12 Things You Should Know About Linen (B)

Linen is a wonderful fabric and an excellent sartorial choice for the warm season. Linen can be worn in a very wide variety of shapes: from pants and jackets to shirts and even shoes!

Because we want you to have a great experience wearing linen, we have put together a list of 12 things you should know about linen, that will offer you insights into the fabric’s history, the when’s and the how’s and everything in between.

Here are the 12 essential things to know about linen:

1. In the second part of the 19^th century, modern suits, which were quite a new thing, were made from fabrics such as tweed, worsteds and flannel, and given that back then materials were heavier than they are today, these materials became just too warm to be worn during the summer. This is when linen suits got in the spotlight. Linen was derived from the flax plant (which in Latin was called “linum” and “linon” in Greek, hence the name) and could be easily used for suits, as these needed to be made from an open-weave fabric that retained its color. However, the main advantage of linen was that it was a lot more comfortable to be worn during the summer than other materials, so linen suits took off very easily.

2. By World War II, linen was a very popular fabric among men. The upper class men used to opt for light-color suits (white, tan and cream were among the most popular colors), while the blue-collar class wore darker colors, as browns and blues were easier to maintain. This is how the white linen suits became to be a symbol of a high status and of wealth. Since then, linen has been in and out of fashion, but it has entered the mainstream, becoming accessible to almost everyone.

3. Linen is a casual material, as it wrinkles easily, but this doesn’t mean that you need to stress over it, as it is part of its charm. Speaking of maintenance, if you have a linen suit, it is not recommended to wash it at home, as this will destroy the canvas. Dry cleaning is the way to go in this case. However, other garments made from linen can be washed at home.

4. Linen is the perfect material to wear when you want to look both casual and relaxed, but elegant and sophisticated at the same time. Wearing a linen casual suit or a linen shirt will add a vintage sophistication vibe to your look. Linen accessories, such as shoes, bags and hats will add a bohemian vibe to your outfit.

5. If you are wearing a linen suit, you should know that a while linen suit will have a more vintage vibe than a navy or brown suit, which feature a more modern feel.

6. From an aesthetic point of view, you will not have best results if you are wearing linen from head to toe: break it down with some chambrayor lightweight cotton, as they are also light fabrics that will cool you off in the summer.

7. Linen can be worn any time of year – even though many people in the US follow rules such as not to wear linen after Labor Day, for the rest of the world this is not something of which they know and follow. Even though linen can be worn in any season, it is not recommended for every season, unless you are living in a climate where it is always hot. Linen keeps you cool, so the last thing you want to wear in the late fall or winter is a material that will make you feel cool.

8. Linen is a non-allergic fabric. This is a very important thing to know, as many people may have allergies to certain fabrics. Linen has a neutral pH balance and is perfect for people with allergies, eczema or of children, who have a more sensitive skin.

9. Given its natural provenience, another advantage of linen is that it is an antistatic fabric. It is always important to wear only natural fabrics that do not cause small static shocks. Because it is a natural fabric, linen also breathes well and is eco-friendly.

10. Linen is a material that absorbs moisture very well. You might not know that linen can absorb up to 20% or sometimes even more of its own weight in moisture and still feel dry. Also, linen absorbs moisture very rapidly, which makes it a great material for bath time.

11. One of the great advantages of linen is that it is very time-resistant and that it becomes softer and more comfortable with every wear. Even though it might look like an easily breakable material, linen resists better to tear than cotton.

12. And finally, we have saved the best for the end. Probably one of the biggest advantages of wearing linen is that it resists to stains like no other fabric. Linen is easy to wash (unless you have a linen suit, which should be dry cleaned, as we mentioned earlier) and it can be washed at both high and low temperatures, as it will not lose its properties, shape or texture, regardless of the conditions in which it is washed.

As you can see, linen is a wonderful fabric that can be worn in numerous ways, as it has a wide variety of great characteristics. Wearing linen will make you feel comfortable and cool, both literally and figuratively speaking.

Fraquoh and Franchomme

P.S. Do you enjoy wearing linen? How do you wear it? Do you have rules in regards to when to wearing linen? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!