Andrea KramerWe thought you might like to take a little break from whipping up batches of purell, social distancing, and worrying about where your next roll of toilet paper will come from, for a fashion Friday fantasy. Close your eyes (after you’ve read this paragraph), picture a family bbq at a lakeside cabin, tacos at a restaurant by the beach, or drinks at an outdoor bar overlooking the river in your city. You get the idea. We are fantasizing about what we’d wear at any of those venues and we are seeing flowy, cool, comfortable linen.
By the way, at BA50, we never iron linen. We love linen best when it’s a little imperfect and just a bit wrinkled and very relaxed. Ahhhhhhhh. We recommend machine washing your linens on the delicate or hand wash cycle and immediately removing and line drying. Easy as a summer morning.
We love this camp-style shirt (and really, any shirt) by Frank & Eileen. It is available in two shades of blue, crisp white, plus two different striped versions. Fold the sleeves up just a bit for a fun look. It can be tied at the waist, but you definitely don’t have to do that and because it is purposely oversized, it’s truly easy to wear. Team it with khakis or white jeans or Bermuda shorts.
How about a classic linen shift dress? Its beauty is in the details. We love the raw edge hem and the small key-hole just below the top button. And do not worry – if you are average height- this dress will hit above the knee at a flattering length. Available in 8 colors for $115, we think you will go crazy for “tutti frutti” or “clear ocean,” but we love “tea leaf” best. This Tommy Bahama dress comes already lined, so grab it and go, paired with hoop earrings, a long necklace and any shoes from sneakers, to sandals to espadrilles.
When we think of linen, we can’t help but think of the perfect pair of slouchy linen pants and Athleta delivers! This pant comes in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from 00-16 for $79. You might just need to buy this pant in a few different colors, because we’re betting you will be wearing these all summer long. Be sure to check Rakuten.com and Retail-me-not.com for extra savings.
For a little less width, try this slightly less slouchy pant from one of our favorite sources of great linen clothes, Eileen Fisher. At $188, this pant also comes in an incredibly wide variety of sizes. We are crazy about its neutral, barely-there stripe, and love it worn with sneakers and a white cotton tee.
Organic Cotton Linen Ticking Stripe Slouchy Pant
One of our favorite ways to wear linen is a summer sweater. Here is the most sophisticated version yet by fashion designer Nili Lotan. We think it’s perfect for a night out. (You remember those, right?) While on the FORWARD by Elyse Walker website, look for similar Nili Lotan linen sweaters in striped, white and beige versions, from $250-$295.
At BA50 there are two things we cannot resist, a bargain and an item of clothing that does double duty. This linen scarf manages to accomplish both- it’s a scarf and also a shawl, in 6 rich, gorgeous shades- for only $14.99 on Amazon.
100% Pure Linen Scarf Women’s Wrap Melange Shawl Scarf
We want to leave you with a splurge worthy lace and linen top that will make an ideal birthday present to yourself. It epitomizes the effortless summer linen look we love. Made by 120% Linen, it’s available in blue, pink or white at $299. While you are on the Gorsuch website, check out the many other beautiful luxe linen items for both women and men. We had a very hard time selecting just one to show you.
That’s it for this week’s fashion Friday fantasy. We hope you and your families stay safe. Keep social distancing and shopping from the comfort of your couch. Cheers to better days!