With the onset of summer, every man’s wardrobe is, more often than not, filled with linen menswear. This does not come off as a surprise because linen is often credited for its lightweight, soft and comfortable material that is the perfect go-to outfit. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you look a little more beyond the surface, you will realize that this fabric upholds a lot of advantages and a lot more care. So, to help you navigate in this sea here’s A Man's Complete Guide To Linen. 

Men's Complete Guide to Linen: How to Wear & Care for Linen?

The roots of this fabric run deep down in ancient Egypt. Derived from the fibers of the flax plant, in the prehistoric era, linen was extensively used by the Egyptian priests which often spiked its price. With the advancement of time, it was gradually made available to the proletariats. However, until the 1990s, it was typically used for drapes and bedding purposes. 

In its stark contrast today, as you all know, linen is used everywhere and it has continued to be one of the favorites for menswear in summer. Unfortunately, the demand for linen is not sufficiently met with the supply, due to its higher cost production. This makes linen relatively costlier than other affordable fabrics such as cotton or synthetics. 

Consequently, people prefer to buy linen blends such as linen cotton. This is a prudent option as it is less expensive and eliminates the problem of wrinkling which is one of the major hiccups of wearing linen. Be that as it may, choosing a linen blend over its original quality might obliterate you from enjoying the breathability, accessibility, and durability of the latter. 

Another possible fly in the ointment can be linen’s easy transparency when it gets easily soaked under the rain. This reduces your chances of wearing linen pants, especially during the monsoon as it can cause a major wardrobe malfunction. And even with linen shirts, you have to be extra careful to wear a men’s slip under it. However, this man’s complete guide to linen includes some effective solutions to deal with linen’s downsides.

How To Style A Linen?

Linen fabric is primarily worn in summer because it emanates cool and comfortable vibes, be it from a linen suit or a button-down shirt. In addition, wearing linen opens up a wide variety of outfit options for you which are often outfit inspiration worthy. 

You can style a linen shirt with casual jeans for a casual meet-up with your friends or your colleagues. For a more formal style, you can style linen with a pair of trousers and pair it with a blazer for extra layering. You can finish the outfit by wearing some stylish Derby shoes or Oxfords which can help you make a fashion statement wherever you go. 

Regardless of how you choose to style linen with the rest of your outfit, make sure that it fits you. Linen garments are known for a loose fit to ensure breathability and comfort. However, this relaxed fit may seem inappropriate for formal occasions, and therefore, you need to style them in such a way that it exudes smart-casual vibes. 

How To Keep Linen Wrinkle-Free?

Abstaining yourself from enjoying the real advantages of wearing linen due to its wrinkling, will be foolish. Linen does, admittedly, wrinkle easily. However, there are certainly easy and effective ways to steer clear the wrinkles out of linen’s way. Here’s how you can do it:

1. While doing your laundry, make sure that your linen garments do not stay in the washer or dryer for a long time, or else they will wrinkle easily. Instead, you can pull them out when they are a bit damp and spread them flat on your bed to finish the drying process.
2. Another method to get rid of those stubborn wrinkles on your linen garments is the ‘spray and stretch’ method. You just need to place the item on the hanger, spray the wrinkles with a water bottle and lastly stretch the fabric until it is wrinkle-free.
3. Taking a garment steamer wherever you go for traveling purposes is also one of the effective hacks for wrinkles. A good handheld garment steamer is lightweight than an ironing press and also more affordable.

Does Linen Shrink After Washing It?

Although linen is a strong fabric, there are 15 % chances of its shrinkage after washing it. When you put the linen garments in the dryer, they become stiff and wrinkle abounding. One way to deal with this situation is to wash linen garments in cold water only. Once you do that, make sure that you tumble dry them or spread them flat on a clean towel. 

Be that as it may, you can use linen’s shrinking potentiality in your favor. If a line shirt has become too big to fit, you can deliberately shrink it, instead of paying a visit to the tailor. To do so, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Take the linen garment and wash it in warm water. You can allow it to air dry and check if it still fits you. To prevent over-shrinkage, do not use any extensive heating products. Let it naturally dry.
2. If you feel that it needs to shrink down a little further, you can again wash in warm water. Shrinking in stages is more effective than shrinking it instantly through extensive heating tools.
3. You might experience a bit of scratchiness or irritation when you wear it after washing. But if you continue to wear them, they will eventually become softer and they might also develop a nice shine. In addition, the chances of getting wrinkled will also be very low.

So, this is the man’s complete guide to linen which is comprehensive and detailed. Indeed, linen requires some extra care and attention, but its perks subjugate all its special care instructions and make it worth investing. 

Also Read: A Man's Guide To Style A Linen Shirt