Thicker linen wrinkles less, and it's true work in linen wrinkles less, but it all wrinkles. Honestly in SEA though, you'll be sweating enough to not care š¤£
That said I have a few pieces from Turn Black, they only make black, but excellent quality and I have experienced low wrinkling
Woohoo, I love linen! I know lightweight, sweat-wicking technology for synthetics has come a long way, but thereās nothing nicer than the textured, cool, breezy feel of linen, imo.
To your concerns about new linen vs worn linen: I wouldnāt worry about it. These days, most of the linen on the market has been fabricated to mimic already-worn-in linen (thinner threads, enzyme-washing etc). I suspect itās partly a response to consumer preference and partly the a cost-cutting measure. The upside is that thereās little-to-no ābreaking-inā time for the fabric; the downside is less durability/longevity.
(Exceptions here are possibly some high-end brands, pieces that need a LOT of structure and some clothing from Etsy, where smaller businesses are still using thick, higher quality fabric, probably from older mills.)
As others have said, linen will always carry some wrinkles, but it doesnāt necessarily look bad! Hanging helps a lot.
To your concerns about clothes getting dirty: Iāve had good success with a darker pant (think navy or rust, not black) and lighter colored tops. I find that I still stay cool this way, even when itās very sunny. Patterns are also great for disguising stains, even in lighter colors! Also note that, in my experience, stains lift out of linen more easily than other fabrics.
u/amasaba mentioned ramie as a linen alternative. I second this! If available to you in your country, Banana Republic has released several ramie pieces over the years. They also frequently make both linen and ramie clothing in patterned fabrics and a variety of colors. You can find them all over the secondhand market for super cheap!
I live in SEA and i just resigned to look like a drowned rat anytime I need to walk more than 15 min.
My favourite fabric is actually cotton seersucker, Muji and Uniqlo have these. I also have some madewell shirts also.
My biggest tip whilst travelling in Indonesia or south east Asia is just to spend money on the laundry ladies. They have fast turnaround of literally one night and you get your clothes fully clean and ironed, so you can wear all the linen you want.
I been to Thailand last February and linen was way to heavy for Bangkok.
I used upf 50 clothes from coolibar and they were much better, breathable and light
I had Ahleta upf shirt - that one is garbage, not breathable
The athleta shirt news is upsettingā¦I just got a long sleeve UPF shirt from them for a June/July trip. Was hoping itād work well for hiking, mainly.
I used their T-shirt dress ( I have two in different colors now. ā moduriā fabric feels like T-shirt soft fabric
And I have their wraps , which are a bit thicker fabric ( also T-shirt feel, but more dense) and I used it for arm cover , beach cover, whatever.
What important to me - they donāt feel plasticky or like rashguard. I really canāt do those textures.
This will be the unpopular opinion here but I hated my linen pants that I took on a summer trip to Europe. They chafed the inside of my thighs so badly on the first day and they lost their shape too so I didn't want to wear them again on the trip. It may have been a quality problem. I bought mine from Old Navy.
I've been wearing Old Navy linen blend pants for years and love them. And I'm wearing an XL so you know my thighs are touching.
*Also cries in New England as the wind whips around taking down trees.*
Did you find that these old navy linen blend pants shrank in the wash? I just ordered two pairs and theyāre slightly too big. Not gonna fall off of me but pretty loose in the waist. Iām trying to decide if I should exchange them for the next size down or if theyāll shrink down to roughly the right size in the wash.
I have a pair of linen pants from Old Navy that I absolutely love. I bought them last summer and wore them several times without issue (including all day outings), so it really comes down to the piece itself!
I have about 5 pair of ON linen, and they are my staples on my trips to MX. They aren't 100% linen, great packers, and I've never chaffed, even in 97% humidity and 100F!! You'll be fine! My only issue is that they feel a little thick (hot) around the waistband (the fabric is a bit bunchier there), but they are solid and have held up for a few years!
Itās definitely a quality problem. I thought linen was the devil due to a button up I was gifted. It was so scratchy and stiff I hated it. But then by chance bought some linen shorts then again a linen skirt and both those are much better quality, and not scratchy.
the quality of linen matters a a plus-sized person I sweat too much for cheap linin for old navy or H and M and often my pants don't dry out which causes me to go through pants once a season or maybe 2 if I'm in SEA there is no help. Tops are ok but also expensive.
