Having spent the first 23 years of my life in Northern California, I’m not built for the claustrophobically hot and humid New York summers. I’ve been wilty, like the under-watered tomato plant I’ve been nursing on my stoop. When I have dared to leave the comfort of my air conditioner and brave the so-hot-you-can-fry-an-egg sidewalks over the last week, I’ve been squarely in a linen state of mind.
Usually I’m one to talk about the emotional connection I have to what I wear. Getting dressed is a way to show the world who we are, and to reflect our inner quirks via prints and sequins and freaky necklaces. But, when it’s so stifling outside, I’m inclined to care less about who I’m trying to be — I’m busy trying to be a girl who’s not as hot, who can’t feel the beads of sweat sneaking down her back!! The function of clothing, the possibility of minimizing the rising discomfort I feel, is what takes precedent.
Linen can’t magically disappear that dreaded drip of sweat, but it does happen to be lightweight, absorbent, quick-drying, and mostly odor resistant which makes it ideal for sweaty summer days when I more or less wish I was wearing nothing at all.
As a former aspiring archeologist, let me do a little brief history turn here. The oldest linen fabrics date back at least 10,000 years to Mesopotamia, using wild flax. To make linen it takes growing, harvesting, threshing, retting, breaking, hackling, spinning, and weaving, just to get a little square of fabric. Thanks to the industrial revolution, that’s all a bit easier these days, but imagine the time it took to make one breezy little dress thousands upon thousands of years ago.
It turns out that from the word linen, we get the word line (a thread of linen was used to make a straight line), lining, and also lingerie. It was used to mummify King Tut and layered and soaked in linseed oil to make armor (called linothorax) worn by Alexander the Great.
All this is to say that in jumping on the linen bandwagon, I’m aware that I’m not making a novel discovery. If anything, I’m just circling back on some deep-seeded knowledge. Somewhere down the line we all got wooed by stretchy synthetic fabrics and forgot about (or at least undervalued) the millenia-tested material right in front of us. When I google the current temperature in Mesopotamia, Iraq it is 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Not so far off from today’s temperature in NYC. I’m trusting the thousands of years of wear-testing when it comes to my modern wardrobe choices.
To further my linen agenda, I asked Inka Apter, Director of Material Sustainability & Integrity at Eileen Fisher a materiality mecca for some more insight. Below, she dives into why after thousands of years of inventing lots of new things, linen is still the de facto best choice for days when it’s too hot to function.
Why is linen such a popular fabric for summer?
Inka: Linen is extremely breathable, it does not trap moisture next to the body and because of its long smooth fibers, it is not clingy. All of these attributes make it a good choice in hot and humid weather.
[Both a loose or tighter] fit will give you the benefit of the fiber performance when it comes to breathability and comfort. The looser styling may feel a bit more comfortable because linen does not have natural stretch.
Why does it feel like natural fibers are having a moment?
Our customers do appreciate our emphasis on natural fibers, but beyond our own brand, I do feel there is renewed interest in natural fibers because of increased awareness of microplastics in the environment and the fashion industry’s dependence on fossil fuel for synthetic fibers. .
Any tips for caring for linen?
Linen is a very durable material and it can last a very long time, as many vintage garments can attest to!
On washing: Washing on delicate cycle (hand-wash cycle) with minimal spin is acceptable and hand-washing is also a good choice especially for knits and sweaters. Minimizing rubbing and abrasion is always a good practice.
On friction: If hand washing, do not rub, wring or twist excessively to remove water, gently squeeze excess water, lay flat (if knit or a sweater) or hang to drip dry / air dry (if woven).
On drying: Linen can be tumble dried with care – use low heat and do not over-dry. Linen can shed some surface lint in the dryer. This is not a cause of concern since it does not damage the material but it's best to dry colors separately and separate from other materials.
On frequency of washing: Linen is breathable and usually does not retain odor. You can air it between wearing to extend time between washing. Linen does not have a very good stretch recovery - especially in knits - and you may feel it relaxes on the body after wear. In that case, washing and drying will restore the shape quite well.
Now onto the outfits, below are five linen looks currently in my 85 degrees and over wardrobe.
This Brik-a-brac skirt from Blanca Miro’s La Veste is the ideal dress-up-or-down staple in a summer wardrobe. Like a freshly squeezed shot of energy into a combination of more neutral staples. I’m wearing it with my favorite lightweight silk tank and wedges with a slight lift — a look I envision for dinner with a friend. For a work meeting I’d add a bra and a boxy denim jacket since any office tends to turn the air conditioning on overdrive during hot days.
Ahoy! I’ve long had an obsession with little nautical details (maybe it’s an early obsession with Sailor Moon that did it) and when I got my hands on this little linen cropped top from J.Crew, it quickly became a favorite summer staple. I’ve worn it with the white skirt you’ll see below, but in the spirit of keeping things a little more casual, I added denim shorts, Birkenstocks, and a nautical flag belt just to lean into the theme a bit. Anyone want to invite me on a boat this summer? Side note: I also spotted this sailor-adjacent Doen dress that I’m currently saving up for.
A black dress may seem counterintuitive to keeping cool during summer, but I swear this floaty silhouette from Buck Mason is a no-brainer for hot days. You can’t tell from this pic, but it has an adjustable low back. I tied the straps around in the front to cinch the waist a little. While I’ve been partial to wearing it for daytime as something that feels a little dressy but is also low lift, I’m sure that as we get deeper into summer a party will come along when I throw it on with heels and a sharp little cat eye.
Last summer I waxed poetic about this Aritzia skirt for The Cut and I’m already finding lots of occasions to break it out, even though technically we’re only a few days into summer. For a little fancy moment, I added this fluttery purple top I picked up back in the fall at the Khaite sample sale and haven’t been able to wear as much as I’d hoped just yet.
I know the skirt looks a little wrinkly, I swear I own a steamer! But one of the things I love about linen — and you’ve probably noticed from these photos — is that a little wrinkling is unavoidable, so I don’t fuss over it. Anything egregious gets a steam, but otherwise, I just let it ride. Summer is for the carefree!
My last linen look is a double header, combining two of my heavy-rotation favorites, these elastic-waisted Donni pants, and a perfectly-cut vest from Alex Mill that shows a hint of belly. Fellow writer Emilia Petrarca just did a little deep dive into the current vest craze for her newsletter Shop Rat, but what I like about this one in particular is that it’s more of a structured top/vest hybrid than it is straight vest. The higher neckline and soft cut of the arms and the little nip at the waist are a trio that has made it a must have for me.
One last PSA: I recently penned a piece for Bed Threads sharing tips on translating my personal style to my little Brooklyn apartment. I’ve used their linen bedding for a few summers now, and can vouch for the powerful combo of linen sheets and an AC blasting in your face when it feels hot to snooze. Give it a read here!