It’s easy to trade in style for comfort when it gets hot. But if you’re a gentleman who appreciates looking and feeling cool, there’s no better summer staple than the men’s linen shirt. Breathable, lightweight, and effortlessly elegant, it’s a sophisticated staple in laid-back and semi-formal settings. Knowing how to style men’s linen shirts for summer gives you more reason to reach for this amazing fabric. So, as lovers of linen, we’re here to break down what makes this fabric special and how to style it.
Why Men’s Linen Shirts Are Perfect for Summer
Let’s start with the basics. Men’s linen shirts are made from flax fibers, which naturally wick moisture and allow airflow. That means you stay cooler, drier, and more comfortable when it’s humid. The fabric’s subtle texture and casual drape give it an easygoing elegance that cotton and synthetics rarely match. Linen is also versatile. While most people associate linen with more of a casual look, done right, it can be styled up, especially dressier linen shirts.
How to Style Men’s Linen Shirts for Summer
With Tailored Shorts
For some very easy men’s linen shirt outfit ideas, explore pairing a linen shirt with tailored shorts to strike the perfect smart-casual balance. For something even more relaxed, an untucked linen short-sleeved shirt with drawstring shorts. A long-sleeve shirt ups the look (tucking optional) for something slightly more polished. Add a pair of espadrilles and you’re ready for a seaside stroll or mid-morning brunch.
As a Beach Cover or Layering Piece
Leave your linen shirt open over a tee or tank, and wear it with swim trunks or relaxed shorts. Go for lighter colors or a slightly sheer linen shirt for hot weather. A washed linen, with its broken-in feel, is perfect for this look.
Pair It Chinos or Lightweight Trousers
Pair your linen shirt with chinos or breezy drawstring trousers to step the look up a little while keeping relatively casual. Add minimal white sneakers or loafers, and you have an elevated, everyday summer look. For something even more polished, tuck your linen shirt in with a pair of wide-leg high-rise trousers.
Explore Unique Linen Shirts
A lot of linen shirts come in standard designs – your basic long-sleeve casual shirt or camp collars. However, this fabric can be applied to styles beyond warm-weather staples. An unexpected design allows you to push the linen look beyond some of the more common associations. The safari linen shirt (on the right) offers an almost historic look, while the western linen shirt (on the left) lends a rugged look. Reaching for unique linen designs allows you to stand out and find more occasions to wear this dynamic fabric.
Expand Past Solids & Stripes
A lot of linen shirts come in similar colors (white, light blue, pastels) or patterns – namely stripes. These are classics and will always look great. However, linen can carry more complicated patterns nicely. You can expand your repertoire by incorporating plaids to give your linen attire more range. This year, Proper Cloth explored a few linen plaids and even linen plaid blends for guys looking for something different.
Dressed Up with a Blazer or Unstructured Jacket
Linen will always feel more casual than other fabrics, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be dressed up within its own category. Add a linen dress shirt under a suit (maybe even a linen suit). For fewer wrinkles and more structure, explore a cotton-linen blend. Since linen lends itself to informality, you can always skip a tie. That said, the contrast of a causal shirt with a tie sometimes offers some visual intrigue. Full a breakdown of linen tailoring, check out our full guide to linen suits for summer.
Experiment with Different Types of Linen
Linen comes in many weights, treatments, and blends. The possibilities are too long to list, but here are a few Proper Cloth uses.
- Washed Linen – pre-washed fabric has a broken-in softness and a lived-in look that’s ideal for casual fits.
- Irish Linen by Baird McNutt – Woven in Northern Ireland by the legendary Baird McNutt mill, this linen is crisp and textured.
- Portuguese Linen – This balanced and versatile fabric offers structure, especially when blended with cotton.
Parting Thoughts
Linen has a strong association as the fabric you throw on for your vacation or a garden party. While it rightly deserves that reputation, the fabric can be more dynamic. It can act as something incredibly functional, like a cover-up. It can also be dressed up to feel sophisticated and suave. Styled right, linen runs the gamut from laidback to luxurious. It doesn’t have to be restricted to the basic coastal looks and colors. Treated as the complex fabric it is, linen deserves some extra space in your closet.