax plant. According to Encyclopedia Britannica: “Flax is one of the oldest textile fibers used by humans; evidence of its use has been found in Switzerland’s prehistoric lake dwellings. Fine linen fabrics have been discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs.”
Thanks to its ability to conduct heat well by absorbing and releasing moisture quickly, garments and fabrics made from linen feel cooler in warmer months, making them the ideal option for men looking to elevate their style above the ofttimes chosen cotton t-shirt. This is why come summertime, you'll see linen pants, a blazer, a jacket, and even a full on linen suit - the breathability of pure linen natural fiber makes linen shirts a classic menswear staple for the warm weather wardrobe. Whether it be for a special occasion, that extra hot summer day, or even everyday wear, there seems to only be one real drawback of natural fabric texture Wrinkles.
It's time you forget what you’ve been told about the fiber from flax you know as linen. Times have changed, and it's time to appreciate the very look and nature of the loosely woven classic fabric. The wrinkles of linen are actually what make it great. When someone wears the flowy fabric, it’s showing an ease – a comfort in wearing a fabric that couldn’t be too formal if it tried. Sure, suits and dress shirts can be found frequently made from linen, but its inherent qualities keep it apart from a tightly woven super 150’s wool-silk or a 100% Egyptian cotton broadcloth.
How to Wear Linen Men's Shirts
Introducing a linen shirt into your wardrobe – warm weather wardrobe, everyday wear, or somewhere in between – might seem intimidating. If you are used to swapping out your button front shirts for a simple polo style, then you can easily grab one of these and wear it just about the same way.
Do: Wear it untucked, with casual jeans, chinos, or shorts whenever you feel the need to be cool - both literally and figuratively.
Don’t: Take it too seriously. Relax. There is a common misconception that linen is an unforgiving luxury fabric that needs to be reserved for a special occasion. That is simply not true. Linen can be washed and dried just like all of your other clothes (although always read washing instructions) so it should be worn like all your other clothes.
Do: Consider wearing it into the fall. Much like linen sheets (we are a big fan), linen clothing is actually great to incorporate into your cold weather wardrobe as well. It’s a sturdy fabric that can actually help regulate temperature all year long, not just during the hot summer days.
Don’t: Overthink it. Pick a style that you think you would wear and then go for it. The nature of this style is to be lightweight and airy, so don’t go for anything too “slim fit.” Fabric does stretch out a bit over time, but you should still aim to buy the size that fits you naturally.
If you want to feel safe, grab a solid option and ease into the stye. If you’re looking to dive into the deep end of this trend, go for a bold floral print that will surely get you noticed. If you are feeling somewhere in between, don’t worry, there are plenty of options for you guys too.
We’ve picked out 11 men's linen shirts that we think that you should take a serious look at for the warm temperatures that remain.
Why is linen sustainable?
Linen has been the slow burn in a notoriously fickle fashion industry, but the latest figures show that more and more labels are loving it and using it more.
64% of brands used linen to a great extent for the first time - Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton
28% were large brands - Fendi, Stella McCartney, Maison Margiela, etc.
49% of designers showcased at least one linen look in their collection (i.e. 18.6% of designers vs. 12.5% in 2020)*
Ladies linen is a much more sustainable fabric than cotton, even organic cotton. This is for a few reasons:
Linen is made from flax, which is a regenerative crop that enriches the soil.
It uses a lot less water than cotton. A linen shirt uses 6.4 litres of water - it's 26 litres for a cotton shirt, according to the CELC (European Confederation of Flax and Hemp).
Most flax is grown in northern Europe - France, Belgium and The Netherlands account for 85% of world production - which cuts down the air miles for the European fashion industry.
Thanks to its temperature-regulating properties, it can be worn comfortably all year round.
Linen's fibres are much longer lasting than cotton, which makes it more expensive to produce but it will last much longer in your wardrobe.
It is an anti-bacterial fabric which means you don't need to wash it as often.
There's no plastic in this natural material, so no microplastics will be washed into the sea when you wash i.
How to Wear a Linen Suit
It happens year after year: every single summer you get invited to a wedding and every single summer it gets uncomfortably hot. You could just keep wearing your regular office-friendly wool suit, sweat through it, send it to the dry cleaner, and repeat. Or you can buy a L
linen ladies suit.
Here is the good news: There are linen suits all over the place right now, at every price and every cut, and they’re very good. Here is the better news: there are more reasons than ever to grab one. People are dressing more comfortably, but also more elegantly! People are consuming more sustainably! People are wearing suits because they actually want to! It’s time for the linen suit.
Before you scroll down or run off and buy your perfect linen suit, here are some thoughts on the best way to wear one. First, there might be a point in the dressing room, or when you decant your online order, where you doubt this whole thing. You’ll think of retired guys drinking mojitos on vacation. You’ll think of drunk idiots at the Kentucky Derby. You’ll think that this was a bad idea. Banish these images from your mind and instead of focus on the image of a rakish Italian street style star, or Seth Rogen on the cover of GQ. Imagine yourself as someone who is eternally on vacation, Moondog-style, instead of someone who only takes one once a year and then gets a sunburn.
Next, make sure your suit fits you well in the shoulders—which is the one feature of a suit that’s basically impossible to mess with—and, assuming it does, take it directly to the tailor. It doesn’t matter if you’re wearing your suits baggy and easy or slim and tidy these days, it still needs to fit well. Linen loses its shape the moment you look at it. If it doesn’t look good at 8am, it’s sure as hell not going to look good at 8pm.
Finally, don’t turn into Jay Gatsby. Just because you’re wearing a linen men's suit doesn’t mean you need to go full “gentleman at a lawn party.” Unless you’re actually attending some grand outdoor event, you might just look like a rogue groomsman. Yes, lightweight suits look good with lightweight clothes. Yes, light colors look good with other light colors. But don’t lose your mind with vests, suspenders, and light pink ties. A simple crewneck T-shirt and some leather dress shoes usually does the trick. Wear a pinky ring and some ribbed socks if you want to be a little extra. Or jazz your suit up with one of those printed camp-collar shirts and a pair of canvas sneakers. Mojito-guy would never wear that.