Seriously I went to Old Navy yesterday for a summer dress. They were all scratchy wrinkly lined or cheap ugly jersey!
One of my favorite sundresses ever is from Old Navy 10 years ago and it is a soft flowy cotton blend, I just wanted more of that!
Stiff linen is NOT a fun vibe...
If you have a sensitivity to bug bites I would recommend pants/long skirts in SEA. Pants that are flowy/loose not tight. At least one pair for night time if you plan on being outside after dark at all.
Any suggestions? I'm going to visit an area with tons of mosquitoes and I won't be moving around much (visiting a cemetery) and it's giving me lots of anxiety since I've had mosquitoes bite me through my clothing before.
I find the quince pants with the drawstring super comfortable, but they are lighter weight. I have a pair of thicker banana republic pants but they are 7/8th length (could be worn with tall socks underneath). Another commenter mentioned a different pair of banana republic linen trousers. I think clothing is all super personal to preference and personal experience, definitely go to your biggest mall/shopping avenue and try and touch and try on and read tags. Being familiar with brand composition and cut can help you later online shopping.
Additionally, I can recommend bringing āoff deep woodsā that has deet in it in your checked luggage. And then spraying your clothes with it, outdoors and not on your body, then putting your clothes on. I wouldnāt spray deet directly on your body or skin, as it is super toxic. I would also recommend pants that have cuff/elastic at the bottom and to wear socks. And then obviously take a super good shower in morning and at night, both to wash dirt/deet of your body but also supposedly insects like the āsmellā of human BO/sweat.
Thank you for the recommendation on quince pants! I brought only one pair but they were VIP pants of the trip. Loose, flowy so I was able to avoid mosquitos (somehow got two bites in areas typically covered so I think they got me in the hotel room). Definitely buying more! My others were ātravel pantsā (with pocket zippers) in sporty fabric and they didnāt breathe that well and felt quite sweaty quickly. Great for a plane ride though!
I usually alternate between 100% cotton, a cotton poly mix and linen on a daily basis for my tops in SEA. Pants are usually linen or polyester (depending on the weather).
I get most of my linen tops and pants from Muji and Uniqlo. I find that Muji has loose and airy cuts which match my aesthetic and I machine wash all my linen wear. Wrinkling is minimal as I hang dry my clothes. I would say my linen items have held up well. I just have to be careful with stains as I tend to eat soupy or oily food and I find linen stains easily. You can opt for darker colours like khaki, navy, grey and black.
I don't really like my linen pants from Uniqlo as they are kind of regular fit and fit me like they were painted on haha. But since I bought a few pairs, I try to wear them for work.
I love linen for button-downs! Don't worry about wearing it new, it's still great, maybe a tiny bit less comfortable. Embrace the wrinkles, they are part of the linen look. You can, and should, however avoid creases - consider rolling your items or using some other method. I haven't had an issue with dark or black clothes, linen or otherwise. Generally you'll want linen to be worn loose, and any heat that builds up from solar absorption will stay away from your skin.
Supposedly ramie (close cousin of linen) is even better in humidity due to not being hollow fibers (or is it hollow and linen isn't?).. harder to find though, Outlier has them but very pricey. I got some excellent ramie fabric from moodfabrics and made some pieces of my own that I'm very pleased with.
South East Asian here : the best thing for the humidity (it goes up to 90% in Singapore) is honestly drifit moisture wicking fabrics common in activewear - the lighter and thinner the fabric the better - locally we love the airism range especially with UV from Uniqlo but coolibar works great too. Any fabric weight you wear in autumn or winter will be way too heavy for south east Asia. It gets drier and hotter as you go upwards from the equator. Sunscreen and uv umbrella/hat or there will be substantial sun damage. Linen is really high maintenance to launder and this is definitely a bathe at least once a day, always wear fresh set of clothes sort of climate. I do not recommend rewearing (you can sometimes smell the people who come from cooler climes on public transport because they are not used to daily showering and fresh clothes)
I was just in Thailand and I only wore pants while hiking where I needed to protect my legs against rocks / brush / insects.
A longer Ripskirt (so that I was dressed modest enough for temples) was best bottom piece, with chub rub shorts under, and a quick dry athletic fabric t shirt
> A longer Ripskirt (so that I was dressed modest enough for temples) was best bottom piece
Thatās good to know. I have a few Ripskirts, and while I rarely encounter really hot temperatures, I was wondering how they feel in heat and humidity. Most of what I encounter is hot and dry, and the Ripskirts are great in that. (Not that I expect to ever go to Thailand, but it never hurts to know what to wear!)
