Lovely Ways to Wear Linen this Summer
Cool, natural, and sophisticated, or a crumpled mess? What’s your take on linen? Here’s why linen is popular, how to wear it, and a few breezy linen outfits that are relaxed and chic.
Why Wear Linen?
Before we learn how to wear linen, let’s dive into why it’s so popular. The main reason is that there is no better fabric for staying cool in hot and muggy weather. Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant, making it highly absorbent.
It worn a lot in tropical hotspots like Africa and Egypt because it wicks away moisture, keeps you dry and cool, and prevents overheating.
Linen also looks and feels great. Linen clothing is light, loose, and relaxed. It’s stylish when you want to dress casually and is very comfy, too.
White Drawstring linen pants | White tee | Pink striped shirt | Sandals | Straw bag
Drawstring Linen Pants
These drawstring linen pants above are the ultimate comfort and are an easy way to style a coastal look.
Pair white drawstring linen pants with a white tee, slip on a pastel-striped cotton button-up shirt, and wear it open as a jacket.
Carry a straw bag to finish off this cute seaside look.
Pink Linen Dress | Sandals | Bag | Glasses | Earrings
But What About All The Wrinkles?
Yes, linen wrinkles. Linen lovers will tell you it’s simply a part of the fabric’s charm. All that crinkling and wrinkling give linen a hip, effortless vibe and a kind of old-world, casual elegance.
Call me tidy, but I’m still getting used to wearing linen. Some days, I adore linen, and some days, I’m not in the mood! Linen blends like this pink maxi dress are a great compromise since they wrinkle less.
Structured linen top | Cargo pants |Sandals
Structured vs. Unstructured Linen Pieces
Since linen is laid back and casual, it’s perfect for weekends and vacations. Think flowy white drawstring pants, relaxed pleated linen shorts, breezy lace-up tunics, and long, flowy linen dresses.
Lately, I’ve been seeing more structured pieces, such as cropped linen pants, blazers, and architectural-looking tops and dresses. For example, this lavender polo shirt I just bought. Structured linen pieces are dressy enough to wear to some workplaces (or on a dress-down casual Friday).
Black shorts |black shorts | black and white floral top | sandals |bag | earrings
What To Wear With Linen?
Linen looks best paired with other natural fabrics such as cotton, denim, silk, and wool. Soft, natural leather, canvas, rope, and wood accessories complement linen.
A slouchy leather, crochet, wicker bag, and woven sandals go well with laid-back, flowy linen pieces. The more tailored the linen, the more structured your accessories can be.
Linen Top | Linen Pants | Sandals | Bag | Earrings
How to Make Linen Look Crisp
If you want your linen to look crisp, set your iron to high, place a wet cotton cloth (not terry) wrung out over your linen item, and iron over the top of the fabric with steam. This prevents scorching and helps smooth out linen. Remember, though, that linen will wrinkle no matter what, especially the more you move around and sweat.
If you hate to iron, Chico’s has some great no-iron linen shirts that I’ve tried and liked. These are 100% linen, not a blend, and when they come out of the dryer, they aren’t crisp, but they are pretty wrinkle-free in a relaxed way. You can steam them to look crisper.
dress & dress| sandals | bag | earrings
Do you Love Linen?
I love the look of linen. When it’s styled well, it comes across as chic and monied.
Every summer, I buy some linen. This year, it was a cute cropped linen top, which I paired with my denim maxi skirt and a red eyelet linen short set.
I also love linen cardigans; they are light and the perfect summer layering.
Shop the look
How about you?
Do you like linen or does it make you feel rumpled and frumpy? Let me know how you style yours.
Click the links under the collages/photos to shop these lovely linen outfits above.
When wearing linen pants, I always yank the pant legs up before sitting down. This takes the pressure off the knee area and prevents many wrinkles in the legs.
Hi Stephanie, Thanks for that handy tip! Cheers, Deborah
I like linen but hate wrinkles. I find some linens wear better than others. I like the long linen dress & the linen pants.
A hair conditioner added to the rinse water while laundering linen is fantastic. Linen fibers relax. Ironing linen is easy, and fibers are comfortable for the skin. Linen last and becomes softer with each washing. I avoid conditioners with color. I love the classic look of linen.
I’m like you (even though being European): I don’t like linen; it makes me feel shabby and old. And I hate ironing!
Deborah: I’m waiting to hear what kind of summer tops go with wide-leg linen pants. If tunics are too bulky and I need to cover my arms, sorry, 72 and not so firm,
Hi Paula,
If you are wide on the bottom, you want to make sure you wear something on top that shows you have a waist (even if you don’t have much of one). Otherwise, wide on top + wide on the bottom will make you look like a big box, unless you go for a cropped top. I suggest a long-sleeved linen blouse that isn’t too baggy, or a 3/4 length or full neck or scoop neck top in a natural fabric like cotton or linen. You can wear a tunic over the top but make sure it is streamlined so it narrows slightly at the waist. Another idea is to wear a camisole the same color as your pants and then wear a linen jacket over the top in a different color. The all-one color underneath will help create a long, lean line under the coat, which is slimming. Here are a few more ideas you can pick up from pinterest:https://www.pinterest.ca/explore/wide-leg-linen-pants/?lp=true