What type of dress shirt do you typically wear with a suit? All suits require a dress shirt You can't just wear a t-shirt or other casual shirt. For a cohesive formal outfit, you'll need to wear a button-up dress shirt. While there are dozens of options from which you can choose, linen dress shirts have a popular choice. Here are some of the top reasons to choose a linen dress shirt when wearing a suit.
Breathable
Linen dress shirts are breathable. Air can flow into and out of them with ease. Why does this matter exactly? With their breathable properties, linen dress shirts will keep you cool.
Many men prefer linen dress shirts over other types of dress shirts during the warmer months of the year because of their breathable properties. If you're tired of feeling hot and sticky during the summer, you may want to switch to a linen dress shirt. It will complete your suit outfit while keeping you cool and comfortable all summer long.
Moisture Wicking
Unlike cotton dress shirts, linen dress shirts are moisture wicking. Cotton dress shirts are soft as well, but they are known for being highly absorbent. Cotton, in fact, can absorb up to one-quarter of its total weight in water. If you wear a cotton dress shirt outdoors on a rainy day, it will absorb a substantial amount of water. All of this water will weigh you down while potentially causing chafing and skin irritation.
Linen dress shirts aren't absorbent. Rather, they are moisture wicking. Moisture wicking is essentially the opposite of absorbent. Linen dress shirts don't absorb moisture. When exposed to rain, perspiration or other liquids, they will repel and wick it away.
Thin Construction
Another benefit of wearing a linen dress shirt with a suit is its thin construction. Linen is thinner than most other textiles. It's thinner than cotton, wool, polyester and corduroy.
If you're going to wear a dress shirt with a suit, you'll need to ensure that it's thin enough to wear underneath your suit jacket. Thick and bulky dress shirts may not fit. If you choose a thick cotton or wool dress shirt, for example, you may not be able to wear your suit jacket over it -- at least not without making some adjustments to it. This isn't a concern with linen dress shirts. Linen dress shirts are among the thinnest types of dress shirts on the market, making them easy to wear with a suit jacket.
Strong
Some men assume that linen dress shirts are weak and, thus, susceptible to damage. After all, linen dress shirts are thinner than nearly all other types of dress shirts. The truth is that linen dress shirts are both thin and strong.
Linen is about 30% stronger than cotton. It can withstand heavy use without ripping, tearing or otherwise sustaining damage. If you're tired of constantly replacing your dress shirts due to damage, perhaps a linen dress shirt is the answer. Linen dress shirts are strong and durable, so they tend to last longer than other types of dress shirts.
Hypoallergenic
You can rest assured knowing that linen dress shirts are hypoallergenic. Linen is a naturally hypoallergenic textile. Hypoallergenic, of course, is used to describe textiles that have a low risk of causing an allergic reaction. Millions of people suffer from a skin allergy. When exposed to a particular textile, they may break out in hives or a rash.
Fortunately, linen doesn't trigger skin allergies. Linen is a hypoallergenic textile that's gentle on the skin. You can comfortably wear a linen dress shirt -- or other linen garments for that matter -- without experiencing an allergic reaction.
Complements Linen Suits
When wearing a linen suit, there's no better choice than a linen dress shirt. Both suits and dress shirts are available in linen. You can find suit jackets and trousers made of linen, and you can find dress shirts made of linen.
A linen dress shirt will complement a linen suit. There's nothing necessarily wrong with mixing different textiles. Some men mix cotton and linen, whereas others mix wool and linen. Creating an all-linen suit outfit, though, will result in a cohesive appearance. If your suit jacket, trousers and dress shirt are all made of linen, you'll project a more cohesive and complete outfit.
Low Maintenance
Linen dress shirts are low maintenance. Unless otherwise stated on the care tag, you can clean them in the washing machine. You don't have to wash linen dress shirts by hand, nor do you have to get them dry cleaned. Most linen dress shirts are machine washable.
In addition to cleaning them in the washing machine, you can dry linen dress shirts in a conventional clothes dryer. Other types of dress shirts may require line drying. When placed inside of a clothes dryer, they may stretch out. Linen dress shirts will retain their original shape when placed inside of a clothes dryer. You can still line dry them, but linen dress shirts are safe for clothes dryers as well.
Dozens of Color
Linen dress shirts are available in dozens of colors. White is probably the most popular color in which they are made. Regardless of your suit color, you can probably wear a white linen dress shirt with it. But linen dress shirts are available in many other colors.
If you order a linen dress shirt here at StudioSuits, you can choose dozens of other colors, such as black, beige, pink, green, orange, sky blue, rover blue, wine and more.
Comfortable
Another reason to choose a linen dress shirt when wearing a suit is comfort. Linen dress shirts are comfortable. They are more comfortable, in fact, than many other types of dress shirts.
Linen is a soft, lightweight and breathable textile. All of these properties make it exceptionally comfortable. Other types of dress shirts may cause irritation or discomfort when worn for a prolonged period. Linen dress shirts, however, are incredibly comfortable to wear.
