Linen dresses have made their way into my wardrobe in a big way this year. I suspect Instagram, Pinterest and Joslin Studio’s ethereal designs have played a large part in influencing my linen related clothing purchases but I can’t say I’m upset about that. Linen has an air of understated luxury and is a beautiful fabric to wear. I love the way its imperfect creases catch the light – even though I learned the hard way not to wear a coat over linen balloon sleeves because even after ironing them that morning, they looked like they had been scrunched into a ball by the time I arrived at work.
Although linen dresses have been trending recently, linen as a fabric is actually one of the oldest known in history and, if produced correctly, can be quite sustainable because it uses less water than cotton, can withstand multiple washes (which increases the garment’s life cycle) and is biodegradable. Furthermore, there is less waste involved during the production process because other parts of the flax plant can be used for different purposes. Organic linen is best to ensure that no harmful dyes were used in the process.*
I was drawn to the muted olive green colour and there is an almost a sixties vibe to the A line cut and boat neck. I think you all know I’m a fan of the balloon sleeve and it got the tick of approval for versatility too because it can be dressed up or down and I can also wear it to work (I know I harp on about versatility, but it really is important to me because it increases the number of wears that a garment will receive over time). I wasn’t sure whether this dress would suit me, but it just goes to show that it’s worth trying on a garment you’re not sure about because sometimes you can be surprised with the result. For this look, I kept the accessories simple with a pair of strappy sandals and statement earrings (which were, coincidently, my wedding earrings). On the subject of linen, I’m sure I’m not the only one but I’m coveting Bed Thread’s dreamy linen bed sets.
Are you linen lover too? (I hope you are, because I can tell you with certainty that this won’t be the last linen outfit you see on this blog!)
Wearing: country road dress and strappy sandals (neither of which are available but here, here and here are some similar styles) and Amelie George Bridal Kallista earrings in gold.
Photos by Sara Eshu