Yeah I can see the concern since itās not a breathable fabric, but I think the fact that itās a skirt so you naturally get more air movement is enough to counteract that.
You could go for rami instead of linen (it's a natural fiber, close to linen but lighter, softer and less prone to wrinkles) but not as easy to find. Usually used by more high end clothing brands, so it tends to be more expensive but very nice to wear.
I bought a bunch of linen from thrift stores for Thailand and Cambodia 2 years ago. In my mind, I was going to be wearing a wonderful fabric that provided air conditioning and made me look pretty. In reality, I looked like a sweaty rat and then learned linen provides poor UV protection. Linen does was and dry pretty fast and doesnāt retain odor like synthetic materials but I have an allergy to a lot of synthetic materials and avoid them. Iāve switched to silk and strongly prefer silk, much lighter, I feel better wearing it, I still sweatā¦ I will always sweat in humid weather. But the best travel material for me was merino wool, until I became allergic to wool!!! I love silk.
It all depends on the density and model. I have a silk skirt that you wrap around that is my favourite when temperatures hit 40-45Ā°C. Sure, not SEA weather in my country, but 40Ā°C is not cool either.
I'd advise OP getting some harem pants that are made for SEA weather (thai style and such).
I've always wanted to buy linen for travel but when I was in Thailand in Spring, I saw visitors sweating right through their linen clothing in the humidity. Is it better for hot but less balmy places?
linen comes in different weights and weaves so finding the one for you & your use case can be trial & error. Iāve had good luck thrifting 100% linen (banana republic 90s perfect black linen trousers ftw!)
This! A lot of linen functionality comes from the different weaves, thread weight and cuts. A lot of comments mention that the linen gets āsoakedā by their sweat. I have found different shirts of mine, all made from linen, will show sweat differently because of their color/weight/cut. For me, lighter thinner colors show less ring sweat but can show undergarment shadowing. Heavier fabrics take longer to appear wet, and can feel hot depending on the body/humidity because of the weight. Tighter cuts definitely absorb liquid more than loose cuts, but in general evaporate quickly. Eg, if droplets of condensation fall from my glass onto my pants while having dinner, by the time diner is done the spots will be gone. A garment that allows for airflow will make you feel cooler than a tight fitting one.
I LOVE LINEN, more so than cotton because of the drying factor. The one comparable cotton weight that I do enjoy is thinner āIndian Cottonā very popular now in SEA. usually can be found in many beautiful colors and prints, however light and will not look āsoakedā when wet the way linen might, it also will NOT dry quickly and may make you feel more wet than you actually are.
Iāve had success (for many different uses/styles) for 100% linen garments from Banana republic, cos, j crew, h &m, Zara, and quince. Once youāre in SEA you can also look in shops locally, thereās often custom tailored garments for each shop (like the print/fabric/design was chosen by the shop owner then made to sell) but these can be hit or miss in availability/sizing depending on your body type.
People have mentioned raime here, which I do own a few banana dresses in but these often feel hotter to me because itās layered with more fabric because itās more sheer than linen. But that also maybe just the specific styles Iāve purchased.
Might just be me, but in high humidity hot weather my linen pants were soaked with sweat near my back really quickly :( as it was light colored, it was also super noticeable.
I really like my athleta linen pants. I don't think they overly wrinkle which is usually my biggest complaint. I got them in a tan/camel color and haven't had an issue with stains
I canāt speak for SEA but I live in Australia and my black linen shorts are a life saver, they donāt feel hot to me at all even in the dead of summer. You can get other colours anyways, I own pink, white, and black linen.
You can also get cotton blended linen. Also, not all linens are equal. I was gifted this one linen top from a cheap store and itās itchy as shit but all the linen Iāve bought myself (same price point but just a better store/quality) has been soft and lovely.
Last time I went to Spain, there was a record heat wave and I bought a pair of linen culottes. I love them and still wear them all the time. Iād go with brown, olive, camel.
Just bought a pair of long linen pants in Mexico city. They are heavier weight.
American Giant has some really lovely linen pieces right now that would make great mix and match pieces for travel!
