COMPLETE GUIDE TO WEAR LINEN SHIRT

 

      Author: Imaaz Gaffoor - Copyrights Reserved.

           

WEARING A GOOD QUALITY LINEN SHIRT WILL MAKE YOUR SUMMER LOOK PERFECT. THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT.

What is linen?

First, a brief history of the fabric: Linen is derived from the fibers of the flax plant, originally grown and woven in Egypt, where it was used extensively. The ancient Egyptians prized linen — in fact, priests were only supposed to wear garments made from flax. Luckily, today you don’t have to be a pharaoh to be able to afford a summer linen wardrobe.

Typically used for textiles like drapes and bedding (hence the term “linens”), the majority of world linen production wasn’t used for apparel until the 1990s. But today it’s everywhere you look, at least in the summer.

Linen clothing is priced fairly high when compared to cotton or synthetics due to the higher cost of production and relatively limited quantity available for use. As a result, many guys tend to opt for linen blends (often linen-cotton), which substantially lowers the price while also decreasing wrinkling. Buying a blended fabric also diminishes the primary advantages of linen, so it’s not necessarily the best choice.

Given linen’s popularity, unparalleled breathability, and accessibility, you really should give it a shot. As we’ve mentioned above, yes, it wrinkles–probably the number one objection that most people have. But that can often be a feature of wearing linen in the summer, not a bug.

So take a deep breath, and put down the iron. The bar to wearing linen (and wearing it well) really isn’t set all that high. Here’s our user-friendly guide to everything from linen shirts and shorts to linen suits and jackets.

How to Wear Linen

Due to its moisture-wicking properties, linen is suitable (pun intended) for a wide range of uses. Linen suits for men are practically designed to help you feel cool at a summer wedding, both in comfort and in style.

When even tropical-weight wool and silk blends feel too heavy and restrictive, a linen suit jacket feels almost like wearing nothing. And in terms of versatility, it beats other fabrics by a mile. Wearing a linen shirt (short or long sleeve, depending on the occasion) helps you stand out–in a good way. You can dress one up with chinos and loafers, or down with a pair of slim shorts and some espadrilles.

On the other half of your outfit, linen pants can be just as cool (if not cooler) than shorts, without exposing your legs to the sun (or running afoul of a more restrictive dress code).

However and wherever you wear your linen, just pay attention to fit.

Historically, linen garments have been cut on the looser/baggier side, both due to different trends and to optimize air circulation. As a result, many of the clothes you’ll come across won’t fit the way you might be used to. There’s nothing wrong with a more relaxed fit, especially in the summer. Just adjust according to the formality of the occasion. A looser linen shirt as part of a smart-casual outfit or beachwear is fine. For a linen jacket or suit, you plan to wear to a formal event, go with a slimmer silhouette.

Even when worn more casually, your clothes should never dwarf your body, just drape off of it. If your new clothes don’t fit quite right, perhaps consider going to a tailor; if you aren’t totally happy with a new piece, you probably won’t wear it.

The downside of linen’s relatively more open weave: unlined linen garments can be somewhat transparent, especially when wet. Plan accordingly when wearing white linen pants–choose a pair with a lining, and maybe don’t wear bright red underwear that day.

But other than the occasional (and totally avoidable) wardrobe malfunction, there’s one major hurdle to successfully incorporating linen into your summer (and even year-round) wardrobe.

A fine Libera linen shirt works for any occasion and any time of the day. Libera Linen shirts make a sophisticated look without ever being over or underdressed. Never worry about the wrinkled look of the linen shirt – fine linen wrinkles nobly and worn versed adds to a man’s character! Our fine linen shirts are quite universal when it comes to combining (and being a shirt for easy-going men we’re not at all fussy about how to style it).

  

The universal mix&match property is especially true for the white fine linen shirt. The classic piece can be worn with any combinations, dressing it up or down for a casual or festive look, always ensuring a non-fussy but sophisticated style. White linen shirts have been a preference by screen legends such as Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, John Wayne & Gary Cooper. 

Is there a more relaxed yet sophisticated look than a man in a fine linen shirt? Well, Libera introduces Libera Linen to bring this unique Mediterranean lifestyle to the world and combine elegance with sustainability and comfort. 

Linen Shirt With Shorts

A classic combo of linen shirts is shorts. Not just any old shorts though, these need to be nicely fitted shorts which we’ve spoken about that are cut just above the knee for a sharper look. When it comes to Libera linen shirt choices there are plenty in collar style, colors, and patterns. The most important thing though is the fit. A button-up linen shirt should be breezy but never baggy. As with any good dress shirt, you don’t want the cuffs to extend past your wrists or the shirt to look loose otherwise you’ll look more like a father of seven kids. Cool color combos you can try include pastel shorts with a white linen shirt, navy shorts with a blue linen shirt, or any good contrasting colors.

Linen Shirt With Jeans

Jeans go with almost anything and the linen shirt is no different. Pair a slim fit or skinny fit pair of jeans with a long sleeve Libera linen button up and you’ve got a weekend warrior’s outfit. Both black or indigo denim can work in these cases so long as there’s a contrast in both pieces. An extra touch of style can be added by rolling up those sleeves to just below the elbow and throwing on a pair of casual shoes (lace-ups and white sneakers work best here). Simple, stylish, and definitely summer-ready. Just remember what we said about linen shirt fitment – keep it slim to the body and never baggy.

