What is linen?
Linen is a fabric made from the fibers of the flax plant. At the late 19th century, linen had been almost completely replaced by cotton in the textile industry. However, nearing the end of the 20th century it has since regained its importance as an ecological and natural fiber.
Many products are made out of linen: aprons, bags, towels (swimming, bath, beach, body and wash towels), napkins, bed linens, tablecloths, runners, chair covers, and of course men and women’s wear.
In contrast to other fabrics, linen is easily detachable and can be finely spun, which makes it a perfect choice for the clothing industry. The linen fiber is smooth and contains little air, so linen is lint-free and less susceptible to dirt and bacteria. It’s naturally bactericidal, almost antistatic and dirt-repellent.
Some advantages and disadvantages of linen
Linen absorbs up to 35 % humidity and quickly replaces this moisture with the surrounding air, thus having a cooling effect, while still giving off a dry and warming feeling. This is the main reason it is often used for summer clothing. Its tear resistance makes for a long and durable wear. Linen is strong and does not need to be reinforced like cotton, plus it has natural shine and strength. A downside is: due to its low elasticity, linen is susceptible to wrinkling.
Linen is also susceptible to friction. Its abrasion resistance is lower than that of cotton; therefore, the gentle cycle should be used when doing the laundry or, if washed by hand, should be compressed and not rubbed.
Linen is resistant to laundry detergents, dry cleaning and high temperatures during ironing. Dry heat damages the fabric, so it must be slightly moist for ironing. Putting it in a dryer should be avoided.
Use of flax
Originally, flax was mostly used for bed linen. It is also used as a decoration fabric or as a cover for books. Among other things, the fiber is used as an insulating material for mats, stuffing wool or boards. Flax fiber is increasingly being used as a reinforcing fiber for natural composites. Furthermore, one of the most important areas of application for flat-reinforced fabrics is the automotive industry. Nearly two thirds of the natural fiber used there is made out of this material.
How to wear it
For leisure
First of all, linen shirts are typically a male garment. Which doesn’t mean the ladies can’t wear it just as well (or even better!). Discover trendy linen shirts as an ideal combination partner: there are quite a few ideas and choices for these key pieces! Checkered shirts are the non plus ultra for jeans. With “boyfriend”-jeans, wear them in your trousers and with slim fit jeans, transform a checked linen shirt into a casual “jacket”. Tuck a tank-top or a t-shirt underneath that reflects the color and pattern of the shirt. Mix small patterned beauties with knitted jackets or let them sparkle under a sweater. Oversize tops are currently very trendy: with these blouses, which are long, you show off a very casualness vibe. What to combine it with? With leggings or slim-fit-jeans of course.
What about the guys? Well, designers are bringing back the medieval look and people love it. Linen shirts are not only worn at medieval markets, they are equally popular as leisure shirts. Get out of the daily monotony and into the unusual medieval trend! The advantages of this fabric has started getting its well-deserved recognition during the middle ages and these popular fabrics have been used for the processing of linen garments ever since. In summer, the linen shirts cool down particularly well, and there is another advantage: the fabrics are extraordinarily durable.
In terms of coloring, there’s a big variety of choices. Black, white, dark blue, dark red, pristine are some of the most popular examples in which these shirts are presented on the market. Linen shirts are particularly suitable for jeans or linen trousers and its casual traits allow men to go for larger sizes than other shirts, which comes with a big advantage for bulkier gents who want to conceal some extra pounds. A linen shirt is particularly comfortable to wear during summer months, thanks to its unique characteristics.
At the office
Can a linen shirt be worn in the office? Men are often confronted with this question because they don’t want to take off their leisure shirts. The answer, in short: Yes. Men usually get used to the particularly light and comfortable linen shirts so, naturally, linen shirts are becoming more and more of a trend in many workplaces. Its rustic character notwithstanding, it can still look elegant. A finely woven linen shirt can therefore also be worn in a professional environment. Combined with cloth trousers, matching ties and, if necessary, a jacket, this type of shirt is more than adequate. You should, however, refrain from any kind of pattern since the natural rustic fabric invigorates the shirt sufficiently. Experience has shown that white, blue and natural shades are the most popular.
When buying a linen shirt, pay especial attention to the right choice of collar. With a Kent or a button-down collar, the shirt can most definitely be worn with a tie, as opposed to a stand-up collar.
For leisure , linen shirts are worn open at the collar and the sleeves are loosely rolled up, which is usually not appreciated in the workplace. Thus: close the cufflinks and the collar. As an alternative, men can wear a short-sleeved linen shirt, which is not allowed everywhere, but can be adapted to workplace with rather relaxed dress codes. In general, there is no reason not to wear linen shirts as workwear in the office.
Women too, can wear linen shirts for work. Though more uncommon and maybe a bit harder to pull off, if you’re a confident person then this is surely an outfit you can strive for. However, be aware that it also depends highly on the level of formal dress code, which varies greatly depending on what workplace it is.
For instance, a linen shirt combined with fancy chino trousers might seem like an odd mix, but might just work, since it will grant you a very feminine business outfit. Shirts in discreet and muted colors such as white, pastel shades or black are always suitable.
Just keep in mind that linen shirts are more of a casual wear so put some thought into it before you decide to wear it at the office.
That being said…
There are plenty of reasons for you to wear linen shirts, not least of which: the practical ones.
Easy to care for, comfortable wearing, its adaptive traits to different temperature levels are the three main ones. Combined with the huge variety they come in and the different situations (mostly leisure ones) they can be worn to make them an optimal choice for ladies & gentlemen alike.
