topic Re: Question about linen in Fashion

Question about linen

songbird — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:18:38 GMT

I don't think I've ever had linen. I noticed some blouses and shirts at Frame that were 100% linen. Super expensive. Over $200.00. I recall reading a post from someone complaining about a top that was polyester that was $121.00. I googled linen and it said it was very laborious to make. It's from a plant and is very comforting to wear. Very cool, etc. Are fabrics like this making a comeback or has it always been a very expensive fabric? The shirt below is linen. The jeans by the way is 100% cotton, shoes and bag leather. She is wearing Naturel......

Re: Question about linen

Janey2 — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:20:57 GMT

Most of my tops for the summer are linen. I have been wearing linen for years. I find it extremely comfortable and I like the way it looks. The one drawback is that it wrinkles like crazy. Each time I wear a top it must be ironed.

Re: Question about linen

on the bay — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:21:59 GMT

@songbird -

I remember linen always being more expensive than other fabrics.

I once found a beautiful bone colored linen pants in a consignment shop for $20.

I enjoyed wearing them and even felt it was worth it to iron each time they were washed (and they do wrinkle even while wearing!)

but then eventually thought they were just too much trouble.

Linen does feel wonderful-always cool, wears like iron and always looks so elegant and sophisticated.

Re: Question about linen

aroc3435 — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:22:57 GMT

@songbird 100% linen is made from the flax plant. It is very good and breathable fabric, especially in hot, humid weather. I own a couple of shirts and blazers in that material.

Linen items have always been expensive. Their one drawback is that in clothes items they wrinkle easily. However, it is almost a "badge of honor" and style to wear them for their comfort and consider the wrinkling aspect as part of their panache.

Think a "preppy" look.

Re: Question about linen

willdob3 — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:25:39 GMT

@songbird

I won’t buy 100% linen because it wrinkles so badly. I love the way it looks on a hanger but I don’t want to look like a wrinkled mess and that is what linen looks like when worn.

Re: Question about linen

songbird — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:39:03 GMT

@aroc3435 wrote:
@songbird 100% linen is made from the flax plant. It is very good and breathable fabric, especially in hot, humid weather. I own a couple of shirts and blazers in that material.

Linen items have always been expensive. Their one drawback is that in clothes items they wrinkle easily. However, it is almost a "badge of honor" and style to wear them for their comfort and consider the wrinkling aspect as part of their panache.

Think a "preppy" look.

Yes. That shirt photo above looks "Preppyish" I was thinking that it was perfect look for the summer. Model above is protected from the sun, but cool and comfortable!

Re: Question about linen

Carmie — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 17:01:58 GMT

Linen is a wonderful fabric to wear in the hot weather. It is super comfortable.

The downside for many people is that it wrinkles...a lot.

You have to iron it, but as soon as you sit or bend an elbow, it is wrinkled again. That is the property of the fabric and some people don't mind.

Linen is expensive, but it is not a throw-a-way fabric. Linen has been found in tombs a thousand years old and it is still pretty much intact.

I own several pieces of clothing made from linen. love it.

If you hate wrinkles, you won't like linen.

Just noticed that Jill has linen shirts as low as $29.99 on sale. That's a good price to try one out. Pop over linen shirts are only $19.99

Re: Question about linen

ALRATIBA — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:42:32 GMT

Some years ago (maybe 10+) QVC used to sell linen shirt and tank combos. I can't recall the brand name.

I had a bunch of them ... they weren't very expensive. It may all be relative but I dont remember linen being an expensive fabric. Upkeep was expensive because it had to be dry cleaned.

Until last year, I had several pairs of lined linen pants I got on sale at Lord & Taylor. I wore them to death! (two pairs white / one pair brown).

Re: Question about linen

ILTH — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:51:58 GMT

Good linen has always been expensive. It's my favorite spring/summer fabric. I love all the wrinkles (I know they bother some people, but, -- that's just the deal with linen).

Good linen lasts years and years and years. I hand wash shirts and unlined pants. Dry clean jackets.

Linen can feel stiff and scratchy when new. Once it's broken in, it's soft as silk.

I also like good linen/rayon blends.

Re: Question about linen

Sooner — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 16:58:46 GMT

Fabrics like everything else come in all price ranges. It depends what you want to spend and what you think price and value is.

