Linen Basics | MensXpert.com

Linen Basics

So, what’s the hottest fabric for men this season? No marks for guessing – Linen.

Not only is it essential to look good and stylish but important to dress sensibly as per what the weather dictates. Wearing suede shoes during the rains will not make people think you’re some fashion icon.

The hottest fabric for men this summer is linen. So what makes this fabric so great and a must for your wardrobe? Here’s why.

1) It is highly absorbent

The material is a good conductor of heat. It readily soaks up perspiration, but be sure to wash your linen after use as perspiration can damage the fabric and cause yellow stains.

2) It is smooth

Repeated washes make the fabric softer.

3) Cool to the touch

Linen typically has a thick and thin character with a crisp and textured feel to it, but can range from stiff and rough to soft and smooth. The stiff material which is unlikely to cling to your skin, dries when it billows out and becomes cool, giving a cool touch to the skin. The stiffness also prevents it from stretching.

4) Natural luster

Linen fabrics have a high natural luster. Natural color ranges between shades of ivory, ecru, tan, or grey. Pure white linen is created by heavy bleaching.

5) Pest resistant

Although prespiration, bleaching and mildew can damade the fabric, it is resistant to moths and carpet beetles.

6) Easy care

Linen is relatively easy to take care of since it resists dirt and stains, has no lint or pilling tendency and can be dry cleaned, machine washed or steamed with moderate initial shrinkage.

Linen Must-Haves

Yes, the fabric is hot, but clothes made out of it are even hotter. If you want to include linen garments in your wardrobe, you can start off with these:

1. A Linen Suit

Yes, you read it right. You think it’s unthinkable to wear a suit in this maddening heat? Well, think again. Linen is a fabric that is tailormade for the summer. So if it’s a formal corporate event or a wedding that you have to attend, buy a linen suit for yourself in ecru or navy. Team it with a dazzling white shirt and you can never go wrong. If you don’t want to go the whole hog, you can get a linen jacket for yourself too. It’ll add just the right touch of style to anything you choose to wear it with.

2. A Linen shirt

Imagine having a whole wardrobe of office shirts that breathe this summer. Well, if not the whole wardrobe, at least get a couple of linen shirts in soft shades this summer. Once they’ve been nicely worn in and have acquired that soft, comfy feel that only linen can, you’ll promise yourself that you’ll never buy shirts in any other fabric but linen for the summers.

3. Linen Pants

Linen pants are the hottest or rather the coolest thing on the fashion block. Whether they are the formal, fitted pinstriped type or the more casual drawstring types, it is essential that you buy yourself one this summer. I promise you that you won’t even feel like looking at your heavy denims once you’ve worn lounging pants made out of linen.

Taking care of your linen

Although the wrinkles that linen succumbs to is considered the fabric’s particular “charm”, it’s sometimes necessary to go out with a well ironed shirt for a more sauve look. Here are ways to give your linen the right kind of treatment.

1) Washing:

· Most off-the-rack garments come with manufacturer’s care recommendations that are advisable to follow but not necessary. These instructions take into account expected fabric shrinkage, tightness of weave, dyes used, and wrinkle resist treatments.

· While linen launders beautifully, hand and machine washing is more ideal as it makes linen more softer, absorbant and luminous. Wash using a gentle cycle or handwash in mild soap/detergent.

· Use cool to warm water. For coloreds use only cold water. Throughly rinse your linen in soft water as it’ll prevent the formation of soap scum that makes it stiff and dull and causes large brown spots.

· Launder stains when fresh. Set stains can become permanent.

· Use oxygen bleaches (hydrogen peroxide) for white linen. Chlorine bleaches can cause yellowing.

2) Drying:

There are several drying methods that include line drying, machine drying and rolling in towels. Whatever the method, make sure the linen is still a bit damp before you bring it in. Dry linen takes hours to recover its natural flexibility. Don’t wring wet or damp linen before drying as it can break the fibers. Expose your whites to sunlight as it helps in bleaching whites white, kills bacteria and gives it a fresh smell.

3) Ironing:

· Iron when the linen is still damp. Steam ironing dry linen is a lot of wasted effort.

· To bring out a nice sheen, iron on the wrong side first, then on the right side, especially light-colored linens. Iron dark linens on the wrong side only.

· Iron linen until smooth but not dry. Once wrinkles are gone, hang the linen item out to completely dry.

· When traveling, do not try to steam out wrinkles; wrinkles must be pressed out with an iron. Remember to dampen the linen first.

4) Storing:

Make sure to keep your linens well-ventilated. Air them out from time to time. Lack of air and light encourage mildew growth on the fabric.