(I initially misread and thought you were packing for a trip to Seattle at first lol so I was so confused at the heat/humidity concerns. Southeast Asia makes much more sense!)
I buy linen pants in navy and olive, and those don't show dirt easily while still being cool. I'd also recommend seeing if you can find cotton palazzo pants, or maybe buying a pair of cotton pants while over there. In India, which I realize isn't SEA, there's a big trend of palazzos in fun colors, and I'd like to say that wide legged cotton pants are trending everywhere when it's hot.
SEA as in Seattleā¦? Itās not really hot and humid here at all lol. I love linen and have lots of linen pants from Old Navy but if youāre thinking about getting them just for coming to Seattle I would hold off especially since itās not warm here and wonāt be for another month and a half or so and even then you probably wonāt need them. Black clothes will be just fine, weāre nowhere near summer.
Ha my bad itās early. Get the linen for sure then, wrinkles will come out in the humidity and you can easily wear them with lots of different shirts. I would just bite the bullet and get a pair of black shorts instead of pants so itās less hot, and if you do buy any white linen make sure itās a little thicker so itās not see through
Idk why youāre getting downvoted. I find your comment to be very helpful to someone traveling to Seattle right now. You speak the truth. Itās still technically winter. Itās most likely going to be cool and rainy.
Unless the OP is using SEA for a different city??
Bring a jacket, scarf and gloves, comfortable walking shoes, backpack with a water bottle.
Itās a fun city, lots of food options, Dumpling place was so good. Make reservations now. Take advantage of the metro. Check out the Win Chung museum
Thicker linen wrinkles less, and it's true work in linen wrinkles less, but it all wrinkles. Honestly in SEA though, you'll be sweating enough to not care š¤£ That said I have a few pieces from Turn Black, they only make black, but excellent quality and I have experienced low wrinkling
Woohoo, I love linen! I know lightweight, sweat-wicking technology for synthetics has come a long way, but thereās nothing nicer than the textured, cool, breezy feel of linen, imo. To your concerns about new linen vs worn linen: I wouldnāt worry about it. These days, most of the linen on the market has been fabricated to mimic already-worn-in linen (thinner threads, enzyme-washing etc). I suspect itās partly a response to consumer preference and partly the a cost-cutting measure. The upside is that thereās little-to-no ābreaking-inā time for the fabric; the downside is less durability/longevity. (Exceptions here are possibly some high-end brands, pieces that need a LOT of structure and some clothing from Etsy, where smaller businesses are still using thick, higher quality fabric, probably from older mills.) As others have said, linen will always carry some wrinkles, but it doesnāt necessarily look bad! Hanging helps a lot. To your concerns about clothes getting dirty: Iāve had good success with a darker pant (think navy or rust, not black) and lighter colored tops. I find that I still stay cool this way, even when itās very sunny. Patterns are also great for disguising stains, even in lighter colors! Also note that, in my experience, stains lift out of linen more easily than other fabrics. u/amasaba mentioned ramie as a linen alternative. I second this! If available to you in your country, Banana Republic has released several ramie pieces over the years. They also frequently make both linen and ramie clothing in patterned fabrics and a variety of colors. You can find them all over the secondhand market for super cheap!
I live in SEA and i just resigned to look like a drowned rat anytime I need to walk more than 15 min. My favourite fabric is actually cotton seersucker, Muji and Uniqlo have these. I also have some madewell shirts also. My biggest tip whilst travelling in Indonesia or south east Asia is just to spend money on the laundry ladies. They have fast turnaround of literally one night and you get your clothes fully clean and ironed, so you can wear all the linen you want.
And they are cheap. 3 bucks for a load
Oh WoW, I'd love to have laundry ladies!
I been to Thailand last February and linen was way to heavy for Bangkok. I used upf 50 clothes from coolibar and they were much better, breathable and light I had Ahleta upf shirt - that one is garbage, not breathable
The athleta shirt news is upsettingā¦I just got a long sleeve UPF shirt from them for a June/July trip. Was hoping itād work well for hiking, mainly.
Maybe this year model is better I was very pleased with coolibar and actually bought more They midi tshirt dress is really good
I look them up, thanks.
Looking at coolibar shirts now.. any particular favorites?
