LINEN CO-ORDS FOR THIS AND EVERY SUMMER
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… and it’s more than just because it feels like I’m out and about in my pyjamas! The co-ord, as christened by the cool cats of fashion is what I’ve always called matchy-matchy… and that isn’t something I’ve ever been too fond of if I’m honest. But offer it to me in neutral hues of soft summer linen with shirts of varying fit and length and I’m in. Especially when both pieces are interchangeable with pretty much everything else in my wardrobe.
I realised I’d kind of fallen into it by accident at first when I pulled out the linen shirt I’d bought last year and then the shorts I snaffled this spring. Would you look at that - I match! Not only that but the overall effect is distinctly Menocore, a little bit Coastal Grandmother and highly wearable for a woman in midlife who gets more than a little obsessive about wearing linen the minute April is done.
Take a scroll through the options below and then we’ll talk more matchy matchy…
If you want in, it’s best not to hang about as I realise I’m bringing you to this particular party a little late in the season. Both in terms of time left to wear this year and the fact that many brands are selling out faster than you can say “Watch my Reel about packing for a villa in Ibiza.” I’m not off to Ibiza by the way but I will be taking my co-ords to Cornwall with me… and when I get back, they’ll be packed away, ready to be brought out again every summer.
If in the process of perusing this online selection, you find some sizes sold out, its worth setting up the email notify option as some brands are still periodically re-stocking. That was how I got my hands on this shirt and these shorts at H&M - never accept defeat when on the hunt for linen staples. If we’re talking quality then I would say my ARKET linen comes up best - as you’d expect from a higher price point. But H&M is surprisingly good, washes up softer and so feels better when the temperatures really rise, as they’ve been doing lately.
ARKET are offering a good selection of short sleeved linen shirts in multiple hues and if you go for their drawstring shorts, you can be assured of a decent length - my days of bum-cheek baring shorts are over… not that they ever really took off in the first place. My beige ARKET set gets paired with this COS bag because it goes with everything but works especially well here. And when I wear the black set, I usually carry a straw tote for summery contrast. In terms of footwear, to keep the overall look more contemporary, all the sets get alternated with beige Birkenstocks, flatforms, fisherman or chunky Dad sandals.
Among the other co-ord components I managed to track down are these paper bag shorts from Warehouse. This style is great for flattering the midlife midriff and this particular set with the khaki shirt looks great worn over a swimsuit, should swimming be on the horizon at any point. For a good boxy shirt style, try the selection of linens at Uniqlo - they’ve got varying colours and sizes left in their cotton/linen blend range. Or if you’re looking for a longer length in the shorts, try this InWear pair at John Lewis. At the point of hitting publish, they had all sizes from 8 through 14 available and the truffle coloured linen is gorgeous… Nope… I will not fall victim to shopping my own post and I do not need that colour on top of the others.
Finally, if you have the cash to splash then I think the Deiji Studios matching set would be the dream… now that would require a trip to Ibiza…
ACCESSORIES TO CO-ORD WITH YOUR CO-ORDS
IN THE HEADER IMAGE, I’M WEARING THE ARKET DRAWSTRING LINEN SHORTS + THEIR SHORT SLEEVED LINEN SHIRT
