Where to buy linen:
- A number of high- street fashion brands have included linen in their summer 2012 collection. For men, the top choices are Tommy Hilfiger, Zodiac, Allen Solly and French Connection. I loved the delicious colours in Tommy Hilfiger’s menswear collection.
Solid linen shirt from Tommy Hilfiger
- Women can check out linen tops and tunics at AND and Allen Solly. Again, there’s a good choice in colours though styles are limited.
White and navy linen dress from AND.
- Alternately, you can buy linen fabric that you like, and get it tailored into fabulous jackets and trousers. Siyaram’s just-launched Royale Linen collection (with Manish Malhotra) offers high quality linen in a range of patterns, colours and textures.
Linen buying tips:
- Linen shirts mostly have looser fits, especially for men. So men may need to buy a size smaller than the usual. I learnt this the hard way when I bought a Tommy Hilfiger linen shirt as a gift for a friend.
- Opt for shirts, jackets and trousers that are close to linen’s natural shades such as ivory, ecru and grey if you want a classy look.
Arklow Washed Linen shirt from French Connection.
How to wear:
- My favourite formula to wear linen- Linen shirt + chinos = Smart and sexy!
- Skip the jeans if you can. Denim makes you feel warm, which is the opposite of what you want to be in this weather.
- Wear beige or white linen jackets with pastel shirts or blouses.
- If you want to wear an all-linen outfit, then pair coloured linen shirts with neutral linen pants (white, gray or beige). Pure white linen shirts go with all colours, from indigo to tan.
Ultimate linen inspiration
Shah Rukh Khan in Don 2! Loved the linen jacket.
