Linen pants are the best kept hot weather secret. You can wear dressier outfits that require pants without burning up in the mid-summer heat. You can also dress down certain looks while giving off a cool, effortless summer vibe. We’ll go through 3 best linen pants for hot weather, and how you can wear them.
| Best Affordable Casual Option | Banana Republic |
| Best Versatile Option | Mango |
| Best Dressy Option | J. Crew |
In reality, you only need a couple of pairs of linen pants. Unless you attend numerous dressy-casual events (usually during the day) over the summer, one or two foundational pairs should suffice.
Why Linen Pants?
What are the benefits? Linen was made for the hot weather. It is lightweight, breathable, moisture-wicking, and hypoallergenic. Linen pants allow you to look put-together without sacrificing comfort. They can get a little wrinkled, which is part of the casual effortlessness of the look. It’s fine be a little relaxed during the summer months. The natural variation and texture of linen fibers also adds visual interest to your outfit, which can liven up otherwise standard/boring looks.
When is it best to wear them? Depending on the cut and construction, they have an unbeatable versatility during the summer. A summer wedding (either as separate pants or part of a linen suit), a rehearsal dinner/cocktail hour, lunch or afternoon drinks, a casual dinner, a boat party, to the pool, a walk on the beach, lounging at a café… really any warm weather casual or semi-formal situation.
How to Wear Linen Pants
The cut must match the formality of the occasion. You can pull off drawstring linen pants, or those with a fuller cut, for more casual situations. You can wear these with a t-shirt and leather sandals or espadrilles, or with a polo shirt or short-sleeve button down and white canvas sneakers. Below are a few examples of a solid casual looks with linen pants.
For dressier situations, you should go with more tailored pants, possibly in a linen-cotton or linen-wool blend. Blends like these keep the cooling properties and relaxed vibe of linen, while adding a touch more structure.
This type of pant will match unstructured sport coats, button-down shirts, loafers, or even a more casual pair of suede oxfords, for instance. The photos below are a good example of some slightly dressier looks with linen pants. Notice how well the pants match the dressiness of the other parts of the outfit, while still maintaining a relaxed feel.
3 Best Options
Alright, now that we know all about the versatility and comfort of linen pants, let’s look at the best linen pants for hot weather, with a few options at varying price points.
- Banana Republic Athletic Fit Linen Pants – solid, affordable casual option
- Mango Slim-Fit Linen Pants – perfect in-between option
- J. Crew Slub Cotton-Linen Suit Pant – great for more structured looks or paired with a matching suit jacket for a summer suit
