How to Wear Linen and Look Good
Linen is one of the ultimate summer fabrics, it’s light weight and has a high wick ability making it simply perfect for wearing in increasingly high temperatures. But it has its disadvantages as it wrinkles quite a bit and can fall victim to moths. So we thought it would be a good idea to look into how to get the best out of linen. Settle down for our guide to wearing and caring for linen, (as we would hate you to look more Man from Del Monte than Dame Judi Dench….)
The Linen Look
Unfortunately linen wrinkles, and there is no getting away from it, but have you ever wondered why it does this? Well, the science behind making linen can explain - simply put, it’s caused by the cellulose make-up of the flax plant fibre and the hydrogen bonds in the cellulose structure cause wrinkles when the moisture evaporates.
But there are ways round the wrinkle problem; for example, a modern way to embrace the current linen trend is a simple linen blazer. Not only will it instantly smarten any outfit (also making it a good summer office look), it is also one of the garments least likely to wrinkle.
The Avid Seamstress Blazer Pattern at The Foldline
Although linen doesn’t do too badly on the sustainability front, the best linens for the environment are unbleached and un-dyed, so why not fully embrace the natural look with natural accessories like a raffia bag and a straw hat too.
Linen trousers always look smart with a white t shirt and neutral accessories, and can be really elevated with simple but classy details such as buttons, so again why not stick with the natural vibe and opt for some pearl ones? How great would these "I am Pattern Armor" Trousers and Shorts look…
The Foldline Armor Trousers and Shorts
How to Look after Linen
As we all become more conscious of the world around us and the extremes of global warming, we must always look for the best ways to look after our clothing in order to keep it looking great for longer. So the best way to look after linen is pretty simple; wash all linen at 30 degrees, line dry (never EVER tumble dry linen, ever) and give them a good shake when items come out of the machine to get the worst of the wrinkles out before they dry in.
But here is a Fabrics Galore Top Tip: once you have washed your linen outfit, steam it whilst it is still damp to remove the worst of the creases and wrinkles and hang it straight on a hanger to limit the extra creases.
We are big fans of linen as it has many advantages such as improving with age, it gets softer the more you wash it, making it an even greater delight to wear.
How to store linen
So having washed your linen, and ironed it to perfection, unless you are wearing it straight away you will need some top tips on how to store it to avoid ruining all your hard work. So the best way to store any linen item it to hang it up, preferably in a plastic garment bag to keep it away from any pesky bugs. But if this isn’t possible, you want to store it somewhere with the least amount of folding and make sure it is as cool and dry as possible. And it might help to give it a good shake too as an extra precaution. We don’t tend to think of linen as having a moth problem, but once they have been through your woollen items, they may take a fancy to the linen as it has an oily finish which they enjoy.
But is it okay to wear linen wrinkled?
Of course it is, depending on the look you are going for, a slight wrinkle can only add to the look. Just think of a more casual linen look such as floppy drawstring trousers; they would look great with a slight crease to them. Or a more vintage style of dress, with the wrinkle it only looks more authentic as a treasured item that has been brought back out. The wrinkles don’t damage the linen, so if you fancy skipping the steaming and enjoy a more carefree vibe, that is okay with us. And hey, it works brilliantly for Judi Dench…
No, I can’t deal with all the maintenance to still looked creased…
There are ways of limiting the creases in your linen look without losing the loveliness of linen, and one way is by blending it with something else. Cotton and linen don’t crease quite so much, as it is the flax in linen that also provides the crease. Another blend which works well is a viscose and linen blend it has the drape of viscose, and the texture and strength of the linen, making a great dressmaking fabric.
Shop for High Quality Linen Fabric online
If you've been inspired by our guide to wearing and caring for linen, Fabrics Galore London has a range of high quality washed linens, linen viscose blends, cotton and linen mix fabrics and more. Discover the linen collection at https://www.fabricsgalore.co.uk/collections/linen-fabric
