Men are by and large conservative and traditional creatures. They like to wear the same clothes as all the other men so they don’t stand out from the crowd. The result? The world is full of men wearing dark dull suits in wool or cheap synthetic materials. What should the man who wants to stand out from the crowd wear? Why not a linen suit?

Linen is a great material to wear, particularly in summer. It is a wholly natural material, a product of the flax plant, and one that mankind has been wearing for thousands of year. Linen’s great strength is that it is light to wear and cool in warm weather. It not only keeps the wearer cool but also is breathable allowing air to circulate and keeping the wearer fresh even on the hottest of days.

The main drawback of linen for many men is that it is prone to wrinkling. In a casual context this just adds to its relaxed appearance but it does mean that a linen suit may not be suitable for the office. One way around this is to wear heavier weaves of linen which are less given to creasing although they are also warmer. Alternatively, try a linen blend suit. Linen can be woven successfully with cotton, silk and various man-made fibers to produce a practical suiting material that has the appearance and benefit of light linen without the creasing.

Traditionally, linen is worn in light neutral colors. Again these are great for casual wear on a summer’s day but depending on the ethos of your office may be considered inappropriate. Darker shades of linen are available and would work in this context. But in summer why not go all the way and embrace the classic linen look. Nothing says summer like a bright white linen suit and it will bring a breath of fresh summer air into even the stuffiest of traditional offices.