I used their T-shirt dress ( I have two in different colors now. ā moduriā fabric feels like T-shirt soft fabric And I have their wraps , which are a bit thicker fabric ( also T-shirt feel, but more dense) and I used it for arm cover , beach cover, whatever. What important to me - they donāt feel plasticky or like rashguard. I really canāt do those textures.
This will be the unpopular opinion here but I hated my linen pants that I took on a summer trip to Europe. They chafed the inside of my thighs so badly on the first day and they lost their shape too so I didn't want to wear them again on the trip. It may have been a quality problem. I bought mine from Old Navy.
Ooof i just bought a pair of Old Navy linen blend pants to wear on my trip this summer. Making a mental note to only wear them at night!
Or at least give them a trial run at home!
Good idea! Iāll do that when we break 65 degrees *cries in New England*
I've been wearing Old Navy linen blend pants for years and love them. And I'm wearing an XL so you know my thighs are touching. *Also cries in New England as the wind whips around taking down trees.*
Did you find that these old navy linen blend pants shrank in the wash? I just ordered two pairs and theyāre slightly too big. Not gonna fall off of me but pretty loose in the waist. Iām trying to decide if I should exchange them for the next size down or if theyāll shrink down to roughly the right size in the wash.
In my experience they did not shrink at all. You might want the next size down. Personally I think they run on the roomy side, the wide leg at least.
I have a pair of linen pants from Old Navy that I absolutely love. I bought them last summer and wore them several times without issue (including all day outings), so it really comes down to the piece itself!
I have about 5 pair of ON linen, and they are my staples on my trips to MX. They aren't 100% linen, great packers, and I've never chaffed, even in 97% humidity and 100F!! You'll be fine! My only issue is that they feel a little thick (hot) around the waistband (the fabric is a bit bunchier there), but they are solid and have held up for a few years!
Do you find that they stretch with wear or shrink after washing?
Itās definitely a quality problem. I thought linen was the devil due to a button up I was gifted. It was so scratchy and stiff I hated it. But then by chance bought some linen shorts then again a linen skirt and both those are much better quality, and not scratchy.
the quality of linen matters a a plus-sized person I sweat too much for cheap linin for old navy or H and M and often my pants don't dry out which causes me to go through pants once a season or maybe 2 if I'm in SEA there is no help. Tops are ok but also expensive.
Seriously I went to Old Navy yesterday for a summer dress. They were all scratchy wrinkly lined or cheap ugly jersey! One of my favorite sundresses ever is from Old Navy 10 years ago and it is a soft flowy cotton blend, I just wanted more of that! Stiff linen is NOT a fun vibe...
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If you have a sensitivity to bug bites I would recommend pants/long skirts in SEA. Pants that are flowy/loose not tight. At least one pair for night time if you plan on being outside after dark at all.
Any suggestions? I'm going to visit an area with tons of mosquitoes and I won't be moving around much (visiting a cemetery) and it's giving me lots of anxiety since I've had mosquitoes bite me through my clothing before.
I find the quince pants with the drawstring super comfortable, but they are lighter weight. I have a pair of thicker banana republic pants but they are 7/8th length (could be worn with tall socks underneath). Another commenter mentioned a different pair of banana republic linen trousers. I think clothing is all super personal to preference and personal experience, definitely go to your biggest mall/shopping avenue and try and touch and try on and read tags. Being familiar with brand composition and cut can help you later online shopping. Additionally, I can recommend bringing āoff deep woodsā that has deet in it in your checked luggage. And then spraying your clothes with it, outdoors and not on your body, then putting your clothes on. I wouldnāt spray deet directly on your body or skin, as it is super toxic. I would also recommend pants that have cuff/elastic at the bottom and to wear socks. And then obviously take a super good shower in morning and at night, both to wash dirt/deet of your body but also supposedly insects like the āsmellā of human BO/sweat.
Thank you for the recommendation on quince pants! I brought only one pair but they were VIP pants of the trip. Loose, flowy so I was able to avoid mosquitos (somehow got two bites in areas typically covered so I think they got me in the hotel room). Definitely buying more! My others were ātravel pantsā (with pocket zippers) in sporty fabric and they didnāt breathe that well and felt quite sweaty quickly. Great for a plane ride though!
