Illustration by Chandler Bondurant
When temperatures reach their summer apex, many ask how a man can possibly go about his day in a suit. The answer, naturally, is linen.
Among the oldest fabrics to be recorded in history, linen is a natural fiber derived from the flax plant. It is highly breathable and quick drying, making it ideal for wear in hot, humid conditions. With its dry, crisp texture, it’s also prone to wrinkling, a quality that makes it a love-it-or-hate-it textile.
Not all linens wrinkle the same—those made from heavier, longer-staple linens will generally wrinkle less and recover more quickly, as opposed to lighter linens made from shorter-length fibers. But ultimately, all linen will wrinkle. Many believe that this quality is a feature, not a bug, and complements the fabric’s inherent sense of ease.
The linen suit feels increasingly relevant in today’s more dressed-down world, where a two-piece is more likely to be picked up for a wedding than for work. With that celebratory possibility in mind, we’ve hunted down guaranteed-to-wrinkle tailoring from Polo Ralph Lauren, Walker Slater, Fortela, and more.
Polo Tailored Fit Linen Suit
Image Credit: Polo 
While made from 100 percent linen, this Polo suit is marked by a custom-developed broken twill pattern in an earthy green hue that gives it the feeling of tweed. The jacket is fully lined and benefits from more structure in the chest and shoulders, while the flat-front trousers feature side adjusters. Of course, if you’re looking for something a little more endemic to the season, you can always buy it in crisp white.
Luca Faloni Linen Suit
Image Credit: Luca Faloni Luca Faloni’s linen suit, like all of the label’s garments, is proudly made in Italy. It embodies the brand’s breezy, contemporary aesthetic with its trimmer fit, single-pleated trousers and a palette of cool, neutral tones.
Walker Slater Lorimer Linen Suit
Image Credit: Walker Slater Edinburgh-based Walker Slater’s M.O. is tweed, but in the warmer weather it transitions to tweedy-looking linen. Its Lorimer suit appears in a Prince of Wales check with red and orange accents and can even be turned into a three-piece by adding a shawl-collared vest.
Fortela Marcello Tailored Linen Suit
Image Credit: Fortela Named for Marcello Mastroianni, the iconic Italian actor who never broke a sweat through films like 8½ and La Dolce Vita, Fortela’s Marcello suit is a tribute to All-Italian cool. Made from pure linen, it features a double-breasted jacket with a 2×4 button stance and patch pockets with a uniquely curved shape.
Boglioli Brown Tinto Terra Linen K-Suit
Image Credit: Boglioli Boglioli’s linen K-Suit consists of its trademark K-Jacket, which has been left unlined and unconstructed for maximum ease, and a pair of single-pleated trousers in a tapered cut. The linen fabric has been dyed through the label’s proprietary Tinto Terra technique, which utilizes natural clays to produce earthy, complex colors with reduced environmental impact.
Thom Sweeney Double-Breasted Linen Suit
Image Credit: Thom Sweeney Drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood, this Thom Sweeny suit boasts a double-breasted cut and generous peaked lapels. It is tailored from a weighty linen that will ensure it wears with the proper drape.
Todd Snyder Italian Suede Linen Sutton Suit
Image Credit: Todd Snyder This Todd Snyder suit is made from a three-ply “sueded” linen that has been finished to have a softer, smoother texture, which also makes it less liable to wrinkling. Cut on the slim side, a single-breasted silhouette with two flapped pockets makes it as versatile as it can be.
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