🟧 Summer linen report
A brand-by-brand shirt guide
Nate Gallant: The weather is already extremely hot here in DC, and it will only get extremely hotter. If, like me, you embrace the stylistic choices of an 80-year old man and refuse to wear shorts, this means navigating the ever-shifting world of linen menswear. Brands’ summer linen collections have to be reassessed yearly, like wine vintages: perhaps due to the nature of the fabric, fits and textures never remain quite the same. So here are some IRL reviews for the 2024 season from me and Kyle (KC). These are relatively evergreen choices to keep you cool without being too utilitarian about your clothing choices.
Muji
As a brand, Muji is about as hit or miss as many self-styled basics labels for masc clothing like Uniqlo or Everlane. What sets it apart is that the hits hit harder. Muji specifically has excellent raincoats and button-up shirts. This year, as in some (but not all) years previous, their casual linen shirts ($55) are fairing pretty well. They are a bit oversized (size up or down accordingly), with a nice length for both leaving out or doing a messy, casual tuck; the colorways are light and breezy (last year I recall they were largely patterned, for some reason); and this year's linen-blend is wearing in nicely. It's not terribly see-through and has already withstood a barrage of coffee stains, which is an essential stress test for linen. In this sense, it is both of sufficient quality as to look good but not so precious that it isn't all-day wearable. (NG)
Abercrombie & Fitch
Accessible fashion is, to some extent, about fast-disappearing middle grounds. Somewhere in between fast fashion and the low-end of ready to wear designer clothing is a market position that has traditionally had little variety to offer masc clothing. As I wrote in a previous One Thing, A&F's revival has done a good job of approximating a trendy / fashionable but still reliable middle ground, which the brand already carved out in femme fashion. Linen-wise, Muji’s shirt is superior, but the Abercrombie linen pants (in stretch-waist and a more cinched clasp, both a pretty true fit) are a major upgrade from Uniqlo at less than $100, and their linen-blend camp-collar shirts (plain and designed, similarly true fitting) are fun and lower maintenance than other options. Their blends tend to have more cotton, making them slightly heavier, although stretchier and lower maintenance. Together, the shirt and pants don't make a bad casual but breezy, ready-made summer outfit, and, significantly, do not make you look as much like the store mannequin as a complete J Crew or Theory outfit might. (NG)
Uniqlo
Nate is not a Uniqlo linen partisan, but I am, for the most part. The brand’s “premium linen” shirts are only $40 and will serve you about as well as any brand out there if what you want is something casual and breezy enough to throw on any or every day of the week. (Its “standard linen” offerings, like this short-sleeve shirt that I also own several of, is a little stiffer and less organic-feeling, as well as slightly unpleasant to sweat in.) My philosophy of the linen shirt is that it should act as a full-torso napkin for anything summer has in store. It should absorb saltwater without getting damaged and easily dispense with dining-induced stains, whether red wine or an accidental ketchup blast. Therefore they should not be too precious, sturdy, or expensive. If a Uniqlo linen shirt gets too fucked up, just get another one. The exception is the brand’s white shirt. After buying it in preparation for some formal-ish occasions, I discovered that it is almost entirely see-through, unlike the other colors. Good for the beach, not much else. (KC)
Outlier
At the higher end of this medium band of masc linen options is Outlier, an independent clothing brand based in Brooklyn. Outlier is all about technical fabrics and a slightly gorpcore but progressive aesthetic, which inspires very zealous fandom. Some of their online store's copy is also insufferably trend-conscious and nearly antagonistic to new customers. I personally came to this brand on the recommendation of my friend who is quite skilled at the internet deep dives needed to fish out superior products generally unavailable in stores, many of which show up on the Wirecutter years later. Thanks to his recommendation a while back, I can say with confidence that if you're looking to splurge on pants that will last you many, many summers, check out Outlier’s proprietary blend of “injected linen” pants ($225). They have both a trendier and a straight-leg cut, both of which have a rough-hewn, perfectly imperfect textured look in a variety of colors, and feel almost cool on your legs even in the most brutal of summer heat. Some of their standard straight-leg pants, the "Futuredarts" in particular, provide the internet's favorite everyday-uniform pants and also fare pretty well in the summer at a slightly lower price. They are a nice medium between the slightly too basic techie-pant and something a bit more fashion forward that may outlive its trendiness. The fit is a bit hard to judge person-to-person, however Outlier's flexible return policy allows for some trial and error, which I'd recommend. And as with many online pant purchases, with some very inexpensive hemming and tapering at your local dry-cleaner, they can be made to fit nearly perfectly for your preferred length / flow. (NG)
Todd Snyder
Todd Snyder is a bit like the grown-up’s J Crew. Altogether, the clothes are a little too matchy, a little poppy for me (I need semi-downbeat clothing). But the material quality is high, and I’ve had great luck selecting from its offerings. I have a linen suit from Todd Snyder that has gotten me through a bunch of summer weddings and formal events, similar to this one but in blue, a steal at $800 for the whole thing. But what’s even better is its camp collar short-sleeve shirt, made from Baird McNutt Irish linen. I usually wear medium, but I got a large size in a bright-orange hue ($138). The material has that dense-but-bouncy quality of nice linen and it’s airy enough to wear on the hottest of DC days. (I’ve taken to calling summer here “no real clothes season.”) The large is quite baggy on me but in this case that’s a desirable quality. (KC)
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