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Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,568
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

Question about linen

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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......

Clean Collared Tux Shirt -- Off White

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,032
Registered: ‎06-07-2010

Re: Question about linen

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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. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,596
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@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 ironWoman LOL and always looks so elegant and sophisticated.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,113
Registered: ‎09-30-2010

@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.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,923
Registered: ‎11-01-2010

@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. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,568
Registered: ‎03-21-2010

Re: Question about linen

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@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!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,510
Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: Question about linen

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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

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,384
Registered: ‎07-15-2016

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).

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,232
Registered: ‎05-18-2015

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. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,427
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Question about linen

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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.