LINEN CLOTHES FOR MEN

I used to own one linen shirt. White, slightly too big, bought for a friend's wedding in Goa. I wore it twice on that trip, it came home in a crumpled ball at the bottom of my bag, and for the next three summers it hung in the cupboard while I sweated through cotton tees and jeans like an idiot. Most men treat linen like a holiday costume. But a few good linen clothes for men, four or five pieces at most, can carry you through an entire Indian summer, office days included. Here's how I'd build it now.

Why Linen Beats Cotton When the Heat Hits

The science bit is short. Linen is woven from flax, which has long, slightly stiff fibres, so the fabric ends up loose and open. Air gets in. Sweat gets out. The shirt doesn't glue itself to your back at 3 p.m. in May (try walking from a Gurugram parking lot to an office in May and you'll see why that matters).

The catch everyone mentions is creasing, and they're right, it creases the minute you sit down. I spent one whole summer ironing linen every morning before I gave up. Nobody noticed the creases except me. On linen they just look relaxed.

Start With a Good Linen Shirt

I'd go long-sleeved first. Sounds odd for summer, but you can roll the sleeves up on weekends, roll them down for a client meeting, and on a scooter they keep your forearms from getting cooked. Short sleeves are lovely for holidays and lazy Sundays. A Cuban-collar one, like the blue linen shirt Selected has, is the most holiday-friendly shirt you can own.

Colours? Start boring. White, sky blue or a soft beige. After that, get braver with green, dark brown or a thin stripe from the linen shirts range.

There's also pure linen versus blends to think about. Pure linen is the coolest and has the most texture, and it wrinkles the most. A linen blend shirt, usually linen mixed with cotton, feels softer straight away and survives a full day at a desk without looking tired. I ended up owning both. Check the product page for the exact mix.

Add a Linen Overshirt for Cold Offices and Cool Evenings

If I could only add one more piece, it'd be this.

Summer in an Indian city has a ridiculous quirk. Outside, it's forty degrees. Inside the office, the cinema, the airport lounge, somebody has set the AC to roughly Shimla in January. A linen overshirt sorts that out. Wear it open over a T-shirt and you're comfortable indoors, and it won't cook you on the walk back to the car.

Selected has them in beige, which goes with almost everything, and black, which is sharper at night. Heavier overshirts are there for winter.

Linen Shorts That Look Grown-Up

I gave up on cargo shorts a while ago and haven't missed them once. Linen shorts look neater, feel cooler, and go with nearly every summer shirt in the wardrobe.

The length is where people slip up. Somewhere between mid-thigh and just above the knee is right. Longer looks baggy; shorter looks like swimwear. Blue linen shorts with a white shirt and sandals has become my default for long weekends,.

Lighter Trousers for Hotter Days

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise that jeans were half the reason I felt so hot every summer. Denim holds on to heat.

If there are linen or linen-blend trousers in the collection when you're shopping, try a relaxed pair in a neutral colour. They're light and still smart enough for dinner. If there aren't, lightweight chinos do a similar job and are easier to keep looking sharp. For work, a linen shirt with grey or navy tailored trousers is hard to beat.

One thing I'd avoid, unless you really are at a beach wedding, is linen top and bottom in the exact same colour. One shade head to toe looks a bit like pyjamas.

Linen Outfit Ideas for Work, Weekends and Weddings

For the office, my go-to is a long-sleeved linen blend shirt in white or pale blue, tucked into grey tailored trousers, brown leather shoes. Blends survive eight hours in a chair better.

Weekends need far less thought. Short sleeves, shirt untucked, chinos or linen shorts, white sneakers, a couple of buttons undone at the top.

Summer weddings are where linen earns its place more than anywhere else. At a daytime ceremony or a sangeet in April, a soft-coloured linen shirt with tailored trousers keeps you comfortable while the people in heavy silks and wools slowly wilt around you.

For travel, I pack two linen shirts and the overshirt, rolled up rather than folded. On arrival they go on hangers in the bathroom while I shower, and the steam gets most of the creases out.

How to Wash, Dry and Store Linen

Linen is tougher than it looks, but a little care goes a long way. Wash it cool on a gentle cycle and don't overstuff the machine. Keep it well away from the tumble dryer, which can shrink and stiffen it. Dry it in the shade.

If you like it crisp, iron it while it's still slightly damp. I've mostly stopped bothering. After a couple of summers the fabric goes soft and fades just a little, and in my opinion that's when linen looks its best. When the season ends, store it clean, dry and loosely folded.

Frequently Asked Questions About Linen Clothes for Men

Is linen see-through?

Some lightweight linen, especially white linen in strong sunlight, can be a little sheer. Choosing a linen blend, a slightly heavier weave or a mid-tone colour such as blue, beige or green makes a big difference. If you're wearing white linen to work, a plain fitted T-shirt underneath fixes it.

Can men wear linen outside of summer?

Yes, up to a point. Linen is comfortable through spring and early autumn, and a linen overshirt stays useful all year in air-conditioned offices. When it's properly cold, heavier cotton, wool or corduroy makes more sense, so keep linen for warm days or trips somewhere hot.

Is linen better than cotton for hot weather?

In real heat, linen usually feels cooler than cotton, because the open weave lets more air through and helps sweat dry faster. Cotton is softer at first and wrinkles less. A linen-cotton blend sits somewhere in between, which makes it a handy choice for office days.

How many linen pieces does a man need?

Four or five is plenty for most summers: two linen shirts, a linen overshirt, linen shorts and either linen trousers or lightweight chinos. Stick to a small palette, maybe white, sky blue, beige and olive, and every piece will work with the others.

Start Your Linen Wardrobe With One Good Shirt

You don't have to buy it all at once. Start with one shirt you really like, add the overshirt, and pick up shorts and trousers as the summer goes on. Explore linen clothes for men at Selected and build a summer wardrobe you'll actually wear.