Style
Beau Hayhoe
Updated
2023-05-15T14:39:45Z
At times, it seems downright impossible to beat the heat – or at least, to beat the heat in style. That pursuit can mean different things at different times of the summer. Sometimes, a pocket tee and swim trunks will do, for instance. But when the occasion calls for a polished look in the high heat of the season? That's where you need one of the best linen shirts for men.
We'll put a linen shirt squarely among the best summer button-up shirts, with an airy weave that allows a cool breeze to pass through. Yet all the while, you're getting a shirt (and a sense of style) that's still more polished than a tee or polo. In fact, we think the best linen shirts can give the best performance dress shirts a run for their money – but there's a time and a place for each. Luxuriate in linen this season with our favorite picks right now.
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Best Irish Linen Shirt
Irish linen is the backbone of this breezy yet carefully constructed, retro camp collar shirt.
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Best Patterned Linen Shirt for Men
Linen gives this shirt a soft feel, and vivid color and pattern choices give it style points aplenty.
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Most Stylish Linen Shirt
Linen shirts aren't only about staying cool – this option is seriously fashionable for any summer soiree.
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Most Rugged Linen Shirt
Linen gets an old-school, tough-as-nails upgrade with a Western-inspired shirt made for summer weekends.
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Best Linen Shirt for a Beach Wedding
Wrinkle-resistant linen and the trademark Bonobos fit make this a winner for attending coastal nuptials.
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Best Linen Shirt for the Office
Asket's shirt is subtly stylish and crisply designed, with a handsome look for your 9-to-5.
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Best American-Made Linen Shirt
Making shirts in America is difficult, but American Giant makes it look easy with this versatile number.
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Best Linen Shirt for Vacation
Want to look sharp on vacation without going overboard? Roll up the sleeves on this cool Faherty shirt.
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Best Everyday Linen Shirt
Not sure what to wear to the office, a BBQ or, well, anywhere? This linen shirt gets the job done.
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Best Linen Shirt to Wear with a Suit
The spread collar and distinctive texture of this linen shirt work well with summer tailoring.
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Best Colorful Linen Shirt
Lean heavy into summer vibes with a vibrant, luxurious Vilebrequin linen shirt featuring a classic fit.
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Best Classic Linen Shirt for Men
The convertible collar and boxy fit turn this into a truly timeless, warm-weather-approved shirt.
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Best Linen Dress Shirt for Men
Linen is casual, but this option uses dressy stripes and a cotton-blend fabric so it's boardroom-ready.
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Best Splurge-Worthy Linen Shirt
007's favorite polo brand also makes a stellar, investment-level linen shirt for elegant evenings.
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Best White Linen Shirt for Men
Blend cool Italian linen with a crisp white color and a sharp cutaway collar for perfect summer style.
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Most Versatile Linen Shirt
Take this solid-color linen shirt and wear it on its own, over a navy tee or underneath a khaki blazer.
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Most Affordable Linen Shirt
Save a few bucks and get an eye-catching striped linen shirt for daily wear in the process.
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Best Linen-Blend Shirt
Cotton delivers substance, linen delivers a cool breeze, and Flint and Tinder nails the rugged look.
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Best Packable Linen Shirt
This shirt packs up nicely into your checked bag and won't wrinkle, trip after trip.
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Best Linen Shirt to Wear with Shorts
Some linen shorts look too dressy or too long at times, but this one fits just right for stylish shorts.
FAQs
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What is linen made from?
While cotton shirts come from, well, cotton, linen is made from flax. That makes it an entirely different fiber, with a more breathable, lighter feel (especially when woven into the best linen shirts). Linen is one of the oldest fibers in the world, and was prized (then and now) for its ability to breathe easily while allowing airflow. Since linen is so strong yet breathable, it's more expensive than cotton, less widely used and less widely available. Some of the best linen shirts use both cotton and linen, since cotton adds more structure, but 100 percent linen is a highly functional fabric on its own.
How to wash and dry linen
Even the best linen shirts won't add much to your wardrobe if not washed and cared for properly. Linen can be hand-washed carefully in lukewarm water and then dried on a hanger, especially for errant spots. Low-temperature water and a gentle wash cycle is preferred if washing in a washing machine, but pay close attention to the color of other clothes surrounding your linen shirt in the wash. Linen fabric can also shrink when dried incorrectly (on a hot dryer setting, for instance). Your shirt can shrink as much as 10 percent if not careful, in fact. If this is a particular concern, size up when buying your linen shirt if you plan to dry it in a dryer.
Freelance Reporter, Insider Reviews
Beau Hayhoe is a freelance men's style contributor for Insider Reviews. Beau's entry into the menswear world started with the classics — Levi's jeans, Timex watches, Red Wing boots —and now spans a decade of freelance writing for some of the industry's most prominent men's lifestyle publications. Beau covers daily menswear essentials both rugged and refined, from blue jeans to flannel shirts, dive watches, henleys, leather boots and more.Beau's work has appeared online at a range of publications, including Maxim, AskMen, Fatherly, Gear Patrol, SPY and StyleCaster. Prior to entering the freelance world, Beau worked in menswear PR, while at the same time building his own daily style blog (The Style Guide). Aside from his passion for menswear, Beau also covers whiskey, music and craft beer, and his music writing has appeared at Esquire and InsideHook.Beau graduated with Honors in Journalism from Michigan State University. Connect with Beau online viaTwitter,Instagramand hisdaily style blog.Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests style and beauty products.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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