A Linen Love Story

THE SOFT WRINKLES, CRINKLES, AND CREASES EVOKE A LANGUID EXISTENCE THAT EMBRACES THE HAZE OF LONG SUMMER DAYS. 

Linen. There is no greater joy I have in the warmer months than that of a summer breeze rustling through a linen shirt while I’m enjoying a day at the beach or a late night sitting outside. Secondhand or new, a linen piece is sure to put in the work for anyone’s wardrobe because it’s such a phenomenal textile. In lieu of me rambling on about what I have in my wardrobe or how I style linen, I felt it would be more helpful to chat through the three main elements of linen that make me love it so much:

COOL — When I first started to be more mindful of what I brought into my wardrobe, natural fibers was something that I was less willing to budge on. Plastic fibers don’t breathe. I have a pair of Homme Plisse pants and, while I don’t regret buying them secondhand because they’re beautiful, they are extremely uncomfortable to wear when it’s hot + humid. I prefer natural fibers because they work with your body to keep you comfortable. Linen, more than cotton, is excellent at thermoregulation which will keep you cooler when it’s extremely hot out.

CRINKLY — The signature crinkled look of linen is my absolute favorite thing about it. It adds this rich dimension to it, especially if its a piece of linen tailoring, while preserving its chic-ness. If you still fear the creases but want to incorporate more linen into your wardrobe, there are two good options for you. (1) A linen/cotton blend will preserve the airiness of the fabric while making it a bit more resistant to wrinkling. I’ve seen this blend in a lot of linen blazers. (2) Invest in a steamer. This will de-wrinkle the fabric without damaging it. No matter what, linen will crinkle but I find that, after a good steam, the crinkles that develop look better because the rest of the fabric isn’t creased.

COMFORTABLE — Linen can be quite stiff when it’s new. I hope this isn’t a deterrent for anyone because, like a good pair of denim or leather shoes, linen becomes more comfortable with time. As you show this garment love, the fabric softens significantly. If you are lucky enough to find any linen pieces secondhand, as long as it doesn’t still have the tags on it, it will already be broken in. To ensure that your linen piece can be a part of your wardrobe for many years to come, be sure to wash it in cold water and line dry it.

I never want to make folks feel like they have to buy anything to be sustainable because the most sustainable wardrobe is the one you already have. However, if you are in need of a replacement linen piece or if you’re looking to add a new piece to your wardrobe, I want to share some recommendations with you:

Rita Pant — Selva Negra

This is the wide leg linen pant of my DREAMS!! I’ve never bought anything from Selva Negra but I want to save up and buy something before the end of this year. I really enjoy their designs and colors. Image via Selva Negra.

Linen Shirt — ASKET*

I have this shirt in white and light blue, which is ideal, because I wear them all the time. The fit is very nice, the new light blue color is phenomenal, and ASKET’s pieces are a wonderful quality. For transparency, I did receive both of these shirts as a gift. Image via ASKET.

Linen Jacket — Vincetta Studio

I mean…. look at that gorgeous, crinkly texture on this blazer. This is why I love linen with all of my heart. I have a piece from Vincetta and Deanna, the owner of the brand, is a wonderful human. There is a lot of care that goes into these pieces. Sizes XS-4X. Image via Vincetta Studio.

Organic Linen Shorts — Riley Studio

There are very few brands where I feel compelled to buy everything they make… Riley Studio is one of those brands. When they released their Collection 6, with all of their gorgeous neutrals and textiles, I had to put my “Do I need this?” practice to work. Image via Riley Studio.

*Please note that the link to the ASKET page is an affiliate link. The main images in the body of this post are also linked to this page.