All hail linen! The queen of fabrics for work, chill and play. Spring is about to turn into Summer, the jacarandas are blossoming and your social calendar should be starting to fill out right about now. If you’re looking to your wardrobe for inspiration, you should be reaching for linen. The beautiful flax fabric has had an enthusiastic revival lately and with good reason. Oozing elegance, breathable, allergy-free, sustainable and fashionable, linen been worn throughout the centuries. Here’s how you can wear it, anywhere and to most occasions.
PARTY TIME
Linen is your party friend! No longer does casual linen have to be associated with cream pants on the beach. Taking a line from the international 2019 fashion week lines, retailers everywhere are branching out into linen party dresses, blouses, adorable skirts and pants. Pairing a linen sundress with sandals is perfect for a picnic, which you can then transition into heels for heading out. Sweet belts cinching in a linen waist mean you can embrace the baggy flow but skip the sack look. Wrap dresses offer a beautiful European feel and can be dressed up elegantly for weddings and celebrations. If you’re wearing separates, keep the linen to either the top or bottom as the sturdiness of the material can sometimes deliver a boxed look.
WORK TIME
Linen work pants can be some of the most flattering and highly comfortable options for office wear but if you’re opting for them in the lighter colours, the wrinkles can begin to show. While linen wrinkles are a fact of life you should just love and embrace, they may not work for you. Choose garments that are less prone to creases, like dresses or linen jackets that will pull together any ensemble. High waisted linen skirts with built in statement belts are now work-worthy, released in gorgeous earthy mustards, russets, rouges and creams.
LOUNGE TIME
You don’t have to be heading out to reap the benefits of this flax fantastic. Adding a few pairs of well fitted linen shorts, comfy drawstring joggers, long jumpsuits or dropped waist midi dresses will keep you cool all summer long and definitely presentable if those errands come calling!
KEEP IT FRESH
Linen may be essentially magic but it is still fallible and needs to be taken care of. Excessive sweat, wrong wash temperatures and weird creasing will keep your clothes from looking crisp. Rules for linen:
• Send suits and blazers to the dry cleaner but wash everything else on a cold gentle cycle.
• Use only gentle detergent and NEVER fabric softener or bleach.
• To keep it crispy as possible, iron while damp and then spray starch onto the parts that tend to crease.
