How to Style and Care for Linen Clothing After 50

ByCindy Hattersley Hours Posted on Hours Updated on
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For many of us over 50, linen is a staple in our wardrobe that we cant do without this time of year. With its lightweight and breathable fabric, linen is stylish and practical for these hot summer days. I know some of you shy away from linen due to concerns about wrinkles and proper care. Let’s join my friend Kim from Northern California Style, and let’s chat about how to style and care for linen clothing after 50.

How to Style Linen After 50

Today I am sharing simple monochromatic outfit ideas that can be purchased from higher end or price friendly outlets that are easy to mix and match for travel or everyday living.

Frank and Eileen Tuscany Set

I shared the above Frank and Eileen linen outfit (the Tuscany set) in my post Here’s How to Dress Stylishly and Comfortably for Travel after 50 here. I love these sets for the versatility they award.

Frank and Eileen Khaki Pants and Cp Shades linen shirt

Here I am wearing the Frank and Eileen linen trousers with another favorite the CP Shades linen shirt with my Seyshelles sandals and a very old Helen Kaminski hat.

Frank and Eileen Tuscany set with linen jacket

Shop the Looks

I love the Tuscany Travel Set with sneakers and a linen jacket for cooler evenings.

eileen fisher linen pants and sleeveless shirt with shawl

I have had these Eileen Fisher organic linen separates for several years. The linen tank is very flattering. The beauty of natural fibers is they last. I added a reasonably priced linen shawl from Etsy. You can mimic any of these designs with less expensive options that I will link below the post.

linen shirt and pants cindy hattersley

I am wearing the same Eileen Fisher linen pants with a CP shades linen shirt and Eileen Fisher sandals. The bag was purchased on eBay and is from Helen Kaminski.

j jill linen pants and cp shades linen shirt

Shop the Looks

I love white linen. These linen pants are from J Jill. I am wearing them with the same CP shades shirt.

Frank and Eileen pants with a white tee
Gray haired woman in sleeveless khaki dress-cindy hattersley

This linen dress is from Frank and Eileen. You can find this dress styles multiple ways in my post How to Rock Sleeveless Style in Your 50’s and Beyond with Style.

linen pants and white t shirt cindy hattersley

Shop the Looks

Cindy Hattersley in Anthro White Maxi Dress-10 Fresh Ways to Style Black and White

This great maxi is from Anthropologie is a keeper. I am wearing it with my fave sandals, bag and hat from Eric Javits.

cindy hattrsley in bryn walker pants and cp shades jack shirt

Here I am wearing my favorite bryn walker casbah linen pants with my cp shades linen shirt and laid back london sandals. I have linked similar below.

Shop the Looks

I love these linen pants from bryn walker. I am wearing the same Cp Shades linen shirt.

How to Care for Linen

Of course linen fabric wrinkles. That is part of its character. My care instructions for linens are simple.I wash my linen pieces in the washing machine in cold water on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent, with no fabric softener. I prefer not to bleach them. Never wash them in hot water. I iron them by hand (which involves stretching and yanking) and hang them out to dry on a hanger in the wind (preferably). I NEVER put them in the dryer. You can easily launder them in a sink while traveling. The beauty of linen garments is they are absorbent and breathabl. They have moisture wicking properties, and are durable and long lasting. They are low maintenance, eco friendly and sustainable.

Quince has beautiful price-friendly linen looks for women here

I featured great linen looks for less at H&M here on my Sunday Fab Five How to Master the Art of Looking Expensive While Staying Within a Budget.

Linen Looks I Love on Sale

Now let’s pop over and visit Kim for her stylish ideas. Do you wear linen and embrace the wrinkles or do you avoid it like the plague. I would love to hear your input.

Further Reading:

Who What Wear-The Chicest Linen Outfits to Recreate this Summer

Northern California Style

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40 Comments

  1. I love linen and your styling of these pieces is perfection. Great care tips too

  2. Okay, silly question. Does hand iron mean you pull and tug wrinkles out? Or that you use an iron and ironing board instead of a steamer? Thank you!

    2. I used to pull, starch and press. Now I frequently wear a linen top wrinkled and as the day wears on the wrinkles release. I think you can try any combination and figure out what’s best suited for you and embrace your personal style.

  3. Cindy you look fantastic and these are some of my favorite looks you have put together! I think the white and tan outfits are so chic and luxe looking. I really like how you added the black belt to the Frank & Eileen tan set too! All so good on you.
    Always love doing this together! xo

  4. Hi Cindy,
    Love linen, the wrinkles do not bother me at all. In fact it gives the linen some texture and character. Many years ago it used to bother me, but not anymore.
    The Anthropologie dress is fabulous. I like the belt, gives the dress a great look. You look good in everything.

    1. Hi Kathy

      I used to be bothered by wrinkles as well, but I love that companies like CP Shades sell all their items in their wrinkled state!

  5. I am definitely in the minority here, but as someone with very sensitive skin, I work to soften my linen up. For me, that means tossing into the dryer on very low heat. I feel that it softens the fabric nicely, and gives it a slightly all over rumpled look. I do like to give just the placket of button ups a touch up with my iron. I hate it when that doesn’t lie flat.
    I’m placing an order for some linen shorts on Lands End with my fingers crossed. It’s been at least 10 years since I bought anything from them. I’m intrigued with the description of linen shorts with an A Line cut with 10” inseam.

    1. Hi Lisa

      Nothing wrong with tossing linen in the dryer! If it is of good quality it won’t hurt it a bit! Lands End definitely has some great products but it can be hit and miss!