Linen Shirt With Chinos

Taking linen into the smart-casual territory is the chino combo. For a truly stylish summer aesthetic, this is the look you’ll want to pull off. It’s simple to throw together, insanely cool, and has the versatility of layering for extra style points. Lighter chino colors work best with linen shirts given the time of the year so think khaki, cream, sand, or pastel variants. The linen shirt meanwhile can be worn with the sleeves rolled up or down. Good color contrast is once again key here and men shouldn’t worry too much about the un-ironed look of the linen shirt – it’s part of the charm and adds to the linen shirt-chino combo. The linen shirt doesn’t need to be worn as a single layer though. Men can wear a fitted tee underneath so that the look is ready for the cooler summer nights.

Linen Shirt With A Jacket

Libera Linen shirts go with almost any type of jacket (save for a tuxedo jacket perhaps) so the only rule you’ll need to follow here is whether the linen shirt is tucked or not. Whilst mostly worn untucked in casual scenarios, you don’t want a linen shirt that is too long. If it is, it’s likely that the shirt size is wrong for you and you need to size down. Beyond that linen, shirts are the perfect company for bomber jackets, field jackets, cardigans, and most other forms of jackets including the blazer which we’ll talk about below.

Linen Shirt With Trousers

And you thought linen was just for cruisey laid back lads. As we move into more polished territory the linen shirt can shine with a perfect pair of tailored trousers. The general rule is to keep the sleeves down but if it’s a casual workplace or the weather heats up, there’s nothing wrong with rolling those sleeves up. Another rule you must abide by is the shirt tuck. As with any dress shirt in formal situations, the linen shirt needs to be tucked into the trousers. Don’t worry too much about the boss complaining about the wrinkles, just tell him it’s meant to be like that before taking his coffee. As we mentioned, the color contrast between trousers and shirt is the secret here as are shoes or loafers without socks.

Linen Shirt With A Suit

Finally, we get to the full suit combo. This isn’t the linen suit that we’ve already explored, this is the linen shirt worn under the suit. As you can see, linen shirts can provide a great contrasting texture even if they’re the same color as the trousers. It’s harder to pull off but definitely doable with a suit. Just remember to keep the fitment slim and the shirt tucked in. When it comes to shirt and suit pairings, treat it like you would any dress shirt in a suit. Keep either the shirt or the suit muted – not both. For example, a navy suit with a white linen shirt or a navy linen shirt with a grey suit. Pull this off and you’ve got the full sartorial spectrum of this awesome and often overlooked fabric.

How to Keep Linen From Wrinkling

Bar none, linen’s biggest issue is that it wrinkles easily, and more aggressively than any other material.

One approach is to iron or steam the crap out of your linen garments, and covertly carry a travel steamer everywhere, attacking each crease with extreme prejudice. Or you can take the easy, breezy approach. Many people, us included, think that linen’s wrinkles have their own kind of beauty. There’s something about a perfectly worn-in linen shirt that denotes a relaxed, carefree attitude, which is especially appropriate for summer.

The 3 Easiest Ways to Get Wrinkles Out of Linen

1. When doing laundry, remove linen garments from the washer/dryer immediately. The longer they sit, the more they’ll wrinkle. In fact, pulling it out still slightly damp and then laying flat to finish drying can be all that’s needed.
2. A garment steamer works wonders to de-wrinkle most clothing, not just linen items. I pack this travel steamer every time I leave town.
3. The “spray and stretch” work on hard wrinkles as well as places where linen curls, such as collars or button plackets. Place the item on a hanger, spray the wrinkles/curls with a water bottle, then gently adjust/stretch/work the fabric until it hangs without the wrinkle. Let dry, and you’re good to go.

Does Linen Shrink?

While linen is an incredibly strong and forgiving fabric, you have to be careful when tossing items in a hot dryer. There is a high potential for shrinkage, up to 15%! The dryer can also cause garments to become stiff and crinkly. And if you leave a piece in there too long, it can acquire some stubborn creases.

There’s an easy solution: wash linen items in cold water only, and tumble dry only or use a drying rack (or lie them flat on a clean, light-colored towel).  This should minimize shrinking to 5% or even less.

Shrinking Linen to Fit

The good thing about the dreaded linen shrinking is that you can use it in your favor. If a shirt is too big, rather than taking it to your tailor, try deliberately shrinking it. 

Here’s how you do it:

First, wash in warm water. Let the garment air dry, then see if it still fits. Avoid using heat to dry in the first round because you could over shrink it. If it still needs to be sized down, you can wash it again in hot water, and then putting it in the dryer on medium heat. The old carpentry axiom of “I cut it twice and it was still too short,” applies here. Shrink in stages.

If your linen clothes feel a little scratchy at first, give them a chance to break-in. The more you wear and you wash your linen apparel, the softer it becomes. The fabric will also develop a nice subtle sheen, and as it becomes smoother, it will no longer wrinkle quite as easily. Even cheap linen will retain high levels of durability and should become more supple over its lifespan.

So while linen has its quirks and special care instructions, it’s still a material well worth the investment. If you’re still on the fence, you could try a linen blend. But despite the extra TLC involved, linen still has a number of advantages over the other popular summer fabric, cotton.

Ultimately, we could write thousands of words on this topic, but it’s not just what we say about linen. It’s how it looks. So feast your eyes on the full spectrum of linen looks for inspiration, from smart casual to dressy. But first, a few affordable linen picks to get you started:

In conclusion: This styling guide gives you some ideas on how to mix & match fine Libera linen shirts at ease, dress them up and down for any occasion… Just remember, there are no limitations. Combine your Libera Linen Shirt with what you feel confident in, grab your sunglasses, and get out and enjoy the summertime. 

 For any advice or tips write to the expert. www.libera.lk, Fb Page: LiberaShirts,                        Insta: libera_srilanka