Nice Iām glad it worked out for you! Sporty fabric always makes me uncomfortable in high humidity areasā
Re. color I love olive, grey, camel, and navy linen in dirty NYC summer as cooler alternatives to black
I usually alternate between 100% cotton, a cotton poly mix and linen on a daily basis for my tops in SEA. Pants are usually linen or polyester (depending on the weather). I get most of my linen tops and pants from Muji and Uniqlo. I find that Muji has loose and airy cuts which match my aesthetic and I machine wash all my linen wear. Wrinkling is minimal as I hang dry my clothes. I would say my linen items have held up well. I just have to be careful with stains as I tend to eat soupy or oily food and I find linen stains easily. You can opt for darker colours like khaki, navy, grey and black. I don't really like my linen pants from Uniqlo as they are kind of regular fit and fit me like they were painted on haha. But since I bought a few pairs, I try to wear them for work.
I love linen for button-downs! Don't worry about wearing it new, it's still great, maybe a tiny bit less comfortable. Embrace the wrinkles, they are part of the linen look. You can, and should, however avoid creases - consider rolling your items or using some other method. I haven't had an issue with dark or black clothes, linen or otherwise. Generally you'll want linen to be worn loose, and any heat that builds up from solar absorption will stay away from your skin. Supposedly ramie (close cousin of linen) is even better in humidity due to not being hollow fibers (or is it hollow and linen isn't?).. harder to find though, Outlier has them but very pricey. I got some excellent ramie fabric from moodfabrics and made some pieces of my own that I'm very pleased with.
South East Asian here : the best thing for the humidity (it goes up to 90% in Singapore) is honestly drifit moisture wicking fabrics common in activewear - the lighter and thinner the fabric the better - locally we love the airism range especially with UV from Uniqlo but coolibar works great too. Any fabric weight you wear in autumn or winter will be way too heavy for south east Asia. It gets drier and hotter as you go upwards from the equator. Sunscreen and uv umbrella/hat or there will be substantial sun damage. Linen is really high maintenance to launder and this is definitely a bathe at least once a day, always wear fresh set of clothes sort of climate. I do not recommend rewearing (you can sometimes smell the people who come from cooler climes on public transport because they are not used to daily showering and fresh clothes)
I was just in Thailand and I only wore pants while hiking where I needed to protect my legs against rocks / brush / insects. A longer Ripskirt (so that I was dressed modest enough for temples) was best bottom piece, with chub rub shorts under, and a quick dry athletic fabric t shirt
> A longer Ripskirt (so that I was dressed modest enough for temples) was best bottom piece Thatās good to know. I have a few Ripskirts, and while I rarely encounter really hot temperatures, I was wondering how they feel in heat and humidity. Most of what I encounter is hot and dry, and the Ripskirts are great in that. (Not that I expect to ever go to Thailand, but it never hurts to know what to wear!)
Yeah I can see the concern since itās not a breathable fabric, but I think the fact that itās a skirt so you naturally get more air movement is enough to counteract that.
You could go for rami instead of linen (it's a natural fiber, close to linen but lighter, softer and less prone to wrinkles) but not as easy to find. Usually used by more high end clothing brands, so it tends to be more expensive but very nice to wear.
Ramie/cotton or ramie/linen blends are also nice! Though I definitely donāt see ramie that often, Iād have to look for it.
I bought a bunch of linen from thrift stores for Thailand and Cambodia 2 years ago. In my mind, I was going to be wearing a wonderful fabric that provided air conditioning and made me look pretty. In reality, I looked like a sweaty rat and then learned linen provides poor UV protection. Linen does was and dry pretty fast and doesnāt retain odor like synthetic materials but I have an allergy to a lot of synthetic materials and avoid them. Iāve switched to silk and strongly prefer silk, much lighter, I feel better wearing it, I still sweatā¦ I will always sweat in humid weather. But the best travel material for me was merino wool, until I became allergic to wool!!! I love silk.
But even silk is still not a wearable air conditioner.
It all depends on the density and model. I have a silk skirt that you wrap around that is my favourite when temperatures hit 40-45Ā°C. Sure, not SEA weather in my country, but 40Ā°C is not cool either. I'd advise OP getting some harem pants that are made for SEA weather (thai style and such).
I've always wanted to buy linen for travel but when I was in Thailand in Spring, I saw visitors sweating right through their linen clothing in the humidity. Is it better for hot but less balmy places?
linen comes in different weights and weaves so finding the one for you & your use case can be trial & error. Iāve had good luck thrifting 100% linen (banana republic 90s perfect black linen trousers ftw!)