  6. Gorgeous post thank you Cindy. I have been wearing the Eileen Fisher black organic linen pants Mary Ann suggested and they are so classy looking and a dream to wear. Then in love with linen pants and the way they make me feel, l bought the European linen pants from Quince in a dark navy and love those too. Fabulous quality! Eileen Fisher white linen skirt is also a real winner and l found that discounted in January so l now keep an eye out for quality linen pieces on sale in the off months.
    Happy weekend Cindy xo

    1. Hi Francesca

      I love a good sale too! My Eileen Fisher linen pieces wear like iron!! No pun intended ha!

  7. Every one of these looks and colors would be perfect for me. For some reason, either the colors of the clothes or the outdoor lighting makes you look more blonde than white but it’s all good. Linen just did a good job for me in 116 degree weather and I was in shopping nirvana there. I start out wearing pressed linen but don’t mind the wrinkles when they happen because that’s the way it is.

    1. Hi Wren

      It is the yellowish color coat on the house combined with the brown overhang. It makes my hair look blonde!!

  8. Linen is the workhorse of my hot weather travel. I have just returned from a 7-week trip with stops in the US, Central Asia, Japan and Europe taking only carry-on sized luggage. My wardrobe was built on 3 pairs of Flax floods with pockets , quite a few Eileen Fisher linen knit t -shirts, a few linen scarves, and a linen cargo jacket with lots of pockets. I regularly washed my clothes in the hotel sink, “hand ironed” them, and they always dried overnight. Any packing wrinkles easily and quickly fall-out. with a light spritz of water from a small spray bottle that easily fits in my toiletry bag. Best of all, I felt my clothes were comfortable, appropriate and casually chic for every occasion.

  9. Hi Cindy,
    You are always so stylish, and your linen outfits are no exception.
    I love linen, have a closet full and wear it often. I don’t care about the wrinkles that occur after a day of wearing, hand iron before I wear anything, and use some crease releaser if necessary on the big creases.
    It’s been hot enough to wear flowy linen every day! I found most of mine at Marshalls, Quince, and Gap.
    Xo Heidi

  10. I love linen. I love the Chico’s no iron linen shirts, and Jill and j crew linen pants. I wash in cold water and toss it in the dryer. None of mine has ever shrunk. I’ll steam it if necessary, but find it is often not needed.

  11. YOUR OUTFITS ARE AMAZING!
    I am a linen lover, living in Florida and would wear every one of your gorgeous outfits.

    Rosemary

  12. I love the versatility of you all of your outfits. Well done. Keep the posts coming! You are inspiring me!

  13. I quit ironing years ago and can’t handle the wrinkles of linen. Thankfully I discovered cotton gauze. It’s just as cool as linen, softer from day one, and washes and dries perfectly. Key too is keeping pieces loose and flowy. My favorite is Eileen Fisher, but have found great pieces at Free People and Foxcroft too.

    1. I discovered Oh My Gauze and Cotton ways clothing a few years ago. They are cool, relaxed shapes and last a long time.

      1. Hi Adrienne

        I have never tried Oh My Gauze…will check them out. I love gauze.

  14. A quote from my Grandmother a very long time ago (my Mom is 100). “Rich Wrinkles”
    Love that linen.

  15. great post! i wear lots of linen this time of year and you’ve given me so good ideas for styling my things that might not have occurred to me before. thanx, cindy.

  16. Most of my spring and summer clothes are linen. The wrinkles used to bother me but no more! You look great – as usual – in all of your outfits!

  18. OMG! I’m in love with a summer dress! One and done! It has been my “go to”ever since I bought the style you are wearing. I use a short linen jacket to help with the sun or a/c. I found in my closet the perfect same colored short sweater too!
    Cindy your waist looks great with belts, my rectangular shape doesn’t work well with a belt, especially since the waist is getting harder to define. Guess dropping a few pounds will help!

  19. I’ve purchased some great linen pieces at Quince which is much more in line with my budget. I drool over Frank and Eileen clothes but just cant afford them. Oh and I embrace the wrinkles!!

    1. I love linen, its texture, and even its wrinkles. But I’d like to see some photos that show the truth of linen. Cindy looks stunning in all photos — let’s see some photos taken at the end of the day, after sitting and walking and doing chores and meeting friends for lunch.

  20. you always look amazing and effortless. for me the effort is real ha, but i try hard to channel you Cindy. I live in linen year round if that’s wrong i dont want to be right. lately my favorite linen shirts are from gap (boyfriend linen shirt) and banana republic. going to look through your links now in case i need more 🙂

  21. On me, matching linen sets, a la Frank and Eileen and others, look like pajamas. Long white dresses, so great on the mannequins and on Cindy, look like nightgowns. I can’t figure out why this is and how to change it.

    1. same here Bette …always look like snoopy, I have some long flowing sleeveless tank dresses , but on me , not attractive, , am full sized and need help. { with pictures if possible]

    2. same here Bette …always look sloppy, I have some long flowing sleeveless tank dresses , but on me , not attractive, , am full sized and need help. { with pictures if possible]

  22. I absolutely love linen as well. I’ve been wearing CP Shades for years. I wash and line dry then will lightly steam out any large, awkward wrinkes and embrace the rest. The wrinkles are part of the beauty of the textiles in my opinion. CP Shades has some great pieces on sale now btw! 🙂

  23. One question Cindy, the white Anthro dress, how did you find the sizing? Sever reviews say it runs large?

  24. I love linen! Wrinkles and all. IT is the quintessential fabric and look of warm weather climates and in my humble opinion always look effortless and chic.
    You look fabulous in all of your outfits but my favorite is the white Anthropologie dress!
    Have a wonderful weekend Cindy.

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