I can spend $10 on a shirt or $100 on a shirt. If I never wear the $10 shirt it is a total waste of money. If I wear the other one a lot, it is a good investment.

Re: Question about linen

CatsyCline — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 17:15:55 GMT

Have you looked in UniQlo? dot com has a handful of "100% Premium Linen" French linen blouses for around $30.

10 colors including white, natural

My linen blouses just get a bit rumpled. Sometimes i starch them. i got them years ago at TJMaxx and Marshalls when they used to sell more natural fibers.

Re: Question about linen

ECBG — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 18:20:55 GMT

I enjoy wearing good linen in the summer and have several Eileen Fisher linen blouses which look much better than the others while I wear them.

I have found that having linen dry cleaned keeps the linen looking better while you wear it. Second best for me is to use Magic Spray Sizing which isn't as crisp as starch. I use it on everything to get those really fine wrinkles. Magic is sold next to the starch.

Re: Question about linen

Katcat1 — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 18:58:03 GMT

@songbird Linen comes in all price ranges. JJill always sells it for the summer. I love linen but it does wrinkle and that is why I stopped wearing it. It is very light and cool in summer.

Re: Question about linen

IMW — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 20:11:06 GMT

Used to buy linen blouses from Llbean, got tired of the ironing.

The fabric is so soft and comfortable and cool.

Re: Question about linen

Kachina624 — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 20:22:58 GMT

Don't buy linen unless you love your iron. You're a wrinkled mess 5 minutes after putting it on. I don't find that attractive.

Re: Question about linen

sunsetbeach — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 20:34:43 GMT

I have a ton of linen from J.Jill that I bought over the years, mainly shirts, tops and dresses. It is a wonderful quality and I don't iron any of it. I wash everything in cold on delicate and hang it to dry. Once its on the hanger, I'll gently reshape it while wet and let it dry. It turns out beautifully, certainly not super crisp, but without wrinkles for sure.

Re: Question about linen

Good4u — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:59:15 GMT

@Janey2 wrote:
Most of my tops for the summer are linen. I have been wearing linen for years. I find it extremely comfortable and I like the way it looks. The one drawback is that it wrinkles like crazy. Each time I wear a top it must be ironed.

That is the BIGGEST draw back of pure linen...all you need to do is look at it and wrinkles into a big mess. It is required attire in India...it is so miserable there it is the only thing you can wear and not feel like you are going to die. It is the most breathable, lightest natural fiber available. I had a linen top once and got rid of it because it looked like I slept in it and got tired of the iron.

Otherwise, save your money and ironing time...pass it by.

Re: Question about linen

kate2357 — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 01:23:53 GMT

@songbird wrote:
I don't think I've ever had linen. I noticed some blouses and shirts at Frame that were 100% linen. Super expensive. Over $200.00. I recall reading a post from someone complaining about a top that was polyester that was $121.00. I googled linen and it said it was very laborious to make. It's from a plant and is very comforting to wear. Very cool, etc. Are fabrics like this making a comeback or has it always been a very expensive fabric? The shirt below is linen. The jeans by the way is 100% cotton, shoes and bag leather. She is wearing Naturel......

I love everything about this look. I wear linen a lot and just embrace the wrinkles.

Re: Question about linen

AngelPuppy1 — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 11:34:22 GMT

Linen is a lovely fabric to wear. It has such a lovely drape to it --- like nothing else. It is more trouble I will admit that. As others have said --- it requires ironing and it does wrinkle. But in the summer it feels wonderful. I think it looks so polished and tailored and elegant.

As I have been purging my clothes, I was shocked to discover how many linen items I have and forgot about and have not worn for eons. Many of them I am donating but many are just too gorgeous to part with, and I am planning on wearing them this summer --- even though they will cause me more work! LOL!

Items made of linen --- I don't think you will regret buying some. They are like investment pieces and you can truly own them for a lifetime.

Re: Question about linen

tototwo — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 13:47:29 GMT

My aunt used to say: You have to have 'attitude' to wear linen.

Huh?

I don't know about the attitude thing, but I used to wear a lot of linen shirts and suits back when I worked. When I retired, I immediately donated of all my linen. Waaay too much time and effort -- ironing and dry-cleaning galore. Looks nice and definitely cool in hot weather, but no more ironing for mei!