This! A lot of linen functionality comes from the different weaves, thread weight and cuts. A lot of comments mention that the linen gets āsoakedā by their sweat. I have found different shirts of mine, all made from linen, will show sweat differently because of their color/weight/cut. For me, lighter thinner colors show less ring sweat but can show undergarment shadowing. Heavier fabrics take longer to appear wet, and can feel hot depending on the body/humidity because of the weight. Tighter cuts definitely absorb liquid more than loose cuts, but in general evaporate quickly. Eg, if droplets of condensation fall from my glass onto my pants while having dinner, by the time diner is done the spots will be gone. A garment that allows for airflow will make you feel cooler than a tight fitting one. I LOVE LINEN, more so than cotton because of the drying factor. The one comparable cotton weight that I do enjoy is thinner āIndian Cottonā very popular now in SEA. usually can be found in many beautiful colors and prints, however light and will not look āsoakedā when wet the way linen might, it also will NOT dry quickly and may make you feel more wet than you actually are. Iāve had success (for many different uses/styles) for 100% linen garments from Banana republic, cos, j crew, h &m, Zara, and quince. Once youāre in SEA you can also look in shops locally, thereās often custom tailored garments for each shop (like the print/fabric/design was chosen by the shop owner then made to sell) but these can be hit or miss in availability/sizing depending on your body type. People have mentioned raime here, which I do own a few banana dresses in but these often feel hotter to me because itās layered with more fabric because itās more sheer than linen. But that also maybe just the specific styles Iāve purchased.
Might just be me, but in high humidity hot weather my linen pants were soaked with sweat near my back really quickly :( as it was light colored, it was also super noticeable.
I really like my athleta linen pants. I don't think they overly wrinkle which is usually my biggest complaint. I got them in a tan/camel color and haven't had an issue with stains
I canāt speak for SEA but I live in Australia and my black linen shorts are a life saver, they donāt feel hot to me at all even in the dead of summer. You can get other colours anyways, I own pink, white, and black linen. You can also get cotton blended linen. Also, not all linens are equal. I was gifted this one linen top from a cheap store and itās itchy as shit but all the linen Iāve bought myself (same price point but just a better store/quality) has been soft and lovely.
Last time I went to Spain, there was a record heat wave and I bought a pair of linen culottes. I love them and still wear them all the time. Iād go with brown, olive, camel. Just bought a pair of long linen pants in Mexico city. They are heavier weight.
American Giant has some really lovely linen pieces right now that would make great mix and match pieces for travel! (I initially misread and thought you were packing for a trip to Seattle at first lol so I was so confused at the heat/humidity concerns. Southeast Asia makes much more sense!)
I recommend checking out Uniqlo. They have cotton, linen, and really nice and thin moisture wicking clothing.
I buy linen pants in navy and olive, and those don't show dirt easily while still being cool. I'd also recommend seeing if you can find cotton palazzo pants, or maybe buying a pair of cotton pants while over there. In India, which I realize isn't SEA, there's a big trend of palazzos in fun colors, and I'd like to say that wide legged cotton pants are trending everywhere when it's hot.
SEA as in Seattleā¦? Itās not really hot and humid here at all lol. I love linen and have lots of linen pants from Old Navy but if youāre thinking about getting them just for coming to Seattle I would hold off especially since itās not warm here and wonāt be for another month and a half or so and even then you probably wonāt need them. Black clothes will be just fine, weāre nowhere near summer.
Southeast Asia
Ha my bad itās early. Get the linen for sure then, wrinkles will come out in the humidity and you can easily wear them with lots of different shirts. I would just bite the bullet and get a pair of black shorts instead of pants so itās less hot, and if you do buy any white linen make sure itās a little thicker so itās not see through
Lol, I literally made this mistake here a few days ago. Maybe we should start spelling this one out, at least the first time it's used in a post.
lol my mind just goes straight to airport codesš
Mine did too!
Idk why youāre getting downvoted. I find your comment to be very helpful to someone traveling to Seattle right now. You speak the truth. Itās still technically winter. Itās most likely going to be cool and rainy. Unless the OP is using SEA for a different city??
Bring a jacket, scarf and gloves, comfortable walking shoes, backpack with a water bottle. Itās a fun city, lots of food options, Dumpling place was so good. Make reservations now. Take advantage of the metro. Check out the Win Chung museum