Summertime Linens
It’s summer (finally), and what does that mean? It is going to heat up!
I love summer - it is my favorite time of the year. I grew up with a highly active family, swimming, boating, waterskiing, camping, outdoors all summer long. I also used to live in Florida, and I loved the HOT summers we had there. I truly am a summertime girl.
It was on Sanibel/ Captiva Island that I first discovered linen. Casual, cool, throw on a Panama hat, and there was your “look.”
Why is linen such a popular summertime fabric? What is linen, and why wear linen over cotton?
Linen is a cloth woven from flax. Flax is a blue-flowered herbaceous plant that is cultivated for its seed (linseed) and for textile fiber made from its stalk. Linen is a thick fiber, thicker than cotton, and more robust and durable (2-4x). It is strong and absorbent and dries faster than cotton. Linen is valued for being comfortable in hot weather as it dries quickly, is cool to the touch and can lower body temperatures 3-4%. Cotton absorbs liquid well in large capacity, up to 27 times its weight in water - which explains why it’s used for towels and washcloths. Although cotton breathes well, it does not dry quickly, and on a hot, humid, sweaty day, your cotton tee shirt is actually wet! Linen tablecloths, home furnishings, and sheets are also popular. It easily resists dirt and stains, and there is no static or pilling.
Why is linen so expensive? Because it is harder to produce as the fibers are shorter and tougher. This also lends to its durability. The higher cost of production lends to the higher cost of the fabric - even though China is the top manufacturer of linen these days. Ireland, Italy, and Belgium still produce the finest fabrics as well as many other European countries. Linen can be thick and stiff or thinner and soft, depending on how it is woven: plain woven or loosely woven. It will soften over time through washings. It is recommended to wash in cold water and line dry.
Linen is one of the oldest textiles in world history going back thousands and thousands of years all the way to ancient man. It has the aesthetic appeal of slubbing which naturally occurs and is the mark of true linen. Another way to test the purity of linen is to moisten your finger with water, place it on the fabric and press. If the moisture goes through to the other side, it’s linen. If it is slower, it is another fabric or is blended with another fabric. There are many retailers offering linen right now.
Some of my favorites are J. Jill – their pin-tucked tab sleeve tunic and the Pure Jill linen topper and line & rayon wrap style pant. Eileen Fisher has an organic linen line: shells, cardigans box tops sweaters in different necklines, and wide-leg pants -yum! I also love to travel to Italy and visit the shops in Positano - it is a linen mecca there! You can also find better prices at places like The Gap or Old Navy. Athleta has a jogger I love called the Cabo jogger and the Cabo tide jogger.
Whatever your summer wardrobe, be it pants, skirts, shorts, blouses, tee shirts, or dresses, make sure you blend in some linen- you’ll find it’s all you’ll want to wear on those hot summer days.
The picture is of my dear friends and me in Positano - look at those ladies Rockin their Linen!
Check out my Pinterest board for some Summertime Linen Looks.
