The Modern Linen Edit: 10 Linen Shirts Worth Packing This August
August has a way of making every other fabric feel like a bad decision. Cotton clings, synthetics suffocate, and by midday you're regretting whatever you pulled off the hanger that morning. Linen is the one that keeps its composure, and honestly, looks better for having been worn in. The wrinkles aren't a flaw, they're the whole point. Embrace the crease!
I've spent the better part of this summer rotating through linen shirts on planes, in cities that don't believe in air conditioning, and on the kind of long dinners that run past sunset. What follows is the edit I'd actually recommend – not a random scrape of "best linen shirts" results, but ten I'd pack myself, at a range of price points, for a range of occasions.
What to Actually Look For in a Linen Shirt
Before the list. Three things worth knowing, because not all linen is created equal:
- Weight matters more than brand. Look for a lighter weave (around 100-140gsm) for genuine heat relief. Heavier linen looks great but wears warmer than you'd expect.
- A little give goes a long way. 100% linen is the purist's choice, but a small percentage of cotton blended in (5-10%) softens the crease and makes the shirt more forgiving over a long day.
- Fit should lean relaxed, not baggy. Linen drapes differently to cotton. A slightly boxier cut through the body actually looks more intentional than one cut too slim.
The Edit
1. Luca Faloni Linen Shirt
This is the one I keep coming back to. Luca Faloni's linen is sourced and woven in Italy, and it shows. The handle is softer than most linen at this price point, and it holds its shape better after a day of wear rather than collapsing into a wrinkled heap. Available in Slim and Regular cuts, along with plenty of colour options that go from beach to dinner without missing a beat.
Price: £175 | Best for: the one shirt you'd actually pay full price for
Shop Luca Faloni →
2. Sunspel Linen Shirt
Sunspel do the quiet, well-made basic better than almost anyone, and their linen shirt is no exception. Featuring a regular fit, it can be worn on its own or layered open over a T-shirt, making it the easiest one here to dress up.
Price: £195 | Best for: smart-casual dinners
Shop Sunspel →
3. Portuguese Flannel Linen Shirt
Don't let the name fool you, Portuguese Flannel's linen shirts are some of the best value on the market, made in the same Portuguese mills that supply far pricier labels. Great colour range, genuinely breathable. Their short sleeve versions are a nice relaxed style for the weekend and holiday mode.
Price: £119 | Best for: relaxed styling
Shop Portuguese Flannel →
4. Buck Mason Draped Rancher Linen Shirt
Buck Mason lean into the relaxed, slightly boxy fit that suits linen best. The camp-collar version is the one to go for if you want something that reads more "off-duty" than "office."
Price: $178 | Best for: Americana, resort-leaning style
Shop Buck Mason →
5. Todd Snyder Linen Popopver Shirt
Todd Snyder's linen shirts sit right at the intersection of American sportswear and something a little more considered. A good pick if your wardrobe already leans that way.
Price: £135 | Best for: building out an American-classic capsule
Shop Todd Snyder →
6. Percival Linen Shirt
A British label doing genuinely interesting print and colour work without straying into costume territory. If everything else on this list feels a touch safe, start here.
Price: £130 | Best for: hot weather casual staples
Shop Percival →
7. William Crabtree Linen Shirt
William Crabtree brings a British sensibility to linen, with classic block colours, peppered with some colourful options. Add an extra layer of linen with one of their linen overshirts.
Price: £150 | Best for: versatility thrughout the summer
Shop William Crabtree →
8. Oliver Spencer Short Sleeve Linen Shirt
A contemporary fit and style to suit those who want linen shirts on the more relaxed side of things. Button up, unbuttoned, all options accepted.
Price: £189 | Best for: urban wardrobes and relaxed styling
Shop Oliver Spencer→
9. The Resort Co. Linen Shirt
The one you want when you're on vacation. The Resort Co. have a knack of making effortlessly chic clothing around their swim range, and their linen shirts and overshirts are no execption.
Price: £254 | Best for: resort and holiday wardrobes
Shop The Resort Co.→
10. Uniqlo Premium Linen Shirt
The value anchor of the list, and no shame in it. Uniqlo's premium linen range is a genuinely solid way to build up a rotation of five shirts for the price of one from higher up this list.
Price: £39.90 | Best for: building a full rotation on a budget
Shop Uniqlo →
How to Style Linen Without Overthinking It
Linen shirts do most of the work themselves — the trick is not fighting the fabric. A few rules I actually follow:
- Half-tuck it. Full tuck reads too formal for what linen is doing; fully untucked can look sloppy. Half-tuck sits right in the middle.
- Roll the sleeves, don't cuff them. Linen's texture does more visual work when the sleeve is loosely rolled rather than precisely folded.
- Let it wrinkle. Fighting the crease with heavy ironing defeats the purpose. A light steam is enough, the rest is character.
- Pair with something structured. A soft linen shirt looks more considered next to a piece with real structure; a leather belt, a good watch, a pair of loafers rather than trainers.
Washing and Packing Linen (So It Survives the Trip)
Linen has a reputation for being high-maintenance that it doesn't fully deserve:
- Wash cold, hang dry. The tumble dryer is what actually kills linen's texture over time — it shrinks the fibres and makes it feel papery.
- Roll, don't fold, for travel. Rolling a linen shirt rather than folding it dramatically cuts down on deep, stubborn creases in the case.
- Steam over iron. A hotel-room steamer (or a hot shower with the shirt hung nearby) will do more for a travel-worn linen shirt than an iron will.
The Bottom Line
If you're buying one thing off this list, make it the Luca Faloni — it's the shirt that's earned the most wear in my own rotation this summer. If you're building out a full linen wardrobe on a budget, start with Uniqlo and Portuguese Flannel and work up from there as you figure out which fit and weight you actually reach for.
