Luxurious linen is having a moment

Fashion is having a summer love affair with linen and I for one am completely on board with this mania for the season's most breathable fabric. It can be hard to get your head back in the linen game as for many a year, I associated linen with white or beige cargo trousers that creased easily and weren’t particularly stylish.

Fast forward a few years and linen has gotten a glow up to where it’s now one of the most chic looks you can wear. Yes, a pure linen fabric will still be inclined to wrinkle easily but my go-to is a linen mix that isn’t quick to wrinkle and if it does, then it just so happens to lend itself to a laid-back look.

One of my favourite linen looks is a simple pair of wide-leg linen trousers styled with a waistcoat and some chunky dad-style sandals. The waistcoat is another hero piece of the summer and lends itself well to being paired with linen separates. The waistcoat has been styled layered in the colder seasons but for now, wear on its own and buttoned with great trousers. This look works very well in neutral tones and a stripe trouser also is especially pleasing when worn with a waistcoat but this season you can also go wild and wear brightly coloured linen.

Traditionally we think of linen in terms of neutrals, creams, beige, white and so on, but so many stores are now offering a brighter take on the fabric with vivid oranges, lime greens and cobalt blues for those who like to pack a colour punch. I recently styled a show and used an orange linen waistcoat, blazer and trouser and finished the look off with a chunky trainer. It really is so versatile.

There are so many ways to style linen but the best advice I can give on introducing it back into your own wardrobe is to keep it simple. A linen co-ord is the perfect way to stay chic, keep cool and look effortless while doing so.

I love a linen shirt and trousers combination and would even wear a heel with this look and hair pulled back in a sleek low bun for a night out. It’s a go-to look when I’m on holiday. Linen trousers also work particularly well over a bathing suit too when you just want to lounge by the pool or go for a light bite and linen shorts make a more comfortable alternative to denim shorts.

I couldn’t discuss linen without mentioning a linen dress and there are fewer items more cooling or comfortable than this summer wardrobe essential. Whether you go for block colour or a print there really is nothing more effortless than a linen dress and keep your styling super simple to compliment the look. A barely there sandal, straw bag and some chunky gold hoops are all you need.